ey - what a party! Etta and Steve Short again opened their home to host this years Milkshake Madness. There were bunches of people talking about the mountains, shakes were shakin' and we had slides and videos of our adventures.

A new event this year was the Bushwhacker Awards. Doug Yates earned the Esprit de Bushwhacker Certificate and Perry Weinberg brought home the Esprit de Bushwhacker Pin. Byron Knudsen was given the Mountain Spirit Award. Anna Alonzo was recongnized for her efforts with the Sacred Circle Award, as were Fred and Peter Redmon with the Beat the Bulgers Award. Brad Jones and Doxey Kemp became the first inductees to the Bushwhacker Hall of Fame. Also, BCC Mt Rainier Section 6, represented by Ivonne Sasmitra, was recognized with the Doug Hagen Humor Award.

And of course, Steve and Etta Short were given the Bushwhacker Special Gratitude Award for hosting Milkshake Madness a third year in a row. Thanks to the Short family, and to everyone in attendence for a great party!

Doxey Kemp, Allen Jones, Seth Pollack and Shawn Chriest visited Alaska's Lake Clark National Park in August. The party climbed a glacier to a splendid 6000 foot summit, quite possibly a first ascent, which they dubbed Bushwhacker Peak. The team then rafted the entire course of the Tlikakila River to Lake Clark. A fabulous time was had by all. Look for the feature story to be completed by end of November.

Allen and Karen Nieman have returned from Africa, after successfully summiting Kilimanjaro. Allen reports seeing lots of great wildlife on safari. "It was a blast." Allen says a write up, with photos, is on the way. Looking forward to that!

Jon Breiling is simply unstoppable. In August he summited Mt Rainier THREE times in TWO weeks. Jon says that there is something about the lack of oxygen that keeps him coming back, and that "I need to get a job there at the park." I'm sure the rangers would love to have ya, Jon.

Also in August, a group led by Doug Hagen climbed Glacier Peak via the Sitkum Glacier. Doug said they had a great time figuring out the route and getting to the summit.

Bushwhackers Steve Matera, Katie Cryan, Mark Field, Carol Ray, Clint Finger and Laura Rossow climbed Eldorado in July. Steve's report is inspiring. "That place is incredible! Hands down, the best mountain views I've ever seen on a climb. We could see Snowfield of course, and the Northwest face of Forbidden is unbelieveable. Klawatti, Logan, Goode, Buckner, Johannesburg. It's all right there."

A group of intrepid bushwhackers led by Mario Moreno explored the Picket Range of the North Cascades National Park in July. Mount Fury was the primary goal, but objectives included Mt. Challenger and Luna Peak. The Pickets are remote and well defended by jungle. Mario and friends took their licks in the thickets and in a thunderstorm, with lightning blasting the peaks around them. They summited Luna Peak on the only good weather day available. Our friends nonetheless loved the Northern Pickets and have vowed to return to challenge the fortress of stone and ice on Fury.

Doug Hagen and his team visited Bolivia in June. Most notably, the team struck their ice axes into the lofty peaks of 17,600' Pequena Alpamayo and 19,990' Huayna Potosi'. Seth Pollack held a slideshow that conveyed the essence of the adventure, and Doug Hagen has written a feature article. Muy bien, Cinco Amigos!

Perry Weinberg and friends climbed Mt Rainier via the Emmons Glacier route. Perry had traveled the route before, so his team was in good hands. Congratulations on your summit!