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National News, May 2018

MCSA National News 3 May 2018 National News, May 2018

1. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

At the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 5 May 2018, the following members were elected to the Executive Committee:

President: Greg Moseley
Deputy President: Francois Searle (Chairperson, EP Section)
Treasurer: Lester Coelen
Secretary: Jenny Paterson
Additional members:
Carl Dreyer (Chairperson, KZN Chairman)
Steven Adendorff (Chairperson, Free State Section)

The National Committee is made up of the Chairpersons of the various sections:

Amajuba: Gerhard Lamprecht
Cape Town: Martin Hutton-Squire
Eastern Province: Francois Searle
Free State: Steven Adendorff
Hottentots Holland: Viljoen Thom
Johannesburg : Grant Rens
Kwa-Zulu Natal: Carl Dreyer
Magaliesberg: Petrus Nel
Paarl/Wellington: Wouter Jordaan
South Cape: Dave Barnes
Stellenbosch: Paul Verhoeven
Tygerberg: Gerrit Kritzinger
Worcester : J B van Eeden


 

2. KZN SECTION – 99th ANNUAL DRAKENSBERG JULY CAMP

For July Camp 2018, we will be returning to the Southern Berg to the evocatively named Crystal Waters Base Camp site on the farm of Mr and Mrs Arthur Cole. We extend our grateful thanks to them for allowing us to share their beautiful farm which lies on the banks of the Mzimude River. July Camp has not been at Crystal Waters since 2010, so it will be a pleasant return to this beautiful place.

It is a wonderfully well situated Base Camp, giving good access to numerous day walks, exciting sub-camp opportunities with a number of caves in the Little Berg in which to sleep, as well as several mountain passes giving access to the Escarpment – for those who seek the challenge of longer trips or traverses in the High Berg. Above all, there are wonderful swimming pools! Base Camp will be situated within easy walking distance of the Giant’s Cup Trail and also important, within easy walking distance of the car park…

Discover more, along with your application form, in the brochure available on-line.


 

 

 

 

 

 

3. HOTTENTOTS HOLLAND SECTION: ANNUAL JOINT MEET

The Hottentots Holland section would like to invite you to the annual Joint Meet held at the Johnson Hut in the lovely Hottentots Holland mountains.

Arrival 22 September, 3pm, at Vergelegen Estate, Somerset West. Relax at the hut or dip in the pool while planning the next day’s activities. Bring n braai merriment while enjoying the sunset over Table Mountain and False Bay. Sleeping mattresses available in the hut (20 of) or sleep under the stars or tent.

On Sunday we offer:

  1. a gentle hike up the Landroskop gorge, with a variation into the Koffie Kloof. (2 A+).
  2. a more strenuous but interesting scramble up the Landroskop Needle (3C).
  3. a possibility to trad climb the Lang Klippie (4D).
  4. hike up to Chipaway cave and spend the night (3C).

 

4. UIAA

Some selected highlights of the UIAA’s activities are provided below. members are encouraged to go to www.theuiaa.org/ to find out more about the UIAA‘s important activities.

4.1  UIAA Global Youth Summit

The French Alpine Club Federation, Toulouse, is hosting a Youth Climbing Camp from 7 – 12 July 2018 in Ariege, South of France, aimed at Youth Members between the ages of 15 and 25 and should be able to lead climb at a minimum of 5b French grade. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult climber/coach.

  • Registration deadline for South Africans who need a visa, the deadline will be 25 April 2018. A maximum of 12 participants (15 with climber/coach) is planned so priority will be given to early applications.
  • Costs: 30 EUR per participant/per night, payable on arrival to the organiser. Accommodation, full board, leading and organisational costs included (40 E for climber/coach)
  • Some funding could be available from the Centenary Journal Youth Fund which was established with the intention of supporting our youth members.
  • For more information and application form contact secretary@mcsa.org.za (Note please you may not go direct to the organisers).

4.2 Introducing the UIAA Alpine Summer Skills Series

The UIAA Alpine Skills Summer guide was first published in 2015. Produced in collaboration with the Petzl Foundation, the guide and has been well received worldwide and is currently available in five languages. To mark the launch of a digital version of the publication, the UIAA is running a series of articles from the guide designed to help hikers, climbers and mountaineers develop their skills and knowledge of the mountain environment.

4.3 Online Climbing Gear: Are You Buying Safe Equipment?

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) recently published a guide regarding the potential perils of buying climbing equipment online, notably the abundance of non-certified equipment offered by dubious sellers.

The UIAA endorses the BMC article which advises buying gear “which conform(s) to the relevant CEN or UIAA standard, which is usually mentioned in the product description”.

4.4 Mountain Skills: How Frostbite Occurs

The higher we climb, the colder it gets: atmospheric air temperature drops by 1.2 degrees for every 200 metres of elevation gain, or six degrees per 1,000 metres. Meanwhile, extended physical exertion requires extra energy at higher elevations. Thus when you feel drained due to poor nutrition, your body will have trouble producing heat. At first you begin to feel the cold in your extremities; it then spreads to your vital organs. A chapter in the UIAA Alpine Skills Summer handbook dedicated to ‘Cold’ explores both recognising the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite.

4.5 Indian Mountaineering Foundation Organises Major Mountaineering Festival

  • 23 July – 12 August 2018: Himachal Pradesh
  • 15 October – 3 November 2018: Sikkim
  • 20 May – 8 June 2019: Uttarakhand
  • 22 July – 11 August 2019: Ladakh (J&K)

Highlights of the festival include:

  • Fully functional base camp set up by IMF during festival period
  •  Climbing equipment available to rent
  •  Guides/ climbing leaders available at base camp
  • Over the counter permit facilitation
  • Liaison officers positioned at base camp
  • High-altitude trained doctor at base camp
  • Rescue teams positioned at base camp

4.6 UIAA Mountain Protection Award

The UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA) was created in 2013. During its six years of existence, the annual UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA) has made a tangible difference to mountain lives, communities and the environment. It has enabled people to raise finances to build key infrastructures, conduct vital research and fulfil pending goals; it has provided an international showcase and communication platform for projects to raise awareness and exchange ideas and initiatives. Not only has it supported local communities, it has fostered its own global community. The Award celebrates innovation and a desire to make a difference.


 

 

 

 

 

5. FACEBOOK AND WEB PAGES

National abbreviated link for the national MCSA Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MCSA125/

Links for all the sections’ web pages are on the MCSA national webpage.


 

6) SECTION NEWS

No sectional news has been submitted. Readers are encouraged to go to the individual section web pages.


 

7. SNIPPETS

7.1 Penn State Bans “Outdoor Club” From Actually Going Outdoors.

Here’s an interesting story that has been making the rounds over the past day or so. Penn State University has banned it’s Outing Club – an on-campus organization dedicated to getting students into the outdoors – from actually going outside. The school has deemed the activities conducted by the club, which include hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and trail maintenance, as being too risky.

Apparently, there have been some concerns about how several students conducted themselves on unsupervised trips into the backcountry and there are allegations of “issue of alcohol” as well. Obviously, the misuse of alcohol during certain outdoor activities is a cause for concern, but no one is probably surprised to learn that college kids were having some drinks while on a camping or hiking trip.

7.2  Members are reminded that the Library (housed in the Cape Town Section Clubhouse) is a treasure trove of information and entertainment on mountains the world over. Of particular note are the complete collections of journals (MCSA, Alpine Journal, AAC Journal, etc.) which are a mine of information and a source of inspiration for those looking for mountain adventures.

7.3 The current drought in the Western Cape is obviously of serious concern from many stand points. The mountains are also severely affected and members are encouraged to be especially careful and avoid any risk of starting a fire. Equally, news on how the mountain fynbos is faring under the considerable stress will be welcomed by various researchers and members are encouraged to pass on information through the Club.


 

8) NEWSWORTHY ITEMS

Please send any newsworthy items for inclusion in MCSA National News Editor, Ineke Moseley at inekemos@zsd.co.za

Quotable Quotes:

Ever since a small boy, I have loved to just look at mountains, to see them in different lights and from different angles, to feel their rough rock under my fingers and the breath of their winds against my feet…I am in love with the mountains.’   Wilfred Noyce


 

“explore – discover – connect – protect”

“verken – ontdek – ontmoet – bewaar”

“phonononga – fumanisa – qhagamshela – khusela”


 

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