Goshawk 2012 Spring - Clair Tappaan Lodge

Spring 2012
THE SIERRA CLUB NEWSLETTER FROM CLAIR TAPPAAN LODGE (CTL)
P.O. BOX 36, NORDEN, CA 95724 – PHONE: 530-426-3632
IN SHORT
By Pat Mikkelsen, editor; member of the Clair Tappaan
Lodge (CTL) committee.
Theme Weekends
The CTL Committee is once again planning and
organizing several "theme" weekends to attract people to
the Lodge. There will be opera appreciation, plein-air art,
yoga, and fly fishing. These two-day events were very
successful last year and helped bring people to the Lodge
during the slower seasons. We also have High Sierra
Serenity with a 12-step focus and daily hikes, from June
24 to June 29, among other events (see page 7).
Weddings, Reunions, Retreats, Meetings
Weddings have been popular at the Lodge this year. You
get the entire place for the wedding party to celebrate,
drink, and stay. The reviews have been great, and folks
love the price! (see page 5). Book the Lodge for a weekend
event or weekday business meetings, and add a wilderness
hike and three great meals a day.
Lots of Pictures
Into the Woods Fundraiser
Rich Johns has created a web page full of pictures of the
Lodge – check it out and add your own:
http://sierraclubatdonnersummit.shutterfly.com.
Also, check us out on:
http://www.facebook.com/clairtappaanlodge
We have an $8,000 goal for this year’s fundraiser!! Please
join us August 17-19 for some great music, wine, hikes,
lectures, tasty food, and a good time (see page 2).
$$$ 2011 Finances $$$
The end-of-year financials showed occupancy at Clair
Tappaan up 5.5% over the previous year. However, the
overall balance was in the red.
Emailing the Goshawk
We need your email address for the Goshawk so we can
eventually stop sending out paper copies. Please send to
[email protected].
Send us your thoughts about Clair Tappaan
Contribute to the Goshawk. Write about your adventures
at the Lodge and send your thoughts and opinions to the
editor ([email protected]) and post your comments
and photos on our Facebook page.
Spring 2012
INTO THE WOODS AUGUST FUNDRAISER
SAVE THE DATE – AUGUST 17 - 19
This year’s fundraiser focuses on hikes in the beautiful
Sierra Nevada around the Lodge, which have proven
to be a popular part of these weekends. Hikes will
include a short walk to Lake Flora for swimming,
trekking to the top of Castle Peak, taking the Mount
Judah loop, travelling through old railway tunnels,
among others.
A Friday afternoon hike will be followed by dinner,
and then a talk by Bill Oudegeest of the Donner
Summit Historical Society. He will tell us about
Tunnel 6, part of the 1867 Transcontinental Railway
at Donner Summit. We’ll end the evening with
s’mores and brandy around the campfire.
THE CTL COMMITTEE
The Clair Tappaan Lodge Committee is a group of
people committed to preserving the Lodge. They meet
a few times a year, have conference calls, and organize
the fundraiser and theme weekends. Their goal is for a
year-round Lodge with a focus on educational
programming for school children. Committee
members have been marketing and pursuing all
possibilities to increase occupancy. Below are
comments from some Committee members about
their experiences at the Lodge.
We will also have a silent art auction for paintings
created by Susan Barry’s Plein Air art classes.
After long Saturday hikes,
imagine drinking wine with
cheese, relaxing beneath the
trees, and listening to a cello
being beautifully played in
the woods. On Saturday
afternoon, at Hutchinson
Lodge, David Eby will
perform on the cello. David
made his public debut as a
cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony at age 16. He has
since performed around the world.
After the wine and music, join us for a walk along the
Brody Memorial Trail, named in honor of Joel Brody,
a former CTL Committee member (see page 5).
After a very special dinner, our Saturday evening
speaker is Harry Weldon who will discuss his
involvement in the construction of CTL’s wing
additions. An eloquent speaker, at 83 he still serves as
a ski patroller! We will then have music in the living
room that will make you want to get up and dance.
Please join us for a fun weekend, make new friends,
and help raise money for the Lodge. (check
http//ctl.sierraclub.org – Activities - Into the Woods).
CTL Committee meeting at the Lodge – from left: Pat Mikkelsen,
Peter Lemkuhl (Lodge Manager), Rich Johns, Jerry Risk, Diane
Boyer, Jane Risk, Wally Juchert, Ernie Malamud, Olivia Diaz.
Diane Boyer
I was introduced to the charm of Clair Tappaan Lodge
by friends about 25 years ago and have returned every
year since. I love the rustic simplicity, the camaraderie,
the feeling of community and cooperation, and the
locale in the very heart of nature. As a youngster I
enjoyed camping and summers spent at my family’s
cabin near Echo Lake. Later I enjoyed backpacking
and now snowshoeing.
I joined the CTL Committee in 2004 and became
Secretary. Later I shared the role of Chair with others,
and now serve as Chair on my own. I hope to help
CTL continue operating as a recreational and
educational center for our current users and our
upcoming generations of environmentalists. I would
like to see the Lodge become a non-profit center for
learning and practicing the Sierra Club’s motto to
“explore, enjoy and protect the planet.”
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Spring 2012
I spent many hours helping renovate Hutchinson
Lodge and have attended several artist workshops at
CTL, as well as volunteering for most of the
fundraisers. The Lodge has become my second home
and last year I averaged one weekend per month there.
I heed John Muir’s message: “The mountains are
calling and I must go.”
Ernie Malamud
My involvement with CTL began in 1951 while I was
an undergraduate at Berkeley. From learning to ski
using the old Signal Hill Rope tow, I progressed to
climbing numerous mountains including Denali in
1981.
I joined the CTL Committee in 2004 in reaction to
news that the Sierra Club leadership was considering
selling the Lodge and its 90-acre campus. As Chair,
and with the participation of lots of others, we
forestalled, at least for now, the misguided attempt to
sell Clair Tappaan Lodge, Hutchinson Lodge, and
several of the wonderful parcels of land. As a
committee member, I chaired or co-chaired six
successful August fundraisers, maintained the CTL
web site for several years, edited a five-year Strategic
Plan and a few Goshawks, and participated actively in
committee meetings and undertakings. I still do, and
currently maintain the Activities web page.
Olivia Diaz
My husband Ernie Malamud introduced me to CTL
in 1981 as part of our courtship. I was taken with the
Lodge, as well as with him. In subsequent years he
introduced me to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada.
We moved to Nevada City in 2000 and visited the
Lodge for Thanksgiving. We brought grandchildren to
the mountains to learn to enjoy skiing and snow play.
When we heard the Lodge was in danger of being sold
by the Sierra Club leadership, we jumped into
working with the CTL Committee.
My contribution has been mainly in the area of
publicity but later I co-chaired the CTL Committee
with Diane Boyer for two years. I have been involved
in each of the August fundraisers and continue to be
an active member of the committee.
Jane and Jerry Risk:
Jerry and I are both retired teachers. As members of
the Lodge Committee, our main focus has been to
increase the number of educational and youth
programs at Clair Tappaan Lodge. In the 1980s I
brought my middle school students to the Lodge each
winter for a snow trip. Since 2008 we have organized
and led two Sierra Club National Outings based at the
Lodge: ‘Painting Along the Sierra Trails’ and ‘Just for
Grandparents & Grandkids’. I am also the
administrator for a Lodge-based Elderhostel/Sierra
Club intergenerational program. For the past twentyfive years Jerry and I have been bringing our children,
grandchildren, and many of our friends to the Lodge.
We love its warm, welcoming feeling, the comfortable
living room and library, the family-style meals, and the
interesting people we meet there – people who share
our love of hiking in the Sierra and swimming in
mountain lakes. Clair Tappaan Lodge is our ‘home
away from home.’
Wally Juchert
Since I've been on the committee it has had six
different people as chairperson. When Kathy Wells
took over as chair, she asked us to specify our interest
and commit time. I chose to concentrate on
Hutchinson Lodge. Along with the help of many
volunteers I was able to apply carpentry, electrical, and
plumbing skills to make Hutch more comfortable and
safe. When California started writing environmental
education guidelines, I collected as much information
as I could until committee member Jane Risk
spearheaded environmental education at the Lodge. I
support that effort with a monthly contribution.
Through my years on the committee I've come to
understand the great contribution that those who
preceded us made. Volunteers built the Lodge on
Forest Service Land with a 99-year lease. Lincoln
Hutchinson bought property and along with his group
of friends built Hutchinson Lodge. When Lincoln and
his friends grew too old to enjoy the Lodge, they gave
it and the land to the Sierra Club. In the mid 1950s
the Sierra Club did a land swap with the Forest
Service so that part of the Hutchinson property to the
north became Forest Service land and the Forest
Service land on which CTL, Cal, and Heidelman
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Spring 2012
lodges sat became Sierra Club land. We owe a great
debt to all the volunteers and most especially to
Lincoln Hutchinson. If not for his contribution
CTL's lease would expire in another 11 years.
Hutchinson and CTL are old and need major
renovations. We who have used and enjoyed the
lodges for years will be called upon to “pay it forward”
for the use and enjoyment of future generations.
Rick Ramos
I was first introduced to the Lodge when I assisted on
a National Trip in 1992 and was immediately hooked.
I have lead trips at the Lodge for many years and
volunteered to coordinate the hikes at our fundraisers.
I truly feel that the Lodge is not only a part of the
club’s history, but an icon of what we represent.
Barbara Berg
A relative newcomer to the Lodge, I began coming
seven to eight years ago when a friend invited me to
try my hand at snowshoeing. Instantly hooked, I fell
in love with the Lodge, the people, and the snowcovered surroundings. I have been returning on a
regular basis since and joined the Clair Tappaan
Lodge committee earlier this year.
When I’m not snowshoeing, I enjoy hiking, reading,
travel, and scuba diving. I hold professional dive
certifications, dive for the Monterey Bay aquarium,
and my scientific expedition diving gained me
admission into the highly regarded Explorers Club in
2008.
By day, I’m a psychotherapist and organizational
consultant in private practice in Carmel. In April I
purchased a piano, fulfilling a long held dream of
returning to a passion of childhood. I hope not to
disturb my neighbors in this pursuit.
Stepan and Jing Chen Stadler
We joined the Clair Tappaan Committee January
2011. We live and work in Folsom and started visiting
the Lodge in winter 2004, after Jing read about it in a
newsletter that had detailed information on the crosscountry skiing places in the North Lake Tahoe and
Truckee areas. We like to visit the Lodge in
wintertime for skiing, and in the summer and fall
seasons for hiking. We also like to participate in the
yearly fund-raising and “Theme Hike” weekends in
August. In addition, for the past few years, we stayed
at the Lodge during Thanksgiving weekend. It is really
fun to enjoy a delicious meal with good company, and
then go hiking (or in some years, snow-shoeing) to
walk off the extra calories!
Last year, with the help and support from CTL
Committee Chair Diane, Lodge manager Peter, hike
leader Rick, friends, Lodge volunteers, and the Lodge
staff, we organized a Tai-Chi, Yoga, and Hiking
weekend at the Lodge in September. We enjoyed the
experience very much and plan to do another “Yoga
and Hiking” weekend in October this year. Please
check the CTL website (http//ctl.sierraclub.org) for
event details in the next month or so. Thank you!
Pat Mikkelsen
The view of the south face of Clair Tappan Lodge in a
Sierra Club newsletter advertising an August
fundraiser caught my eye. I thought it looked like a
beautiful, intriguing place and I decided to check it
out. I found out the Sierra Club was thinking of
selling this beautiful Sierra building, so I joined the
committee to save the Lodge. I eventually took on
editing the Goshawk, preparing the quarterly financial
report, and helping to organize the fundraiser. I have
met some wonderful people who are dedicated to the
Lodge, and I truly
admire all they do. I
also have a great
base for winter visits
to
the
Sierra,
avoiding the heavy
Tahoe traffic!
Just wanted to add
our
thanks
to
Committee member
Rich Johns,
who
for many years has
done so much work
to keep the Lodge in
good repair. The list
of his tasks every month is amazing. He also puts on a
great New Year’s Eve party.
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Spring 2012
HELLO FELLOW SERVICE TRIPPERS
It's been over six months since we met at Clair
Tappaan Lodge for our week of service work at the
Lodge and our play days in the Sierra (Work and Play
at Clair Tappaan to improve the health of the forest:
http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/brochure
/12324a.aspx). I hope you've had pleasant travels and
adventures since then.
Our work had a major impact on the Lodge. The new
trail that we built has been officially designated the
Brody Memorial Trail. It's named in honor of Joel
Brody, a long-time volunteer at the Lodge and leader
of the Work and Play trip in 2010, who passed away
in 2011. Joel was especially interested in protecting
and enhancing the forest around the Lodge. Since the
purpose of the trail was to provide access to those
enormous Jeffrey pines, it seemed very appropriate to
name the trail in Joel's honor.
This summer, on Saturday, August 18, there will be a
dedication ceremony at the Lodge that will officially
christen our trail. I invite all of you to attend to enjoy
the experience of having your hard work recognized in
such a meaningful way. It would be wonderful to see
you again, but if you want to attend you should make
plans soon. It will be a busy weekend at the Lodge
and all the overnight accommodations will fill quickly.
I suggest you contact the Lodge directly to make your
reservations. Here's the link: http://ctl. sierraclub.org
By the way, the 2012 Work & Play trip is scheduled to
run August 19-25. Does anyone want to come back
for another year of service, or for the first time? If so,
please reserve a space soon because there are only four
spaces left.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that
it is not fish they are after.
-Tom Brown
Lynchburg, VA.
WEDDINGS AT THE LODGE
I would like to thank Peter and the staff at the
Claire Tappaan Lodge for making the Little
wedding on April 21 a fantastic success and
experience. This was my first visit to the Lodge and
hopefully, not my last. Peter and the crew handled
the 120+ crowd professionally and with good
humor. Everyone was very helpful. The food was
great. Everything was done in a very timely manner.
I will gladly recommend the Claire Tappaan Lodge
to anyone for any occasion. Again, many thanks,
especially to Peter.
Tony Sanell
(cousin to the groom from Arizona)
GEOTOURISM MAP
The new Sierra Nevada Geotourism Map Guide is both
an interactive website (www.sierranevadageotourism.
org) and a print map. What’s different about
“geotourism” guides is that they focus on genuine
experiences and places recommended by locals and
that most directly benefit
local
economies
and
cultures. It is available at
the general store, the
Summit restaurant, or the
Donner Summit Historical
Society in Soda Springs.
The
20-Mile
Museum
(http://www.donnersummit
historicalsociety.org/pages/
20milemuseum.html),
which
includes
Clair
Tappaan
Lodge,
is
highlighted.
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Spring 2012
STONEBRIDGE-WALDORF SCHOOL VISITED IN
MARCH WITH A GRANT FROM THE CTL
SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
At Clair Tappaan Lodge, my class had a blast. We
thought it was really fun. It was fun sleeping in the
cabin with friends, on a triple bunk bed! It’s a great
place to bring your class, friends, family, and more!
It’s also fun how you get to help in the kitchen and
how for lunch, you make your food put it in a paper
bag and take it with you for the day!
I loved my class trip to Clair Tappan! Four stars and
thumbs up!
Ben, 5th Grade
On February 29, my class went to Clair Tappaan
Lodge. It was a long drive from Napa. The first day we
arrived people were sledding down a huge hill! Later
that night in the dining room a nice man rang a bell
and explained the rules and responsibilities at Clair
Tappaan to my class.
The next day all the boys in my class had to wake up at
6:30 am and be at the kitchen by 6:45 am to do
chores. At 7 am we made our lunch. All the girls came
down at 7:30 and were still in their pajamas and
looked liked they were hungry. At 8:30 we finished
breakfast and got our snow gear on and went on a
snowshoe hike.
When we got back everyone was served a tasty meal. I
was so tired I went to bed at 7:30. The next morning
we had a yummy breakfast and we left.
Tell your friends and family to go to Clair Tappaan
Lodge!!!
This year for one of our field-trips, my 5th grade class
went to the Clair Tappaan Lodge. We stayed there for
a couple days. Although we were only there for a short
time, I had lots of fun!
Jack, 5th Grade
Our class had a snow ball fight, and that was pretty
fun! (I got hit in the face!) We also went sledding right
outside the Lodge! The sledding was my favorite thing
we did on our trip. I was so glad that I got to go on
this wonderful trip.
Nathan,, 5th Grade
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Spring 2012
CLAIR TAPPAAN LODGE CALENDAR 2012
(for more information, go to:
http//ctl.sierraclub.org)
June 15 – 17 - Land Navigation Workshop
Learn or polish navigational skills using map,
compass, GPS receivers, and altimeters.
June 24 – 29 - High Sierra Serenity
Clair Tappaan Lodge's longest running program – 20
years! Powerful and life-affirming twelve-step meetings
are held each morning followed by glorious group
hikes in the Donner Summit area.
July 15 – 21 - Outing - All in the Family, A
Multigenerational Adventure in Tahoe National
Forest
Hike and explore the Tahoe National Forest - Enjoy
arts and crafts, and evening campfires - Raft a
mountain stream, skate, swim, and horseback ride.
July 15 – 21 - National Outing - Painting Along the
Sierra Trails, Tahoe National Forest
Explore the outdoors and create works of art.
July 22 – 28 - Sierra Club National Outing Introduction to Backpacking in the High Sierra
Learn how to become a confident backpacker - Split
your nights between a cozy lodge and camping near
beautiful lakes.
July 22 – 28 - National Outing - Learn and Play: Fly
Fishing, Hiking, and Kayaking in the Sierra
Learn basic fly fishing skills, then use them in snowfed mountain streams - Learn kayaking skills on Lake
Tahoe, the world's most beautiful kayaking classroom Hike among an explosion of wildflowers while bagging
peaks in the Sierra Nevada
July 22 – 27 - Road Scholar - Make the Mountains
Glad. An Intergenerational Adventure
Explore the crest of spectacular Donner Summit -- the
early trade routes, emigrant trails, stagecoach roads
and Transcontinental Railroad tunnels. - Kayak, swim
or relax on the shores of Donner Lake and Lake
Tahoe. - Ride the tram to the top of Squaw Valley for
a day of swimming, skating, and hiking.
July 29 – August 3 - Sierra Club National Outing Just for Grandparents and Grandkids
Due to popular demand a second section of this trip is
now being offered at the same time.
August 12 – 18 - National Outing - Mountain
Medley, Tahoe National Forest
Explore the rich natural and pioneer history of the
Donner-Tahoe area
August 19 – 25 - National Outing Service Trip Work and Play at Clair Tappaan Lodge, Tahoe
National Forest
Improve the environment around Clair Tappaan
Lodge by rehabilitating the forest, restoring streams, or
maintaining nature trails.
September 16 – 22 - National Outing - 50+ Ridge
Top Rambles, Tahoe National Forest
September 27 – 30 - Plein Air Retreat for Artists
Led by Nevada City artist Susan Barry, you will be
introduced to outdoor painting in the mountains.
September 28 – 30 - Fly Fishing
The outing is designed for total beginners but all are
welcome.
October 5 – 7 - Opera in the Mountains: An Encore!
Imagine this: you wake up to the smell of brewing
coffee and the sound of great music—Verdi, Puccini,
and many of the great composers that you love.
October 13, 1 – 4 pm - Wine Tasting
Join us for an inspiring afternoon exploring new wines
and making new friends. Local wine expert Dave Luce
will guide us through a selection of California wines.
October 12 – 14 - Yoga and Hiking
A sold-out weekend in 2011! There is nothing quite
like practicing yoga outdoors. The warm sunshine and
alpine light blend with the sound of the wind blowing
through the pines.
November 22 - Thanksgiving Dinner
December 31 - Gala New Year Eve Party
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Spring 2012
Clair Tappaan Lodge
P.O. Box 36, Norden, CA 95724
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
(go to http//ctl.sierraclub.org and click on “Activities” for more information)
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•
•
•
•
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High Sierra Serenity
Into the Woods Fundraiser
Plein Air Artist Retreat
Fly Fishing
Opera in the Mountains
Wine Tasting and Music
Yoga and Hiking
June 24-29
August 17-19
September 27-30
September 28-30
October 5-7
October 13
October 12-14
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