Mazamas

Here are some of the more common questions we hear about our activities, events and policies.  Feel free to ask your own question if you don’t see yours here!

Why would anyone do something as silly as climb a mountain? 

Ahh, the age old question.  To paraphrase the British veteran climber Sir Chris Bonington:

1. for physical challenge
2. to face and deal with fear and risk
3. to appreciate the beauty of the alpine environment
4. for the camaraderie of your climbing partner(s)
5. for ego gratification

Most climbers will likely tell you that they climb for some combination of these reasons.  What do you think?

Do you have regular meetings I can attend?

As our membership is around 3,000, we do not have regular meetings.  If you’d like to attend some activities and get to know some Mazamas, here are a few suggestions:

• Come visit us at the new Mazama Mountaineering Center (Click here for a Map to the MMC) and have a chat, check out the library and meet our staff.  We’re open Mon-Thurs, 10:00-7:00, and Fri 10:00-2:00.
• Try our Street Rambles.  Year round, every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00 pm sharp, hikers meet at REI in NW Portland and head out for usually a 2 hour, 6 mile hike in the hills.  It’s a reat way to stay fit and meet our members.  Hikes are open to members and non-members, as are most all of our activities.  There are many weekend hikes available as well.
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• Every Wed evening at 7:00 from October through May, we have an evening Adventure Travel program at the Mazama Mountaineering Center.  These are open to all.
• Give indoor climbing a try, at Climb Night.  This is open to members and non-members of any climbing ability.  It’s happening on the third Sunday evening from Nov through April.

I want to join the Mazamas, but have not climbed a glaciated peak .  What are the peaks I can climb that have a glacier?

The peaks in Oregon that one can climb to qualify for Mazama membership are: Mt. Thielsen, Broken Top, South, Middle and North Sister, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood.  In Washington, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Pinnacle Peak in Mt. Rainier NP as well as many other peaks in the North Cascades have glaciers.  In California, Mt. Shasta and several peaks in the central and southern Sierra have glaciers.  Of these peaks, South Sister, Mt. St. Helens and Old Snowy (WA) generally have the easiest, non-technical routes, and are most easily hiked in the late summer.

We offer a Hike to the Summit program in August and September each year, where we schedule hikes/climbs to the top of these easier non-technical peaks so people without much experience can have the satisfaction of reaching a summit and become eligible to join.

I don’t want to climb a glaciated peak, but I still want to participate in Mazama activities.  How can I do this?

All Mazama activities are open to everyone, member or non-member.  There are hundreds of people who hike with us for many years who are not members.  To keep up-to-date with our activities, you may subscribe to the monthly bulletin for $15 per year.  The bulletin lists all Mazama hikes, climbs, classes, programs, and outings.

What kinds of hikes do you offer?

We have over 700 hikes a year, mostly within an hour or two of Portland.  Hikes are listed on our web site and published monthly in the Mazama bulletin.  Hikes are graded in both difficulty and pace, so there’s a hike for every fitness and ability level.  Current hike schedule

I want to get into rock climbing.  What do you have for me?

We currently offer the following types of rock training:

• Rock Review - This evening class teaches the basics of safe rappelling and belaying, and is taught from May through August at Rocky Butte in NE Portland.  Level: Beginner
• Summer Rock Program, evenings at Rocky Butte, provides top-roped climbing in the 5.6 - 5.7 range from May through August.  Level:  Beginner - Advanced
• Climb Night This indoor climbing program takes place on the third Sunday of the month from November through April every year at a local, Portland area rock gym.  This is a very beginner friendly event.  Level:  Beginner - Advanced
• Finally, our Advanced Rock Climbing Class is where it all comes together.  This class runs from late March through early June, and registration happens in the fall.

What are the 10 essentials?

These are the generally accepted “10 E’s” - sensible preparedness and emergency gear you should strongly consider bringing on any day or overnight trip.  Pack these for a long day hike as well as any overnight camping trips or climbs.  (You may want to add a mylar space blanket as well.)  A detailed gear list for everything else you may need is also on this site, as well as a suggested food list.

1. whistle
2. fire starter & waterproof matches
3. map
4. knife
5. compass
6. first aid kit
7. sun protection (lip balm, sunscreen and a hat) 
8. extra clothing (hat, socks, gloves) 
9. flashlight (with extra bulb and batteries) 
10. extra food

How do I go on a Mazama climb?

All Mazama climbs are open to members and non-members.  You need to have sufficient skills and fitness for whatever climb you apply for.  To apply for a climb, you need two things: A) a copy of the climb schedule and B) one climb card for each climb you want to do.  Along with looking at the climbing overview, here’s the basic procedure.

1. Choose the climb(s) you want to go on.  The summer climb schedule is published in our April bulletin and is also on the Mazamas website under Climbing.  From the climb schedule, choose the climbs for which you want to apply.
2. Contact the leader to see if they have room on the climb.  Call the Mazamas office, and we’ll give you the phone/email of the leader, if you need it.
3. Purchase climb cards.  Cards are $15 for members and $25 for non-members.  You can buy climb cards in person at the Mazama Mountaineering Center, by phone with a credit card, or by mail with a check.
4. Fill out the climb card and send it to the leader.  If you are doing this after May 1, it’s a good idea to call the leader and ask if there is still room on the climb.  (If you need a leader’s phone number, just call us at the Mazama Mountaineering Center and we’ll give it to you.) The leader addresses are on the back of the climb schedule.  DO NOT send your climb application to the Mazama Mountaineering Center.  Make sure the return postcard has your address and a stamp.
5. Cross your fingers.  The leader will contact you and tell you if you got on the climb or not.  If you are not accepted on the climb, you get a full refund of the card price.

I really want to climb Mt. Hood.  Are the Mazamas a guide service?  How can climb Hood if I have no experience?

While we do accept members and non-members on all Mazama climbs, the Mazamas are not a guide service in the classic sense of the word.  We do not supply necessary gear or equipment or offer instruction while on the climb, and you need to have experience appropriate for the route you wish to climb.  A guiding company typically provides certain gear (e.g., crampons, helmet, ice axe), will offer a day or two of instruction prior to the climb, and are usually willing to take someone with little or no mountaineering experience.

If you have never climbed and you really want to climb Mt. Hood, you have three basic options:  A) Convince a friend who knows how to climb to take you; B) Apply for a Mazamas climb (being aware that climbs fill up quickly and many leaders like to see Mazamas Basic Climb School or its equivalent in your experience list); or C) Call a registered guide service and go with them.  If you have either a large group or a tight schedule, a professional guiding company is likely to be your best bet.  Please have a look at our climbing Mt. Hood FAQ page for more details on these and other questions many folks have about climbing Mt. Hood.

What are the 16 major Northwest Peaks?

The 16 major Northwest Peaks are (from south to north)  Mt. Shasta, South Sister, Middle Sister,  North Sister, Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack, Mt Jefferson, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, Mt Stuart, Glacier Peak, Mt. Olympus, Mt. Baker and Mt Shuksan.  The Mazamas award a “16 Peak” award to ambitious climbers who tag all of these peaks on official Mazama climbs.  Climbs of these peaks often receive the most applications, so if you only apply to climb these mountains, you may be disappointed.

You folks don’t have the answer I need.  I want to ask my own question.

Fine.  Just e-mail us at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll try to help you.