Friday, September 30, 2011

Allamuchy Mountain State Park Top-Rope Social and Oktoberfest Celebration • October 22

Check out the superb stone of New Jersey's Allamuchy Mountain State Park and meet other climbers from the region. AAC member Barry Rusnock is graciously hosting this event. We’ll have top-ropes setup on climbs from 5.5 to 5.11 on the Main Wall—all abilities are welcome. After climbing join us for an Oktoberfest dinner, complete with Sauerbraten, Wienerschnitzel, Bratwurst, Red cabbage, Spaetzli. Free for AAC members.

Sunday, October 22, 12:00–6:00 p.m. at Allamuchy State Park
6:00–9:00 p.m. at Riverview Outdoor Adventures
See complete event details and directions at this link.

Sandy Hill Book Signing October 18

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF VENUE

Please join us for a reception and book-signing event to mark the release of MOUNTAIN, by Sandy Hill. Author Sandy Hill and contributors Jack Tackle and Phil Powers will be present to personally sign Limited Edition copies of the book.

Change of Venue to: Top of the Standard - 848 Washington Street (Above High Line)

Tuesday, October 18, 7:00–9:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Adirondacks Community Pot-Luck, Oct. 9, Lake Placid, NY

Do you love the Adirondacks? Show your support for the Adirondacks climbing community by joining us for a pot-luck dinner at the beautiful Guide House in Lake Placid, NY. Longtime AAC member and supporter Brian Delaney of High Peaks Cyclery and Mountain Adventure Center is generously hosting this event and looks forward to seeing you in Lake Placid.

What: Community Pot-Luck

When: Sunday, October 9, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Where: The Guide House

High Peaks Cyclery and Mountain Adventure Center

2733 Main Street

Lake Placid NY 12946


Monday, September 26, 2011

TRIP REPORT : PERU 2011

Three AAC members, Janet Morgan, Matt Powell and Gregory Frux travelled to Peru’s Cordillera Blanca for a trekking, climbing and painting trip in August 2011. The program was ably supported by the team from Ted Alexander’s Huaraz-based company, Skyline Adventures.
Frux and Morgan arrived early, acclimatizing in Huaraz (elev. 10,000 ft) and at the Lazy Dog Inn (elev. 12,000 ft.). They were delighted to witness the harvesting of quinoa, as well as the traditional methods of threshing wheat by having horses trample the grain. While at the inn, Frux and Morgan painted various views of the Cordillera, including views up the Llaca Valley.

After Mr. Powell arrived the trio undertook a trek up the Cojup Valley. Enroute they witnessed teams of porters carrying in 100 pound pipe sections, up valley for 9 miles. The project the porters are working on is an attempt to lower the level of a rising glacial lake at the top of the valley. Increasing water level and instability of the glacier above are due to dramatic warming of the region. The program is an attempt to make the valley and area downstream less vulnerable to cataclysmic flooding.

After reaching the head of the valley, Powell and Frux continued climbing for two days and crossed over a pass, which included glacier travel, to reach the Ishinca Valley. The high point of the route was 17,200 ft., and involved bypassing a small cornice on the descent. The next day Matt Powell climbed Nevado Ishinca (18,143 ft) with guide Alejo Lazzati. The main technical difficulties were at the summit block, where the team had to cross a bergshrund and climb a short vertical pitch. Greg, who was feeling the altitude stayed at Ishinca high camp. While at this camp he painted an oil painting of massive face of Ranrapalca (20,211 ft).



The team descended to the main Ishinca camp and met up with Janet Morgan who had descended the Cojup Valley and hiked up the Ishinca Valley. The team stayed at this dramatic location several days, with Frux and Morgan doing additional paintings of the surrounding peaks, waterfalls and indigenous forest.

Matt Powell descended first and travelled to the Llanganuco Valley. He made an attempt on Nevado Chopicalqui, reaching high camp at 18,200’ after two days. He reported that the upper mountain conditions have changed dramatically in the last three years, with a great increase in crevasses en route to high camp.

Janet and Greg returned to Huaraz. The following day Greg Frux drove into the Llaca Valley and began his climb from a very high trailhead at 14,500 ft. In the meantime, Janet painted at the dam above Lago Llaca. From the trailhead Greg climbed to high camp at the glacier’s edge at 16,120 ft. in about three hours. At 2:30am, Frux and guide “Nacho” Espinosa set out for the summit of Vallunaraju (18,655 ft.). The mild route was spiced by a field of nevado penitentes and one steep pitch to reach the summit block. In a perfectly choreographed ascent the summit was reached as the sun touched the peak. Climbers were back in Huaraz at mid day and the team safely returned to the USA after a very happy adventure.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Save the Date : 2011 Annual Dinner

32nd Annual Dinner: American Alpine Club, New York Section—Save the Date

SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2011

Union Club, New York City
Special Guest: John Harlin
Invitations to this black tie gala will be in the mail and on line in late September

“In My Father’s Footsteps—Swiss Border Adventures”

Raised in Switzerland, John, then only 6 years old, lost his father, one of the best American climbers of the '60s, in an accident on the notorious North Face of the Eiger. John returned, a few years ago, to repeat and complete his father’s attempt in an IMAX Feature Film. Always enamored by Switzerland, the birthplace of Alpinism, John conceived, planned, and has just completed another audacious Swiss adventure: to climb, paddle and cycle the entire 2000 km. of Switzerland’s border with Germany, Austria, Italy and France. The hardest part of this 2- year project, interrupted by a serious climbing accident last year, entailed 220,000 meters of vertical climbing including planned ascents and descents of several 4000 meter peaks. These include the Monte Rosa, Lyskamm, Matterhorn, etc. John’s trek, aided by precise GPS coordinates, daily videos and on line reports on www.swissinfo.ch/harlin, was followed by over 50,000 Facebook subscribers.

On the night of Saturday, November 12, John will premier this adventure of a lifetime at the Alpine Club Dinner. John is an author, writer and lecturer and is the current editor of the American Alpine Journal.

In addition, a special report “Soldiers to the Summit” will be given by Sherman Bull, who, with a team of fellow Everest climbers, guided several injured vets to the 20,075 ft. summit of Lobuche East last year in an Erik Weihenmayer-led expedition

Invitations to this black tie gala will be in the mail and on line in late September
So...

SAVE THE DATE

Olaf's Outing

By popular demand—and thanks to the generosity of long time AAC members Olaf and Gitta Soot—we will do a repeat of a long time favorite!

Please reach out to Phil Erard if you're planning on coming for a reservation form and liability waiver if you're climbing.

When: Sunday, September 25 from 3 - 8 p.m.
Where: The Soot Estate
9 Tomahawk Lane
Greenwich, CT 06830

Tomahawk is off Rustic View, which is off Stanwich. Please refer to Google Maps or Mapquest for specifics.
By Train: MetroNorth to Greenwich, then take a cab. Look for other AAC types and share.

Who's Invited?: AAC Members & Guests
Dress: Very Casual
What's Happening?:
All Sorts of Sports:
• Tree Diving & Swimming in the huge circular pool (please bring bathing suit and towel—watch a short video from the titular Olaf Soot of the tree diving on YouTube).
• Rock Climbing on the premises. Routes range from 5.3 to 5.11 with top ropes (please bring harness & shoes).
• Volleyball in the back yard.
• Socializing and schmoozing! Hey New Members, here's a great chance for you to meet the rest of the crew and for Old Timers, a chance to renew acquaintances and tell tall tales...
• Food & Drink. We know, climbers are always hungry and thirsty. Volunteer bartenders appreciated. Buffet dinner.
• Slide Show. Please bring ten interesting slides of your summer adventures on a USB stick or disk. Also, Olaf will have a short show of his own at dark (For Mature Audiences, he says).

An Important Question: How Much?: In advance: $25/adult, $10/kid. After 9/22 or at the door: $35/adult, $10/kid. Again, please reach out to Phil Erard if you're planning on attending for the reservation form and release form.