The Mountain Ear, January 2026

At last week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave an address in which he asserted "The rules-based order is fading....The strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must." He described the degradation of norms as a rupture, not a transition.

Here at home, we are in the midst of the warmest winter on record. We had plenty of precipitation last month, but much of it fell as rain, even at the highest elevations. Meanwhile, the US government has eliminated all of its funding for climate change initiatives, has seized control of Venezuela and its vast oil reserves (with the implicit intent to extract and burn them), and is threatening to invade Greenland. During our last monthly presentation, Jesse Crocker told us about kite skiing across Greenland, mostly at an elevation around 9,000 feet above sea level. The elevation of the land itself was about 1,000 feet. The other 8,000 feet was ice (the good kind). When it comes to a warming planet, Greenland matters.

Despite the existential threat climate change poses to life on earth as we know it, it somehow doesn't feel like the most urgent thing. In Minnesota on Saturday, Alex Pretti, a US citizen and a nurse at the Veterans Administration hospital, was shot multiple times and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Homeland Security and Department of Justice officials stated afterward that he was shot because he took a gun to a protest. Constitutionally speaking, he was exercising his right to assemble while also exercising his right to bear arms. He owned the firearm legally, was carrying it legally, and video evidence indicates that the firearm was taken from him before he was fatally shot in the back while restrained. This is unacceptable. The killing of Alex Pretti comes just days after ICE agents in Minneapolis killed Renee Good. The names of the white people ICE has killed this year are well-publicized, but let's not ignore Keith Porter, Parady La, Heber Sanchaz Domínguez, Victor Manuel Diaz, Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, and Geraldo Lunas Campos. All of them were killed by the government of the American people in the first 25 days of 2026.

In his Davos speech, Carney said that in such times, "The tendency is to go along to get along, to accommodate, to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety.

"It won't."

Carney went on to recount the 1978 essay by Czech dissident and later statesman Vaclav Havel, The Power of the Powerless. To illustrate how the communist system sustained itself, Havel uses the example of a shopkeeper who places a sign in his shop window, "workers of the world, unite!" He doesn't believe it. No-one does. But he places the sign to avoid trouble, to signal compliance, to get along. And because every shopkeeper on every street does the same, the system persists. Not through violence alone, but through participation of ordinary people in rituals that they privately know to be false. The system's power comes not from its truth but from everyone's willingness to perform as if it were true. Its fragility comes from the same source. When one person stops performing, when one shopkeeper removes the sign, the illusion begins to crack.

The people of Minneapolis have taken the signs out of their windows, so to speak. What will you do to remove yours? Will you have the courage to persist even when it's difficult? I hope you will.

Go outside and be kind.

-Mark

A Full Ridge Traverse of the Bitterroots

In July 2025, Mark Kreider completed a full traverse of the Bitterroot Range. The 130-mile journey—from Nez Perce Pass to Lolo Peak—largely follows the Idaho–Montana state boundary, a rugged and remote section of the Northern Rockies that is often miles from the nearest trail. Sharing stories, photos, and reflections from the trip, Mark will highlight both the challenges of off-trail travel and planning a self-supported expedition, as well as the beauty of a landscape shaped by fire, long human histories, and change. The event will take place on Tuesday, 10 February at 7:00 p.m. As usual, we will meet at Freestone Climbing Center, 1200 Shakespeare St, in their upstairs meeting room. We hope to see you there!

Winterfest!

On Saturday, 24 January, a dozen or so intrepid souls gathered to brave the backcountry ski conditions at Lolo Pass. Expectations were low given the lack of recent snowfall. Many of us expected to do a single lap and then leave so we could drink beer and talk about how terrible it was. Rallied by the mantra "all skiing is fun" we went for it and were surprised if not shocked by how good the snow was. Pow turns? Yes, please. Pozole and beer afterward? Absolutely. Thanks to those who joined us for the event. For those who didn't make it this year, you'll be another year older when you do.

TRM Gear Closet

Our exclusively for members Gear Closet continues to grow. We have some BCA 2-way radios to facilitate communications in the backcountry, as well as beacon, shovel, and probe. We also have ice tools and a four season tent. This gear is for you to use at no charge. If you’d like to check something out of the closet, send an email to Mark.

A complete listing of all the gear we currently have available can be found on our website.

Upcoming Trips and Activities

Backcountry skiing roundtable - Tuesday, 27 January, 6:30 p.m. at Freestone Climbing Center.

Monthly Presentation - Tuesday, 10 February - "A Full Ridge Traverse of the Bitterroots"
Monthly Presentations begin at 7:0o p.m., and will continue taking place every second Tuesday of the month until April at Freestone Climbing Center.

Backcountry Ski Outings - Alternating Saturdays - January through April
Every other Saturday, there will be a backcountry ski outing with either a beginner to intermediate focus or an intermediate to advanced focus. Locations will be determined the week of based on current conditions. Reach out to trip leaders for more information--contact details on the website.

Winter Rando Wednesdays - every Wednesday, conditions permitting - Meet: 5:45pm at overflow lot at Snowbowl. Be ready to start skiing at 6:00!

Women's/Genderqueer Strength Building Workshop with Esther Smith, DPT - Friday, 13 March - Freestone Climbing Center
Learn to build power on and off the wall through fascial-based strength training!

Please visit our event calendar for details on these events!

TRM Merchandise

We have merchandise available for purchase at our presentations, quarterly business meetings, and special events.  Please contact Elizabeth at heyartemisoutside@gmail.com if you’d like to purchase something for local pickup.

Beanie $25	Pint Glass $10	Keychain $5
T-Shirt $20	Trucker Hat $20	Buff $5

Ongoing Call for Photos and Videos

If you have some photos or videos you'd like to share that we can use for social media, event promotion, sponsor videos and our newsletter please email Elizabeth at heyartemisoutside@gmail.com or upload to this google photo/video link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/173AgLc4wrkYofvWA

Quarterly Business Meeting Minutes from 23 September can be found here.

Club Officers

President- Mark Albrecht
Vice President – Francis Horton
Secretary- Carson Ramsden
Treasurer- Tom Statz
Website- Kyle O'Connor
Archivist- Julie Kahl
Social Media and Video Production – Elizabeth Smith