Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Neal Keefer, 1947–2018

Longtime Mazama Neal Keefer passed away suddenly on December 5, 2018, while on a bike ride. He was 71 years old. Born in Portland, he attended Sunset High School, Portland State University, and earned an Engineering Degree from Portland Community College. He made a career in design and management working for area shipping and manufacturing companies.

Neal joined the Mazamas in 1982 after completing a Mazamas Basic School climb of Mount Hood. Over the next thirty years, Neal was active across the organization. In 1988 he joined the Lodge Committee, where he served until 1993. In 1991 Neal started leading hikes for the Mazamas, he led twenty-six hikes over the next twenty-one years. In 1995, Neal became a Mazama climb leader and over the next ten years he led, or assisted on, climbs up peaks across the Northwest.

In 1994 Neal joined the Conservation Committee. As chairman, he tackled a diverse array of issues ranging from testifying against the expansion of the urban growth boundary, protesting the Forest Services timber sale at Enola Hill, supporting the Oregon Clean Streams Initiative, and combatting the expansion of Mt. Hood Meadows ski area. Neal’s efforts on the Conservation Committee earned him great respect among the Mazamas and they showed their appreciation by awarding him the Montague Conservation Award in 1997. He later rejoined the Conservation Committee in 2004 and helped co-organize and run the Melting Mountains Conference in 2007, which first brought awareness of Global Warming issues on glaciers and mountains to the Mazamas.

In 2008 Neal joined the Outings Committee, served on the Mazama Mountaineering Center’s Solar Panel Task Force and was an instructor for the Nordic Ski School. Neal also served on the Bylaws Committee in 2011 and the Governing Documents Committee in 2012. He will be deeply missed by the Mazamas community.

There will be a memorial service for Neal on December 29th at 4:00 pm at the Milwaukie Community Club, 10666 SE 42nd, Milwaukie (SE 42nd and Jackson). His family asks that any remembrances be given in the form of funds or elbow grease to environmental preservation causes. 

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Lewis McArthur | May 22, 1917–Aug. 29, 2018

by Craig Chisholm, Mazama Lifetime Member

The Oregonian had a well-written article, worth reading, describing the accomplishments of this remarkable, good, honest and honorable man: historian, compiler of Oregon Geographic Names, mountaineer, and more. I wish to add for our particular audience a description of what I saw of his life as a mountaineer.

Lewis McArthur and my father, Colin Chisholm, a fellow member and a past president of the Mazamas, were the best of friends. From my earliest days, I can recall my father speaking of “an outing with Lew this weekend if the weather permits.” Those two mountaineers led myself and others on wonderful adventures into the hills, climbing, hiking, and camping. These were always of some effort, sometimes wet and cold character builders, and ever lessons on the skills of mountaineering and of conversation. It was during that “second golden age of mountaineering,” when the first ascents were being made of the last great peaks when permits and passes were unknown, and the height of conservation was to burn your trash and bury your cans.

I can recall many stories told by Lew and his friends of the “greatest generation” about their times in the war, particularly of Lew’s days as an army intelligence officer in the wind-swept Aleutians, awaiting a landing from the Japanese grand fleet. History, politics, and poetry, of which Lew had a great store from memory, as well as manners, climates, fire-building, and governments were among the topics. All the while there was the teaching of the ways of the mountains: routes, considerations of equipment--mostly WWII surplus, the weather, technique, and the conditions of the mountains. Sometimes, after safely down to the timber after an unsuccessful attempt but sulking in our tents, he would philosophize that “the mountain will still be there.” These were happy times, filled with the best of memories.

When last we spoke Lew was delighted to recall those memories in the mountains. He smiled as they crossed his mind. He didn’t have a favorite peak he said, each climb was remarkable in its own way. He also gave the advice that if you climb without haste, plan well, and take care to every step you can pretty much go anywhere. In all our adventures he would follow Edmund Whymper’s sage words, from the first golden age of mountaineering:

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”

One climb, which I most indelibly recall, toward the end of Lew’s climbing career, was a glorious climb of Hungabee, above Lake Louise. In perfect weather, he led us across the mountain’s face on narrow ledges that dropped off to eternity. Approaching the summit, we both mistook the route and ended up at a strikingly steep pitch. To my immense relief, Lew thought better of it, we retraced our steps and successfully tried a more cunning and prudent approach. In all our years, though sometimes cold and damp, we never had a serious accident nor a cross word. Lew was a good companion in our close community of mountaineers. He had a remarkable intellect and was a reliable, steady climber.
The times we had together in the mountains were one of the greatest of life’s gifts. But all created things change. We may grow old, even too old, but still remain the pleasant memories of the days in the hills.

Lewis L. McArthur joined the Mazamas in 1964 and was a member until 1987. In 1991 wrote an article titled “Silcox Hut: then and now” for the 1991 Mazama Annual. Many will remember him as the featured speaker at the Mazamas Centennial Celebration in 1994. Besides the Mazamas, Lewis was also a member of the Alpine Club of Canada and the American Alpine Club.