Based on a true story, North Face is a suspenseful adventure film about a competition to climb the most dangerous rock face in the Alps. Set in 1936, as Nazi propaganda urges the nation’s Alpinists to conquer the unclimbed north face of the Swiss massif — the Eiger — two reluctant German climbers begin their daring ascent.

Showings:

http://www.northfacethemovie.com

MUSIC BOX FILMS PRESENTS

NORTH FACE

Based on a True Story

A Philipp Stölzl Film

Starring

Benno Fürmann, Johanna Wokalek,

Florian Lukas, Simon Schwarz,

Georg Friedrich, Ulrich Tukur

A Dor Film-West Production

121 minutes. Unrated. In German with English Subtitles.

WINNER - German Film Critics Award, Best Screenplay 2009

WINNER - German Film Academy Award 2009, Best Cinematography

WINNER - German Film Academy Award 2009, Best Sound Design

OFFICIAL SELECTION - Locarno Film Festival 2008

SYNOPSIS

Based on a true story, NORTH FACE is a gripping adventure drama about a competition to climb the most dangerous rock face in the Alps. In 1936, Nazi propaganda urges German Alpinists to conquer the unclimbed north face of the Swiss massif, the Eiger, bringing two reluctant climbers, Toni Kurz (BENNO FÜRMANN) and Andi Hinterstoisser (FLORIAN LUKAS), to begin their daring ascent and attempt to scale the infamous rock face, often called the Murder Wall.

While preparing themselves at the foot of the North Face, Toni and Andi unexpectedly run into Luise (JOHANNA WOKALEK), the early love of Toni. Now a journalist, she has come with her boss Arau (ULRICH TUKUR), a loyal Nazi, to report about the first ascent. Toni begins the ascent of the North Face with Andi, closely followed by two Austrians Willy Angerer (SIMON SCHWARZ) and Edi Rainer (GEORG FRIEDRICH). All goes well at first as both rope teams make good headway but then the climbers lose their advantage over the mountain and the race against time and the forces of nature begins.

PRODUCERS’ NOTE

This exciting true story grabbed the four of us from the very start. We were so swept up by the story that we were ready to consider the most dangerous ways to realize it.

NORTH FACE is a story about youth, passion, and the search for challenges that make life worth living for younger generations. And even though the events go back 70 years, the lives of Toni Kurz and Anderl Hinterstoisser have lost nothing of their relevance or power. Only few people will remember them directly, but many will find their own reflection in these characters – not only Alpinists and nature lovers, but also those still searching for their path in life.

Such extreme films as NORTH FACE can only be made with confidence and passion. We are thankful to the entire team, the actors, the mountain rescue patrol and the financiers of this film co-produced by three Alpine nations.

Danny Krausz

Boris Schönfelder

Rudolf Santschi

Benjamin Herrmann

THE MYTH OF THE EIGER NORTH FACE

With its many spectacular incidents, the Eiger North Face – the legendary 1800-meter-high wall of stone and ice in the Berne Oberland – has been casting its spell for decades, not only on climbers but also on mountain-climbing laymen. The general public came to see the Eiger as the epitome of a dangerous, difficult and often death-bringing mountain. The vividness and urgency with which this image has burned itself into the collective mind may be surprising, but can be explained.

The myth of the "Eigerwand" came into being in the 1930s, when altogether nine Alpinists lost their lives trying to scale the mountain before the first successful ascent in July 1938 by the two Germans Anderl Heckmair and Ludwig Vörg, and the two Austrians Heinrich Harrer and Fritz Kasparek. Ever since the summer of 1935 the North Face had been seen among the top Alpinists as the "last problem of the Western Alps."

This situation exerted an almost magical attraction on mountain climbers, especially those from Germany, Austria and Italy, who then set the bar on the level of proficiency required for the Eiger. The burning wish to be the first to ascend the wall, which easily crumbled and was endangered by rockfall and subject to sudden massive changes of weather, sometimes resulted in forced expeditions in dubious conditions. And this led to tragedies, some of which are still shrouded in mystery to this day. Others unfolded over the course of several days, before the eyes of the press, who were able to describe the dramatic events on the Eiger from the comfort and safety of the hotel terraces of the Kleine Scheidegg.

The public also benefited from the mountain's location and touristic infrastructure. Nowhere else could one experience Alpine history as genuinely and simply as at the Eiger: whether on hiking paths below the North Face or, thanks to the Jungfraubahn, from the impressive lookouts in the Eigerwand Station. The Eiger was a vertical amphitheater.

No other Alpine mountain was the scene of more reporting before World War II than the Eiger. The newspaper and radio reports were swiftly followed by the first books, which spread the fame of the idols – the successful and the fallen – of "heroic Alpinism" throughout Europe.

This myth has experienced a renaissance since 1999, when an ascent of the classical route was broadcast live on television and obtained excellent ratings. Although mountain climbing at the Eiger has fundamentally changed – more and more new and difficult routes are being opened up on the North Face – it is still generally the older, dramatic stories that keep the Eiger at the center of the public's interest.

INTERVIEW WITH PHILIPP STÖLZL (WRITER/DIRECTOR)

You produce operas, shoot music videos and commercials. How did you get the idea of making an Eiger film?

Boris Schoenfelder, who first had the idea for the film, was looking for a director for the project and sent me the script. The bizarre story of Toni Kurz took hold of me right away. For one, there's the intense drama about four people and their brutal, existential struggle to survive on the mountain. For another, there's the historical aspect about the ideological exploitation of mountaineering in the Nazi era. It is this very special mixture, which, in my view, makes this story so exciting for the cinema.

What did you find particularly fascinating about the historical background of the story?

There's something existential about the murderous ascent of mountain faces in the 1920s and 30s. Young men with few prospects in life set off on their bikes to climb a dangerous mountain – they're in search of a goal for themselves, any kind of goal. And, if need be, they're ready to die to achieve this goal. Obviously, this fit very well into the canon of Nazi mythology and was accordingly ideologically exploited and held up as a heroic deed. Just listen to Robert Ley, the KdF (Kraft durch Freude = Strength Through Joy) boss: "German youth trains its strength and virility in a struggle with the mountain and learns how to die!" And so forth. To give everything for an idea, a myth, to sacrifice one's own life if need be: this fatalistic flirt with heroic death is what the Nazis found so interesting in mountain climbing. Intellectually, it was only one small step from there to marching towards the Urals for the German Reich.

NORTH FACE was shot under extreme conditions. What were the biggest problems?

Filming is never easy, even in a café: you bring all the material, light the rooms, have the actors made up and dressed. You have to shoot a lot in very little time… But in the mountains, everything is doubly or triply difficult: even tiny dialogue scenes are problematic since you first have to hang the people on the ropes. And then you have to get up there in the first place. That's already half a day right there. Then you've got everything set up – and it starts to rain. And so on and so on… It's frustrating. It's not without reason that Luis Trenker and his colleagues often spent years shooting their films before they were finally finished.

Did you often think: Dammit, what have I gotten myself into?

To be truthful: Yes - especially when the weather was bad and we had to wait. That's sheer horror for an impatient person like me. In one scene, Toni Kurz and Andi Hinterstoisser are at the summit in Berchtesgaden and we need sun for this. It's supposed to be beautiful and brilliant, as a contrast to the snow disaster later on in the film. On the first day: thick fog. We wait the whole day. Then we go back down without having shot one meter. Second day: more fog, but now with tiny gaps of sun in

between, lasting maybe two to five minutes. So we shot the scenes in these gaps. It went OK, it had to. But it's awful for everybody, especially for the actors, since you obviously never get into the flow of a scene. At the Eiger I had my absolute low, and I still get stomach cramps and feel wretched when I think of it. The shooting was almost finished, we had doubles in the ice field and wanted to film from the helicopter, shots that I still urgently needed for the film. The producers had freed funds for one last time. But it was simply too warm, and there was a danger of rockfall on the Eiger.

I can still see myself sitting in the sun on the Kleine Scheidegg below the Eiger North Face feeling utterly depressed. We had all we needed: two bright red copters, the doubles in their costumes, cameramen – but it was too warm. The money was gone, the opportunity had passed. I think that every film has its own inner life, and that the element of chance is much bigger than you want to admit, but when you're shooting a mountain film, you're much more at the mercy of chance.

(Excerpt from an interview conducted by Dirk von Nayhauss, published in "NORDWAND – Das Drama des Toni Kurz am Eiger," AS Verlag, 2008)

INTERVIEW WITH KOLJA BRANDT (CINEMATOGRAPHER)

When watching NORTH FACE, one can imagine that the film was no easy task for the cameraman. What challenges did this project impose on you?

First of all, to tell the story with the greatest possible realism! The film wasn't supposed to feel like a Hollywood mountain movie à la CLIFFHANGER or VERTICAL LIMIT, in which the mountain climbing looks totally unbelievable most of the time and many sequences look like they were shot in the studio. We sought our inspiration rather in films such as the documentary feature TOUCHING THE VOID, in which you have the feeling that the camera is climbing along with the Alpinists – almost like a war photographer embedded in the middle of the troops. This way of approaching the genre is obviously not new: the old mountain filmers Arnold Fanck, Luis Trenker, etc. took a practically documentary look at the mountains and, despite all the pathos and stylization of those films, they tried to capture something that was already there rather than inventing something artificial.

Departing from this concept of documentary realism, we then selected a rather rough, hand-held camera look for the film. This makes the scenes on the mountain look very believable while also perfectly suiting the other scenes as well, since it generates rough-edged images and dynamically discourages the temptation to become painterly, which is inseparable from a historical film with its sets, costumes, hair styles, etc.

Documentary realism, that sounds a lot like shooting at original locations. But mountains are known to be tricky locations, especially as far as the weather is concerned. Rockfall, avalanches etc. also make filming difficult. Fanck and Trenker sometimes spent years shooting their films, if we are to believe their hair-raising reports…

Obviously we had to find another path. Today no one can allow themselves the luxury of shooting over a period of several years. Besides, our actors were available to us only for a certain amount of time, since we had to insure them, etc. We thus developed the plan of going onto the mountain with doubles and a small team in order to make a preliminary shoot of long shots involving mountain scenes in the most authentic weather conditions possible. Later, at less dangerous mountain sections and in a refrigerated warehouse transformed into a studio, we shot the scenes with the actors in such a way that they perfectly fit with those shot on the mountain, down to the same weather conditions. This plan turned out to be very practical, especially because the extreme make-up, the frostbite, etc. would never have worked in the mountains. And of course because we would otherwise never have been able to create the images we had obtained in the preliminary shooting.

(Excerpt of an interview published in "NORDWAND – Das Drama des Toni Kurz am Eiger“, AS Verlag, 2008)

Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up

AFCA hosts a series of outdoor events under the title Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up which I think would interest you and your readers. These events raise awareness and funds for children affected and infected by AIDS, while giving you the opportunity to do something you love doing. Our four events are:

1. Climb Up the World – the third weekend in September, individuals and teams anywhere in the world are invited to climb, hike, cycle, or walk wherever they are

2. Climb Up the 50 – during a ten-day window of opportunity in the Summer, individuals and teams will hike or climb to the highest peak in their state

3. Climb Up Kilimanjaro – 12 individuals will go to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania to climb the highest peak in Africa. They leave USA on September 11th, 2010

4. Climb Up in Charlotte – Inner Peaks Climbing Gym puts on a fabulous day of competition, raffles, yoga, massage, clinics, etc on the first weekend of November

The events I’d most like to highlight at this time is the Climb Up Kilimanjaro 2010 (September 2010) and 2011 (woman’s team – February 2011) events.

We would like to have 12 people in each team participating. Each person raises $10,000, which covers:

· their flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania,

· their food in TZ

· their lodging in TZ

· the guiding service to hike up the mountain

· $5000 (maybe a bit more, depending on ticket cost) donation to our programs

While it sounds like a lot of money, it is possible to fundraise it all. We have tips for fundraising as well as online fundraising pages on our website and donations are tax deductible. In the past, some folks paid for their tickets with frequent flyer miles, decreasing the amount of money to be raised.

This is not a technical climb, but rather, a walk-up [fitness required]. The biggest difficulty is altitude, but the guiding company we work with (Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience) are amazing… base camp is an organic farm with hot water for bathing, delicious food, amazing views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, incredible birding, etc. I visited this year and was blown away. Just wonderful. From there, the climb is incredible, as well, with hot food cooked on the spot, singing porters welcoming you to camp at the end of each day’s hike, etc.

We are currently putting the finishing touches on a short video of our first team’s ascent and I am sure it will show more of what is offered.

The best part of it all, though, is the fact that while fulfilling a dream to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, you are saving the lives of children. What could be better than that?

American Foundation for Children with AIDS

6221 Blue Grass Avenue

Harrisburg, PA 17112

Tel: 888-683-8323, Fax: 717.489.0214

For more information and to register, please go to

http://www.climbupsokidscangrowup.com/index.html

The 2009 Climb Up Kilimanjaro Team Members:

Rena Alekperova

What could be better than change? Life is constantly changing and so are we. I have never tried to prevent or stop "change". Even if it was a change for worse....and it happened quite a few times....but that also brought me here...modeling career and private business owner back home in Baku, Azerbaijan....then entering financial industry for the stable income when I moved to US ...got to love what I do and came across a lot of wonderful people and causes to volunteer for and make a difference. I thank company I work for for this introduction....Love to ballroom dance and rock climb....love my 11 year old son....do the best I can to raise him and teach him few things here and there...I would like all kids around the world to be able to enjoy their childhood...there are a lot of issues around the world and we can't fix them all, but each of us individually can do something....and that would make somebody else's life better...and yours too. This is just the beginning for me...I'm looking forward to the Kilimanjaro Climb and for many more to support those in need...

Thank you for being by my side, your contributions and friendship.

Greg Groggel

Smitten with wanderlust from the start, Greg Groggel has traveled to more than 30 countries since first leaving the friendly confines of the United States as a high school exchange student to Finland. In the adventures that have ensued, he’s appeared in a Chinese historical documentary, dodged landmines in Sarajevo, ridden horseback across the Mongolian planes, been in the thick of a proper fútbol melee in Mexico City and watched fireworks illuminate the Eiffel Tower. As an emerging media specialist, he’s interviewed, photographed and taped an equally diverse range of subjects.

Currently, the Omaha, Neb. native works as an editorial researcher for NBC Olympics in the New York City area after serving as an online producer for the Emmy-winning 2008 NBCOlympics.com website. From 2006-2007 he was a Thomas J. Watson fellow, examining the legacy of hosting the Olympic Games. His work has been featured in the Wall St. Journal, Sports Business Journal, ESPN.com and China Daily.

As a graduate of the International Political Economy program at the University of Puget Sound, Groggel remains a student of the world. For all his travels, this will be his first time on the African continent. He is already losing sleep with excitement.

Politics

Greenpeace Members Sentenced – January 4, 2009

Eleven Greenpeace members, who climbed Mount Rushmore National Memorial in July to hang an anti-global warming banner, were given various sentences.

As Mount Rushmore is a National Park the activists were sentenced in Federal court (South Dakota). They all pleaded guilty to illegally climbing Mount Rushmore; charges such as interfering with a government official were dismissed.

Six were sentenced to 50 hours community service, plus a $450 fine each. The other five had prior trespassing convictions. Four of them received 10 days suspended jail time with 100 hours of community service. The last received two days in jail.

A judge ordered that all community service be done at a national park, preferably at Mount Rushmore.

Greenpeace earlier agreed to pay more than $30,000 in civil penalties.

For more information, see the Journal of Mountaineering, August 2009 issue.

Fixing Intel in Afghanistan

Fixing Intel: A Blueprint for Making Intelligence Relevant in Afghanistan

JANU ARY 2010

This paper, written by the senior intelligence officer in Afghanistan and by a company-grade officer and a senior executive with the Defense Intelligence Agency, critically examines the relevance of the U.S. intelligence community to the counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. Based on discussions with hundreds of people inside and outside the intelligence community, it recommends sweeping changes to the way the intelligence community thinks about itself – from a focus on the enemy to a focus on the people of Afghanistan. The paper argues that because the United States has focused the overwhelming majority of collection efforts and analytical brainpower on insurgent groups, our intelligence apparatus still finds itself unable to answer fundamental questions about the environment in which we operate and the people we are trying to protect and persuade.

This problem or its consequences exist at every level of the U.S. intelligence hierarchy, and pivotal information is not making it to those who need it. To quote General Stanley McChrystal in a recent meeting, “Our senior leaders – the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, Congress, the President of the United States – are not getting the right information to make decisions with ... The media is driving the issues. We need to build a process from the sensor all the way to the political decision makers.” This is a need that spans the 44 nations involved with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

This paper is the blueprint for that process. It describes the problem, details the changes and illuminates examples of units that are “getting it right.” It is aimed at commanders as well as intelligence professionals, in Afghanistan and in the United States and Europe.

Among the initiatives Major General Flynn directs:

• Select teams of analysts will be empowered to move between field elements, much like journalists, to visit collectors of information at the grassroots level and carry that information back with them to the regional command level.

• These items will integrate information collected by civil affairs officers, PRTs, atmospherics teams, Afghan liaison officers, female engagement teams, willing non-governmental organizations and development organizations, United Nations officials, psychological operations teams, human terrain teams, and infantry battalions, to name a few.

• These analysts will divide their work along geographic lines, instead of along functional lines, and write comprehensive district assessments covering governance, development and stability. The alternative – having all analysts study an entire province or region through the lens of a narrow, functional line

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• The analysts will provide all the data they gather to teams of “information brokers” at the regional command level who will organize and disseminate – proactively and on request – all the reports and data gathered at the grassroots level.

• These special teams of analysts and information brokers will work in what the authors are calling Stability Operations Information Centers. (The authors discuss how these Information Centers cooperate with, and in some cases replace, “Fusion Centers”.)

• These Information Centers will be placed under and in cooperation with the State Department’s senior civilian representatives administering governance, development and stability efforts in Regional Commands East and South.

• Leaders must put time and energy into selecting the best, most extroverted and hungriest analysts to serve in the Stability Operations Information Centers. These will be among the most challenging and rewarding jobs an analyst could tackle.

The highly complex environment in Afghanistan requires an adaptive way of thinking and operating. Just as the old rules of warfare may no longer apply, a new way of leveraging and applying the information spectrum requires substantive improvements. The ISAF Joint Command (IJC) under the leadership of Lieutenant General David M. Rodriguez has made some recent innovative strides with the advent of the “Information Dominance Center.” This type of innovation must be mirrored to the degree possible at multiple levels of command and back in our intelligence community structures in the United States. In no way is this a perfect solution and the United States will continue to adapt. However, the United States must constantly change our way of operating and thinking if we want to win.

[BODY OMITTED FOR BREVITY]

CONCLUSION

The U.S. intelligence community has fallen into the trap of waging an anti-insurgency campaign rather than a counterinsurgency campaign. The difference is not academic. Capturing or killing key mid-level and high-level insurgents – anti-insurgency – is without question a necessary component of successful warfare, but far from sufficient for military success in Afghanistan. Anti-insurgent efforts are, in fact, a secondary task when compared to gaining and exploiting knowledge about the localized contexts of operation and the distinctions between the Taliban and the rest of the Afghan population. There are more than enough analysts in Afghanistan. Too many are simply in the wrong places and assigned to the wrong jobs. It is time to prioritize U.S. intelligence efforts and bring them in line with the war’s objectives.

Doing so will require important cultural changes. Analysts must absorb information with the thoroughness of historians, organize it with the skill of librarians, and disseminate it with the zeal of journalists. They must embrace open-source, population-centric information as the lifeblood of their analytical work. They must open their doors to anyone who is willing to exchange information, including Afghans and NGOs as well as the U.S. military and its allies. As General Martin E. Dempsey, commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, recently stated, “…[T]he best information, the most important intelligence, and the context that provides the best understanding come from the bottom up, not from the top down.”15

Leaders must invest time and energy in selecting the best, most extroverted, and hungriest analysts to serve in Stability Operations Information Centers. These will be among the most challenging and rewarding jobs an analyst could tackle.

The Cold War notion that open-source information is “second class” is a dangerous, outmoded cliché. Lieutenant General Samuel V. Wilson, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, captured it perfectly: “Ninety percent of intelligence comes from open sources. The other 10 percent, the clandestine work, is just the more dramatic. The real intelligence hero is Sherlock Holmes, not James Bond.”

Meaningful change will not occur until commanders at all levels take responsibility for intelligence. The way to do so is through devising and prioritizing smart, relevant questions – “information requirements” – about the environment as well as the enemy. Of critical importance to the war effort is how a commander orders his or her intelligence apparatus to undertake finite collection, production, and dissemination. “If a commander does not effectively define and prioritize intelligence requirements,” Marine Corps doctrine warns, “the entire effort may falter.”

The format of intelligence products matters. Commanders who think PowerPoint storyboards and color-coded spreadsheets are adequate for describing the Afghan conflict and its complexities have some soul searching to do. Sufficient knowledge will not come from slides with little more text than a comic strip. Commanders must demand substantive written narratives and analyses from their intel shops and make the time to read them. There are no shortcuts. Microsoft Word, rather than PowerPoint, should be the tool of choice for intelligence professionals in a counterinsurgency.

Employing effective counterinsurgency methods is not an option but a necessity. General McChrystal routinely issues distinct orders and clear guidance on the subject. When he states, “The conflict will be won by persuading the population, not by destroying the enemy,” it is not just a slogan, but an expression of his intent. Too much of the intelligence community is deaf to these directions – this must be remedied, and now. The General’s message must resonate throughout the entire community – top to bottom.

Historical lessons run the risk of sounding portentous, but disregarding them comes at a high price. History is replete with examples of powerful military forces that lost wars to much weaker opponents because they were inattentive to nuances in their environment. A Russian general who fought for years in Afghanistan cited this as a primary reason for the Soviet Union’s failures in the 1980s.

A single-minded obsession with IEDs, while understandable, is inexcusable if it causes commanders to fail to outsmart the insurgency and wrest away the initiative. “A military force, culturally programmed to respond conventionally (and predictably) to insurgent attacks, is akin to the bull that repeatedly charges a matador’s cape – only to tire and eventually be defeated by a much weaker opponent,” General McChrystal and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Command Sergeant Major Michael T. Hall recently wrote. “This is predictable – the bull does what comes naturally. While a conventional approach is instinctive, that behavior is self-defeating.”

The intelligence community – the brains behind the bullish might of military forces – seems much too mesmerized by the red of the Taliban’s cape. If this does not change, success in Afghanistan will depend on the dubious premise that a bull will not tire as quickly as a Russian bear.

Center for a New American Security

CIA - Statement on Casualties in Afghanistan

December 31, 2009

CIA Director Leon E. Panetta informed the Agency workforce today that seven of their colleagues were killed and six others were injured on Wednesday at a Forward Operating Base in Khost Province, Afghanistan. The casualties were the result of a terrorist attack.

“Those who fell yesterday were far from home and close to the enemy, doing the hard work that must be done to protect our country from terrorism,” Director Panetta said in a message to employees. “We owe them our deepest gratitude, and we pledge to them and their families that we will never cease fighting for the cause to which they dedicated their lives—a safer America.”

“Families have been our Agency’s first priority,” Director Panetta added. “Before sharing this information with anyone else, we wanted to be in contact with each of them. This is the most difficult news to bear under any circumstances, but that it comes during the holidays makes it even harder. In coming days and weeks, we will comfort them and honor their loved ones as a family. They are in our thoughts and prayers—now and always.”

Due to the sensitivity of their mission and other ongoing operations, neither the names of those killed nor the details of their work are being released at this time.

“Yesterday’s tragedy reminds us that the men and women of the CIA put their lives at risk every day to protect this nation,” Director Panetta said. “Throughout our history, the reality is that those who make a real difference often face real danger.”

Director Panetta credited US military doctors and nurses with saving the lives of those wounded in the attack. In honor and memory of the dead, he requested that the flags at CIA Headquarters be flown at half-staff.

Letter to the Men and Women of the CIA - President Obama

December 31, 2009

To the men and women of the CIA:

I write to mark a sad occasion in the history of the CIA and our country. Yesterday, seven Americans in Afghanistan gave their lives in service to their country. Michelle and I have their families, friends and colleagues in our thoughts and prayers.

These brave Americans were part of a long line of patriots who have made great sacrifices for their fellow citizens, and for our way of life. The United States would not be able to maintain the freedom and security that we cherish without decades of service from the dedicated men and women of the CIA. You have helped us understand the world as it is, and taken great risks to protect our country. You have served in the shadows, and your sacrifices have sometimes been unknown to your fellow citizens, your friends, and even your families.

In recent years, the CIA has been tested as never before. Since our country was attacked on September 11, 2001, you have served on the frontlines in directly confronting the dangers of the 21st century. Because of your service, plots have been disrupted, American lives have been saved, and our Allies and partners have been more secure. Your triumphs and even your names may be unknown to your fellow Americans, but your service is deeply appreciated. Indeed, I know firsthand the excellent quality of your work because I rely on it every day.

The men and women who gave their lives in Afghanistan did their duty with courage, honor and excellence, and we must draw strength from the example of their sacrifice. They will take their place on the Memorial Wall at Langley alongside so many other heroes who gave their lives on behalf of their country. And they will live on in the hearts of those who loved them, and in the freedom that they gave their lives to defend.

May God bless the memory of those we lost, and may God bless the United States of America.

President Barack Obama

Articles

Slack Line Incident

A Glimpse of the Nightmare...by Riot [Andy] » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:45 am

Yesterday I rigged a line that ended up hurting a friend.

On one side was a granite block that I slung for an anchor, low to the ground, pulling at a good angle, and even had another rock leaned against it so that the possibility of the sling slipping off was impossible.

We backed the line up to an even bigger granite boulder behind it.

The other side of the line was equalized with 3 cams in a good crack. The cams were not pulling straight out of the wall, they were pulling up the crack and I extended the powerpoint with a spanset up and over a ledge using the rock as an a-frame. It kept the line flat and at a good angle. The only problem was that the back up on that side was tied to two bolts around 20 feet away from the power point at the anchor. I tried to make the back up as tight as possible without effecting the line, but if the line were to blow on the side, I thought to myself.... it would extend quite a bit... At least a few feet. Then I thought it will still catch, and my anchor isn't blowing. It's bomber.

The line is beautiful: 70 ft long and almost 300 ft sheer exposure looking out over an absolutely stunning canyon. Snow covered evergreens, cool crisp air, no wind, and a beautiful sunset was unveiling itself

I let my friend tie in and with a big smile he mounted the line and started to slide out past the bad fall zone. With the camera in hand I waited for him to get mentally ready to sit start, ready to hit record at any moment.

Suddenly, the line lost all tension; he falls with it, desperately clinging for anything to help save his life. No screams. No hollars. I just see him fall out of view. Those 10 seconds of time were longer than a life time for me. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I ran to the edge to see if he was ok.

Luckily he had missed the most dangerous area to fall; what must have been only inches. I yelled to him are you ok?"

He quickly responded: "Yeah, I don't think I am hurt too badly. I hit my head, am I bleeding?"

After turning his head I realized he was bleeding. Seeing the blood run over his left eye, down his cheek, and into his beard I knew for certain that he at least had a chance of a concussion, probably was going to need butterflies or a few stitches, and that maybe he wouldn't be able to hike out. I had to take action [helmet?].

I ran to grab materials to get him back up on the safety of the cliffs edge. That is when I realized that the entire block that I had slung had uplifted; completely moving the other boulder that was leaning on it as well. I thought to myself "that's impossible..., there is no way that boulder moved."

Well it did. But then I thought to myself, I hadn't checked the block since tensioning and I don't think I even double checked it before my walk. Having rigged and walked 6 new lines in the past 2 weeks (all in the same rigging style as this line), my overconfidence lead me to overlook simple and necessary steps of safe rigging.

We rescued him, washed his wound, and tied my scarf around his head which stopped the bleeding within the first couple minutes. We all sat in a circle, shocked at the event that had just taken place. We gathered the gear and hiked out. I think that he is getting a couple stitches today.

The scariest thing to me is that less than 2 minutes, before I watched him desperately flailing to grab anything to save his life, only to whip uncontrollably out of my sight; I had been trying to Free Solo that line [doesn’t sound good]. I only took about 4 or 5 steps before opting out, sitting down, and scooting back to the ledge. If I hadn't come back, yesterday would have marked the death of the first high liner; my death. Instead my friend took my place, and we were given just a glimpse of the nightmare: having a line catastrophically fail during a free solo.

I can’t stop replaying it in my head: entering free fall unexpectedly, during a free solo. It's absurd to think I would be able to catch the line.

Check you anchors- before, during, and after every walk.

HAVE BACKUPS and limit the extension of the line if it were to fail.

In this sport, especially when rigging lines with natural methods, there is a constant element of guessing, and trusting; and usually everything goes perfectly. However, now from experience I can honestly say: "trust nothing and expect the worst; it may end up saving your life or your friend’s life."

I am truly sorry to have rigged a line that put my friend through this experience and I will do my best never to have anything like this happen again. Even though he told me not to, I accept full responsibility for the failure of this line, and in all honesty; it should have cost me my life yesterday.

Sadly, but for the best; I will never be able to forget this.

The block looked bigger than it was, which was the problem. When it upturned it was probably the size of a large human torso. There are tons of unique features here and many rocks have connected blocks of granite all over them. I thought the block I slung was connected to the rock.

[END]

Slack Line Rigging

Wow Andy glad you’re still here. I wanted to give you some thoughts to think about your rigging.

Now if you consider 4000lbs force on a slack line (probably more like 2000lbs but 2:1 safety rating is a good idea especially for you)

That is 4000 lbs of force to counter with not the weight of the block, but the friction due to that weight.

Granite has a high friction factor around 30% of the total weight of the block.

That means a 13000 lb block of granite. Granites average density is about 175 lbs/ft^3, therefore you would need a 75 ft^3 or 4.5 by 4.5 by 4.5 foot block of granite to hold your line.

You could also easily apply this to other rock by changing the density calculation.

This has some strong assumptions, the friction factor the approximated density etc but a good estimate for your rigging. –Jeff http://forum.slackline.com

Dave Hahn Interviewed by Alan Arnette

Dave Hahn has always stood out to me the consummate mountain guide. While some will certainly argue this point, I have witnessed Dave in action a few times. Once in the Khumbu Icefall, Dave was guiding a huge client. When I say huge, I mean 6′ 3″ 250+lbs – not fat just large, huge. The client was struggling with a big move in the Icefall and Dave was gently providing guidance in footwork. He could have easily taken on the impatient guide persona but Dave showed his patience. The climber made it.

On another expedition, I was sitting in our tent at the South Col focusing on the howling wind. Our Guide was telling us to get ready to go for the summit. I clearly remember looking at my tent mates with a cocked eye. Dave’s voice came over the radio to our Guide, “We are going back to camp 2 – no summit for us tonight.” Our team was tuned around at the South Summit hours later.

Dave has earned his dues and a recognition he loves to despise – the most Everest summits by a “non-Sherpa”. More on this later.

Dave is a regular guide for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. and International Mountain Guides amongst other companies. Last year he guided for First Ascent/Eddie Bauer on Everest. His summits are impressive: 250+ on Rainier, 26 on Vinson, 19 out of 26 climbs of Denali. Also he loves to guide the Shackleton Crossing on South Georgia Island.

He is certainly an accomplished climber but also a worthy writer providing some of the best written dispatches from any climb. Last year he blogged for First Ascent and has for Great Outdoors for several years.

I asked Dave to share some thoughts on Everest and his upcoming RMI expedition. I was lucky to catch him at home in Taos where he is a professional ski patroller at Taos Ski Valley since 1985.

Q: Dave, after your first Everest summit, did you envision doing it for an American and non-Sherpa record 11 times?

I did know pretty clearly after my first Everest summit that I wasn’t finished with the mountain. But back in 1994 I didn’t dream I’d ever make it up and down 11 times. Such numbers seemed astronomical and unobtainable to me then… and I’m proud of the accomplishment now. But it is not a “record”. Apa Sherpa with 19 Everest summits, holds the record. Defining some “non-sherpa” record encourages an assumption that climbing the mountain is somehow easier for Sherpas. I don’t think it is.

For my part, the numbers themselves -and “beating” others to them, were never my goal. None-the-less I’m happy with the recognition the numbers have earned me. “Eleven Summits” can be a fine attention grabber and it sometimes permits me to then drone on about Everest history so that people can put such numbers in proper perspective.

Q: We often hear about how climate change impacts mountains and the trash on Everest. You have a keen eye for detail, tell us a bit about how the environment around Everest has changed over the years in terms if glaciers, villages, trash, etc.

Tenth Everest Summit

It is obvious and alarming to see the thinning, or “down-wasting” of glaciers on both the northern and southern approaches to Everest. That said, I don’t believe that the climbing has substantially changed yet due to climate change. Logically, the higher and colder portions of the mountain will be the last places to be tangibly altered. Changes in weather patterns since 1991(my first year on Everest) are less obvious to me. It has always been pretty difficult to say just what “normal” is in such a dynamic place. My own perceptions are further muddled since most of my early career in the Himalaya was on the Tibetan side of the mountains, where patterns are substantially different to what hits in Nepal.

Villages on the Nepal approaches to the mountain have definitely grown, but not to the point of “sprawl”. The journey up the Khumbu Valley is still one of the best walks in the world. Coming in through China and Tibet, it is hard not to be astounded at the pace of change… but that change still pretty much ends just beyond basecamp.

Most would agree that the mountain is cleaner now than it was in the early 1990’s but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still trouble spots and pressing problems to be dealt with.

Q: You are guiding for RMI this season. Will you acclimatize via the standard rotations through the Icefall to the high camps or do an alternate scheme thus avoiding the Icefall?

We will use standard rotations through the icefall. While it is plenty dangerous and demands respect, the icefall also does a good job of preparing climbers for summit bids. I see it, with all of its technical and physical challenges, as an important training ground. If a climber is incapable of getting his or her time of passage through the icefall down to a reasonable four or five hours (still more than twice what a loaded guide or Sherpa might do it in) then they probably will not be able to fit all of the challenges of a summit safely into one day.

Also, I have ethical concerns with avoiding the icefall while a team’s Sherpas are required to work in it on a daily basis. The idea of hiring high altitude porters is to have them carry loads, not to have them assume risks that we ourselves avoid.

Q: As a guide, what concerns you most about the profile of Everest climbers today?

Just as always, I want to know that climbers have done their homework and preparation and that they are realistic about their own smart limitations. I have these same concerns on every mountain I work and play on… and I have these concerns for myself as well.

Q: Obviously the Sherpas play a huge role on Everest today and sadly take the brunt of the deaths. Any thoughts on how to keep these heros safer?

There is such a thing as getting too good a deal on an Everest trip. Teams that are saving their members a heck of a lot of money might be doing it at the expense of Sherpa safety. As much as people will continue to hunt down bargains, it must be recognized that cutting margins too tightly doesn’t permit for a good mix of experienced and less-experienced Sherpas on a team. Proper leadership costs money, communications gear costs money, access to medical help costs money, contingency planning costs money, oxygen costs money. It is important to think through as to who will ultimately pay the price for skimping on resources. Of course, no amount of money will do away completely with the dangers… but we all have seen too many cases where small tragedies became bigger tragedies because resources were wanting.

Q: You climb all around the world; do you have a favorite mountain or area?

I try to stay loyal to whichever mountain I happen to be standing on when asked that question. I like each of my mountains for different reasons…. some because they are remote, some because they are convenient, some because they are hard and all of them because they are beautiful.

Q: How much time do you spend at home in New Mexico? What do you do in your time off?

I might fit in three or four months a year at home in Taos. Most of it will be in the Fall and Winter, while patrolling at the ski area up the road from my house. I’m not actually all that good at taking vacations and playing during my time off. Time spent not guiding has become time available for writing and speaking and answering email… but I do like to dream about hanging out on beaches and going rock climbing and bike touring and hiking and river rafting.

Q: Any additional thoughts for us Everest 2010 followers this year?

If Everest 2010 inspires you… read about Everest 1953… track down Everest 1963… consume Everest 1975 or Everest 1984… don’t quit until you are equally versed in Everest 1924 and 1999.

Thanks Dave for your time and best of luck this season on Everest. You can follow the RMI climb at their site.

Climb On! Alan

www.alanarnette.com

UIAA Press Release

INT’L MOUNTAINEERING AND CLIMBING FEDERATION

UNION INTERNATIONALE DES ASSOCIATIONS D’ALPINISME

Press Release

The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation is pleased to release its document known as the UIAA Mountain Ethics Declaration. This declaration was unanimously accepted by the General Assembly of the UIAA in Porto, Portugal in October 2009.

This final document was many years in the making, and drew on the work previously presented at various times as the Mountain Code, the Summit Charter and the Tirol Declaration.

This Declaration deals with the issues of how we as climbers behave in the mountains, our responsibilities to ourselves and each other. The considerations that are necessary when climbing in foreign areas, especially with respect for the culture and climbing traditions of the host country.

The Declaration also states that access to the mountains and wilderness is a fundamental human right, as long as it is done in a responsible manner.

Finally it is a document about good style and the best practices, about caring for other climbers. Most of all it is the human spirit.

The president of the UIAA Mike Mortimer stated “This declaration has been a long time in the making and has involved the efforts of many of the best climbers of a generation.

While it is a declaration that will stand the test of time, it is the intention of the UIAA to review the Declaration on a periodic basis; as such it will be a living document. It is most appropriate that this declaration be announced on International Mountain Day – a declaration that has been endorsed by more than forty mountaineering federations from

across the globe. Indeed a good thing to do on such a day.

”

All of this is best summed up in the preamble to the document states:

“Stretch your Limits, Lift your Spirits and Aim for the Top”

Mike Mortimer

President

UIAA

December 11, 2009

UIAA - Mountain Ethics Declaration

1. Individual Responsibility

Mountaineers and climbers practice their sport in situations where there is a risk

of accidents and where outside help may not be available. With this in mind, they

engage in this activity at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.

The actions of individuals should not endanger those around them nor damage the

environment. For example, the fixing of anchors on new or existing routes cannot

automatically be taken as acceptable.

2. Team Spirit

Members of a team should be prepared to make compromises in order to balance

the needs and abilities of all the group. The climb will invariably be most successful

where the members support and encourage one another.

3. Climbing & Mountaineering Community

Every person we meet in the mountains or on a rock face deserves an equal

measure of respect. Even in remote places and stressful situations, we should

always treat others as we want to be treated ourselves.

4. Visiting Foreign Countries

When we are guests in foreign countries, we should always conduct ourselves

politely and with restraint. We should show consideration to the local people and

their culture – they are our hosts. We should respect local climbing ethics and

style and never drill holes or place bolts where there is a traditional ethic against it

or where no locally established ethics exists. We will respect holy mountains and

other sacred places and always look for ways to benefit and assist local economies

and people. An understanding of foreign cultures is part of a complete climbing

experience.

5. Responsibilities of Mountain Guides and other Leaders

Professional mountain guides, other leaders and members of the groups they lead

should each understand their respective roles and respect the freedoms and rights

of other groups and individuals. In this declaration we recognise the high standards

of practice achieved by the mountain guides’ own professional body.

6. Emergencies, Dying and Death

We must be prepared for emergencies and situations which result in serious

accidents and death. All participants in mountain sports should clearly understand

the risks and hazards and the need to have appropriate skills, knowledge and

equipment. They need to be ready to help others in the event of an emergency or

accident and also be ready to face the consequences of a tragedy. It is hoped that

commercial operators in particular will warn their clients that their objectives may

have to be sacrificed to assist others in distress.

7. Access and Conservation

We believe that freedom of access to mountains and cliffs in a responsible

manner is a fundamental right. We should always practice our activities in an

environmentally sensitive way and be proactive in preserving nature and the

landscape. We should always respect access restrictions and regulations agreed

by climbers with nature conservation organizations and authorities.

8. Style

The quality of the experience and how we solve a problem is more important than

whether we succeed. We should always strive to leave no trace on the rock face or

the mountainside.

9. First Ascents

The first ascent of a route or a mountain is a creative act. It should be completed

in a manner at least as good as the style and traditions of the region. The way the

climb was achieved should be reported exactly.

10. Sponsorship, Advertising and Public Relations

The cooperation between sponsors and mountaineers or climbers must be a

professional relationship that serves the best interests of mountain sports. It is the

responsibility of the mountain sports’ community to educate and inform both media

and public in a proactive manner.

11. Use of supplementary oxygen in Mountaineering

The use of supplementary oxygen in high altitude mountaineering has been under

debate for several years. In this debate, different components related to the topic

can be distinguished, such as medical aspects and ethical considerations. The

medical aspects should be of paramount concern to all mountaineers. Ethical

considerations are best left to the individual climber, provided that, if a climber does

use oxygen, plans are made to remove used bottles from the mountain.

12. High altitude guided commercial expeditions

It is hoped that commercial operators, especially those without qualifications,

attempting 8000m or other comparable peaks which offer limited rescue facilities

will recognize the limitations of the clients in their care. All efforts should be made to

ensure the safety of such clients and also to warn their clients that plans may have

to be curtailed to help others on the mountain in distress.

The UIAA is the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation.

We bring together millions of men, women and children joined by their passion for mountains.

www.theuiaa.org

Falling Through Ice - Safety

Before going onto a frozen lake, pond or river, it's important to take safety precautions to reduce the risk of falling through the ice.

Knowing how to judge ice conditions will also help you make more informed decisions while enjoying your outing. Look for clear blue ice. New ice is stronger than old ice. Remember you take a risk any time you go onto the ice. Ice thickness is not consistent. Beware of ice around partially submerged objects such as trees, brush, embankments or structures. Ice will not form as quickly where water is shallow or where objects may absorb sunlight.

It is always a good idea to drill test holes or use an ice chisel as you venture onto a lake to help judge the thickness and character of the ice.

The general rule of thumb for ice:

· 2 inches or less - STAY OFF

· 4 inches of good ice for a walking individual

· 6 inches of good ice for a snowmobile or ATV

· 8-12 inches of good ice for a car or small pickup

· 12-15 inches of good ice for a medium pickup truck.

Ice thickness chart.

Beware of ice covered with snow. Snow acts much like a blanket, insulating thin ice and preventing the formation of clear, blue ice. Snow can also hide cracked, weak and open water. Daily changes in temperature cause ice to expand and contract, creating cracks and possibly pressure ridges which can affect ice strength.

Pressure ridge.

Stay away from cracks, pressure ridges, slushy or darker areas that signify thinner ice.

This vehicle broke through a weak spot in the ice.

Traveling in a vehicle early or late in the season is an accident waiting to happen. Do not drive across ice at night or when it is snowing. You can easily become disoriented and end up in areas of the lake you never intended to be.

Carry a safety kit that includes:

· Ice chisel to check the ice thickness.

· Ice picks or set of screw-drivers to pull yourself back on the ice.

· A cell phone to call for assistance.

Carry an ice chisel. Homemade ice picks.

What if I fall in?

· Try not to panic.

· Turn toward the direction you came.

· The safest place to pull yourself back up is the last place you stepped before you went through the ice.

· Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface of the ice.

· Work your way up by kicking your feet.

· Use your ice picks to assist in pulling yourself onto the ice.

· Once you are lying on the ice, roll away from the weak or broken ice, don't attempt to stand up.

Work your way up by kicking your feet and using picks or wet gloves on frozen surface.

Place hands and arms on unbroken surface of the ice. Work your way up by kicking your feet and using picks or wet gloves on frozen surface.

Once on the ice roll away from the open area.

Once atop the ice roll away from the weak or broken ice and do not attempt to stand up.

What if my buddy falls through thin ice?

Do not run out to assist the victim.

Keep calm, have a plan. Do not run out to assist the victim. You can go from rescuer to victim in a short second.

Reach the victim with a rope, pole, or jumper cables.

REACHthe victim with a long pole, board, rope, blanket or jumper cables.

Throw a bouyant object to the victim.

THROWthe victim a life jacket, empty water jug, or other buoyant object.

Once on the ice roll away from the weak spot. Build a human chain to effect the rescue.

Build a human chain in which rescuers lie on the ice with each person grasping the feet of the person in front.

Once on the ice, roll away from the weak or broken ice, do not attempt to stand up.

Treat hypothermia victim by removing wet clothing and replacing it with dry clothing. Get medical assistance - people who have been in cold water may seem fine at first but may suffer potential life threatening effects when the cold blood starts to circulate through the body from the extremities.

Download the "Safety on the Ice"* brochure (440Kb PDF) in Adobe Acrobat Reader format. http://www.gf.nd.gov/education/ice-brochure.html

Ice Climbers Rescued From Wenatchee River

December 22, 2009

Two Seattle-area ice climbers are safe after their raft capsized early Saturday in the icy Wenatchee River, forcing a swift-water rescue operation.

The incident happened before 7 a.m. in Tumwater Canyon, about 2 miles west of The Alps candy store on Highway 2, said Sgt. Andy Zimmerman, Chelan County sheriff's spokesman.

The climbers were Alex Krawarik, 38, of Bellevue, and Rafael Haroutunian, 47, of Seattle.

The men were headed across the river in an inflatable raft to climb ice-covered rock faces on the west side of the Wenatchee River in Tumwater Canyon, Zimmerman said.

They put in in calm water on the river's east side but drifted into rapids, where the small raft capsized, submerging the two men.

Krawarik climbed onto an ice-covered rock at midriver, Zimmerman said. Haroutunian made it to the river's west shore.

Two other climbers traveled with the victims and were planning to cross the river on their own raft. They were Dan Erickson, 40, and Jeremy Park, 31, both of Seattle.

Erickson said he and Park tried unsuccessfully to use their own boat to rescue their two climbing partners, then returned to shore and called 911 from The Alps.

The river's depth around the capsized boat ranges from a shallow 1.5 feet to holes as deep as 6 feet or more, Zimmerman said.

"They are very, very fortunate that nobody drowned," Zimmerman said.

Snowdonia Christmas Follies

1. Early afternoon, 26 Dec: Mother and daughter stuck up Carnedd Dafydd

2. Evening, 26 Dec: Man without torch on Devil's Kitchen

3. Late evening, 26 Dec: Two men trapped on Gribin ridge

4. Afternoon, 27 Dec: Father and son strayed off path

"We made five or six attempts to get into where they were. Each time we would find the cloud base was too low and the winds too rough. We would fly away for five or 10 minutes.

"Eventually we called in the rescue team. They were about a mile way from them when we found a big enough window to scoot in and grab the people.

"The cloud came down and engulfed us. We had to fly into the cloud, up and out to a safe level away from the mountains." The men were dropped at the Ogwen Valley team's headquarters and the helicopter returned to pick up the rescue team.

Mr Lloyd said: "They possibly bit off more than they could chew.

"They shouldn't have set off as late as they did. They should have set off much earlier, especially when weather conditions were known to be deteriorating." The alert was the 128th time the Ogwen Valley team was called out this year, twice the number of call-outs in 2008.

They had ordinary town boots on, not proper mountain boots, and no ice axe or crampons or spare clothing for winter conditions

The first post-Christmas operation was for two women, one aged 50 and her 21-year-old daughter, both from Oxfordshire, who were airlifted after becoming stuck about 1,500 ft (457m) up Carnedd Dafydd, a peak above the Ogwen Valley, on Saturday afternoon.

Then, the helicopter picked up a 46-year-old man from Cambridgeshire who found himself on the Devil's Kitchen above the Ogwen Valley, without a torch.

The fourth call-out came on Sunday and involved a father and son from the Wirral who were airlifted after straying off an ice and snow-covered path.

The father, who is in his 50s and the son, in his 20s, found themselves in deep snow at the Devil's Kitchen off Cwm Idwal in the Ogwen Valley.

The helicopter plucked them from steep ground as a six-member team from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team waited nearby.

Rescuers said the father and son did not have crampons and ice axes, considered "essential" equipment for walkers intending to go beyond low-level paths in the mountains.

Chris Lloyd, of the Ogwen team, said the pair decided to go off the beaten track.

He said: "They were not very well-equipped. They had ordinary town boots on, not proper mountain boots, and no ice axe or crampons or spare clothing for winter conditions.

"They shouted across to people on the other side who then raised the alarm.

The rescue team made their way to within 200ft below the pair and waited as the rescue helicopter from RAF Valley arrived and was able to reach them.

A campaign called MountainSafe was launched last week urging walkers to make sure they are properly dressed and equipped before setting out, especially over the holiday season.

Shortly afterwards there was criticism of two sets of walkers who had to be rescued after trying to climb Snowdon in poor weather while wearing tracksuits and trainers.

http://www.ogwen-rescue.org.uk/

Portland Mountain Rescue – Locating Beacons (MLU’s)

December 16, 2009 - Portland Mountain Rescue is in the process of responding to a report of three missing climbers on Oregon's Mt. Hood. It does not appear that these climbers were equipped with any locating beacons (known as Mountain Locator Units, or "MLUs") that might help rescuers locate the climbers.

This news bulletin is being released to address frequent questions posed by the public regarding:

• Why carrying locating beacons should not be mandated

• Why individuals should not be charged for the cost of their rescues

WHY LOCATOR BEACONS SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED:

PMR agrees that MLUs/PLBs can make it easier to locate lost individuals in some situations and we would prefer that more parties carry them. However, we strongly oppose mandating that beacons be carried because of potential unintended consequences.

Contrary to what might seem common sense, we believe that mandating beacons actually increases risks for both climbers and the rescuers.

1. Devalues safety education – By providing climbers with a false sense of security we have devalued the motivation to develop the proper safe traveling skills and planning for unexpected situations, thus leading to more rescues. In fact, following the December 2006 incident on Mount Hood, the ensuing public outcry for climbers to carry beacons contributed to several large rescues on Mount Hood for climbers who were ill-prepared but climbed directly into winter storms. These groups carried locator beacons and expected to be swiftly rescued.

2. More danger for rescuers – Locating devices are not as effective at increasing safety as other mandatory safety devices such as seat belts, motorcycle helmets, or life jackets. More often the biggest challenge in a rescue isn’t locating a stricken climber, it’s accessing them. Weather and avalanche conditions often hamper search efforts even when we know where the subjects are. Any law mandating locating beacons will place volunteer rescuers in more danger by fostering an unrealistic expectation that carrying government-mandated equipment entitles climbers to rescue regardless of unsafe conditions.

3. Delayed rescue calls – Search and rescue experts indicate that if penalties exist for stranded or injured climbers who do not carry the required equipment, they often delay calling. This results in further danger for the stranded or injured party and the rescuers alike.

Mountain rescue is a highly complex and dynamic issue. It typically accounts for fewer than 5% of search and rescue missions in Oregon yet frequently elicits national media attention and public outcry. PMR believes the best way to improve climber and rescuer safety is to stress personal responsibility, preparation, and sound decision-making. Legislation for mandatory equipment is a well-intentioned but misguided solution with potentially dangerous consequences

WHY THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED FOR THEIR RESCUES:

Often after large rescue operations, there is public outcry to charge the subjects of the rescue to recoup costs.

Existing Oregon law (ORS 401.590) allows a public body to recoup some rescue costs if "reasonable care" was not taken, or if any applicable laws were broken by the subject of the rescue.

However, the search and rescue community unanimously opposes charging for rescues because such charges may cause people to delay making a request for assistance for fear of incurring a fine.

Delaying rescue requests tends to make the situation more dangerous, increasing risks not only for the subject of the rescue, but also for the rescuers. Delayed requests lead to increased risks when the subject's condition deteriorates, the weather worsens, night falls, avalanche hazard increases, and a host of other potential threats.

It is critical to note that the bulk of rescue work is conducted by volunteer organizations who are supported by public donations and not tax dollars. Climber rescues have the highest contribution of volunteers, exceeded only by fixed-wing aircraft searches.

Here on Mt. Hood, the primary burden of rescues to taxpayers resides in funding the county sheriff's oversight of the rescue operation.

Helicopters are provided by the military, who use rescue flight time to fulfill regular training hours requirements that all pilots are required to complete. Pilots would be required to spend these hours in flight training regardless of a mountain rescue, and this rescue flight time provides superior training opportunities than mere training drills where no lives are at stake.

The dozens of rescuers with technical equipment, search dogs, and communications vehicles are all provided by volunteer not-for-profit organizations. Therefore the actual cost of rescues to taxpayers is far less than what is perceived when large rescue operations are broadcast on the news.

Though climbing accidents receive much media attention, statistically they represent only a small percentage of overall search and rescue incidents. In 2008, climbing accidents were 11th on the list of activities resulting in a search and rescue.

Because climbing accidents attract a disproportionate amount of media attention, people are inadvertently led to believe that climbing accidents are unusually costly and present an unfair burden to the tax payer. An examination of the statistics shows that climbing accidents are less frequent than search and rescue incidents resulting from hiking, driving a motor vehicle, hunting, swimming, and snowmobiling.

Portland Mountain Rescue opposes charging any member of the public for rescue services. Furthermore, we believe existing laws must be applied fairly to all groups of recreationalists according to the facts and not public misperception.

www.pmru.org

Incidents

Mt.Hood, OR, USA - Luke T. Gullberg – December 11, 2009

Rescue crews searching for three climbers missing on Mount Hood said they found Luke T. Gullberg, 26, of Des Moines, Washington, deceased. Search and rescue continue to search for the other two climbers.

The three climbers were making a technical ascent of the west side of the 11,239-foot volcano near Reid Glacier.

The glacier ranges in elevation from about 6,000 feet to 9,800 feet. The upper extent of the glacier is known for crevasses. The three climbers were expected back at 2 p.m. Friday.

They did not have a radio beacon but had a cell phone. There was a brief signal from the cell phone called a "ping" about 1:30 a.m. Friday apparently made as the climbers were leaving Timberline Lodge to begin their ascent.

About 30 searchers focused on the area around Reid Glacier and tried to get up to the 9,000-foot level.

Missing climbers:

· Anthony Vietti, 24, Longview, WA

· Katie Nolan, 29, Portland, OR

Mt.Hood, OR, USA – Anthony Vietti – December 11, 2009

A digital camera thought to be Gullberg's gave searchers several clues to the climbers' location, climbing style and preparation for the elements.

The final frames show the climbers were at about 10,000 feet on the Reid Headwall, the steep rocky face that rises above Reid Glacier, about 1,000 feet below. It appeared from the photographs that the group was near the top of the headwall.

From that point on the Reid route, climbers typically descend a short way before another short ascent to the summit. One photo showed that the group was roped on the headwall and that Nolan and Vietti were trailing Gullberg.

The rescuers who found Gullberg found no sign of a climbing rope.

Rescuers found:

· two water bottles that were nearly empty

· a climbing helmet

· a climbing harness

· a camera.

Rescuers found no sign of a body falling into one of the crevasses on the glacier's surface.

Vietti had wilderness medicine training and may have stayed behind with Nolan.

The current incident's similarities to three years ago are uncanny; timing of this climb, the location of one body and the mystery surrounding two others.

Possible outcomes (partial set):

· everybody is found

· nobody is found

· some people are found - this case

Mt.Hood, OR, USA – Katie Nolan – December 11, 2009

The prevailing idea is that an accident befell them; perhaps involving Nolan, and then Gullberg went for help.

The idea that Nolan was hurt arises because mountaineers found just one of her gloves Saturday with the body of Gullberg on Reid Glacier at an elevation of 9,000 feet, at the base of the 1,500-foot Reid headwall. The slope rises at a 50-degree angle from the glacier to within a few hundred feet of relatively easier climbing to the top above 11,000 feet.

They found neither of Gullberg's gloves, leading to a theory that Nolan had lost one of hers in the accident, that Gullberg had left her his, along with his pack, and that he had headed downhill, taking Nolan's single glove for whatever warmth it would provide.

After a fall in which he suffered bruises and scrapes, Gullberg died of exposure. Nearby were tracks and some of his equipment, including a camera whose pictures gave rescue workers information about the route and equipment the climbers took.

The effort to find two climbers missing on Mt. Hood is now a recovery mission.

Rescue Audio File - wma

Rescue Details – Craig Roberts

On the last day of the search, it was clear that all of the elements had turned against [the rescue]. The avalanche danger was so severe that even stable slopes had started to slide, making it impossible for climbers to head up the mountain. Also, a storm system had covered the mountain with clouds, posing a serious challenge to the Army National Guard helicopters that were helping us search from the air.

In spite of that, a helicopter took off from Salem that morning and flew north. They didn't show this on TV, because there was nothing to see, but all of us on the ground heard the sound of its rotors as it circled overhead, hoping for a break in the clouds over Timberline Lodge. On the ground, a pair of pararescue jumpers from the 304th Rescue Squadron waited in their orange parkas for their chance to climb on board and take one last look for the missing climbers.

One of their commanders described the plan to me: the helicopter would fly towards the mountain between cloud layers, fighting 60-mile-an-hour winds. If they spotted something, one of the rescuers would be lowered using a winch. Then, the helicopter would deliberately rock from side to side, swinging the man on the end of the line like a pendulum so that he could try to hook the side of the mountain with his ice axe.

He looked me in the eye and told me that they would do all of this, even though the best medical advice we were getting was that there was less than a one percent chance that Katie and Anthony were still alive.

That's just one example of the enormous courage and dedication I saw on the side of that mountain. The members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office who coordinated the search worked for days on end and refused to be relieved. They wanted to finish what they had started, for the missing climbers and for their families.

Likely one of the greatest acts of bravery during the entire rescue effort was made by Katie and Anthony's climbing companion, Luke Gullberg. Although we do not yet understand exactly what happened, it's likely that Luke set out to get help after there was an accident high on the mountain. Apparently, he left most of his own gear behind with his friends to increase their chances for survival — then succumbed to exhaustion and hypothermia during the descent.

Luke's body was recovered early in the search by volunteers, who took time off from work and away from loved ones to climb the mountain — putting their own lives at risk to rescue people they had never met. It isn't widely recognized, but unpaid volunteers account for most search and rescue efforts in Oregon. Of the 107,000 hours spent performing search and rescue missions in 2008, 85 percent were provided by volunteers.

More than anything else I personally witnessed during the mission, I was affected the patience, the gratitude and the enduring faith of the missing climbers' families. From the start, they were worried about the safety of the searchers on the mountain, and their concerns only grew as conditions got worse. Yet, when Katie's mother, Darla, hugged me, she whispered how grateful she was that I had made that one last attempt.

I was almost overcome by emotion myself, knowing that it was increasingly unlikely that we would find them alive — but in a strange way, her hug and support gave me the strength to face the family later with the sad news that the rescue effort was over.

This tragedy has changed the lives of the climbers' families forever. Their time on the mountain — hoping to see their son, or their daughter, or their brother, or their sister or their cousin climb out of a helicopter — will always be a vivid memory for them.

Like their families, the members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and everyone else who fought to save Luke, Katie and Anthony, will always remember them. By the time I stepped up to the microphones to announce that the rescue phase of the search had ended, I felt like part of their family, and so did everyone else. That takes a personal toll on all of us. Over the course of a career, these experiences have lasting emotional impacts.

Knowing this, we take care of ourselves and we take care of each other. We have to, because there are more people out there who need our help, and more families waiting anxiously for news about a missing loved one.

Each year, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office conducts an average of 120 search and rescue missions — that means we launch one every two or three days. Most will never get the kind of attention that this one received from the public and the media, but they are all just as important to me.

If your mother has Alzheimer's disease and she wanders away from home, or your brother gets lost while he's out hunting, or your child is missing, you will want me to deploy every resource available to find them — and I will. It doesn't matter whether or not anybody ever sees it on television or reads about it in the newspapers, we do it because we care."

Craig Roberts Clackamas County Sheriff

Salt Lake City, UT, USA - Gean Rawson – December 31, 2009

Salt Lake County Search and Rescue crews evacuated an injured ice climber from a ledge of a frozen waterfall in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Thursday afternoon.

The 37-year-old man fell about 300 feet while climbing the Great White Icicle waterfall,.

The helicopter hoisted the man off the ledge high on the side of the canyon about 3:45 p.m., about two hours after he fell. He suffered a broken leg and possible broken pelvis, said Salt Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Travis Carl Skinner.

"I think he was very lucky, to be honest with you," said Unified Fire Authority Capt. Byron Warr.

Located about 2 miles up the canyon, the icicle is popular with

The man was climbing solo when he fell. Four other climbers were nearby, one other solo climber and a group of three.

"It's a good idea to have other people with you," Skinner said. "In this case, it worked out."

Two people watching the ice climbers from the road saw the tumble about 1:40 p.m. and called 911, Skinner said. The witnesses estimated the distance at 300 feet. It was not immediately clear what caused the man to fall.

Though crews started up the mountain on foot, the helicopter allowed the rescuers to bring him off the mountain in two hours, much more quickly than climbing rescuers could have, Skinner said.

The helicopter made several swoops over the area near 5000 East and Little Cottonwood Road and twice landed on the canyon road, briefly closing the road to traffic from nearby ski resorts.

The helicopter dropped off a paramedic, who placed the man into a mesh bag that hung from a long cable attached to the helicopter. The helicopter flew the climber back to the Little Cottonwood Road, where crews moved him to a stretcher as he yelled in pain and flew him to Intermountain Medical Center in serious condition.

This is the fourth rescue in less than a year at the icicle; three of those victims were ice climbers, Skinner said. Though none of those falls resulted in fatalities, according to Tribune records, an ice climber was killed in January 2007 when he fell near Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon, another popular ice climbing spot.

McArthur, CA, USA – Noel & Nathan Smith – December 21, 2009

Two brothers have been identified today as the men who died after falling through the ice Saturday evening trying to rescue a dog at the Big Lake boat launch in McArthur.

The men were identified by the Shasta County Coroner's office as Noel Smith, 38, of Burney, and Nathan Smith, 32, of Citrus Heights.

Paramedics were unable to revive the two men, who had been submerged for several minutes under the icy water as firefighters and volunteers searched for them in a duck hunter's boat.

Video footage posted on the Intermountain News Web site shows firefighters feeling around in the slush-covered, inky, black water with poles in the hopes of bumping into one of the men in the current.

The news that the men had died saddened the firefighters who tried to rescue them. Many held out hope through the night that medical crews could revive the two men, McArthur Volunteer Fire Department Chief Pat Oilar said Sunday.

"I've had a lot of firemen call me up today before going to church wondering how to pray," he said.

One of three men in the party survived and swam to shore. He had severe hypothermia, Oilar said.

The other two men apparently had been submerged under the ice - one for about 20 to 25 minutes and the other for about 50 minutes, Oilar said.

Rescuers performed CPR on the two men before ambulances took them to the hospital.

The three men - all believed to be in their 30s or 40s and brothers - wound up in the water and ice after trying to get a dog that went through the ice first.

The ice was 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches thick, Oilar said.

The dog survived.

Oilar said it was strange that the two men appeared to have stripped down to their T-shirts before going after the dog.

Oilar credited Jeff Stackhouse of McArthur for trying to locate the two men.

Stackhouse had been duck hunting in the area, but unloaded his boat from a trailer to take several McArthur fire department volunteers on the lake to find the two men.

Stackhouse can be seen in the video piloting the boat as two firefighters leaned over the bow to probe the water with a long pole.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection received the rescue call at 5:22 p.m. at the Rat Farm boat launch.

This time of year, the launch area is a popular duck hunting starting point as Big Lake remains one of the few marshy waterways not completely frozen over after cold spells.

The launch area also is the starting point for boaters to get into Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park.

Oilar said he didn't know whether the three men were part of a hunting party. At least one witness said the men may have been fishing.

Reporter Ryan Sabalow can be reached at 225-8344 or at rsabalow@redding.com.

www.redding.com

Bozeman, MT, USA - Guy Lacelle – December 10, 2009

Guy Lacelle was killed by an avalanche near Grotto Falls during the Bozeman Ice Festival. This was during the "Ice Breaker" pro ice climbing comp etition.

Guy and Adam Knoff finished the climb Silken Falls and were hiking up a narrow drainage to a higher climb when two other climbers, above them, triggered a pocket of wind drifted snow that ran down the gully.

The avalanche advisory predicted moderate danger on wind-loaded slopes in the south Gallatin and Madison ranges.

Conditions were created by strong winds that loaded deep gullies with wind slabs.

Adam Knoff was off to the side, but Guy Lacelle was hit and carried off the climb to his death.

You Tube: Site Analysis

Accident Report

Lacelle was not tied into a rope at the time. He fell 250-300 feet He was in an area in between the two climbing areas which was not technical but rather a hiking section between the two ice climbing areas, possibly explaining why he was not tied in.

He is survived by his wife, Marge Lachecki.

Video: www.journalofmountaineering.com

Synopsis

Synopsis:

An avalanche caught and killed an ice climber in Hyalite Canyon in the northern Gallatin Range

of southwest Montana. This avalanche was triggered by a separate party of two climbers above

the victim. The slide was 40 feet across at its widest point, 18-20 inches deep, and the slide ran

almost 1,000 vertical feet. The avalanche initiated on a 38-degree slope and failed on a layer of

facets over a firm bed surface. The victim was approximately 500 ft slope distance below the

party who triggered the slide. He was swept down the gully and over a 400 ft frozen waterfall,

Silken Falls. The victim died of trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The avalanche classification is: HS-AO-D2-R3-O.

GPS Coordinates for the slope: N 45.42433, W 110.95404

Elevation of the crown is approximately 9,500 feet.

Video of the investigation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1yaiLI5LXc

Pictures of the avalanche terrain: http://www.mtavalanche.com/photo

Weather:

The last significant snowfall in the northern Gallatin Range occurred on Friday, December 4th,

2009 when 4-6 inches fell with a SWE of .4 inches at Shower Falls SNOTEL site. The nearest

wind data is at Bridger Bowl (approx. 20 miles to the north) where winds blew 20-30 mph out of

the W-NW during this period of precipitation. From Saturday the 5th to Wednesday the 9th low

temperatures plummeted to minus 25 and highs were in the single digits above or below zero.

These temperatures were accompanied by strong winds blowing 15-25 mph out of the E-NE.

Temperatures remained cold on Wednesday the 9th, but winds switched to W-NW at 15-20 mph.

On Thursday the 10th temperatures climbed to 5 above zero by mid-morning with sporadic, gusty

winds reported at mid-elevations.

Avalanche:

On Thursday morning, December 10th, at 0700 a group of 24 (12 teams) participants lined up in

the Grotto Falls parking lot for the 4th annual Ice Breaker ice climbing competition. Each team

climbs as many difficult routes as possible in a day. Around 0845, competitors A2 and A1

completed the ice climb The Dribbles and traversed into the gully leading up to The Climb Above

the Dribbles. During this time, competitors X1 and X2 were climbing The Dribbles with the

same objective, although they approached it after climbing a separate set of nearby routes. At

0900, A1 triggered a small avalanche (6” deep) that caught both he and his partner, carrying them

approximately 300 feet down the gully and over a 25 foot ice step where they stopped. A2 ended

up going over this precipice head first while A1 cascaded over the cliff on his back. Both

climbers were shaken up but unharmed. They continued back up the gully.

X1 and X2 finished The Dribbles and moved into the gully that A2 and A1 were ascending after

the first slide. A2 and A1 had no idea anyone was below them, while X1 and X2 thought the

party above was already on the ice much higher. Knowing the avalanche danger, A2 and A1

hugged the edges of the gully on rocks as much as possible. A2 wrote in an email, “We assessed

the gully above and decided we could continue up and stay out of harm’s way. We had not,

however, considered that someone may be below us. We were already up there so we might as

well go for it, we thought. We decided to at least have a look at the gully above the last crown.

Continuing up, we skirted the right side of the gully staying mostly on the rocks. We heard no

collapsing and saw no cracking, thus deciding to continue up.” They reached a point where the

gully narrowed and forced them away from the edge. This tapering of the gully forced A1 to step

towards the center where he triggered the second slide around 0930.

This second avalanche broke 40 feet across and 18 inches deep on a firm bed surface. A1 and A2

were able to avoid being caught, but the slide picked up momentum as it moved down the gully

towards X2 and X1. A2 yelled “avalanche!” as he looked down and saw X1 cresting the second

ice bulge. A2 recounts, “Worse than the sound of collapsing snow was the sound of someone

below us, who turned out to be X1 yelling to X2.” X1 had five seconds to respond to this

warning and barely got out of the way. Unfortunately, X2 was in the middle of the second ice

step and was unable to avoid the avalanche. X2 was swept about 1,000 vertical feet to his death,

the last 400 feet being the steep ice cliff of Silken Falls.

X1 descended the gully and rappelled the falls in search of X2. Before descending, X1 directed

A2 and A1 to probe the debris uphill of the falls to confirm that X2 was swept over the edge.

Halfway down the rappel X1 saw X2’s boot sticking out of the snow at the bottom of the climb.

He alerted A2 and A1 of his discovery. X1 continued down and found X2 with his head down

hill and fully buried except for one boot sticking out of the snow. X1 dug X2 out and was unable

to revive him. A1 and A2 rappelled down and were on the scene within minutes. X1 left A2 and

A1 with the body and he descended to alert SAR about the accident.

Search and Rescue:

X1 drove to the bottom of Hyalite Canyon in order to get cell phone coverage. At 1140 X1 called

911 and at 1150 Gallatin County SAR started to mobilize. Doug Chabot and I spoke with X1

minutes later by phone and were informed that X2 died from trauma and his body was in nontechnicalterrain. We proceeded to coordinate with the Gallatin County SAR and started walking

in with SAR personnel from the Grotto Falls Trailhead at 1400. The body was placed in a

collapsible Cascade toboggan and was hauled through the forest to the trail below. Three

snowmobiles assisted in transporting the victim to the parking lot by 1630.

Snowpack:

Doug Chabot, Mark Staples and I investigated the avalanche on Friday, December 11th. The

avalanche that struck the victim consisted of pencil hard wind slab, 18 inches thick, sitting on 5-

20 cm of weak facets. Hyalite experienced cold temperatures, strong winds and light precipitation

over a four day span before the event. The steep, narrow gullies of Hyalite Canyon were loaded

with windblown snow and from snow cascading down its steep faces. On Thursday, December

10th numerous human triggered avalanches were reported in Hyalite over the course of the day,

most of them small pockets of wind slab triggered by other Ice Breaker climbers crossing slopes.

The advisory on December 10th read “Today, the primary concerns are wind slabs formed by

recent west and northwest winds. While these wind slabs do not appear very sensitive they are

widespread and human triggered avalanches are possible. For this reason the avalanche danger is

rated MODERATE.”

Please contact us if you have any questions. We can be reached at: mtavalanche@gmail.com

Eric Knoff, Avalanche Specialist, Doug Chabot, Director/Avalanche Specialist

Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, www.mtavalanche.com

Events

Lee Vining - Ice Climbing Social– February 6 – 7, 2010

Stop by room 50 at the Lake View Lodge on Friday night February 5^th or see you at Nicely’s at 7:00 am Feb. 6^th.

contact: tombcronin@yahoo.com

California Mountaineering Group (CMG)

The CMG is not a teaching organization and does not endorse or insure mountaineering activities which can result in death. Trips are private and only listed to allow for the coordination of car pooling and camping. Each participant on a trip is solely responsible for his or her safety during the entire trip, including the transportation to and from the destination, and necessary insurance. Specialized skills, such as fall protection, self rescue, and survival, are required.

Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival – February 5 – 7, 2010

Friday, Saturday and Sunday February 5, 6, 7

A fun filled weekend of ice climbing, mountaineering programs and skill clinics for all ability levels. There will also be gear demo programs, celebrity slideshows, and après-climb parties. This years guest Guides and Instructors are Steve House, Mark Synnott, Kevin Mahoney, Janet Bergman Whit Magro, Emilie Drinkwater, Majka Burnhardt and Fred Wilkinson.

The Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival is one of the premier climbing events in the country. Join us as we celebrate the adventure, the fun, and the comradery of ice climbing and winter mountaineering, here in one of the finest waterfall ice climbing destinations in North America. This year we are also offering an AIARE Level I Avalanche Course.

Registration and Cancellation Information

Already an experienced climber? Check out our courses for advanced climbers (Intro to Mixed Climbing; Efficient Alpine Climbing Techniques, etc.). Or, if you're going to head out on your own, be sure to come by the FREE GEAR DEMO to take the latest in ice-climbing technology out with you to the crags. The gear demo will be open every morning at IME from 7:30-11:00 am.

We will have a slideshow and indoor competition on Friday evening, 7:00-10:00 pm in the Cranmore Fitness Center climbing wall along with a raffle. On Saturday night we're letting loose at the Super 80's Climbers Dance Party, sponsored by Mammut.

Since its inception 17 years ago this event has been eagerly anticipated by ice climbers in the eastern United States and is considered one of the premier climbing events in the country. It is intended to be a celebration of ice climbing and winter mountaineering and the people that make it a part of their lives.

It continues to provide a great opportunity for those attending to network, socialize, try new gear and participate in multiple day courses, one-day technical clinics and privately guided climbs. The Mt. Washington Valley is one of the finest waterfall ice climbing destinations in North America. Each year we offer a variety of skills-based clinics and exciting slide shows with featured climbers and guides from the New England area and around the world.

Sponsors Include; Mammut, Outdoor Research(Title Sponsors ), La Sportiva, Wild Things, Petzl, Asolo, Black Diamond, Patagonia, Mountain Hardwear, Cranmore, Alpinist, Mt Washington Observatory, Sterling Rope , Julbo, Vasque, Boarder, Lowa, Tuckerman Brewing Company, Flatbread, Nemo, AMC, American Alpine Club, Ice Holdz and others.

ice_fest.html

icefest

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Partners

Wilderness Medical Associates

Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) is the leader in wilderness medicine training— preparing over 7000 students annually to respond confidently and competently to medical situations in the backcountry.

Course offerings include a two day Wilderness First Aid, a four day Wilderness Advanced First Aid, and the 70 hour Wilderness First Responder (in five, seven or eight day formats). Training is held throughout the US year-round.

For more information on courses, please go to: www.wildmed.com

USA: Telephone: 1-888-WILDMED (toll free) or 207-730-7331 (local)

Canada: Telephone: 1-877-WILDMED (toll free) or 705-455-9797 (local)

Hood Mountain Adventures

Hood Mountain Adventures offers mountaineering, rock climbing, winter skills training, nature hikes and backpacking trips for individuals and groups of all levels of experience, fitness and age. Join one of our scheduled expeditions or we can help you design one of your own.

If you would like to experience rock climbing, we can guide and train first time rock climbers as well as gym climbers on the real thing. But if you are getting back into climbing or want to take it to the next level, we offer great courses in leading, safety and rescue.

www.hoodmountainadventures.com

Rewards for Justice Program

The Rewards for Justice Program (RFJ), United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Usama Bin Laden. An additional $2 million is being offered through a program developed and funded by the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON, PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST AMERICAN EMBASSY OR CONSULATE (OR THE FBI)

Islamabad, Pakistan

American Embassy: 011-92-51-208-0000

Kabul, Afghanistan

American Embassy: 301-490-1042

USA Toll-free number: 1-800-US-REWARDS

Email: RFJ@state.gov

RFJ keeps strictly confidential the identity of anyone who provides information in response to a reward offer and/or who receives a reward payment. In addition, relocation may be available for a source and his/her family, but these matters would have to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond the Mountain – by Steve House

Beyond the Mountain is a must read for anyone interested in alpinism and the motivations and sacrifices of those who practice it at its highest levels. Steve House obviously went through a lot of soul searching to write this account of his career to date leading up to his successful ascent of Nanga Parbat. The result comes off as an honest and heartfelt tale which is a pleasure to read and left this reader with as many questions about personal motivation and accomplishment as it did provide answers.

Sierra Mountaineering International

The top priority on all of our trips is safety. While mountaineering carries with it inherent dangers, we do everything within our ability to minimize the risk. Another important objective includes reaching the summit(s), or achieving the clients' intended goals on our trips. We always have a lot of fun and great food along the way!

Sierra Mountaineering International is an authorized mountaineering guide service operating in partnership under special use permit with the Inyo National Forest, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and other agencies where applicable.

Sierra Mountaineering International, 236 N Main St., Bishop, CA 93514

http://www.sierramountaineering.com/ Telephone: (760) 872-4929, Fax: (760) 872-2489

Summit Climb

Our climbing expeditions maximize many years of accumulated wisdom leading trips to the highest mountains on the planet, a strong record of reaching the top of 8000ers: Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu, Shishapangma and many other high altitude summits in all safety, along with an intimate knowledge of the officials who regulate the permit system.

We encourage men and women from around the world, of all ages, to join us as an individual team member or with your own group, whether that is your spouse, partner, friends, sibling, clients, colleagues, etc. Most of our members join as individuals, our team dynamics work well, and we are able to build successful and safe groups of people that enjoy trekking, climbing, and traveling together.

www.summitclimb.com

Journal Information

Published by the “California Mountaineering Group”

Library of Congress: “Journal of Mountaineering”

ISSN: 1948-9110 (print), 1948-9129 (online)

Subscribe (join this group): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JMTN/

Submissions: JMTN-owner@yahoogroups.com

Back Issues: www.journalofmountaineering.com

Disclaimer:

The Journal disclaims all responsibility or liability and does not guarantee, warrant, lend credibility, or endorse any product, service, or information mentioned.