International Mtn Day - Index Benefit - Bham 12/11

Most people have no idea what the International Mountain Day is. We didn't know either. That is, until we got an email from the UIAA at the American Alpine Institute, reminding us about this important day.

To read more about the day, click on the following link:

www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/international-mountain-day

How could we not know about this?

How could we not know that there is an entire holiday dedicated to the world's mountains, and by extension, to the world's mountaineers, climbers and skiers?

So we thought, how better to celebrate International Mountain Day than by putting on a climbing oriented event and party? And what better thing to support with the money generated by the event than the Washington Climber's Coalition and the fund to buy Index in order to make it a permanent climber's park?

The details are still scarce, but the American Alpine Institute will be sponsoring an array of events in Bellingham on December 11th. We will be running rock rescue clinics at the rock wall at the YMCA in Bellingham all day on December 11th. The two-hour clinics -- with a market value of of over 70 dollars each -- will be run on a donation basis with all proceeds going to the Index fund. We are going to ask for a "what-you-can-afford" donation, with a recommendation of $25 per person.

We will be putting together a webpage to preregister for the clinics over the next week or so.

In the evening, we will have a slideshow/auction/raffle/party at New York Pizza and Bar in Bellingham. All proceeds from the raffle and the auction will go to the Index fund. In addition to that, 10% of all the food and alcohol receipts from the night will also be donated!

The details of this event are still coming together. We're hoping to bring you a lot more information on our International Mountain Day Festival and fundraiser in the very near future.

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to call us at 360-671-1505 or email info@aai.cc.

Jason

The International Mountain Day Index Benefit is almost on us. Our festival will run next week in Bellingham at the YMCA and at New York Pizza.

Rock Rescue Clinics

Our two-hour rescue clinics have a value of $80 each. We will be asking for a pay-what-you-can donation to attend the clinics, with a recommended donation of $25. Space is limited in the clinics and so we would like attendees to pre-register. This can be done at our International Mountain Day website at:

www.aai.cc/imd.asp

You will see a red button on the left-hand side, which says “Register Online.” Click on that to Register.

New York Pizza Party

At 8pm on December 11th, Alasdair Turner and Alan Kearny will do slideshows. Both of these individuals are absolutely fantastic mountain photographers and the slideshows will be nothing less than awesome.

Alasdair’s slideshow will be on “Ascents in the Alaska Range" and Alan’s show will be “The First Ascent of McMillian Spire’s Northeast Buttress and Climbs in the Pickets.”

Our auction will be very limited. We are going to auction off three guides who can work with you on whatever skills you’d like to work on. Each of them are donating a day to the cause. Two of the three are ski guides as well as mountain guides. All are proficient in teaching skills as varied as rock rescue to multi-pitch transitions to basic rock or ice. And all three are awesome people to hang out with. The value of a guide day with one of these individuals is $350.

The guides that we will be auctioning off are Forest McBrian, Kevin Hogan and Justin Wood.

Everybody who purchases one or more raffle tickets on site will get an evening ski pass for Stevens Pass as long as supplies last. However, if you would like to participate in the auction from afar, this is possible. Just give us a call at 360-671-1505.

Raffle tickets will be $5 each.

--Subscriptions to Rock and Ice
--Registration to Red Rock Rendezvous
--Matted Picture of Denali by Photographer Alasdair Turner
--AIARE Avalanche I Course
--Three Day Mount Baker Skills and Ascent
--Signed Copy of Classic Climbs of the Northwest
--Signed Copy of Washington Ice: A Climbing Guide
--Signed Copy of Fun Climbs Red Rocks: Topropes and Moderates
--Kayland Apex Rock Mountaineering Boots
--Petzl Rope and Harness
--Night at the Icicle Inn with 4 lift tickets package, Stevens Pass
--Day Pass Lift Tickets to Stevens Pass
--Ski gloves
--Giro Helmet
--TBD Nate Doggg Snowboard
--Headlamps
--More stuff from Black Diamond, Egear, and Alpine Aire.

We are getting more and more cool stuff donated to this event every day.

Current Event Sponsors Include:

Rock and Ice, Red Rock Rendezvous, New York Pizza, the YMCA, the Access Fund, Alpine Aire, Stevens Pass, Black Diamond, Egear and Petzl.

You can just show-up to either of the events, but be aware that space is limited.

If you have any questions, email info@aai.cc or call 360-671-1505 or log onto:

www.aai.cc/imd.asp

Jason

Bump

It's tomorrow!

Jason