Trip Report: Mt. Baker Beginning Mountaineering Seminar

Mt. Baker summit shot, looking east towards the sunrise.

From July 14-17, CLC held its largest mountaineering event ever. For the first time the Beginning Mountaineering Seminar, held this year at Mt. Baker, attracted a record 14 climbers. As a result, the group had to climb under two permits, travelling and camping separately. The larger team with beginning climbers was led by Shakers Daniel and Jeremy and Movers Pat and Stephanie, while the smaller, experienced team was led by Ian and Ryan.

After a day of gear checks and food buying in Seattle, the group headed north. After checking in with rangers, the teams began their ascent up the Heliotrope Ridge and reached camp by later afternoon.

The experience level of the group varied widely, with some climbers attempting their first mountain and several others freshly returned from Denali. As this was the Beginning Mountaineering Seminar, the trip featured a very strong instruction component, with veteran climbers sharing their experience and expertise. July 16 was devoted to glacier school, where the beginning teams practiced walking on a rope with crampons, crevasse rescue, and self-arrest.

Summit morning came very early the night of July 16/17. Because of unusually warm conditions (temperatures never dropped below 50° F, even at the summit) the teams got a very early alpine start, leaving camp before 11 PM. Unlike in 2013, when the group climbed in a thunderstorm, the weather was clear, affording stunning views of Puget Sound and the North Cascades. One team was turned back by illness, but 10 climbers reached the summit just after dawn. The teams reported light winds and excellent visibility.

After signing the summit register and taking pictures, the group descended, reaching camp before 11 AM. The team broke down camp quickly and headed back down the ridge to the parking lot. Everyone rendezvoused in the town of Glacier for burgers, then went their separate ways. It would be only a few short days before the Intermediate Mountaineering Seminar on Mt. Rainier.

- I.B.

Trip Report: Exit 38 Rock Climbing

Trip Report Coming Soon!

Denali: The Team Returns

Below Denali's hanging glaciers at 7,800'

On July 2, Cascade Leadership Challenge's seven Denali team members returned home to a warm welcome at Sea-Tac Airport. They had spent the previous day carbo-loading and souvenir buying in the town of Talkeetna, the jumping-off point for adventure throughout the Alaska Range.
Over 21 days, the team battled severe weather and subzero temperatures in an attempt to reach the summit of the tallest mountain in North America. Due to a sudden storm that dropped over six feet of snow in 36 hours and the resultant avalanche danger, the team was halted at 14,200', below the fixed lines and Denali's headwall. Storms and inclement conditions have resulted in a 2014 summit rate of just 37%, half the normal and the lowest ever recorded. In a dangerous year, all of the members returned safe and sound, the most important goal of any expedition.


Below Squirrel Hill, on the way to 14,200'

Although they didn't summit, the team still enjoyed an incredible experience. Between sitting out storms, witnessing avalanches, and endless slogging in whiteout conditions, the team took in moments of haunting beauty and scenes of Alaska's sheer enormity. On clear days, the views were endless- sweeping panoramas of surrounding peaks (including the fearsome 17,402' Mt. Foraker) and even the occasional glimpse into the lowlands. The team got many complements on their lawn chairs (carrying a few extra pounds beat sitting in the snow for weeks) and their custom Wapiti Wollies hats, and enjoyed gourmet vegan cuisine. The flights onto and off the glacier in vintage DeHavilland bushplanes operated by Talkeetna Air Taxi was another highlight. Some episodes, such as the single carry the first day to 7,800' with sleds in the heat or breaking trail through knee-deep snow for 8 hours to descend 1.75 miles from 14,200' to 11,200' will be remembered for other reasons.

Our summit at 14,200'

The mountain itself was populated with colorful characters, not just from the United States but also Brazil, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, and many other countries around the world. Chance meetings with a Christian (a Dutch massage therapist with an understated ferocity), Herbert (a German who skis every weekend in the Alps and has summited Mt. Everest), Polish skiers attempting insanely difficult routes who we invited in for cocoa, a Korean team attempting the Seven Summits, and even a brief chat with mountaineering guru Chris House could not have occurred anywhere else but a serious mountain like Denali. It was a sense of accomplishment in itself that we were able to stand toe-to-toe with these incredible people in such and incredible place, but we were still left marveling at the apparent ease with which they camped and climbed.

With the successful completion of our biggest trip ever, CLC is redoubling its efforts to serve local youth. Even while the Denali team was in Alaska, other youth climbed in Leavenworth and hiked at Shi Shi Beach. The entire team of youth and adults is committed to running future CLC trips, including the Beginning Mountaineering Seminar on Mt. Baker coming up July 14-18. Our experience is also a springboard for The Everest Experience, a multifaceted effort to put a CLC team in Nepal and Tibet (and perhaps even on Mt. Everest!) as well as 100 local teenagers on the summit of Mt. Rainier in 2015. CLC is growing and empowering people in ways we could never have imagined even a few years ago.

This trip would not have been possible without the generous support of our families, donors, sponsors, partners, and the CLC community. Without a doubt, no Scout or other youth group anywhere in the country runs the same caliber and variety of program with the same set of resources that we do. If you missed any of the action, you can read the trip updates on Twitter, Facebook, and the CLC website.

To learn more about CLC's entire Denali effort, visit the Denali page. To learn more about Denali National Park and Preserve, visit the NPS website. Safe travels and happy climbing!

- I.B.

Summer Events Schedule!

Rapelling at Peshastin, June 2013

At long last, our summer trip and expedition schedule has been semi-finalized! Costs include food, transportation, insurance, technical gear, and group gear. Costs, dates, and expeditions are subject to change. Please contact the trip leader if you have any questions or concerns.

CLC Sampler Event: Raft the Middle Fork Snoqualmie, climb Mt. Si, and/or rock climb at Exit 38. One-day or overnight camping. June 7-8, $20/one day, $35 weekend. Led by Marty.

Denali: A monthlong expedition to summit the highest mountain in North America! Follow the CLC team's progress here. June 12-July 4.

Leavenworth Rock Climbing Camp: Six and a half days of beginning rock climbing in the Tumwater Canyon and Icicle Creek areas near Leavenworth, WA. Group camping gear and most climbing equipment, food, and daily transportation included. June 23-28, $300. Led by Rick.

Olympics Hike I: Backpacking on Shi Shi beach on the Olympic Peninsula. June 27-29, $75. Led by Marty.

Olympics Hike II: Backpacking in the southern Olympic Mountains. July 7-11, $125. Led by Marty.

Basic Mountaineering Seminar: Learn the basics of climbing glaciated volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest. Includes five days of backcountry hiking and climbing and a summit attempt of Mt. Baker. Group camping gear and climbing equipment, food, and transportation provided. Prep day is July 13. July 14-17, $300. Led by Ray.

Intermediate Mountaineering Seminar: Build on basic skills to prepare for four to five days above 9,500 feet on Mt. Rainier. If conditions permit a summit attempt of Mt. Rainier will be made. Must have prior experience on glaciated peaks (eg. Mt. Baker, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, etc.). Prep day is July 20. July 21-25, $300. Led by Ray. Part of the Mt. Rainier Triple Crown.

Deschutes River Rafting: Whitewater rafting on the Deschutes River in Oregon. Four days/three nights on the river, learn skills of rafting, river swimming, Leave No Trace camping. July 28-31, $120. Led by Mark.

Enchantments Backpacking: Backpacking in the Enchantment Lakes area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. July 31-August 2, $90. Led by Marty.

Open Week! Lower Salmon or Montana rafting, or Glacier Peak climb. Late summer conditions and interest will determine the actual trip(s). August 3-8, $200. Led by Mark.

ArrowCorps2014: A weeklong conservation service project in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Mt. Rainier National Park. August 3-9, $125/$250. Led by Ian. Part of the Mt. Rainier Triple Crown.

Wonderland Trail: Backpack the 92-mile Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier. With leader permission. August 15-24, $250. Led by Marty. Part of the Mt. Rainier Triple Crown.

Mt. Hood Rock Climbing Camp Six and a half days of intermediate rock climbing in north-central Oregon. Group camping gear and most climbing equipment, food, and daily transportation included. June 23-28, $300. Led by Rick.

Road Trips! Possible destinations include N. California Redwoods or ride the train/cycle/spelunking at Lava Beds National Monument at Tule Lake, CA. August 24-29, $200. Led by Mark.

Tieton River Rafting: Whitewater rafting on the Tieton River. September 13-14, $40. Led by Mark.

To follow all the latest developments, join our Facebook group. It's going to be a great summer!

- I.B.

CLC Prepares For Its Largest Expedition Ever: Denali

Sunrise over Sunrise- Mt. Rainier 2013

In just a few short weeks, Cascade Leadership Challenge will embark on it largest and most ambitious expedition ever. Nestled in the Alaskan interior, Denali, also known as Mt. McKinley, is the tallest mountain in the United States. As the tallest mountain in North America, it is also one of the famed Seven Summits. Thanks to its immense size and unique location near the Arctic Circle, Denali's weather can change in an instant and extremely cold temperatures accompany climbers even at the height of nightless summer.

In June 2014, a team of seven of CLC's most experienced youth and adult climbers will make a summit attempt of Denali in a month-long expedition. An advance team will fly to Anchorage, AK on June 12 to buy food and organize supplies. The full team will assemble in Anchorage on June 14 and travel to Talkeetna for a National Park Service briefing, then fly by bush plane to Kahiltna Base Camp to begin the climb. If a summit attempt is made, it will be in the last week of June. The team will return to Anchorage and then Seattle between June 30 and July 4, 2014.

CLC cooperates and engages with outdoor leaders working at high levels of achievement in adventure travel and civic engagement. These leaders consistently encourage CLC, based on CLC's success and methods, to raise our sights. Specifically, CLC has been encouraged to accept the challenge of higher-level activities in Alaska and Nepal. The 2014 Denali Expedition is a response to this encouragement. The purpose of the Denali Expedition is to strengthen CLC's ability to deliver quality programs to its teenage and young adult members and position the organization to support future activities of increasing complexity, including international adventure travel and humanitarian work in places like Nepal, Tibet, Canada, and future trips to Alaska.

Crevasse rescue practice

After a number of years of serving youth, CLC is now retaining youth members into their college years. These older youth - now young adults - present our organization with two exciting opportunities. First, these young adults are assuming greater responsibility to deliver CLC programs to younger, newer members. The leadership of these young adults is causing both the quality and scale of CLC activities to grow- better activities for more youth. Second, these young adults compel the organization to develop higher-level programs that recognize their growing experience and help them to continue in their personal and leadership development as truly high-functioning adults. CLC's program is unlike any other and is certainly among the most ambitious programs ever undertaken by a youth group.

For more information, please visit the Denali Page on our website. Check back often for updates on the team's progress. We'll see you on the top of North America!

CLC The Beneficiary of the Lake Sammamish Half Marathon!

Final countdown!

Cascade Leadership Challenge was again the beneficiary of the Lake Sammamish Half Marathon, run yesterday Marymoor Park and Lake Sammamish State Park.

In order to earn our keep, nearly 20 volunteers from CLC were on hand to direct traffic, assist racers, set up the start area, and break down the finish area. One of our youth, Fredrick, ran the race, placing second in his age group. This marks the second year where CLC runners have competed.

Since 2011, Lake Sammamish Half has grown from 800 runners to over 2500 entrants. The course itself is flat and fast, making ideal for personal best attempts. Since the beginning, CLC has been the beneficiary of this great event, organized by Roger and Yumay from 4th Dimension Racing.

- I.B.

Cascade Leadership Challenge Benefit Auction A Huge Success!

Thanks from the youth and young adults of CLC!

Last night Cascade Leadership Challenge hosted its biggest event ever! With nearly 170 people in attendance, we raised nearly $28,000 to support CLC. Proceeds from the event will fund our core youth development programs for Seattle-area teens and our team headed to Denali this June. Your generosity will help keeps us going another year and allow us to keep mountaineering, rafting, climbing, backpacking, and exploring the great Pacific Northwest.

Needless to say, this event could not have happened without the generous support of our CLC auction committee, board of directors, families, and community businesses and organizations. We want to also thank the Woodland Park Zoo and Lancer Catering for their help in putting this event together. A BIG shout-out to the 25-strong youth member service corps who helped put this event together. These volunteers worked around-the-clock all week to sort and catalog items, assemble our centerpieces, and bake items for the dessert dash, in addition to their help the night of the event.

If you missed the action, or can't get enough of CLC, we'll be holding another fundraiser May 19 at Pecado Bueno. This event will be another Rock Paper Scissors tournament, back by popular demand. We'll see you in three months in sunny Fremont!

- I.B.