July 29, 2004

Hi Folks,

If your gut tells you we've been having less snow and more rain in New England over the past several years, you may be right. According to a study released last week by the US Geological Survey, snowfall has decreased significantly in favor of rain over the last 50 years. The study was published in the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate. It provides evidence that a warming trend is in progress and could have a significant effect on winter activities such as ice climbing and skiing.

One of the places with the strongest evidence of this trend is Millinocket Maine, home to nearby Baxter State Park and Mt. Katahdin. The study showed an average decrease in the snow-to-precipitation ratio from 30% in 1949 to 23% in 2000. Anecdotally, the mid-winter rains we've experienced several times over the last 5-6 years would seem to corroborate this report.

Cliff Cleanup Day Rescheduled:
The annual Mountain Rescue Cliff Clean Up had to be canceled due to rain. We have re-scheduled it for next Tuesday August 3rd at 4:00. Meet at the Cathedral Ledge Kiosk. The party for those participating will be held at the Nereledge following the work. My 4 year-old son Daz, who has helped for the last 2 years, was very disappointed! Hope to see you all next week.

Local Youth On 2004 U.S. Youth National Team:
Zeb Engberg competed in the U.S. Youth National Championships, July 9-11 at the Pipeworks gym in Sacramento, California. He won 1st place in the Boys 18-19 division and will be on the U.S. Youth National Team, representing the U.S. at the World Youth Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland in September. Zeb is the son of Boston climber and longtime AMC member Eric Engberg. According to reports it took super-finals and even super-super-finals to make the cuts among evenly matched climbers in several categories. We wish Zeb all the best this fall.

Final Word On The Tour This Year:
The 101st Tour De France is officially over and Lance Armstrong is the overall winner for an unprecedented 6th consecutive time. Whatever you think about Lance he was clearly dominating this year and his performance in the Alps was nothing short of amazing, as was his effort in the individual timetrial. It was a truly impressive and highly inspiring event. No wonder sales of road bikes have increased significantly in the last 5 years! This was the first year that I've watched every stage and it was a delightful diversion from politics and the depressing news that permeates the airwaves these days. The announcers on OLN, with the exception of Al Trautwig, were exceptional. I even liked Bob Roll and his outlandish hand motions.

BTW I got Bob's TDF Companion recently and it's great. he has a real gift for explaining the arcane rules that make up the Tour. At the same time I picked up his book Bobke II. It's hysterical and I strongly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in cycling. Bob Roll is the John Long of cycling. OK, OK... it's now back to rock climbing, already in progress. <grin>

Another Fixed Anchor Ban - from the Access Fund:
A fixed anchor ban is being proposed for the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) as part of the Southern California Land Management Plan Revision (SCLMPR) process. According to the Forest Service draft revisions to the SCLMP, “no new fixed anchors for rock climbing are allowed.” See http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/scfpr/ for more general information about the SCLMPR. The full SCLMP is available online for review here.

The proposed ban would affect all climbing areas located in designated wilderness in the SBNF, including Tahquitz and Suicide. The ban would prohibit any new routes that require fixed anchors and would likely preclude replacing old and unsafe fixed anchors, potentially placing the lives of climbers at risk.

Here is how to submit a comment online. From the above website, click on small box in upper left corner: “Select a Document: Part 1, So. Cal. National Forest.”
Click: “Part 2: San Bernardino National Forest Strategy.”
Click: “Land Management Plan Strategy.”
Click: “Next” at top of right page.
Click: “Prospectus” on the left side of page.
Click: “Next” at top of right page.
Click: “Forest Specific Criteria” on the left side of page.
Click: “Next” at top of right page.
Click: “Wilderness Standards” on the left side of page.
Go to bottom of page on right, then click “Next” at bottom of page.
Scroll down page to SBNF 10
Highlight: “SBNF10 No new fixed anchors for rock climbing allowed.”
Go to top of page where the header says: “Click here to comment”

Alternatively, send your hard copy comments to:

Southern California
Forest Plan Revisions
San Bernardino National Forest
USDA Forest Service
Content Analysis Center
P.O. Box 22777
Salt Lake City, UT 84122

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS BY AUGUST 11, 2004.

Nine Climbers Scale K2; First Summiteers in 3 Years (Bloomberg):
Nine climbers have reached the summit of K2, becoming the first mountaineers to scale the peak in three years, according to a tour organizer. The climbers were among 120 mountaineers aiming to reach the top of the 8,611-meter (28,253-foot) peak to mark the 50th anniversary of its conquest.

Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,