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Meetings are held the last Tuesday of the month
(except June, July, August, and December)
7:00 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community Center.

June 25, 2019 - OUR ANNUAL PICNIC

The Social Event of the season! We gather between 5:00 and 6:00 P.M. and the pizza arrives at 6:30 P.M. (Hint: don't be too late or it will be all gone). Come to Magnuson Park on Lake Washington and look for shelter #1. Some of us will be coming early to hold the table.

2018-2019 Meeting Schedule
If you have any ideas for programs please contact
Ann Kruse or Linda Roubik

September 25, 2018 - Diablo and Ross Lakes

On September 1st through 4th, 2017 Oskar Hinz led a SSKC trip to Diablo and Ross Lakes in North Cascades National Park. Come hear SSKC member Norm Nielson recount their adventures among glacier-covered peaks and waterfalls plunging directly into the lakes. This is a highly recommended and spectacular trip not too far from home.

October 30, 2018 - 1 Narrows, 2 Straits and a Sound: Circumnavigation of Kupreanof Island

Join us for the latest trip with Geezer Kayaking Expeditions as they explore the Alexander Archipelago. This time they toured around Kupreanof Island in Southeast Alaska. See examples of hard camping, hard living, and tough paddling in the Great AlaskanWilderness. Best of all the wine didn't run out during the trip. Presented by SSKC member, Jim Corson.

November 27, 2018 - Misty Fjords

Misty Fjords National Monument lies east of Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska. Charlie and Melda Montgomery, club members from Oregon, put together a trip around Revillagigedo Island. Ketchikan is on Revillagigedo and, because he grew up there, it had long been Charlie's desire to do a trip around the island. Five other club members joined them a week into their circumnavigation, on the edge of and going into Misty Fjords National Monument. Presented by SSKC member, Eric Matson.

December 2018 - No Meeting

January 26, 2019 - The Annual Trip-Planning Party

No, it's not a meeting as such - but it is probably the club's most important event of the year: our annual trip planning party. Know of a spectacular vista? Have an idea for a fun, community-oriented paddle? Want to share your favorite rock garden? Just want to learn more about what's involved in leading a trip? Come! Have pizza with us! Urban Duwamish explorer, Olympic Peninsula surfer, Friday Harbor daytripper, or hardcore WWTA trekker - it doesn't matter. We need all levels of participation, and would love for you to come. See the newsletter for details!

February 26, 2019 - Two Trips on the Green River, Utah

Imagine paddling, floating, and meandering down a 98 mile stretch of the Green River in Utah for 9 days, from a launch site at Ruby Ranch, near the town of Green River, to Spanish Bottom, just below the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. During this smooth-water adventure you experience ever-deepening canyons displaying the earthy colors of sandstone, limestone, and shale, accented by spectacular red buttes, mesas and spires, enhanced by the beautiful effects of early-morning and late-afternoon light.

You spend your lazy time on the water naming the animal shapes you see in the rock formations, looking for rock formation landmarks named by early explorers, and trying to spot Anasazi archeological sites along the river. You camp on exposed sand bars, and hike into canyons to see cliff dwellings and other evidence of ancient cultures and of expeditions by early explorers in the 1800s.

Our February program will help you imagine all of this with presentations by two SSKC groups who made this trip last year: Bill Sobieralski led a group of 9 on a trip in early May, and Oskar Hinz led a different group of 9 in September. Come to see some beautiful pictures, vicariously enjoy temperatures of up to 113 degrees F, and learn about flocculating.

March 26, 2019 - Exposed Coast Kayaking Near Sitka, Alaska

Every year George and Barb Gronseth, owners of Kayak Academy in Issaquah, run a ten-day "Exposed Coast Kayak Expedition Training" course starting in Sitka, Alaska. The course description begins, "If you dream of ocean swells, sea cliffs, outer coasts, islands, and wilderness camping, make the dream come true..." They will present a video of last year's course, which included:

• Seven advanced students led by George and Barb
• Eight days of paddling outer coast conditions and playing in rock gardens on the Pacific side of Baranof Island
• One storm
• And only one totalled kayak (on the first day)

April 30, 2019 - Explore Croatia

Enjoy an evening exploring Croatia and the spectacular crystal clear turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea. There were many beautiful days of kayaking and exploring on this 11 day trip. In Croatia, they call the wind Bora. On high wind days even the roads along the Adriatic are closed. On these windy days we shared alternative activities: river kayaking, caving and hiking.

Come and get the full story of adventure in this wonderful country, presented by SSKC member Marlla Mhoon

May 28, 2019 - From Quatsino to Tofino along the West Coast of Vancouver Island

In the summer of 2018, SSKC Member Tom Unger led a Mountaineer's trip from Quatsino to Tofino along the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The group traveled over 200 miles down the coast, rounding the Brooks and Hesquiat peninsulas. Nothing significant went wrong, which leaves Tom in the difficult position of having no epic stories come out of this trip.

Come and find out how he resolves this predicament!

June 25, 2019 - OUR ANNUAL PICNIC

The Social Event of the season! We gather between 5:00 and 6:00 P.M. and the pizza arrives at 6:30 P.M. (Hint: don't be too late or it will be all gone). Come to Magnuson Park on Lake Washington and look for shelter #1. Some of us will be coming early to hold the table.

 July - August, 2019 - Gone Paddling!!!! See you in September.