Good Day! MCSA Member
In this bulletin:
1) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 2017 JOURNAL
This is a call for contributions for the 2017 Journal. These can be sent to the Editing Team using the email address jennyapaterson@gmail.com . Please refer to the Guidelines and Style Sheet on the national website before you submit any contribution.
2) 2018 PAN-AFRICA MOUNTAINEERING MEET – MOUNTAIN CLUB OF UGANDA
Several African clubs have already established reciprocal membership and I am sure many of you have benefitted from the warm welcome of other clubs. The MCU, in cooperation with MCSA, would like to invite all clubs to attend a meet in Uganda in January of 2018. Uganda has quite possibly the finest mountains in all of Africa, the famous Rwenzori in the west, the dramatic Virungas of gorilla fame in the southwest, the much-heralded Mt Elgon in the east and the little known, wild, and unspoiled peaks of Karamoja in the northeast. Uganda’s got something for every type of mountaineer, glaciated uplands, technical pitches, gorgeous hikes and peace in some of the most beautiful and remote parts of East Africa.
Full article and flyer: 2018-Pan-Africa-Meet-Uganda-1
3) FOR SALE
Howard Cooke has the following high-altitude equipment, which has never been used (due to illness in the Himalaya), for sale at very good prices.
- 3-layer La Sportiva high extreme cold boots, crampons, ice axe, ankle covers
- Everest suit, gloves, balaclava
- Helmet, goggles
- La Sportiva boots
Photographs are available. Email: topmanage@live.com or call +27844361099 (mobile) or +27 21 8552836 (home); Skype: howard-cooke
4) UIAA
4.1) Liechtenstein to Host Youth Ice Climbing Showcase
Malbun, Liechtenstein has been selected to host the 2018 UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships from 6-7 January 2018. The World Youth Championships are a fundamental aspect of the UIAA’s commitment to the future of ice climbing. theuiaa.org/uiaa/liechtenstein
4.2) UIAA Global Youth Summit: International Youth Ice Climbing Camp 18 to 24 February 2018
The French Alpine Club will be hosting another Camp in Guillestre, near Briançon in the southern Alps of France.
Participants: The camp is open to UIAA Federation Members (MCSA) between the ages of 16 to 26 years. Anyone under the age of 18 has to be accompanied by an adult Climber/coach, who is able to look after them during this meet. A maximum of 4 places will be available per country.
Minimum requirements: Participants should lead climb at a minimum of 5b French grade and able to belay.
Equipment: climbing harness, winter alpinism shoes with ice crampons, climbing helmet, belay device and 5 quick draws (UIAA standard/CEN) 2 ice axes, an avalanche detector (could be rented from staff), 5 ice screws, sun glasses and cream, sleeping bag, head torch, winter climbing clothing, toiletry kit, water bottle, items of a personal nature and person medication.
Insurance: Participants should be insured for accident, rescue, third party liability and travel valid for participating in such a programme.
Entry visas: South Africans require a visa (Schengen) for France.
Price: 240 EUR per participant, payable on arrival to the organiser (includes accommodation, full board, leading and organisational costs (except midday picnics as per programme)
Registration Deadline: 31 January 2018. NB: for interested South Africans, 5 December to allow for visa and other processes. Applications must be signed off by the MCSA/UIAA Youth Commission representative.
Anyone interested should please contact the MCSA Secretary by email to secretary@mcsa.org.za for further details.
4.3) Winner of the 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award Announced
Twenty-two international projects were nominated for the 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award. From Croatian Caves to the European Alps, Everest to Patagonia and Denali to Damavand, the 2017 Award unites a diverse array of projects across climate change, culture and education, waste management and disposal, conservation of biodiversity and resources and energy consumption.
Taking into account the 2017 edition, the UIAA Mountain Protection Award has now showcased over 80 projects from 37 countries during its five-year history. To view the nominees, go to: mpa2017nominees
The winner was announced at the UIAA General Assembly meeting held in Shiraz, Iran, on 21 October. The Mount Everest Biogas Project (MEBP) was announced as the overall winner of the 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award. The United States-based project is a volunteer-run, non-profit organisation that has designed an environmentally sustainable solution to the impact of human waste on Mt. Everest and other high-altitude locations theuiaa.org/mounteverestbiogasproject/
5) 7th DIGITAL EARTH SUMMIT 2018
For the first time in Africa, the 7th Digital Earth Summit 2018 (DES-2018) on Digital Earth for Sustainable Development in Africa will be held in El Jadida, Morocco, at the Faculty of Science, Chouaib Douakkali University from April 17-19, 2018. More information: www.desummit2018.org
We would like to invite you to submit an abstract. The submission deadline for 7th Digital Earth Summit 2018 is 21 October 2017. You are kindly invited to submit your abstract using our online system available at www.desummit2018.org/Registration
The 7th Digital Earth Summit 2018 will be a major event in the African and international community of Earth observation and geo-spatial information science in 2018. It will be organized by the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) www.digitalearth-isde.org and the Chouaib Douakkali University (UCD) www.ucd.ac.ma in partnership with the the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) www.africanremotesensing.org .
The main objective of DES-2018 is to bring together scientists and professionals from the African and international community to present latest achievements, discuss challenges and share experiences. The conference program will feature keynote speeches delivered by leading scholars, technical sessions with reports of the latest research outcomes, discussion sessions on operational topics such as capacity building, Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), big data, space policy, programmes and projects, as well as commercial exhibitions showing latest products and services in Digital earth and Geospatial information technologies.
6) FACEBOOK AND WEB PAGES
National: abbreviated link for the national MCSA facebook page: www.facebook.com/MCSA125/
New Web Pages For Sections
Amajuba: https://mcsa-amajuba.org/
Johannesburg: https://mcsajohannesburg.org/
Free State Section: https://mcsafs.wordpress.com
Links for all section’s web pages are all on the national webpage.
7) SECTION NEWS
There is no section news
8) SNIPPETS
8.1) Climbers Set New Speed Record On The Nose In Yosemite
Climbers, Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds, set a new speed record for climbing the most iconic route on El Capital in Yosemite. On 21 October they took on The Nose, and managed to put up an impressive new time for the 884 metre rock face, completing the ascent in a blistering pace and finishing in just 2 hours, 19 minutes and 44 seconds, a full 4 minutes faster than the previous record held by Alex Honnold and Hans Florine. The duo used a mix of both free climbing and aid climbing to make the ascent, preferring to go without safety equipment on the easier pitches, but employing it where they felt it was most needed.
You can read more about the ascent, and watch a video, on https://www.climbing.com/news/ or theadventureblog.blogspot.co.za/
8.2) AfroMontane Research Unit
Postgraduate studies at the AfroMontane Research Unit in South Africa. This unit is based in QwaQwa near the Drakensberg mountains between South Africa and Lesotho, a very exciting location for mountain research. for more information, go to AfroMont and MRI
8.3) Unesco ‘Mountain Ecosystem Services and Climate Change’
Earlier this month, UNESCO published ‘Mountain Ecosystem Services and Climate Change – A Global Overview of Potential Threats and Strategies for Adaptation’, which was the outcome of work done by the previous co-chairs of the Mountain Ecosystem Thematic Group, Martin Price and Paul Egan. The document is available at unesdoc.unesco.org/images/
8.4) MRI Global Newsletter: Engagement activities and planning for the future:
www.facebook.com/MountainResearchInitiative
8.5) Legendary Climber Fred Beckey Passes Away at the Age of 94
theadventureblog.blogspot.co.za/
8.6) Have the Fabled Mountains of Kong Been Found in Africa?
Explorer and anthropologist Julian Monroe Fisher believes he has solved a mystery that has puzzled geographers and explorers for more than 200 years. Last year, while trekking through West Africa, Fisher says that he discovered the location of the fabled Mountains of Kong, which were once prominently displayed on maps of the continent, but were later believed to have been just a myth. In a new book that just released last week, he shares details of the location of this landmark, which has eluded others for decades. theadventureblog.blogspot.co.za/
9) SUBMITTING NEWSWORTHY ITEMS
Newsworthy items for inclusion in MCSA National News can be sent to the Editor, Bridget Carrick at bridget.carrick7@gmail.com
Quote: TRIBUTE TO THE TAFELBERG
Her ochre embers
Glow
High
As the sun peeps over the plains
She’s straight
Steep and steely bold
A masterpiece of yesteryear
Under the echo of her shadow
Stand among boulders
Cold as tombs
Rifts of many winds and winters
Reft of her great battlements
Silently in the evening
She turns to charcoal
Don Hartley
The Journal of the Mountain Club of South Africa 1973
“explore – discover – connect – protect”
“verken – ontdek – ontmoet – bewaar”
“phonononga – fumanisa – qhagamshela – khusela”
