January Membership Meeting

The Manitou Incline: from past to present

Tue., Jan. 17, 7:30pm

The scar that runs straight up the rocky mountain west of Manitou Springs has always caused newcomers to the region to ask, “What is that?”

If you were lucky enough to live in the area before 1990, you will remember the Manitou Incline as a boost on your hike to the summit of Pikes Peak or just as a pleasant way to spend an afternoon with the family, have a picnic supper at the top and ride down after dark marveling at the display of lights below. If you are an exercise enthusiast, you may know the incline as the area’s quintessential aerobic workout.

Eric Swab will talk about the 82-year history of this little gem in Spencer Penrose’s entertainment empire at the Tuesday, January 17, meeting of CMC’s Pikes Peak Group. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. at All Souls Unitarian Church, 730 N. Tejon St.

Eric is a member of the PPG/CMC who hikes the Pikes Peak massif at least twice a week. He has become fascinated by the remains of past human activities on the Peak. As a volunteer for the Pike and San Isabel National Forest, he has completed three historic research projects in the region and is working on three others for his own enjoyment. Volunteering with the Bureau of Land Management, he works with their surveyor looking for the 19th century monuments that mark the boundaries between the City of Colorado Springs Watershed and the National Forest. He is one of many people working toward the opening of the South Slope watershed to the public.

CMC Winter Courses Dates

Skate Ski Clinic:
This clinic is great for those new to the sport or those who are just beginning to build their skills to the intermediate level. This year’s lesson will be a half day of either beginner or intermediate field lessons. The clinic is free, however there is a small fee for your Nordic pass and rentals if you need them. The date for this free clinic is 3 Dec. For clinic details and to signup, please contact Denise and Dan Snow at 719-687-9576.

Snowshoe and Backcountry Ski Class:
There will be two classroom sessions and one field session for the snowshoe class and two classroom and three field sessions for the BC Ski class. The cost is $15 for snowshoe and $35 for BC Ski. There are rental costs if you don’t own the gear and a trail pass for one day at a Nordic Center for the BC Ski class. Snowshoe classroom dates are 3 and 4 Jan, and the field date is 7 Jan. BC Ski classroom dates are 3 and 5 Jan, and the field dates are 8, 22, and 29 Jan. All field sessions are scheduled as CMC trips. For class details, please contact Eric Hunter at ehunter67@yahoo.com.

Introduction to Avalanche Safety Class:
Classroom dates are 1 and 2 Feb. The field session is 4 Feb. All field sessions are scheduled as CMC trips. The cost for this class is $80. For class details, please contact Eric Hunter at ehunter67@yahoo.com.

Winter Wilderness Skills Class:
The classroom session is on 29 Feb. The overnight is 3-4 Mar. All field sessions are scheduled as CMC trips. The cost for this class is $30. For class details, please contact Dan Anderson at dan@gpsmap.net.

Advanced Backcountry Skiing:
There will be one classroom session to discuss more advanced types of gear and technique and what you can do with those skills. There will be two field sessions to practice more advanced types of ascent and descent while maintaining control. The cost for this class is $35 plus gear rental if you don’t already own the gear. The classroom date is 8 Mar. The first field session is on 10 Mar and the second field session is on 17 Mar. All field sessions are scheduled as CMC trips. For class details, please contact Bill Luttrell at Bill.Luttrell@atmel.com.

High Altitude Mountaineering School

The annual Pikes Peak Group High Altitude Mountaineering School will start in October. This is a course designed for those climbers who want to go beyond the 14ers to take on high altitude (15,000' plus) and glaciated mountains. Classroom sessions will take place on 10/25 11/8, 11/15, 11/29, and 12/13 and include such topics as equipment, medical concerns, nutrition and menu planning, fitness and training, organizing an expedition, and group dynamics. Field sessions will be on 1/8, 1/22, 2/11-12, and 2/25-2/26; they will cover such topics as roped travel, crevasse rescue, climbing alpine ice, and winter camping. A graduation climb of Mt. Rainier will take place at the end of the course. Completion of Basic Mountaineering School (all modules) or equivalent, plus experience putting those skills into practice in the field are prerequisites for the course. Costs for the textbook and all lectures is $125. Field Sessions are scheduled CMC trips.

Classroom dates: 10/25 11/8, 11/15, 11/29, and 12/13
Field Sessions: 1/8, 1/22, 2/11-12, and 2/25-2/26
Cost: $125 - covers textbook and all lectures.
Contact: Greg Long at (719) 659-0345 or e-mail to at_90@yahoo.com
Register: online at cmc.org

2012 Basic Mountaineering School (BMS)

2012 BASIC MOUNTAINEERING SCHOOL

Are you seeking to increase your skills and safety in backpacking and climbing 14ers, perhaps even thinking about moving up to the more challenging aspects of snow, rock, and ice? Then consider the courses we have to offer in the 2012 Basic Mountaineering School. This is the perfect way to develop the alpine mountaineering skills you need to tackle anything the Colorado Rocky Mountains can throw at you!

Our Pikes Peak Group now offers two tracks, depending on your level of adventure:

2012 PPG BMS Wilderness Trekking Certificate

• Wilderness Fundamentals (March, ’12)
• Wilderness Land Navigation (April, ’12)
• Wilderness Backpacking (June, ’12)

2012 PPG BMS Alpine Mountaineering Certificate

• Alpine Snow Mountaineering (April, ’12)
• Rock Climbing (May, ’12)
• Ice Climbing (January, ’13)

(You must earn the Wilderness Trekking Certificate and complete a recognized Avalanche Awareness course to be eligible to graduate from the Alpine Mountaineering sequence.)

Taught by volunteer instructors who have a passion for sharing their knowledge and skills, each module focuses on a different aspect of Colorado mountaineering. We cover gear, nutrition, weather, trip planning, and all the detailed information pertinent to the activity. Courses usually consist of two to three evening classroom sessions, and one or two field sessions (with the backpacking including an overnight trip). Our instructor student ratios are typically 1:2 to 1:3. Best of all, BMS introduces you to a fine group of like-minded folks who share the same love of mountaineering that you do. Think new climbing buddies!

With these certificates under your belt, you will open yourself to a world of new mountaineering possibilities. As well, you will be eligible for CMC trips that have a BMS prerequisite. If you have even higher aspirations, the Alpine Mountaineering Certificate gives you the credentials to enroll in our High Altitude Mountaineering School (HAMS).

You’ll find the 2012 schedule, course details, and fees on the cmc.org web site under Member Education. Don’t delay! The 2011 BMS (both tracks) were sold out. For further information, email ppg_bms_director@yahoo.com.

Safety and Leadership Class
Safety & Leadership Class is the first of 2 required classes to obtain CMC trip leader certification. Completion of this class along with MOFA will allow you to plan and lead trips to your favorite hiking, backpacking, and rock climbing, areas. It is suggested that if you are currently a leader and it has been more than 5 years since you last attended this class that you take the class to refresh your leadership skills.

Class is finished for now - stay tuned for future offerings.

Mountain Oriented First Aid (MOFA)

MOFA Class will teach you the skills necessary to administer emergency first aid in the backcountry when help is miles and/or hours away. This course is required for all those wanting to become trip leaders and for those trip leaders who last attended the course more than 5 years ago and also is a great class for hikers needing to brush up on their first aid skills or those of you who have never taken a first aid course.

Class is finished for now - stay tuned for future offerings.