Summer in New York
August 2007Summer is generally a lazy time in the city: The streets are empty, people flock to the beach, and you don’t have much problem hailing a cab. The exception, of course, is the New York Section, which is as active as ever. A few reports from the field:
The annual Ausable Club Outing in the Adirondacks, a tradition dating back to the 1980s, was blessed with fine weather in June, enabling members to tackle some ambitious routes in the neighboring High Peaks. This year, it was the ladies who stole the show. Demonstrating amazing resilience after a serious accident in Red Rocks last March was Sheila Matz, who looked as lively as ever. Another notable was Orla Bannan, who showed the men a thing or two with some serious training for the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon. (Her final time for the July 22 event was an excellent 11:37, including a 3:57mMarathon). Finally, new member Andrea Salerno was getting ready for some July limestone climbing in the beautiful Rosengarten area of the Italian Dolomites.
While the ladies were working hard, the boys were mostly focused on the traditional happy hour, dinner, and slide show. This year, Jack Jefferies, a former world champion sky diver, explained the intricacies of the sport and organizing successful mass formations. (Jack has also done the Nose in a day, so he can climb, too!) Richard Wiese, fresh from Everest Base Camp, where he participated in some sophisticated high-altitude physiological experiments, explained some of the latest science on predicting climbers’ ability to acclimatize. Finally, Sheila Matz analyzed her rappelling accident and how, in retrospect, it might have been avoided. (See this year’s ANAM for details!)
In mid-Jun,e Edgar Walsh and his wife, Linda Davies, journeyed to Zermatt as official representatives of the New York Section at the 150th anniversary celebration of the Alpine Club of London. According to Edgar, it was a memorable extravaganza, with parties and climbing celebrities galore. Edgar will report on the trip at the New York Dinner in October. Among the other AAC notables present were John Harlin III and Nick Clinch.
Looking ahead to the fall season, the 28th Annual Black Tie Dinner will be held on Saturday, October 27, at the Union Club in Manhattan. Invitations and program details will be in the mail in early September. Save the date!
We are also planning an unusual program on Thalay Segar at the Rubin Museum in late fall. Thalay Segar, one of the great climbing prizes of the Gangotri Himalayas, has some strong New York connections. On the first ascent team in 1979 was New Yorker John Thackray, while the first ascent of the North Face was accomplished in 1997 by Andy Lindblade, a native of Australia who is in the advertising business in New York. Lindblade and teammate Athol Whimp won the prestigious Piolet d'Or in 1998 for this remarkable achievement.
—Phil Erard