Mazamas: An abbreviated history

To paraphrase the original charter, the Mazamas set for themselves four goals:

• The exploration of snow capped peaks and other mountains;
• To collect scientific knowledge about the mountain environment;
• To preserve the natural beauty of the forests and mountains;
• And to share all that knowledge around the Pacific Northwest.

Mazama conservation advocacy started early. In 1895 William Steel lobbied in Washington DC to prevent the development of the massive Cascade Range Forest Reserve (precursor to Willamette National Forest). The attempt, in 1902, to limit the destructive effects of extensive sheep grazing in the Northwest was another early Mazamas conservation effort. The public's interest in scientific exploration drove early mountaineering. It was almost unheard of for mountaineers to undertake a climb without a barometer, mapping instruments, or other scientific equipment. The Mazamas were no different, embracing scientific research from the get-go.

The Mazamas quickly took off. By the mid-1920s they were organizing and leading multi-week outings to peaks and passes throughout the Northwest, making a name for themselves while honing their technique.  Their conservation efforts continued as well. In 1928 the Mazamas entered a prolonged battle against the proposed Mt Hood Tramway from Cloud Cap Inn to the summit. Scientific research continued unabated. In the 1930s Mazama members were surveying glaciers on the principle peaks, noting the changes from year to year. They soon added airplanes to their research tools. Researchers today use the Mazamas early aerial photographs to study glacial changes. In 1932 the Mazamas were instrumental in the formation of the Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs. In 1947 the Mazamas formed a Conservation committee to confront threats posed to Washington's Olympic National Park. In the years since its formation, there has been a wide diversity of conservation campaigns, including advocacy against the development of a tourist tramway halfway up Mt. Rainier (1929), and for the creation of Forest Park (1947) and the Wilderness Act of 1964.

A history of the Mazamas would not be complete without mentioning our long-time home on Mount Hood. The first lodge, built in 1923, was on the Zigzag River near Twin Bridges. It was the Mazamas first home on the mountain until road maintenance improvements guaranteed the road over the pass remained open year round in the early 1930s. The Mazamas built a grand lodge at Government Camp in 1931. A fire destroyed the lodge, burning it to the ground in 1958.  The current lodge, constructed in 1960, serves as home base for many Mazamas activities. The 1960s and 1970s saw the Mazamas expanding into rock climbing in a big way. On January 1, 1960, three Mazamas made the first ascent of Monkey Face, a spire at the end of a dirt road in a then little-known place called Smith Rock. The Mazamas would go on to be instrumental in the popularization of Smith Rock as a climbing destination.

After 113 years of renting a series of lodgings around town, the Mazamas bought their first home in 2007. The Mazama Mountaineering Center provided a stable foundation for the growth the organization is experiencing today.

The Mazamas has evolved over the years.  From its industrialist roots with our founding fathers to morphing into more of a social club in the 1950s to becoming a modern-day 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves thousands of individuals.  While the group has grown over the years, it has remained faithful to William Steels guiding vision. Every year more and more people join the Mazamas to learn to be better climbers and find their community. The Mazamas continue to fund scientific research projects across a range of disciplines. And we continue to fight to preserve and protect the areas where we play.

These two publications, We Climb High Vols. 1 and 2, offer a good overview, in digest form, of the last 175 years of the organization.