The American Alpine Club (AAC) and the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) will open a museum in Golden dedicated to mountaineering and the role Americans have played in it. The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum is scheduled to open in 2008 near the clubs’ shared headquarters.
In addition to highlighting current achievements and issues facing contemporary climbers, topics such as climate change, conservation, cultures and science will be explored in the museum space. The museum will even attempt to answer the age-old question, “Why do people climb?” through artifacts and lengthy oral histories possessed by the AAC and CMC.
A pioneer of aerial photography, Bradford Washburn with his wife, Barbara, climbed, trekked and flew over the Alaska Range nearly every year for more than 60 years beginning in the 1930s. The aerial views he created with large-format cameras are part strict documentation, part geometrical abstraction, and have served as detailed “topos” for climbers looking for new routes.
“My partners and I relied on those photos for our new route explorations in Alaska,” said Phil Powers, executive director of the American Alpine Club. “We owed so much to Brad that we named a route after him, the Washburn Face on Denali, which we climbed in 1988.”
Washburn, an honorary member of the AAC, was an active mountain climber and made a number of first ascents with guides in the Alps and with friends in North America. Now in his 90s, he has been honored by the Royal Geographic Society and the National Geographic Society.
SNOWBOARDING: Jewell shines in opener
Olympian Tyler Jewell of Massachusetts, a six-year veteran of the U.S. Snowboarding Team, won the opening U.S. Snowboarding Race to the Cup parallel giant slalom Monday at Copper Mountain to kick off the 2007 NorAm season, marking his eighth NorAm win. Aspen Olympian Chris Klug, who won the race last year, finished third behind Canadian Jasey Jay Anderson. Canadian Caroline Calve won the women’s race Monday. Today, the men and women race in the parallel slalom. The series moves to Steamboat Springs on Jan. 5-6 and finishes March 10-11 at Vermont’s Bromley Mountain.
CYCLING: Basso lands with Discovery
Giro d’Italia champion and would-be heir to the Lance Armstrong cycling throne, Ivan Basso of Italy, has joined Armstrong’s Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team.
“During Lance’s final Tours, Ivan pushed Lance to a new level, and we expect great things from him in 2007,” said Bill Stapleton, general manager of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, recently on the team’s website, thepaceline.com.
After finishing third in 2004 and second in 2005, Basso, who left his role as captain of the world’s top-ranked Team CSC last month, was among a group of several high-profile cyclists barred from the 2006 Tour de France on the eve of the event in an alleged blood-doping scandal. The heavy favorite to win last summer’s Tour was banned from racing or negotiating with any teams while the investigation was underway.
Basso got a temporary reprieve last month when Spanish authorities asked the evidence they uncovered during last summer’s “Operacion Puerto” sting not be used in proceedings against any riders until the investigation was concluded. As a result, proceedings by the Italian Cycling Federation were put on hold, allowing him to negotiate his new contract. The federation still may pursue the allegations. Meanwhile, Basso will join his new teammates in Austin, Texas, for a training camp in December.
ACTION SPORTS: X Games volunteers needed
The Winter X Games 11 staff is looking for volunteers for the annual action sports competition at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Jan. 24-28. Several day-long volunteer positions are available, including spectator services, crowd control, ushering, access control and credential checking. Winter X Games also offers the XCEL program, designed for individuals who are willing to volunteer every day from approximately 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Volunteers are expected to be proactive, helpful and knowledgeable hosts to spectators during their visit at the Winter X Games. In return, volunteers will be privy to Winter X Games apparel, sponsor goody bags, snacks and refreshments. They also will receive an invitation to the private X Games volunteer appreciation party at the end of the event. XCEL volunteers who make themselves available for the duration of the event will receive an extra Winter X Games token of appreciation.
The website www.xgamesvolunteers.com is accepting applications for daily and XCEL volunteers. Anyone interested in becoming a Winter X Games volunteer must be 18 years old by Jan. 24, 2007.
(COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS SCOTT WILLOUGHBY AND JASON BLEVINS)
