Holiday Greetings and Winter Fun

We hope the holiday season brings you joy in spite of these difficult times. As a group of active outdoor enthusiasts Cascadians have an advantage over sedentary folks. We don’t have to hunker down endlessly in our homes. The wide-open spaces are among the safest places to be during the pandemic, and that’s where most Cascadians like to spend their spare time. Even with winter coming we can still head into the nearby hills for hiking or drive to the Cascades for skiing and snowshoeing. Many of us have already logged several miles in the snow this fall. We have to do this safely, but by driving to trailheads separately and maintaining distance on the trails not only can we enjoy some much-needed exercise but we can also see fellow Cascadians from time to time. Last week one board member skied with Cascadian friends he hadn’t seen for many months, and he said it was great fun.

News Flash

Be careful if you decide to park at the Leech Lake/Pacific Crest Trail access parking area at White Pass. Two Cascadian couples in two separate vehicles were victims of “smash and grab” vandals between 11:00 am and 1:30 pm on Monday, December 7. They had packed gear for both skiing and snowshoeing, so lots of equipment was left in the cars. The gear stolen from just one car was worth over $2,000, not to mention the smashed windows. The equipment had been covered with seat cushions in the luggage area and was not visible, but it didn’t help. The lesson learned is to leave NOTHING OF VALUE in your car. If you must store gear, and if you have a locking ski box, it might be safer there. Thieves can’t see what is in the box, and it probably takes longer to break in than smashing a window.

Support for Central Washington Mountain Rescue

All of us who hike, climb, ski, or snowshoe in the mountains rely on Central Washington Mountain Rescue (CWMR) in case something goes wrong. This organization was formed by Cascadian members in the late 1940s, and in its early years virtually every member of CWMR was also a Cascadian. This is no longer the case, but the relationship between the organizations remains very close. Club policies forbid providing our mailing list to anyone, including CWMR, but the board thinks it is appropriate to encourage Cascadians to support CWMR financially. This has been a busy year for rescues, because so many new people have gone into the Cascades during the pandemic to escape restrictions in towns and cities. At the same time CWMR has had to cancel its community activities, which has severely restricted its fund-raising capability. Please consider donating to CWMR. This writer has been sending them an annual check for decades. He hasn’t needed their services yet, but tomorrow could be the day when CWMR saves his life. You can donate via their web site, at https://cwmr.org. If you prefer, you can send a check to Central Washington Mountain Rescue at P.O. Box 2663, Yakima, WA 98907.

Revival of Cascadian Newsletter

The board has assigned a working group to revive the monthly Cascadian newsletter. A mock-up newsletter will be developed during December and reviewed by the full board of directors at its January meeting. Because it is just a test run to determine formatting, this mock-up will not be sent to the general membership. If all goes well, we should have an actual newsletter going to the membership in January. The new version will be shorter than the old newsletter, and it will be available only in electronic format. The plan is to include links to trip reports, photos, and other content for members who want additional information. At last count only four members had no access to the internet, and paper copies will be printed and mailed to these members. It is hoped that this new format will be both useful to members and easier for the newsletter editor. Sixty or so years ago the newsletter consisted of a 4-inch by 6-inch post card. After evolving into the lengthy publication of recent years it will be reverting to a smaller format. As an electronic document we will also save the cost of mailing a paper newsletter. The printing/mailing of paper newsletters has historically been the largest item in our annual budget, and we will save these costs, except for the four copies mentioned above.

Zoom General Meeting on November 25

The most recent Zoom general meeting had the misfortune of falling on the night before Thanksgiving, and only five people participated. There will be no Zoom social hour in December, because it would occur two days before Christmas and would be unlikely to attract many participants. The question of whether to resume Zoom meetings in 2021 or just wait until we can meet in person will be discussed at the January 6, 2021, board meeting. When we get closer to being able to resume official Cascadians activities, it might be helpful to weigh options via Zoom meetings. This would allow the general membership to provide input to the board as to how best to restart activities.

Condolences

The board extends its condolences to Ruby Labernik, long-time Cascadian and Distinguished Service Award winner, following the loss of his wife Paula. We are aware of other recent losses, including two in the families of board members, and there are probably others of whom we are not aware. Supporting friends during a pandemic is difficult, but you are in our thoughts.

Early Snowfall

Our early snowfall gives us a good opportunity to grab our skis or snowshoes and head up to the mountains with family members, or we can meet a few friends at the trailhead. Have fun and be safe. With vaccines coming soon, better times are probably a matter of months ahead, instead of sometime in the distant future. Because many Cascadians have been hiking for a while now (notice that we didn’t say we are old), most members will be eligible for the vaccine sooner rather than later. Then we will be able to focus on a belated celebration of the 100th birthday of The Cascadians. We can’t wait!

The Centennial T-Shirts sales have closed for now.  Whenever we get to actually celebrate our Centennial, sales may open again.  Thanks to all of you who purchased for your support!