Oakdale Climbers Festival 2014- A Woman's Reach

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phylp

Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
Oct 21, 2014 - 12:11pm PT
Thanks for the reports! Wish I could have been there.
goatboy smellz

climber
लघिमा
Oct 21, 2014 - 05:18pm PT
Good work Mimi & Steve and thanks for the photos Ed.
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Oct 21, 2014 - 06:24pm PT
XLNT WORK, STEVE & MIMI! SO SORRY to hear that there may not be another Oakdale Festival next year, but as Tom Frost said, "Stay tuned!"

Thanks so much to Ed Hartouni for his excellent pictures and summaries of the presenters!

Here are a few of my own pictures, mostly spontaneous snapshots of those whom I know or came to know best...


Unfortunately, the ST website is not accepting photos in the portrait format at the moment, so I'll try again later to submit my pictures of participants of this most wonderful event.

Thanks to all who attended. I was VERY PLEASED with the presentations and especially with the variety of ways that many of the women presenters have taken their passions into various non-profit organizations that are helping to make this world a better place, rather than just remaining in a self-absorbed place, content with their own "happiness."






LongAgo

Trad climber
Oct 22, 2014 - 11:41am PT
Ken,

Agreed! Look forward to more pics.

Probably enough climbing stories in the three pictured to do at least one panel next year.

Got to say however, this year will be hard act to follow!

Tom
LongAgo
rockgeir

Trad climber
Tucson, AZ
Oct 23, 2014 - 07:47pm PT
Thanks for a fantastic event filled with inspiring people!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2014 - 01:26pm PT
The Oakdale Festival was amazing this year and hats off to the ladies for stepping up and proudly letting those present know about themselves and their accomplishments.

Audrey Salkeld did a stupendous and admirably thorough historical survey of women's climbing history going all the way back to get the event going and then Team Annapurna blew everyone away with their engaging and intimate discussion of the ground breaking 1978 American Women's Himalayan Expedition on the 36th anniversary of their success. Very inspiring to feel the power of these women and the unique bond that they have forged in the high mountains together. Still leading by example decades later.

Plenty to admire and appreciate about each and every speaker on Saturday and Sunday with the last panel of Mayan Smith-Gobat, Madaleine Sorkin and Heidi Wirtz providing the perfect bridge to the present. Mayan's video of climbing the Salathe Headwall had everyone's undivided attention.

The service orientation and projects that many of the speakers have initiated were perhaps the most impressive aspect of their presentations.

Good friendship, mutual appreciation and respect filled the hall with glory as it has for the past two years and many friendships were renewed and rekindled and new ones started.

I will be savoring this Festival for a very long time and thanks for the praise and support coming from the ST stalwarts. Mimi and I really appreciate it!

The lucky folks in the house had all they could want and everyone that stayed home missed a fantastic and memorable gathering.

We will hopefully be back in Oakdale in two years time for more historical fun.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Oct 25, 2014 - 05:31pm PT
...everyone that stayed home missed a fantastic and memorable gathering.

I think it was even more than that, it was a historic gathering, the likes of which may not happen again. Were it to, though, I'd definitely make an effort to be in the house!

Thanks again Steve and Mimi, it's so rare that our passions are so generously shared with the community, your's are through these gatherings and enrich all of us.

SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
Oct 26, 2014 - 04:44pm PT
This really was an event that has resonated deeply with me and I am so happy I got to be there for much of it. I very much concur with the synopsis that many of the previous posters wrote about. It was a very meaningful and significant event.

I was absolutely taken by Audrey Salkeld and her presentation. In fact, by 10:30, long after the posted closing, people were still asking questions and wanting to talk more. The early climbing exploits of the women she talked about were nothing short of striking. Trailblazers hardly begins to describe the uniqueness of what these women did.

I was especially looking forward to the discussions on Saturday. These were women who are my contemporaries as to generation (I can't come close to them in climbing). I knew of some of them, especially the women who climbed Annapurna and had "heard" of some of the others. These were women that were just doing something that they loved. Some stumbled into it, others, like the Annapurna women were very calculating about what they were going to do. It was evident there was not ego involved and none of them,with the exception of the Annuapurna women, felt like they were doing anything that would result in lifelong recognition. Clear to me the was that the Annapurna women and the other climbers entered into it with just a passion to do it. The Annapurna women knew, of course, they would be recognized in the media but it was clear this had little to do with their motivation to do the climb. They all had a love, a passion, a great interest in doing what they did.

My biggest "take away" was that these women, some even older than me, continue to live a rich, robust and rewarding life. They went on to have wonderful careers, families and know how to shake every last nugget out of living. Climbing did not "define" their lives, rather climbing became part of a much larger definition of their well lived lives. They certainly don't live in the past. Their lives appear to be as vital now as they were then. If ever you wanted to see women who know how to live in the "here and now" this was the group.

Unfortunately, due to travel plans I was not able to be there Saturday night and Sunday. Luckily Ed and others have done a great job summarizing those discussions.

Random pics from the event:
Audrey, incredible historian

Audrey and Ed....two historians

Maria Cranor, Rosie Andrews and Kitty Calhoun

There were guys there in the corner.
Tom Frost, Russ McLean, Don Luria, ???Phillips

Mike catching up with some early years climbing friends, Maria and Sibylle

Irene Beardsley who worked with Mike at IBM for many years

The Annuapurna women
Annie Whitehouse, Christy Tews, Arlene Blum and Irene Beardsley

Cherry Schacher

What a wonderful event.
Thank you so much Steve and Mimi.
This one will certainly stay with me for a very long time.

Susan


Jane Levy

Trad climber
CA
Oct 26, 2014 - 10:19pm PT
It was truly great to be invited to speak at the Festival in company with so many amazing women climbers. Thanks to Steve and Mimi for asking me to come and for being so helpful and organized! I enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people there.

One little correction; a photo posted by SC sea goat of a man in a denim shirt talking to Irene Beardsley is labeled Mike (Sherrick). It is actually a photo of my husband, Daniel Levy, who came and listened to everyone with great pleasure and interest.

Here are a few photos to share. [photo[photo[photoid=383962]id=383960]id=383958]


Jane Levy

Trad climber
CA
Oct 26, 2014 - 10:21pm PT
Jane Levy

Trad climber
CA
Oct 26, 2014 - 10:23pm PT
Jane Levy

Trad climber
CA
Oct 26, 2014 - 10:25pm PT
Jane Levy

Trad climber
CA
Oct 26, 2014 - 10:28pm PT
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
Oct 27, 2014 - 08:00am PT
Jane, thank you for posting such wonderful pictures. And, for sharing your story.
Thank you for your identification of the gentleman talking with Irene. What I did a poor job of meaning is that my partner, a "Mike" had worked for many years with Irene at IBM. I actually didn't know the man in the picture! But now I do!

I'm glad you posted and again want to thank you for taking part in an event that has had great resonance for me. The vitality that still imbues your life, and of the others, is a rich reminder of how much there is still to live and love.

Thanks again!

Susan
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Oct 27, 2014 - 09:11am PT
"Tom Frost, Russ McLean, Don Luria, ???Phillips "

that would be Jim Phillips... who I always thank for his generosity in sending me many issues of Mountain magazine (including a xerox copy of issue 1).

LongAgo

Trad climber
Nov 6, 2014 - 01:07pm PT
Susan said of the presenters:

"They certainly don't live in the past. Their lives appear to be as vital now as they were then. If ever you wanted to see women who know how to live in the "here and now" this was the group."

Amen.

Tom Higgins
LongAgo
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 9, 2015 - 04:57pm PT
Bump for a memorable gathering that I am still savoring.

A wealth of experience, wisdom and inspiration in every speaker that came and shared themselves with us. We are very fortunate to have such a splendid community to draw from and this Festival really delivered. I asked everyone to put their climbing in the context of the rest of their lives and was beyond pleased to hear how well they handled that assignment!

Big kudos to the speakers for directing their energies into service projects to help out and share their passions with folks that can benefit and truly appreciate the deep grace and compassion that we can offer each other in the infinite present.
Powder

Trad climber
the Flower Box
Mar 9, 2015 - 06:31pm PT
:]

Lynne Leichtfuss

Trad climber
Will know soon
Mar 9, 2015 - 06:52pm PT
So very sorry I missed this absolutely great gig. My Mom was seriously ill or I would have been there.

Just read most of the posts, loved the pictures and
wondering why next year may not happen?

Applause and Hugs to Steve and Mimi for pulling off 3 (?) years of wonderment in Oakdale. lynnie
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 9, 2015 - 06:59pm PT
I need to keep the year clear to get the Frost book on its way and get NACHA in motion.

We aren't finished with the Oakdale Festival. It just may be every other year moving forward and we need stronger sponsorship so I have some work to do.
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