November Meeting Highlights

Hello all; Had a great business meeting last night and a wonderful slideshow. Thanks to everyone that toughed it out thru the business portion. Lots of stuff going on as we begin to close out this years' administation and try and make sure the house is in order for the next group of leaders. We'll get the full minutes posted to the homepage in a week or two as the pace of thins allow but just wanted to share the high points with everyone: The following two motions from the OCT meeting were voted on and passed: VA Trad Climbing Guide: The group approved the start of a project to develop and publish a guidebook on the (unpublished) Trad climbing areas of VA that the group has developed and/or frequents. Dave Raboy has lead on the project and will inform the membership of the scope and schedule for the project when defined. AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Certification: The group approved funding the assessment costs for an AMGA, SPI course in MAR 09 at Looking Glass Mtn in NC. We need six volunteers (first come first served). The course details can be found at http://www.foxmountainguides.com/AMGA_Single_Pitch_Instructor_Course.htm. The cost to participants will be $435 and the Mountaineering Section will pay the $230 assessment fee per applicant. Specific dates will be set once we have six volunteers. Contact me directly if interested. Elections: Colleen briefed the membership on the details for this years' election. The nomination period is open now until 10 DEC. GET YOUR NOMINATIONS TO COLLEEN ASAP - and don't be afraid to nominate yourself (I can think of no stronger endorsement than to simply say "I'd like to serve") - we need new faces and the new ideas that come with them to keep the club growing and thriving. Colleen will propose the slate for approval at the DEC meeting and then voting will be done at the JAN meeting. Everyone please join me in thanking Colleen for taking on this hugely important task and, most importantly, SUPPORT HER WITH YOUR PARTICIPATION! Christmas Party: Court and Lora P have graciously agreed to host and coordinate the event this year - THANKS you two. The date will be SAT, 13 DEC at Court's place in Rosslyn - MARK YOUR CALENDARS for what is always a highlight of the year. Proposed Bylaws Changes: There were two bylaws changes proposed and appropriately seconded. The first will establish term limits for the elected officers of the section and the second removes the specific coordinators currently reflected in the Bylaws thus more correctly aligning the Bylaws and Constitution on the matter. YOu can find the detailed proposals in the minutes when published. Change to Honorary Members: We inappropriately designated Annette and Vince as honorary members earlier in the year (our Constitution and Bylaws only permit this at the JAN Annual Meeting) and thus those designations are recinded until JAN when they will, hopefully, be resubmitted. This oversight is completely my fault and I have made personal apologies to the two members and ask the rest of the membership's forgiveness as well. Polar Express: The section leadership offered to rent a large capacity van for travels to the Nort Country for winter climbing adventures. The ideas is that if a group of members are interested, the Section will front the van rental and then the traveling members would split the cost of the van (to be reinbursed to the Section), all gas, and driving. Initial investigation shows that we can get a 12 pax van for ~$300 per weekend. That probably works out to less than $100 per person round trip per person. Sounds like a good deal to me but it's up to you all. Who's gonna test the water!?! Slideshow: And finally, we closed the evening with an outstanding slide show on the Cordillera HUAYHUASH in Peru given by the Section's newest international member Richardo Malca. Great jos and thanks! Like I said, a busy meeting, thanks to everyone that participated. Graver

Mountaineering Section 2009 Club Officer Elections

It's that time of year again (already) - where'd this year go?!? Please join me in thanking Colleen for accepting the election coordinator position for our pending elections! She'll post details sometime in the ensuing weeks but please start thinking about your nominations. Graver

Alpine Skills Weekend (23-25 JAN)

Just a quick update of things I've thought of in talking with those who've expressed interest thus far: First, there is another prerequisite that I neglected to mention - all partcipants must be members of BOTH the mountaineering section and the PATC since this is an excursion beyond the PATC local area (the 4 states)

Also, I believe we'll need to have an off mountain day to let newer folks have a show & tell day for winter gear. I thought maybe early DEC so that if folks want or need to buy stuff they can get it on their list for Santa. Thoughts? **BTW, I'll bring all thre stuff I have but will also need some of you veterans to volunteer some of your gear and advice on this day. Thoughts? Graver


From: rgraver9106@hotmail.comTo: patc-ms@googlegroups.comSubject: [PATC-MS] Alpine Skills Weekend (23-25 JAN)Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:56:08 -0400
Hello all; Decided on dates for this. Here's the plan: THURS, 22 JAN: Fly to Manchester, drive to Pinkham Notch, and hike into the Harvard Cabin after work FRI, 23 JAN: Share & practice alpine skills in Huntington Ravine SAT, 24 JAN: Summit attempt via appropriate route(s) in either Huntington Ravine and/or Lion's Head SUN, 25 JAn: Review, rest, pack, head home Plan would be to , spend FRI & SAT tooling around Huntington Ravine and/or the Lion's Head Trail A list of things I thought we could practice are as follows (also open to other suggestions as well): 1- Winter gear (less is better but too little can be deadly) 2- Efficient Movement w crampons and ice axe (slow & steady wins the race BUT this is a lesson I never learned) - Fitting Crampons & Axe - French Technique - Front Point - Hybrid Technique - Self Arrest & Self Belay 3- Alpine Anchors & Belays 4- Moving as a Team 5- Avalanche Awareness WHAT I NEED: - Participants (must be members of BOTH the Mountaineering Section and the PATC to participate). - Some more experienced members to come along to also share their experience and techniques (same membership requirements as above) - Club ropes WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING: - A reasonable fitness level (we will be oprating in a very demanding environment - the approach alone has been known to crush mere mortals)- All your personal winter climbing gear, comfort gear, food, and money (cash) to pay the caretaker for your stay at the Harvard Cabin (first come-first served and $15 per night inside or $10 per night to camp outside)- And most importantly a sense of humor and flexible agenda. Ultimately, the condition of the mountain will dictate what we do. I'm probably fogetting stuff but we can iron out those details as we go along between now and then. Lemme know who's in when when you can. Graver

October Agenda

The following motions were made and appropriately seconded and will be voted on at the OCT meeting:

Lora P made the motion for the MS to buy a trad rack for aspiring leaders to check and use (ie. a set of nuts/hexes, cams, alon with some biners and slings.

Kip made the motion to shut down the listserve to force the club’s discussions to the MS discussion board at: http://www.localendar.com/forums/pmccalendar.
We can also start a New forum on the club's website.

Dave R made the motion and agreed to lead the production of the Mountaineering Section‘s next climbing guide project. The project will document unpublished traditional climbing areas in the DC-Metro area (ie. the newly re-discovered climbing areas: Long Mountain, Little Stonyman Cliffs, Buzzard Rocks, and the lower slabs area of Old Rag)
Katahdin - The folks at BSP will be opening up the reservation requests the first business day in Nov. which is only 5 weeks away. To get your first choice you definitely want your request to be there at that time. It would be ideal if a Katahdin veteran (John O.???) would step up to take on this task. http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/camping/wintercamping.htmlDaks Big House - Last year was fun to have 15 of us together but the house wasn't ideal. A bigger common area would be great, a week would have been not much more money, lots of things to think about. Last year just signed the lease after I got committments ($ in fist) from most of the folks. For someone to be comfortable doing this you have to haveearly committments from folks who want to go. If anyone wants to tackle this one that would be great as once again the earlier you get going the more likely you can get a time frame that works.
Please provide your thoughts on the motions via the listserve and then definitely come out and have your say at the OCT meeting where we'll decide.