Mazamas Basic Climbing Education Program 2011

Between late April and early May most of my spare time has been focused on leading a group of 10 students through the Mazamas Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP). It has been 10 days since our final lecture and since then I have been digesting the events of this endeavor. Leading a BCEP group was a very positive thing for me last year. It was such a great experience that in the back of my mind I was wondering if this year would live up to the previous year. I am pleased to report that this was indeed the case.


One of the assistant instructors suggested that we have a team nickname. I thought that was a brilliant idea. After tossing around a variety of ideas our team selected the "Glissade Brigade".


BCEP is an intense and time demanding experience. In a period of seven weeks there are six lectures, six conditioning hikes, an Introduction to Rock Climbing, a snow climbing field session and a rock climbing field session. In addition the Glissade Brigade spent an evening learning knots, another practicing navigation at Portland's Mount Tabor Park, and spent one evening hanging out at the rock gym. We had three weekends where there was a BCEP activity both Saturday and Sunday. I must have packed my backpack countless times.

Basically I followed the same format from the previous year. The biggest change was that we had the Introduction to Rock Climbing at the brand new instructional climbing wall at the Mazamas Mountaineering Center. Our snow climbing field session took place early in the class in the White River Canyon. We could not practice at Timberline as in past years due to avalanche conditions, but we made the best of the situation.


The bulk of the time is spent on conditioning hikes. The aim of these hikes is not just to get into shape for scaling the heights of the mountain peaks but to practice skills related to alpine climbing. As much as possible we would pull out our maps and compass to practice navigation skills. For one hike I put in a fixed line so everyone could practice using their prusik friction knot. We even worked in a rappel on this hike. While hiking the Glissade Brigade learned how to measure snow slopes to appraise avalanche conditions, adjust their gear for the demanding weather, and make decisions on when to continue hiking or turn back. We even followed the Easter Bunny up Dog Mountain!


Speaking of weather, the Glissade Brigade weathered the elements in good fashion. Our first conditioning hike started out with strong rain. We had two weekends where we saw radical shifts in the weather. For our Snow Field Session it was overcast, snowy and windy only to be followed by a beautiful blue sky hiking up the Palmer snow field the next day. Another weekend we had a gorgeous day climbing on rock at Horsethief Butte followed by overcast skies and light rain on Dog and Augsperger Mountains.



Just like last year, I was blessed with a stellar group of assistant instructors. They gave me new ideas that improved the program. It was very rewarding to me to have four of the graduates from last year's BCEP group join me. They provided valuable insights of their experience last year, which was helpful to me. It was also a joy to watch them step up and apply the skills that they learned last year. I also had some experienced assistants that added so much to the program that we offered.


I am very grateful to the assistants and students (now graduates) of the Glissade Brigade. I appreciated the laughs, fellowship, and experiences that we shared. I am thankful for all that we accomplished together. Climb on!

Marmot Pass

Marmot Pass, which separates the Big Quilcene and Dungeness Rivers, occupies a special place in my heart. It was here that I backpacked with Camp Parsons High Adventure for the first time. Growing up with the skyline of the Olympic Mountains visible from backyard, the Olympics were already in my sight. But it was this outing where my appreciation of this range sunk in even deeper into my skin.

It has been 24 years since I set foot here. There was still ample Indian Paintbrush to color the alpine meadows. As we hiked up Buckhorn Mountain the clouds moved in and out, giving us panoramic views of the mountains that watch over the Dungeness Valley.

The last time I was here most of our group misread the terrain and map, thus heading away from our base camp. We realized our error in good time, allowing us to return to camp and learn from the experience. This time there were not any navigation errors. Only fond memories of the beginning of the path started here.

Sunday Parkways: Southeast Portland

Today we braved the heat and joined the masses to tour Southeast Portland. This was part of Portland's Sunday Parkways, were streets connecting city parks are closed to motor traffic.


Along the way we ran into friends, practiced with the Hula Hoops, listened to music, and enjoyed biking down the streets without cars.

With the temperature in the 90s it was tough to beat the heat. Thankfully many households along the way were running their lawn sprinkers to help us cool off. The free Snow Cones towards the end made a big difference.

Tefnut

Tuesday was a sad day. My housemate's cat Tefnut had been missing since Thursday. Today we learned that she had been killed by a car on a nearby street. Someone in the neighborhood had found her and buried her. When they saw my housemate's Lost Cat fliers they called with the bad news.

Although she had been around for only three months, Tefnut had some big fans in the neighborhood. One neighbor would sit out on her porch in the morning and the cat would come running over and leap onto her lap.

She was a friendly, curious, and playful cat and I will miss her. Here is an example of what is missing from our house...

Remembering Renwick 'Ed' Dayton

I got a rare treat as I drove North up Highway 101 on Saturday. It was so clear that I could see Mount Baker, nearly centered on the blue green waters of the Hood Canal. Many times in clear and cloudy have I driven along here, but I could never recall a day where I could see this giant of the North Cascades from here.

I was not here on a lark nor did I have any hiking or climbing scheduled for the weekend. Rather I was going to Camp Parsons to say goodbye to Ed Dayton, who was tragically killed in an automobile /motorcycle accident.

Ed was on the Camp Parsons Staff when I was a Scout, before I joined the staff. He was one of those guys that I looked up to as a Scout. When I was backpacking with the Camp Parsons High Adventure program it was Ed that picked us up at the trail head.

After I had worked on the Parsons Staff I frequently saw Ed at the work parties. One could not help to admire his smile and firm handshake. He always looked happy to see me. And it was always a treat to witness his sense of humor. So it was a shock read that he was gone.

So many of us gathered at Campfire Point to celebrate his life. It seemed fitting and proper that we were sitting on the very benches that Ed helped build. I grieved that I had lost a role model, that camp had lost a great supporter, and that we had lost a friend.

John Moen recording stories about Ed

Halloween 2009

Although I am well beyond my trick or treating days, I celebrated Halloween this year at a variety of venues this year. It started last weekend when Deborah and I checked out the Field of Screams on Sauvie Island. We thought this haunted corn field was more effective than a haunted house. It seemed that the thick corn stalks gave the various monsters better hiding places than the restrictive walls found in a building.

On Friday I left my tie at home and at work as I dressed up as a Lumberjack. I could not help to whistle the tune to Monty Python's Lumberjack song as I shouldered my axe. In my mind's eye I imagined myself leaping from tree to tree as they floated down the mighty rivers of British Columbia.

On Halloween itself we toured the Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland. As we were led around the cemetery we 'met' several of the inhabitants of this graveyard, who shared with us their stories. This included a woman caught up in a love triangle/double-murder suicide, a business man who shanghaied his own son and a prostitute whose gravestone was paid for by her clients. My neighbor Michael, who helped organize the event, later told me that 2400 people took this tour that evening.

To top it off we watched the film Shaun of the Dead, which was quite amusing. If zombies invade my hometown, I hope I would not be as oblivious to them as the movie's hero. I will confess that I covered my eyes during the really gory part.

Central Oregon Trip

My brother Scott was in Portland for a business trip the past week. At the end of the week we took a trip to Central Oregon, which turned out to be a good diversion from rainy Willamette Valley weather.

We covered a lot of territory on this trip. We hiked up Misery Ridge at Smith Rock State Park and watched climbers on Monkey Face. In Bend we caught up with Jen Floyd, who we worked with at Camp Parsons. We also checked out Cline Falls State Park, home of an unsolved attempted axe murder. On the way home we stopped at Silver Falls State Park to relive some childhood memories.

The big surprise of the trip was the hike along Tumalo Creek. I had heard about this area, but it was my first visit there. Tumalo Falls is located within tripping distance from the parking lot, but this is one of those hikes where continuing down the trail is well worth the extra effort.

Tumalo Falls

Upper Tier of Middle Tumalo Falls

Upper Tumalo Falls

Hop to it Kangaroos! High School 20th Reunion

The day I knew would be coming finally came, the 20th anniversary of my high school graduating class.  I had enjoyed the 10 year reunion, so it was a no-brainer to attend this one.  I departed Portland Friday evening at got to Bellevue, WA  just in time for the class photos and dinner.

In some ways it was overwhelming to walk into the hotel reception room.  There were so many familiar faces, but do I really know any of these people?  Then I started to talk to people, some of which I had gone to school with since my elementary school days.  I started to feel at home again.  It was also fun to catch up with one of the Music Hall gang, the group that I so identified with during high school.

Saturday morning I went to part two of the reunion, a picnic at Marymore Park in Redmond.  There was a smaller crowd than at the reception, but it afforded me the chance to talk with those who were outside of my social circle.  We even got some musical entertainment, since the picnic took place right next to the concert area.  Death Cab for Cutie was warming up for this evening, so we got a preview of the show.

There was also a reminder that our graduating class is not immune from the fraility of life.  At the reception there were photos of those from our class that have passed away.  One was David Johns, who earned his Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts along with me.  It was a reminder life was meant to be lived.

Swedish Connection

My Swedish heritage got plenty to attention on this social whirlwind of a day.  It started when my parents arrived with my Swedish relatives Kurt and Anita.  I had visited them twice in Mora, Sweden - once in 1993 with my friend Eric and then in 1996.  It was great to host them here in Portland.  They were stopping for lunch while underway to visit some friends in Bend, Oregon.  We had a great time catching up and looking at the photos of my past visits to Sweden.

Then I drove to Northeast Portland for my Mazama friends Laura and Dan's housewarming party.  I had worn my Swedish Folk Costume because my next stop would be the ScanFair at Portland State University.  My costume turned out to be a great conversation starter and a great chance to share a part of my self with my friends.

My next stop was Portland State University for the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation's ScanFair Dance.  Here I got a chance to practice the Hambo, Waltz, and other dances.

Blithe Spirit

This afternoon I returned to the University of Portland campus not for the soccer game, but to see a production of Noel Coward's play Blithe Spirit.  While I have heard of Coward, I was not familiar with his work, so I jumped at the chance to see this play.  

The play is about a socialite and his wife who invite a local clairvoyant to a dinner party for a seance.  Believing the her to be hoax, he hopes to get material for a novel that he plans on writing.  He gets more than he bargains for when the ghost of his first wife appears, which he loved greatly.  What follows is comical miscommunication, a love triangle, and attempts to rid the house of the ghosts of the past and present.

Apparently Coward decided to write a superficial comedy about a ghost after his apartment was destroyed by a German bombing run.  It is always tempting for me to try to squeeze the meaning of what I experience.  Is this a play about having an open mind?  Or is about the the deeply intrenched feelings of love?  Then again, I could look at this simply as a light hearted way to spend a drizzly afternoon.  

Hunchback Mountain

What started out as a straightforward hike up Hunchback Mountain in Mt Hood National Forest ended up as a bushwhacking adventure.  Brett and I picked a great day to hike up this forested ridge crest trail.  I must admit, having gone on several hikes with the 'old but bold' crowd, it was an adjustment to hike with someone younger than me who had just returned from a marathon.  Anyway, we did not have the first viewpoint of the Salmon River Valley to ourselves.  Several of the Zigzag Hotshots were just descending from a hike, carrying their chainsaws and shovels.  There was also a large group of Mazamas taking a break, some of whom I recognized.  After enjoying the view of this evergreen covered valley we continued on to the Great Pyramid where we paused for lunch.  

We decided to make a loop by continuing on to the Green Canyon Way trail, descending to the Salmon River, and hiking along the River by trail and road.  As we descended from the Great Pyramid we started to encounter larger snow patches and more downfallen trees.  Looking back, I think the two of us did a great job of reading the map and finding the Green Canyon Way Trail.  It was clear if we descended west from the ridge we would eventually end up at the Salmon River.  The trick was to find the general path of the trail.  In retrospect I think we veered north too early and allowed ourselves to get sucked into a creek valley.  In this case, the path less travelled was very picturesque.  There were several cascading waterfalls and the moss covered banks of this creek were indeed a pleasant sight.  Fortunately we were able to descend the steep hillsides and navigate around the drop-offs.  Brett had taken a GPS waypoint where we left the Hunchback Mountain trail, so I felt good that we could get back if we had run into a dead end.  However, the slopes leveled out and we slowly bushwhacked along the creek.  It was hard work, so the Salmon River trail was a very welcome sight.

After the river trail ended we started walking down the road towards the trailhead.  We were very grateful to the couple that gave us a lift back to the car.  Our adventure hardy was not over when we reached the car.  In the parking lot a USFS law enforcement officer was talking via cellphone with a hiker who was lost on Hunchback Mountain.  We pulled out our maps and helped the officer determine the approximate location of the hiker.  This story also had a happy ending and you can read about it in the Seattle Times and Oregonian.

Once again my appreciation grew for the various organizations that help maintain the trails.  I would strongly suggest that you check out the Washington Trails Association and Mazamas Trail Tending.

Six degrees of Edgefield

My day started out with household chores and then trimming the Rhododendron on the west side of my house.  With those tasks completed, I set out for a surprise birthday party for a Mazamas friend at the McMemamins Edgefield in Troutdale.  This place is a 38 acre farmland that includes a movie theater, hotel, fine dining, pitch and putt golf course, distillery, and much more.  The Mazamas were well represented here - both of the climb leaders that I have assisted with for the basic climbing class were here.  I was also pleasantly surprised to see a long time friend of my parents there.  It was good thing that we have arrived early, because this place was packed.

Market Street Pub

Friday evening I dined at the McMenamins Market Street Pub.  It is your typical McMenamins pub with a long copper bar and plenty of large booths.  This locale is located near the Portland State University campus and home to many memories for me.  Often I would be found here Monday evenings participating with the German conversation group Stammtisch that met here.  Within the walls of this pub I have experienced the highs of celebrating my birthday to the lows of being stood up.  I am pleased to report that I have a good experience this time  with very pleasant company and yummy tater tots.

Where Angels Rest

For years since I have been dropping hints to my scouting friend Scott that he is welcome to visit me here in Stumptown.  This weekend he and his girlfriend Christine were in town and they paid me a visit.  We were not content to just sit around, instead we drove out to the Columbia River Gorge for a hike to Angels Rest.  Not only was the weather stellar, but there was abundant Larkspur blooming on both sides of the trail.  Up on the top of this massive outcroping we snagged the bench and soaked in the magnificent views, without the gusts of wind that often plague the gorge.  During our descent I was very pleased to cross paths with several of my Mazamas friends.  They were on their way up to have a potluck dinner.

Back in Portland, we cleaned up and then headed to the McMenimans Ringlers Pub to meet some of Scott and Christine's friends.  It was surprisingly sparse inside this one time automotive service garage - perhaps everyone was outside because of the nice weather.  This is one of the McMenimans were smoking is allowed.  Thankfully the low number of patrons spared my clothes of reeking of second hand smoke.  As I worked on my Black Bean Burrito the weather took a turn for the worse.  Thunder and lightning were crashing through the air and the rain was falling hard.  It was a wet dash for the car.

Trash Pick Up

My friend from work Mark invited me to a trash pickup in the Hillsdale neighborhood in Southwest Portland.  It was organized by SOLV, which I learned stands for Save Oregon from Litter and Vandalism.  The weather was overcast but cooperative.  We spent the morning picking up trash along the Multinomah Boulevard on/off ramps to Interstate 5.  In addition to countless latte/coffee cup tops, I found two bicycle wheels and a Pennsylvania Drivers License.  At one point Mark and I were under a overpass that had severed as shelter for a homeless person.  It was sad to see several empty tequila bottles discarded on the ground.  As we picked up the litter some drivers honked to show support, while others left me with the impression that they saw us as an obstacle to get to their destination.  Mark, who had grown up in New Jersey, told me that he thought Portland was so much cleaner than his home town.

Mt. Defiance

Yesterday our basic climbing class embarked on its final conditioning hike.  The goal was Mt. Defiance, the highest point in the Columbia River gorge.  Students were to carry one-fifth of their body weight in their backpacks and expected to hike up this steep trail at 1000 feet per hour.  On Thursday I had a Sport Medicine Doctor take a look at my knee.  He had X-rays taken, poked at prodded, and then twisted my leg various directions.  He did not think there was any serious injuries and I was free to return to my various activities as I saw fit.  He did caution to not take any long hikes this weekend.  Our team leader asked if I would join the group and stay with one student who was slow and not expected to summit.  He pointed out to me that part of Leadership Development was learning to work with the slowest members of a climbing team.  If my leg bothered me another assistant could take my place and I could return to the trailhead.  My leg was feeling better so I agreed to go.  However, as I started up the trail the muscles in my leg were feeling strained.  Every fiber in my body (especially around my knee) was telling me to turn around as the words of the doctor were ringing in my ears, so I bailed.  It just was not worth risking further injury.

The trail to Mt. Defiance starts at Starvation Creek State Park.  It was here in the Winter of 1884/1885 a train bound for Portland was stranded for three weeks due to high snow drifts.  Every passenger survived and no one starved, but the lack of food earned the creek, waterfall, and park the name of starvation.  As I soaked my leg in the ice cold creek I reminded myself that my situation is far less dire as those train passengers.  That every setback is still an opportunity to learn and grow.  I am pleased to report that all of the students of our team made it to the summit of Mt. Defiance.  One of the students even credited me for getting better at packing her backpack.

Today a gal that I know from the Adventurous Young Mazamas organized a Middle Eastern Dinner party.  We assembled in the afternoon and prepared Hummus, Falafel, a Middle Eastern Salad, and a middle eastern tortilla.  Yours truly donned his Swedish apron and fried the Falafel.  Thanks for the evening Melissa!

And a ship with eight sails..

Friday night I rode my bike to the University of Portland campus and watched the play The Threepenny Opera.  It has been years since my German instructor introduced me to the works of Bertold Brecht, yet the Ballad of Mac the Knife has often been with me.  When I learned last November that this play would be running here in North Portland, I made sure to save the date.  I had seen the play in Munich, this was the first time I would hear it in English.  As the cast sang songs such as the 'Useless Song' I found myself returning my German classroom at Denny Hall, the Berliner Ensemble Theater in Berlin, Burgtheater in Vienna, and Muenchener Volkstheater in Munich.  What really moved me was the song Pirate Jenny.  I found myself hanging on every note as the spotlight focused on the actress.  It is a delightfully cynical play, especially the parody of happy endings at the finale.  The only downside was that I would have liked to spend time after the play with the friends that joined me.  However, it seemed like we all had plans for Saturday morning and therefore wanted to get to bed.

Today I led a hike to Kings Mountain for our BCEP team.  Originally I wanted to take them along the Elk King Traverse.  However, the snow pack is 250 percent above average in the Costal Range.  After researching trail conditions, I thought it would be wise not to take the students along this quasi scramble.  The weather was glorious and the snow was soft.  At times I doubted my decision.  However, I have realized part of being a leader is making peace with my decisions.