Harvard Cabin – Your Help is Needed – October 13th and 14th, 2012

Greetings Harvard Cabin Mountaineers

We hope everyone had a great summer and is enjoying the Fall. Bonne Action de grâce’ to all of our friends in Quebec! September was fantastic with lots of warm, dry rock for all to enjoy. A relatively dry Summer and early Fall left the foliage looking tired. However, the last couple of weeks have been very wet and the foliage is rebounding nicely. The explosion of colors is peaking this week and it looks like we might see the sun soon! Of course, all of this rain has us thinking about the aquifers that will be helping to grow the early season ice!

Your Help is Needed – October 13th and 14th, 2012 – Please Read Solar Electric Upgrade Below

In case you didn’t hear me say it last season, this coming winter marks fifty years at Harvard Cabin! The construction of Harvard Cabin alone makes for an interesting story. Let us not forget the historical significance it hold here in the White Mountains and the role it played in the pursuit of modern technical ice climbing! Most importantly, we can’t forget the memories we’ve all made at the Harvard Cabin. It is a special place for sure -an experience you’d be hard-pressed to match anywhere in the World!

I had the privilege of spending a weekend at the cabin this summer with Former HMC President Ted Carman (Harvard Class of 1963) and some of his family members. Mr. Carman was the prime mover in the construction of the cabin following the demise of the Spur Cabin, which was located on the John Sherburne Ski Trail. Ted had the great vision, the proper sense of urgency, the tenacity, and the resourcefulness to get the job done! It’s no surprise that following his service in the United States Navy, Ted went on to become a pioneer in running non-profit community development companies. He focused on affordable housing and revitalization projects throughout New England. The construction of Harvard Cabin is still listed on his resume in a long list of projects he has lead. Click Here for a photo of Ted visiting the cabin this August!

Renovations

In conjunction with our 50th Anniversary, we have been working on a number of cabin renovations. Marcia, myself, and a handful of other volunteers have enjoyed many a pack-board trips up the Tux Trail over the last couple of months with new materials. Click Here for some photos of recent changes at Harvard Cabin.

Caretaker’s Den

The Caretaker’s Den has been gutted and will soon be reconstructed with all new framing, plywood, rigid-foam insulation, and a new window. The renovations will help to keep warm-air in and rodents out! The Caretakers Den has been an unusable, unhealthy space for the last few seasons due to high-moisture levels that lead to mold. Renovations will hopefully resolve these issues by reducing moisture and keeping warm-air in and rodents out!

Solar Electric Upgrade

Click Here or the link below to Volunteer to Haul!

In other exciting news, the club is planning an upgrade to our Solar Electric System. The purpose of this project is largely to increase cabin safety by increasing emergency radio time and allowing the club to replace the gas lights we all know and love. Besides being expensive and not very user-friendly, the lights produce Carbon Monoxide (CO) and present a burn hazard. The plan is to retrofit the gas fixtures with ultra-soft LED Lighting. We are hoping to maintain a color temperature that will mimic the soft glow of the gas lights.

As part of this upgrade, we need to build a mast to mount our new panels. The mast will be set in concrete…about 2000 Pounds of concrete to be exact. We need to set the foundation within the next three weeks, but first the cement mix must be brought uphill. This is where you can help. By volunteering to haul a 40 pound bag of concrete up hill, you can help get this job done quickly. The Annual Harvard Cabin work weekend is October 13th-14th. This year we are asking for some help from outside the club. We are calling for help from all people who know and love the Harvard Cabin! Come be part of preparing the cabin for another 50 years!

If you are available to help next weekend, October 13th or 14th, please take a minute to fill out this form. That way we can know approximately how many bags of concrete to have on-hand. We will be meeting in the Pinkham Parking lot at 10 AM on Saturday and Sunday. Volunteers are asked to bring a backpack suitable for carrying a 40 pound (18 Kilogram) bag of cement mix. Lining your pack with a plastic trash bag wouldn’t be a bad idea. Don’t forget food and water!

Sorry, our permit will not allow use to accommodate overnight guests, but feel free to spend the day at the cabin!

If you can’t make our work weekend, but will be in the vicinity of the cabin anytime in the next couple of weeks. Feel free to hike up a bag of cement mix. 40 pound bags of Quikrete are available at your local hardware store for about $3.00! Thanks for your help!!!

Thanks everyone and please let us know if you are interesting in lending a helping hand at the cabin. We could really use help hanging new windows and someone who is good with DC lighting. Perhaps someone who is familiar with marine lighting and circuitry.

Thanks again. Get after it and stay safe! As always, Think Snow! Hope to see you next weekend! Bring your friends!

Rich Palatino
Harvard Cabin Caretaker
Rich@powder-hound.com

2013 Mugs Stump Award Opens For Applications October 1, 2012

Think of a dream and make it happen!

From October 1 through December 14, 2012, the 2013 Mugs Stump Award will be accepting applications. The grants are for small climbing teams with fast and light alpine objectives.

Climbers who share Mugs’ vision of climbing are encouraged to apply.

Tug-of-War

AAC – Northeast Region Craggin’ Classic – Games

Tug-of-War at Echo Lake, North Conway NH

The American Alpine Club

Cathedral Fest: Northeast Region Craggin’ Classic: North Conway, NH
September 21-23

Video by Doug Millen / NEice.com

Winter is Coming!

Franconia Notch NH

Are you ready? We Are!!

Yeeeesss…..we were up in the zone today,  and winter is coming! It was cold and frost feathers everywhere. Have you ever had the screeming barfees in September? Time for winter “hand towels”.

I bet that I will be climbing ice in just over a month from now!

I can’t wait!

Doug Millen

Photos form our journey…

[slideshow id=25]

Photos by Doug Millen / NEice.com

REEL ROCK 7 Coming to the Adirondacks!

The REEL ROCK Film Tour is coming to the Adirondacks on Saturday, October 6th at 7 p.m.

Come watch the world’s best climbers battle to establish the first 5.15c, tackle imposing alpine first ascents, free solo 5.13 routes and set speed records on The Nose in Yosemite. There will also be a raffle of gear donated by our sponsors!

Hosted by The Mountaineer in Keene Valley. More information on The Mountaineer’s website.

"Live Your Dream" grant

Last chance for 2012

Deadline Sept. 15 for Northeast climbers

The American Alpine Journal is HERE!

I just received mine in the mail and can’t wait to start reading it.

This is an exciting time of year for the AAC publications staff and volunteers, as the fruits of a year’s labor are reaching members’ homes. The 2012 American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering have been mailed to all AAC members. If you haven’t received them yet, you should any day.

If you’re not an AAC member, paperback editions of the 2012 AAJ and Accidents in North American Mountaineering are also now available on our store. Order them before they sell out or consider joining the AAC today!

More here …..

 

Source: http://www.americanalpineclub.org   /  The American Alpine Club Publications Newsletter — September 2012

Submitted by:  Doug Millen  /  NEice.com

 

Kickin' Ice in Newfie

Three strong New England ice climbers take a road trip to climb huge ice routes in Newfoundland’s Gros Morne Park.

An NEice video by Alden Pellett

Shattered

by Tyler Stableford

When you’ve given everything, what do you have left?

After achieving his dream summit, an elite climber finds himself empty. Broken and untethered, he searches for a fulfillment more lasting than a faraway peak.


Shot entirely on the Canon EOS 1D X
See the behind the scenes of the film here:
vimeo.com/tylerstableford/shatteredbts1
vimeo.com/tylerstableford/shatteredbts2
vimeo.com/tylerstableford/shatteredbts3

Starring: Steve House
Produced and Directed by: Tyler Stableford
Cinematography by: Tyler Stableford and Draper White
Associate Producer: Kate Rolston
Editor: Dave Wruck
Assistant Editor: Ben Thomas
Field Audio: Ben Thomas and Matthew Van Biene
Riggers: Hayden Kennedy and Matthew Van Biene
Music by: Paul Fran-zik

See more by Steve House and his award-winning book Beyond The Mountain at: www.stevehouse.net

See Tyler Stableford’s portfolio at: www.tylerstableford.com

Sportlife SAGA 2: ICE – Tim Emmett

The Sportlife Saga is about three elements of nature: Water, Ice and Snow. The story of the element ice is told by Tim Emmet. Armed with two axes he pushes the boundaries of the frozen world.

Video production: EyEFORcE
Agency: Indie Amsterdam
Music: Paraphrase

Source: Vimeo, facebook.com/sportlifechewinggum
sportlife.com

eyeforce.nl