Dave Harden: Three Hikes – Old Guys Stumbling Around in the Wilderness

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hour and free beer for members at 6:30)

Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Dave Harden returns to the Rock Ice & Mountain Club with a presentation from three backpacking trips Dave took last year. Dave backpacked in the Grand Canyon, Northern Yosemite and the Paria River Canyon. Soaring sandstone walls, glacially carved domes, petroglyphs and wildflowers are just some of the highlights you will see.

Longtime Tuolumne County resident, Dave Harden, started wandering in the mountains as a teen in the 1960s. He began rock climbing soon after that and it has remained a lifelong passion. He has climbed throughout the western U.S. and around the world but the California High Sierra remains his favorite place. Harden retired from the fire service in 2005 after a thirty-two year career with CDF (now CAL FIRE) and lives in Sonora with his wife, Pamela Blair.

Posted in Events

Rock Ice & Mountain Club: July 3 – Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Campout

The July 3 General Meeting for the Rock Ice & Mountain Club will be at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park near Kenwood, CA. We are not going to have the general meeting at the Round Table Pizza in Santa Rosa.

In an effort to provide more outdoor opportunities and because the July general meeting falls on the day before the Fourth of July, we decided to reserve the group camp site at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and have an opportunity for our members and non-members to enjoy time together hanging out, hiking, biking, having a potluck dinner, camping, and wait for it…………………BOULDERING.

Yes, many know that there is bouldering at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, but many have never been or hear that it is all choss. Well I’m here to tell you that is not the case. There has been a lot of development of boulder problems the last 5 or more years and there is some choss, but also lots of fun, challenging and good boulder problems. Many are unknown classics. So bring your shoes, chalkbag and bouldering pad for a Tuesday afternoon/evening session and a Wednesday morning session.

Tour guides, Darren Wiemeyer and Chris Summit, will be there to bring groups to where the good concentration of boulders are located with a range of difficulty with almost endless easies to the “Loaf’s” testpiece “Sun God Direct – V10” on the Sungazer Boulder at Sunrise Rocks. The main areas are the Canyon Trail Boulders and Sunrise Rocks.

Below is a link (paste into your browser) to Chris Summit’s blog post with almost all of the boulder problems in the park,

http://summitorplummet.blogspot.com/2010/08/sugarloaf-ridge-bouldering-reborn.html

and a link to problems at Sunrise Rocks which is a 10-minute walk from the group camp.

http://summitorplummet.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-sunrise-rocks-sugarloaf-ridge-park.html

Even if you don’t climb or boulder, there are great trails and some good mountain biking as well. We encourage all of our members and regulars to either signup for the camping, show up for the potluck and socializing or just for the bouldering. The group campsite holds 50 campers with mostly space for tents, but if you have a truck camper, sprinter or small trailer feel free to bring it. We are discouraging large tow trailers and RV’s.

To reserve a camping spot or to just show up for the climbing or potluck, email Darren at [email protected] with “Sugarloaf Ridge Camping” in the title. We will be organizing a pot-luck dinner and most likely breakfast as well.

photo: Darren Wiemeyer

photo: Chris Summit

Posted in Events, Trips

Andrew Mowery – Backcountry Exposures: A Road Trip in Photography

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, June 5, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hour and free beer for members at 6:30)

Andrew Mowery and his partner, Natalie, started their lives together in the backcountry. Every free weekend was spent on trail and occasionally at the climbing crag. They backpacked all over the Sierra, the Coast and Central ranges, Oregon, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona and even in The Adirondacks in New York. Always with camera in hand, the two were enjoying the splendor of the western mountains. All the trips up until then were training for the JMT in 2015.

In the fall, Natalie went back to school and Bealson (Andrew’s yellow labrador) was getting older and long backpacking trips slowed way down. That desire to get outside and play was still burning strong despite how life gets in the way. Over that winter, Andrew realized that the key to adventure is adaptation. Focusing on more four wheel drive inspired trips, Bealson would be able to go along and Natalie would have more time for school, yet still get outside for some great photography. Over the next year, Natalie went to class and Andrew went to work on his truck. He build his Tacoma for overland travel. It would be comfortable for long road trips on the highway and be able to craw back into most four wheel drive roads in the west. That truck enabled them to be self sufficient and to be able to explore way more than on foot.

They explored all over Inyo County, Bend Oregon, Death Valley, Mojave National Preserve, Great Basin in Nevada, and the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Now that the truck is mostly completed, Andrew has refocused on photography. He has learned from fellow photographers (thank you Jerry Dodrill and James Martin!) and by taking a class or two along the way. He has started a website focused on telling a story of adventure and backcountry experiences through his photography. His mission is to “Bring the joy, disappointment, exhaustion, and exhilaration to you through my photography”. Backpacking is still a huge part of Natalie’s and Andrew’s life, and there camping style shows that. The truck just gives them the ability to travel further and to more remote places to explore and to photograph.

You can see Andrew’s photography work on his website www.backcountryexposures.com and on his Instagram page at @backcountryexposures.

Posted in Events

Henry Crigler – Hiking The Deepest River Valley

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, May 1, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hour and free beer for members at 6:30)

After graduating from North Carolina State in 1968, Henry Crigler found his services in great demand by the Army. At the time, Henry didn’t have an interest in long walks in the jungle, so instead he went on a cruise. A really long cruise to the Tonkin Gulf. In the ship’s library, he found a number of mountaineering books including Annapurna, The White Spider, and The Ascent of Everest. His interest kindled, Henry determined to travel to Nepal to see the highest mountains for himself. In January 1972, his commitment to the Navy over and done, he took an overseas release from duty. He left the aircraft carrier Constellation with a backpack and scant information and set off to travel the world. He arrived in Kathmandu in early April and began planning his trek into the Himalaya.

There were few provisions or maps to be found, and little trekking information except for swapping stories with other travelers. Most of the travelers Henry met were there for the hashish and divine enlightenment, so were of little help. Undeterred, he got his trekking permit, found a crude map at a street vendor and off he went. The trek, one of three allowed by the government, was from Pokhara to Jomsom, which followed the course of the Kali Gandaki river between Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna massif, both 8,000 meter peaks, making this the earth’s deepest river valley.

While his interest was initially focused on the scenery, he found the people and their culture to be most fascinating. He had not seen people living in such primitive, harsh conditions. Water was fetched from the river, often at some distance. Medical care was non-existent. Several times, a villager would approach with an abscessed molar or a nasty cut that should be sutured. He could do nothing but hand out aspirin. Tilling the terraces was done behind a buffalo with a wooden plow. All goods of trade were carried on the backs (and tumpline) of young men in flip flops. The primary product going uphill was kerosene. The typical load was 4, even 5, 5 gallon cans. Now there’s a road to Jomsom…or you can fly there.

“I am fortunate to have made this trek 46 years ago. This remains one of the most indelible and formative experiences of my life” – Henry Crigler.

Posted in Events, Uncategorized

Mount Saint Helena Adopt-A-Crag Day

Posted in Events

Brooke Barnes – Messages from the Mountains: A Climber’s Journey of Ascension

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hour and free beer for members at 6:30)

Brooke Barnes is a marine biologist, a former boat captain for the National Undersea Research Center and a professional SCUBA instructor, river guide and mountaineering guide. Brooke has traveled extensively around the world, leading others while exploring and climbing some of the world’s most notable peaks. Brooke likes to push the boundaries of status quo and is motivated by increasing self-awareness. She naturally excels at sharing information and building team relationships. She is capable of recognizing individual skills and building upon those strengths for ultimate success. Her passion for assisting others in finding their inner confidence and knowing their physical capabilities are the foundation of her motivations.

Brooke’s presentation will be based on sharing the messages she has learned from being in nature and how it has become the guiding force in her life. She will share her experience in hopes of relating to the audience and to hear their inspired messages as well. It is Brooke’s belief that being in nature requires us to explore our internal landscape, and as a result of that commitment, we are rewarded with getting to know who we really are. It is at this point we gain self-confidence and start being authentically ourselves. Brooke will also explore how we can relate to our modern world when it seems so out of touch with nature.

Posted in Events

Bay Area Climbers Coalition – Metropolitan Climbing Stewardship

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hour and free beer for members at 6:30)

Leaders from the Bay Area Climbers Coalition will discuss challenges and opportunities facing local crags in a high-population region with land managers ranging from city parks departments to the National Park Service.

The Bay Area Climbers Coalition is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on preserving access to our local outdoor areas by actively fostering positive relationships with land managers, hosting stewardship events, and providing educational programming for the climbing community.

Posted in Events

Chelsea Rude – The Allure of Climbing

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, February 6, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)

Chelsea Rude is a professional climber, coach and sponsored athlete with Adidas Outdoor, LaSportiva, Petzl and Organic Climbing. Chelsea currently resides in Boulder, CO where she spends most of her time rock climbing and training for competition. She also coaches the youth programs at Movement and is one of the youth US Team coaches.

Join Chelsea as she reflects on the last 20 years of her climbing career as she shares various adventures and discusses what it is about climbing that is so special and what brings her back for more.

Posted in Events

Tim Terry – Sea Breeze To Thin Air

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)

Tim Terry is a Sonoma County local with a passion for surfing and climbing. Above everything else, he loves nothing more than to photograph his travels and immerse himself with his surrounding. Tim will bring us on a visual adventure of his year long travels, starting the year off in Nicaragua with some surfing and culture. Then, a short trip back home to California for more surf pleasure. Finally, off to Alaska where he works with a dog sled team preparing for the Iditarod. Tim also tries his best to escape to the mountains as much as possible. It is hard not to when Denali is in your backyard.