Adventurous Young Mazamas (AYM)

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Departing from ...	Detailed information and maps to meeting locations for Mazama events.
Hiking Tips	How Mazama hikes work & what you should bring.
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Welcome to the pages of the Adventurous Young Mazamas! AYM offers activities year round targeted to those in their 20s, 30s, early 40s and anyone “Young” at heart. All AYM activities are open anyone, regardless of age.

Our goals are to attract younger folks to the Mazamas, encourage joining as full members, and to promote their continued involvement, participation and leadership within the Mazamas.  In addition to the many hikes, xc-ski and snowshoe trips each year, AYM also occasionally offers a number of other activities like cave exploration, biking (mountain & road), whitewater rafting and sea kayaking which are a bit outside the usual focus of the Mazamas.  Come join us for a trip or lead one of your own!  AYM also highly encourages participants to check out the climb schedule, the Hike to the Summit program and the many great classes offered by the Mazamas.

Current AYM Activities

***Please Read*** AYM events are open to all Mazama members and non-members alike.  Advance reservations are not necessary for hikes or other events unless otherwise noted.  Just show up 10-15 minutes before the listed departure time and you’re in!  Please bring rain gear on all hikes and be prepared for cold weather conditions.  Rain can occur at any time of the year and the weather in town can be very different from that in the mountains.  All hikes will go rain or shine unless conditions are truly appalling;  when in doubt contact the event leader.  See our Hiking Tips for full information on how Mazama hikes work and what to bring. Unless otherwise listed below, events are $2 for Mazama members and $3 for non members.

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Fri-Sun, May 17-19 - Camping/Hiking:: Badger Creek Wilderness
*Cancelled*
Need sunshine, flowers and mountain views? Adventurous Young Mazamas gives you all three on this weekend trip to the beautiful Badger Creek Wilderness on the far east side of the Mount Hood National Forest. This part of the Mount Hood area melts out early so we’ll have a great choice of activities! We’ll drive out on Friday night and set up camp. On Saturday we’ll spend the day hiking in the wilderness and then come back to a huge potluck dinner. On Sunday we’ll do a short hike and then pick up camp around noon. We’ll do another short hike on the way back to Portland. Plan on a full weekend of beautiful high desert scenery and great camaraderie! Most of the weekend will be in wilderness so the trip will be capped at 12. Advance signup required (contact leader to sign up!). Drive: 222 miles. Leader: Matt Reeder

Saturday, May 18th - Hike: Indian Point
Join AYM for a hike to Indian Point, near Cascade Locks overlooking the Columbia RIver Gorge. We will take trails 406 and 408 from the Herman Creek Horse Camp, and ascend approximately 2,500 ft to the Indian Point Overlook and enjoy the great view of the Gorge.  When the weather is clear you can see for miles!  We’ll then continue the loop back to the SouthWest for a little more elevation gain along the Nick Eaton Trail, and back to the cars. This trail is within a Wilderness area, and group size will be limited to 12. Please email the hike leader to reserve a spot. 8.4 mile loop, 2,700 feet. Drive: 65 miles. Meet at Gateway Transit Center, 8:30AM. Leader: Jerry Adams.

Sunday, May 19 - Hike: Hamilton Mountain
Capture grand views of the gorge and Hood, Adams, and Helens from the cliffs along this route, as well as a cluster of cascading waterfalls early in the hike. This is a gorge classic hike, and is very popular during the Summer. Beat the crowds and the heat and see it in the Spring when the waterfalls are swollen and the flowers are blooming. 7.5miles, ~2100feet elevation gain. Drive: 70mi. Washington Discovery Pass ($10) required. Meet at Gateway Transit Center, 9AM. Leader: Daniel Mick.

Monday May 20 - Pub Night: Lucky Lab Beer Hall - NW Portland
Join the Adventurous Young Mazamas (AYM) the third Monday of the month at 7pm for our roaming Pub Night!  This month we’ll be at the Lucky Lab Beer Hall at 1945 NW Quimby St. Come join us for an evening of new friends, adventure planning, and, malted beverages!  This is also great time to find out what we’re up to, to plan your next adventure and see what the Mazamas are all about in a more informal atmosphere.  Bring your stories and photos from your recent adventures. How will you find us?  Look for the ice axe!

Wednesday, May 22 - Evening Ramble, Bridge Edition
*This event is dog friendly*
Spend an evening exploring Portland’s waterfront and checking out many of the different bridges crossing the Willamette—all of them are a different architectural style! Meet at 6:30pm at the Vera Katz statue (Eastside Esplanade at SE Madison Street, just North of the Hawthorne Bridge).  Optional adjourn to grab a bite or pint afterward. Bring a flashlight or headlamp.  5 miles, 500 feet elevation gain.  $1 members / $2 non-members.  Leader: Karl Langenwalter

Sat-Mon, May 25-27 - Camping/Hiking: John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Spend Memorial Day weekend with AYM exploring the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. The Monument is a unique area of Oregon’s eastern high desert. Deep ravines here have carved through numerous layers of fossil-bearing strata, some containing plant and animal fossils which have been dated back over fifty million years during the Age of Mammals.  Today the Monument protects one of the longest and most continuous records of evolutionary change in North America.  We’ll also have the opportunity to dig for fossils with the PaleoLands Institute and possibly go on a ranger led hike. Camp will be based in the nearby Ochoco Mountains among old-growth ponderosa pine; limited or no water will be available, but we’ll do our best. Campfires and potlucks are a must! Because of logistics, group will be capped at 10. *Advance signup required (contact leader to sign up!).* Cost: $15member / $25non-member.  Drive: approximately 600 miles round trip. Hike mileage ~10miles total; elevation 1000ft. Leader: Sarah Miller

Saturday, June 01 - Augspurger Mountain
Thousands of people hike to the summit of Dog Mountain each year but very few continue to the even more beautiful meadows and views on Augspurger Mountain to the north. Join AYM for what promises to be a spectacular and difficult day of hiking in the Gorge high country. Bring trekking poles and a lot of energy! Hike: 14 miles, 4700 feet elevation gain. Semi-exploratory; the leader has only done part of the trail. Drive: 100. Meet at Gateway Transit Center, 8AM. Leader: Keith Dechant

Saturday, June 1 - Hike: Hardy Ridge
Come celebrate National Trails Day with AYM and Trail Trips!  To celebrate, all parks in Washington and Oregon will be free of charge.  AYM and Trail Trips are joining forces to offer two great hikes.  Trail Trips will be going to Hamilton Mountain and AYM will be going to nearby Hardy Ridge.  After the two hikes, we’ll have a BBQ in the picnic area of Beacon Rock State Park.  Along the Hardy Ridge trail, we’ll have views of Hamilton Mountain, Beacon Rock, the Columbia River, and Mt. Hood along with many rock outcroppings, and meadows with hopefully some early blooming wildflowers.  8.1 miles, 2,200 feet. Drive: 78. Depart Gateway Park and Ride at 8:30 AM. Leader: Paul Kallmann

Saturday, June 08 - Rock Lakes Loop
Seven lakes, meadows, and dramatic views await on this Wilderness loop. We’ll start at Hideaway Lake and work up to the beautiful Rock Lakes area in the new Roaring River Wilderness. Plan on almost any kind of conditions - there might be some snow and/or bugs. Wilderness area, trip we be capped at 12 people. Plan on a long day - we will be back to Portland around 7PM. 12.6 mile loop, 2,000 feet elevation gain. Drive: 150 miles. Meet at Gateway Transit Center, 8AM. Paul Gerald

Saturday, June 29 - Adventure Hike: Clackamas Falls
*Rescheduled from May 11*
Looking for an adventure? You’d be hard-pressed to find a better one than this bushwhack / trek to a series of waterfalls on the South Fork Clackamas River. We’ll bushwhack down into the canyon to a series of old roads, tunnels and bridges that link 3 large waterfalls. Bring a camera, trekking poles, rainpants and a good attitude! The scenery is incredible but the trek is rough - expect steep hillsides, ticks and sketchy bridges. Advance signup required! Hike: 3 miles, 800 feet elevation gain (remember, this is mostly a bushwhack!). Drive: 76 miles. Meet at Gateway Transit Center, 9:30AM. Leader: Matt Reeder

Fri-Mon, Aug 30 - Sep 02 - Camping/Hiking: Eagle Cap Wilderness
An AYM tradition returns! We’ll spend Labor Day weekend camping in Wallowa Lake State Park. We’ll hike by day and hang out by night. Plan on a full holiday weekend of hikes, explorations, friendship, pancakes and mini-golf. Sign up early to assure your spot! Leaders: Matt Reeder and Karl Langenwalter

Not enough going on for you?  AYM is but one small corner of the Mazamas:  check out the summer climbs, the Trail Trips hiking schedule, the year-round Tuesday/Thursday evening street rambles in northwest Portland—or volunteer to lead an event of your own!  The Mazamas run almost entirely on the efforts of volunteers—and we’re always looking for new leaders!