Annual Benefit Dinner

The Prescription – March 2022

Surviving El Gigante

Mark Hudon and Jordan Cannon

Jordan Cannon and Mark Hudon are headlining the AAC’s Annual Benefit Gala in Denver on March 26, sharing stories of their unique and productive climbing partnership. (Tickets are still available for both the in-person and streamed events—get them here!) We asked these big-wall experts and close friends to share stories of near misses they’ve experienced, and Jordan shared a wild tale from El Gigante, a huge wall in Chihuahua, Mexico.

In January 2019, Jordan and Hayden Jamieson attempted
Logical Progression, a 28-pitch 5.13 on El Gigante that’s typically approached from above, by rappelling in and climbing out. Jordan and Hayden stashed gear for two bivouacs on their way down the wall and then started climbing back out. The first two days went well, as they worked on the crux pitches and bivouacked eight pitches up….

Photo by Hayden Jamieson

“Day 3 was where things took a turn for the worse,” Hayden wrote in a story at the Gnarly Nutrition website. “I was woken at sunrise to the unwelcome sensation of light rain on my face.” The two continued up the wall, aiming for their next bivy cache at the top of pitch 17. But the rain kept getting stronger, and by pitch 14, they were in trouble. “We had nearly no food, very little water, we were still 200 to 300 feet below our next stash of food, the rain was getting heavier, and our clothes were saturated with water down to our underwear… Several microwave-sized blocks were blown off the wall from above and narrowly missed both of us.” The two 5.13 climbers found it impossible to climb run-out 5.11. They were stuck.

In pounding rain, they set up their portaledge and rigged their haul bag on bolts above them to guard against rockfall. But they were already soaked. “That night was certainly the longest, coldest, and most terrifying night of either of our lives,” Hayden wrote. “We shivered uncontrollably and spooned each other for warmth as the storm raged all around us.” Luckily, the clouds cleared in the morning, and they made their way up the rock by any means necessary, refueled at their food cache, and pushed to the top, 16 hours after leaving their bivouac.

Happy to be alive. Photo by Hayden Jamieson

LESSONS LEARNED

Says Jordan: “I think we were very close to dying of hypothermia, waiting it out in a poor position with inadequate gear. All of which could have easily been avoided if I had taken a note out of Mark Hudon’s book on big wall preparedness! Thankfully, I learned my lesson and even picked up some more wall tips from Mark during our time climbing together after that trip.”

Here are some of the things Jordan has learned about preparing for storms on big walls:

1. Never bring down sleeping bags (or down jackets, if you can help it). Always synthetic, because it will keep you warm even when it’s wet.

2. Always bring a bivy sack. Even when you think you won’t need it. (We, stupidly, decided to leave ours on the summit before we rapped the wall.)

3. Make sure your rain fly is in good condition. Ours was old and had holes in it, so it leaked.

4. Always bring some sort of emergency kit consisting of a rain jacket, rain pants, base layers (top and bottoms), hat, gloves, and warm socks. You likely won’t use any of it, but if you do, you'll be glad to have it!

5. Bring an inReach or some kind of satellite phone, especially if the wall is remote.

6. In the face of bad weather, it’s better to hunker down before a storm rather than waiting for it to hit and getting wetter than necessary in the process.

Mark Hudon (top) and Jordan Cannon in Zion National Park. Photo by Samuel Crossley

“Don't underestimate the seriousness of big wall climbing and the threat of inclement weather, especially on a remote big wall in Mexico in the dead of winter. (But in Yosemite, too!) Even if it is just ‘big wall sport climbing,’ that doesn't mean it’s will be casual. Always be prepared for the worst!”

Mark Hudon has been climbing big walls since the late 1970s and has compiled some of his expertise into excellent downloadable PDFs at his website. And remember, you can see Mark and Jordan together at the AAC’s Annual Benefit Gala on March 26. Don’t miss it!

El Cap Stories

As Jordan Cannon says, you don’t have to be in a remote canyon in Mexico to get into serious trouble when a storm hits a wall. The pages of ANAC have reported many such incidents from El Capitan over the years. Here are two examples:

• In September 1991, “the first winter storm of the season moved into the Central Sierra, dropping 4.5 inches of rain at lower elevations with snow level reaching 4,000 feet.” Two pairs of very experienced climbers ended up getting rescued from hard El Cap routes: One had been trapped in a run-off waterfall on the Sea of Dreams route, and the other was nearing the top of Native Son when one of the climbers got hypothermia.

 • In late May 1993, two climbers were trapped at Camp 5 on The Nose after heavy rain fell all day, causing mild hypothermia. Rescuers were able to lower about 800 feet from the rim to their position, give them dry clothes, and help them jumar out.  

A survey of 41 years of ANAC reports on The Nose (from 1974 to 2014) found that about one-quarter of all accidents involved weather and stranding. The “Danger Zones” article from ANAC 2015 focused on the major accident causes on the Nose: Read it here!


The Sharp End: Deadly Avalanche

In the latest Sharp End, Ken Wylie, author of the book Buried, recounts a horrific accident near Revelstoke, British Columbia, in January 2003.

If you’re a Sharp End fan, don’t miss the AAC’s Annual Benefit Gala on March 26. Ashley Saupe will be hosting a live interview for an upcoming show. In-person and streaming tickets are available here!


The monthly Prescription newsletter is supported by the members of the American Alpine Club. Questions? Suggestions? Write to us at accidents@americanalpineclub.org.

 

Introducing the 2022 American Alpine Club Awardees

Each year, the American Alpine Club (AAC) has the honor of presenting its prestigious Annual Climbing Awards to outstanding climbers, conservationists, and volunteers. This year’s awards include Sean Bailey, Natalia Grossman, Rick Reese, Pat Ament, John Kascenska, John Heilprin, David Nyman, and Joe Terravecchia.

The awards will be presented at the AAC Annual Bennefit Gala on March 26, 2022 in Denver, CO.


Honorary Membership

Arlene Blum & Steve Roper will be awarded honorary memberships this year. "Both are “household” names in the climbing community and have distinguished themselves over many years in the mountains through their pioneering leadership of difficult ascents and in areas of the arts and science in mountain related endeavors.

The Robert Hicks Bates Award

Sean Bailey & Natalia Grossman will receive the Robert Hicks Bates Award which honors young climbers who show "outstanding promise for future accomplishment." The selection committee wanted to focus on competition climbing. Sean won two lead world cups and a boulder world cup in 2021, while Natalia won the boulder world championships and won two boulder world cups.

The David R. Brower Award

Rick Reese will be awarded The David Brower Conservation Award. Rick co-founded the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, now the leading conservation group fighting for the protection of this over 4.5million acre iconic ecosystem comprising nearly a dozen mountain ranges. Rick was clearly one of the most important western conservationists of our generation not to mention a bold, tenacious and accomplished pioneer climber and former climbing ranger.

The H. Adams Carter Literary Award

The AAC Literary Committee will award Pat Ament he H. Adams Carter Literary Award. Pat would have 30 books published, approaching 200 magazine articles, and 25 pieces selected for various international anthologies of best climbing writings – more than any other person. His writings include many poems in literary magazines. President emeritus of the AAC, Jim McCarthy, has called Pat "the poet laureate of American climbing writing."

Angelo Heilprin Citation

John Kascenska & John Heilprin will be awarded the 2022 Heilprin Citation for their "exemplary service to the Club." John Kascenska joined the American Alpine Club in 1996 and for many years has volunteered with several Club activities. John Heilprin served on the board of directors from 2012 to 2018.

David A. Sowles Memorial Award

David Nyman will be awarded the David A Sowles Memorial Award for the eight-day ordeal to rescue/evacuate Jim Sweeney from the base of the Elevator Shaft on Mt. Johnson in 1989. The award is conferred from time to time on mountaineers who have distinguished themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains.


Please join us at the Annual Benefit Gala on March 26, 2022 in Denver, CO to hear from the awardees

ANNUAL BENEFIT DINNER CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

We will host the upcoming Annual Benefit Dinner virtually on Saturday, March 14 at 5 p.m. MDT, the in-person gathering is cancelled.

In an effort to lead in good decision-making as citizens of a country that is facing a potential crisis, we believe it is important to avoid contributing to that risk. We feel strongly that this is the responsible decision to protect the folks in our community who may be most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.

We are disappointed we won’t be seeing you all in person, but we still need your virtual presence and support this week!

Please stay tuned this week for a link to the live-stream feed, which will include a message from our keynote speaker Kris Tompkins, acceptance speeches from our 2020 awardees, and a special address from CEO Phil Powers.

The Annual Dinner is our largest fundraiser of the year. As we face increasing threats to our wild places and work to support a growing climbing population and volunteer network, we depend on this now-virtual event to help raise over $350,000 to fund our critical programs. 

We hope you will choose to stand with the AAC community from wherever you are to help ensure we reach our crucial goal. Thank you!

Please reach out to our team with any questions.

Heidi McDowell, Event Director [hmcdowell@americanalpineclub.org]

Scott Wilton, Event Coordinator [swilton@americanalpineclub.org]


2020 ANNUAL BENEFIT DINNER WEEKEND: CLIMBERS UNITING FOR THE PLANET

December 5, 2019, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club will host the 2020 Annual Benefit Dinner (ABD) weekend March 13-15, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. Since 1902, the Annual Benefit Dinner has served to convene the climbing community and garner support for the Club’s work around the protection of our wild places.

“Reductions to public lands generally lead to irreversible change. With climbing’s continued growth there is a tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done to protect and preserve our climbing landscapes,” stated AAC CEO Phil Powers. “It’s important to me that my final dinner at the helm sets the Club up to continue this hard work.”

 This year’s ABD will be presented by Patagonia and will feature a keynote by Kris McDivitt Tompkins, Former CEO of Patagonia and current president of Tompkins Conservation. Kris is a longstanding defender of wild places and a true champion for the planet.  

Kris will speak March 14, 2020, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (1101 13th St, Denver, CO 80204). She and her late husband Doug Tompkins turned millions of acres across Chile and Argentina into National Parks in an effort to restore and re-wild landscapes. Most recently, Kris completed the largest private land donation in history, with over one million acres going towards creating or expanding ten national parks in Chile. To date, Tompkins Conservation has helped conserve more than 14.2 million acres. 

The Annual Benefit weekend festivities will kick off Friday, March 13, at 6pm with the Send ‘n’ Social at Movement RiNo (3201 Walnut St, Denver, CO 80205). The Send ‘n’ Social includes games, libations, and a celebrity climbing competition. Saturday morning’s special panel discussions and presentations at the Hilton Denver City Center will be informational and inspiring sessions on topics ranging from public land issues to climate change. All weekend festivities surrounding the Dinner are open to the public.  

The main event of the weekend—the Annual Benefit Dinner—begins at 6pm on the 14th. In addition to Kris' keynote address, the AAC will honor climbers with the 2020 Climbing Awards, enjoy dinner, a complimentary bar, and silent and live auctions. Climbing Awardees will be announced January 2020. To learn more or buy tickets for this rare opportunity to hear from Kris McDivitt Tompkins, visit: americanalpineclub.org/annual-benefit-dinner

 

About the American Alpine Club

The American Alpine Club is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose vision is a united community of competent climbers and healthy climbing landscapes. Together with our members, the AAC advocates for American climbers domestically and around the world; provides grants and volunteer opportunities to protect and conserve the places we climb; hosts local and national climbing festivals and events; publishes two of the world's most sought-after climbing annuals, the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering; cares for the world's leading climbing library and country's leading mountaineering museum; manages five campgrounds as part of a larger lodging network for climbers; and annually gives $80,000+ toward climbing, conservation, and research grants that fund adventurers who travel the world. Learn about additional programs and become a member at americanalpineclub.org.

 

 

Get Your Annual Benefit Dinner Tickets Before They're Gone!

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Registration for the 2019 Annual Benefit Dinner Weekend is now open, and tickets are selling fast! The Club’s largest gathering and celebration of the year, this event will explore the triumphs and tragedies of speed climbing.

The Annual Benefit Dinner raises funds vital to AAC programs like conservation, education, and grants. We couldn't do these things without the support of our amazing members like YOU!

The weekend is jam packed with something for everyone. This year’s Send n’ Social will be hosted at Mission Cliffs, complete with a celebrity climbing comp, libations, clinics, games, and more. Saturday morning, enjoy presentations from climbing’s stars and engage with compelling panels. The 2019 Annual Climbing Awards recognize outstanding achievements in conservation, climbing, and service to the climbing community.

Tickets are limited and selling out quickly—get yours now!

#AACdinner18

2018 Annual Benefit Dinner: 40th Anniversary of Americans on K2

October 12, 2017, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club is proud to celebrate the 40-year-anniversary of Americans on the summit of K2 at the 2018 Annual Benefit Dinner. The event will feature Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner as the keynote speaker and will be presented by LOWA and Global Rescue. The Dinner serves as one of the largest annual gatherings within the climbing community, celebrating the history of our sport with some of climbing’s brightest stars.

Kaltenbrunner will speak February 24, 2018, at The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel (138 Saint James Avenue, Boston, MA). Kaltenbrunner has been called “a Queen Among Kings” by Outside Magazine. She is the second woman to climb the fourteen 8,000 meter peaks and the first woman to do so without the use of supplementary oxygen or high altitude porters. K2 was the final challenge, which she summited via the lesser climbed North Pillar route.

Additional weekend festivities are open to the public and kick off Friday, February 23 with the Annual Membership Meeting and Climbers' Gathering at Central Rock Gym (74 Acton St, Watertown, MA 02472). The Climbers’ Gathering includes a food truck, libations, and a star-studded climbing competition. Additionally, Saturday morning’s special panel discussions, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, are open to public. Panelists will discuss topics affecting today’s climbing community and reflect on our community’s past.

The main event of the weekend—the Annual Benefit Dinner—begins at 6pm on the 24th. The evening gathers all generations of climbers for an inspiring evening benefiting the Club’s programs. In addition to Kaltenbrunner's keynote address, attendees will enjoy fine dining, beer and wine, live and silent auctions, and acceptance speeches from this year’s awardees.

The event is expected to sell out and tickets are limited. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit americanalpineclub.org/annual-benefit-dinner. Registration closes on February 14, or when sold out.

About the American Alpine Club

The American Alpine Club is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose vision is a united community of competent climbers and healthy climbing landscapes. Together with our members, the AAC advocates for American climbers domestically and around the world; provides grants and volunteer opportunities to protect and conserve the places we climb; hosts local and national climbing festivals and events; publishes two of the world's most sought-after climbing annuals, the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering; cares for the world's leading climbing library and country's leading mountaineering museum; manages five campgrounds as part of a larger lodging network for climbers; and annually gives $100,000+ toward climbing, conservation, and research grants that fund adventurers who travel the world. Learn about additional programs and become a member at americanalpineclub.org.

 

Education, Counterculture & Mentorship: Annual Dinner Panels Announced

Left to Right: Kai Lightner, Sasha DiGiulian, Libby Sauter at last year's Annual Dinner. 

Left to Right: Kai Lightner, Sasha DiGiulian, Libby Sauter at last year's Annual Dinner. 

We're excited to confirm three panels and presentations that will take place on February 25, 2017 at our Annual Dinner in Seattle, WA.
 

The Education Crux: Together We're Smarter...or we should be
Time: 10am - 11:15am
AAC Education has been endeavoring to educate climbers for over a century, but rarely have all the disparate voices in climber education coalesced into a single mediated conversation. Today, more than at any point in climbing history, the American climber hungers for information, and a myriad of voices presume to fulfill their appetites.  At this special moment in climber education, the AAC will convene key voices, thinkers, educators, writers, to explore its historic vision of competent climbers and healthy landscapes.

From Counterculture to Mainstream
Time: 11:30a - 12:45pm
We are drawn to climbing because it provides adventure and fulfillment and uncovers the best in our partners and ourselves. The sport has grown significantly as the number of climbing gyms has increased and more people have access to the sport and lifestyle. 

As climbing transitions from its counterculture heritage in natural settings to urban and indoor environments, how does the climbing community build on its legacy as a foundation for inclusivity? What influence does social media, climbing gyms, coaches and the Olympics have on the way climbers transition from the gym to natural climbing landscapes?

We're partnering with Camber Outdoors to open this dialogue; see their description for more information. 

Melissa Arnot Reid - Partnership & Mentorship in the Mountains
Time: 1pm - 2pm
In 2016, Melissa Arnot became the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. Rather than rest after this monumental achievement, she sought her next adventure. With a friend she set her sights on the speed record for summitting the highest point in each of the 50 states state - completing the challenge in just 41 days! Melissa will share stories and photos from a year of challenge, record setting and mentoring the next generation of explorers. 
See you there!


Learn more about the 2017 Annual Dinner. 

 

2016 Annual Benefit Dinner Reca

Over 400 people gathered in Washington, D.C., at the historic Mayflower Hotel for the American Alpine Club’s 2016 Annual Benefit Dinner presented by REI and The North Face. Legendary climbers of all generations, from Kai Lightner to Conrad Anker, mingled with politicians like Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, filling the room in support of the Club and climbing in America. The dinner celebrated the members of our community that we have recently lost and the enduring bonds that we create in the mountains and at the crag, serving as a powerful reminder of why we climb.

Secretary of the Interior Jewell took the stage to honor the memory of former AAC President Doug Walker, who passed away in a hiking accident in the Cascades in December. She praised Walker’s love of the outdoors and his dedication to creating ways for others to get outside themselves. Jewell concluded with the promise of expediting the permit process for those geared at getting kids outside. While she joked the lawyers called it the order for "Increasing Access to Extended Outdoor Experiences for Under-Resourced Youth," she said would affectionately refer to it as the Walker Permit.

Alex Honnold is Keynote Speaker for 2016 Annual Benefit Dinner

December 1, 2015, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club is proud to announce Alex Honnold—one of climbing's most recognizable talents—as the keynote speaker for the 2016 AAC Annual Benefit Dinner, presented by REI and The North Face, honoring 100 years of climbing in our National Parks.

Honnold will speak February 27th, 2016, at The Mayflower hotel, located at 1127 Conneticut Avenue North West in Washington, DC. Honnold has forever changed our perspective of the possible with feats like the iconic Fitz Roy Traverse and a 24-hour sprint on the Yosemite Triple Crown. Alex leads a new generation of cutting edge climbers, especially in Yosemite National Park.

The festivities are open to the public and kick off on Friday, February 26th with the Annual Membership Meeting and Climbers' Gathering at Earth Treks Rockville. Open to everyone, the evening will include a food truck, DJ, libations, and awards.Dinner attendees will have access to special panel discussions and seminars during the day on Saturday.

The main event the night of the 27th will gather all generations for an unprecedented climbers' celebration in D.C. In addition to Honnold's keynote address, attendees will enjoy fine dining, beer and wine, live and silent auctions, and awards—including the rare President's Gold Medal—will be given honoring climbing's luminaries and rising stars. All proceeds benefit AAC programs.

Tickets are very limited. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit americanalpineclub.org/honnold. Registration closes on February 19, or when sold out.