February
Brrr! I hope you enjoyed June-uary because winter is back!
This month our Speaker Series continues on February 12th. Alan Kearney, author and climber, will share some of his climbing experiences, techniques and discuss the radical change in equipment from the 1970’s on up to the present.
Bellingham Mountaineers is happy to welcome our new Conservation Chair, Breanna! Get to know her in Branch News and keep and eye on the new Conservation Section of the newsletter to learn about stewardship opportunities and see information on surrounding area conservation happenings.
Our Branch Committee is still seeking a Secretary. Consider giving back and making a big impact in your community. A small amount of your time makes a big difference. Read more about the branch secretary below.
Have your adventures featured on our Instagram feed or in our monthly newsletter – tag your photos #bellinghammountaineers
Bellingham Mountaineers Speaker Series Event
Ice Climbs in Alaska, Canada and Patagonia
Tuesday, February 12 @ 7:30pm
Backcountry Essentials
Speaker: Alan Kearney
The show will start with alpine ice climbing on Mt. Hood in 1973, the Black Ice Couloir in the Tetons in 1975, and on up to Alaska’s Kichatna Spires in 1978. Alan will share his experiences about techniques, and the radical change in equipment from the 1970’s on up to the present.
Alan Kearney has been climbing snow, ice and rock since starting as a kid in the Oregon Cascades. He has written two books on climbing: Mountaineering In Patagonia and Classic Climbs Of The Northwest.
Read more: http://bit.ly/
Green Drinks
Wednesday, February 6 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Culture Cafe at Kombucha Town
RSVP + details here!
Come by the Culture Cafe at Kombucha Town for Green Drinks! Get to know Whatcom Country’s environmentally minded community, hear about upcoming sustainability-oriented events and opportunities and try out delicious local brews.
Recreation Northwest EXPO
Saturday, February 23 11:00am to 5:00pm
Bellingham Cruise Terminal
Bring your friends and family to meet with apparel and gear manufacturers, retailers, outfitters, outdoor media, activity clubs, stewardship organizations and representatives from your favorite local recreation events and races. Explore Washington’s outdoor recreation opportunities to find new ways to get outside and play.
Conservation
WTA: Find a Work Party
Washington Trails Association is offering 17 stewardship options this month! Multiple work parties are located in Sehome Arboretum and Larrabee State Park.
The Excelsior Mine located in the Mt. Baker Ranger District of the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is undergoing testing to allow possible reopening of the mine. Click on this link to find out more details on the proposal and an opportunity to add your voice.
At a time when public lands and waters are under unprecedented attack, the outdoor community needs the knowledge and resources to protect the outdoor experience. That’s why we’re launching Outdoor Advocates Network, a resource where you can learn about and take action to champion our public lands.
Outdoor Advocates Network features Protecting Public Lands 101, an eLearning course which breaks down the basics of our national public lands system and empowers you to take part in advocacy efforts. It also features an Action Center, where you can check out some of our nation’s most pressing public lands issues and make your voice heard. We’re excited to pilot our eLearning experience and look forward creating more classes and adding more resources to grow this program.
Branch News
Monthly Branch Meeting
Tuesday February 19 @ 6:00pm Social Time; 6:30pm Start
YMCA Mezzanine Meeting Room
Come out to be a part of what keeps our branch running. Not only are these meetings productive they are also fun!
Volunteer Opportunity: Branch Secretary
Contact Krissy to apply.
The Branch Secretary serves the membership by ensuring that Branch and Committee decisions and discussions at monthly Branch Committee meetings are documented and available for reference. This preserves the efforts of the Bellingham Branch of The Mountaineers to provide safe and inspiring activities, courses, and volunteer experiences and communicates these efforts to the membership.
Meet Breanna! Our New Conservation Chair!
You may have noticed that the Conservation section of our newsletter looks amazing this month! Thank Breanna the next time you see her out hiking on a local trail taking photos or kayaking in Bellingham Bay.
Breanna moved to Bellingham from Colorado in 2016. She has worked in mental health for over ten years and learned that self-care is vital to an overall healthy lifestyle. The outdoors has been a resource for Breanna’s self-care and for her clients. In addition to her own wilderness-therapy, she noticed profound benefits for her clients while working with them in outdoors. She has observed that going into nature and pushing our limits allows us to continuously grow and apply what we learned about ourselves to our everyday lives. These experiences have inspired her to work to conserve our outdoor spaces. She looks forward to bringing us community conservation news and ways for each of us to make a difference!
Next time you see Breanna, ask her about the Japanese mindfulness practice of forest bathing
