The Peaks Section was created in 1955 by the Sierra Club's Angeles Chapter, with the goal of focusing—some might say re-focusing—on mountaineering in the range that gave the organization its name. At first, even members of the group didn't think anyone would climb all 248 summits-until Sierra Club member Andy Smatko completed the list in 1964.

Any additions to the list must be approved by the Peak Section's membership. Dodge notes that many mountaineers who complete the list aren't members, but he says the group was very helpful in pursuit of his goal. "I acquired climbing skills as I progressed, and members taught me to use a rope so I could climb the more difficult peaks. It's also a great way to meet other climbers with similar interests. Traditionally you pick an easy peak for your last hike so friends can go with you—there were 22 of us on the hike up Cirque Peak."

Among the highlights for Dodge was the ascent of Devil's Crag #1 in Kings Canyon National Park. "It's considered the most difficult and dangerous peak on the list," he says. "Two Sierra Club members have died trying to climb it. It's a thousand-foot-long knife-edged ridge, and you have to make sure every rock and hand-hold is solid. If something pulls out, you fall 2,000 feet."

Dodge appreciates the fact that so many of the peaks on the list are protected in national parks. "National park protection really keeps the backcountry in pristine condition," he says. "It looks pretty much the way it did before Europeans showed up. I often find flakes of obsidian left by the Indians."

One of the best things about climbing the Sierra Peaks list, Dodge says, was simply getting to ramble through the Sierra. "It drove home to me how special these mountains are," he says, "and you don't have to be a peak-bagger to appreciate them. My advice to anyone is don't just drive through the mountains—get out of the car and camp. There are so many places where it's easy to spend the night out."

And what does Dodge see as his next goal? After a pause, his answer neither disappoints nor surprises: "I'm thinking maybe I'll climb all these peaks again."

Learn more about the Sierra Peaks Section and check out Sierra Club Trails.

Top three photos by Steve Eckert; last photo by Scott Sullivan.

I was there when the Navajo Nation Council voted to approve the formation of the Navajo Green Economy Commission and Green Economy Fund. I overheard several council delegates tell members of the Coalition that they were proud of them and that, “this shows that our government can work for you.” The passage of this legislation represents a new page in Navajo history away from an economy based on fossil fuel extraction dominated by coal giants like Peabody and BHP. Now the real work begins to bring hundreds of Green Jobs to Navajo communities in a way that respects local communities and the unique Navajo culture that many say have always been what we now call “Green.”

Young Navajo leaders from the Black Mesa Water Coalition led the charge to draft this solid set of bills. The Coalition secured passage of the Navajo Green Economy Act in the Navajo Nation Council by a vote of 62 to 1 and Navajo President Joe Shirley signed it a few days later.

It was a real honor to be part of the campaign. Coalition folks made flags, silk screened green t-shirts with “green jobs,” got full page ads in the Navajo Times, marched in parades with bike-powered green jobs floats, secured support resolutions from over 30 Navajo Chapters and overall, ran a seamless campaign.

As one of the few “belaagaanas” (white men) wearing green t-shirts this historic day on the Navajo Nation, I realized that I was honored to witness a beautiful expression of Navajo Tribal Sovereignty and grassroots democracy as part of the Coalition’s successful campaign. The Navajo Nation has taken a strong step towards a transition building a greener economy with passage of the Navajo Green Economy Act of the Navajo Nation.

“We want green jobs for Navajo youth. Right now, unemployment on the reservation is at 44%. There’s nothing for young people,” said Nikki Alex, one of the key organizers with the Black Mesa Water Coalition. “The (green jobs) legislation will help bring back jobs and keep monies in the reservation. Currently, for every dollar made on the reservation, 70-cents get spent outside. That’s a 70% leakage rate. There’s no economic development in the reservation.”

I have spent several years now working, praying, eating and celebrating with Navajo partners as we have campaigned with Navajo communities to help transition off the coal-dependent economy offered by Peabody towards an economy that is more respected by Navajo grandmothers and medicine men who carry on the Navajo traditions. I think this success shows how organizations like the Sierra Club can work in partnership for work in tribal communities on their terms and in their frame. I have never felt more proud of my adopted relatives and coalition partners that this day. While I am not Navajo and can’t vote, I am proud to represent the Sierra Club as a supporter of the Navajo Green Economy Coalition.  
 
The Navajo Green Jobs Coalition consists of several organizations throughout the Navajo Nation including but not limited to the following: the Speaker of the 21st Navajo Nation Council, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Sierra Club, New Energy Economy/1Sky NM, Grand Canyon Trust, New Mexico Youth Organized and Dine C.A.R.E.

You can learn more about the legislation by visiting www.NavajoGreenJobs.com or by reading this great editorial by Wahleah Johns, one of the key leaders of the Navajo Green Economy Coalition.

On Monday, June 22, 2009, Girls’ Inc. randomly selected ten K-3 girls to participate in this “Go Green Club”.  As retired educators, both Kenny and I worked well with these rambunctious and chatty cute girls. Most of them are from disadvantaged homes and had never really touched dirt.

However, Kenny got them all engaged in mixing humus and potting soil and preparing the right kind of dirt for tomato plants and annuals in the pots. I also read “A Kid’s Guide to How Flowers Grow” to help the girls understand the concept. One of the girls summed it up well, “It was a lot of fun to mix the dirt and plant the flowers!”

In the next few weeks, different girls also joined us to plant dahlia, daylily, hosta, iris, Japanese iris, a raspberry bush, and sunflowers in their bare backyard.  Some of these flowers will come back next spring and surprise the girls with joy when they play and work in their multi-purpose room through the glass doors. Every session involved hands-on activities, and no girls had to sit idle.

The last session on July 22, a member from the local Audubon Society showed them a DVD of her backyard bird watching and the girls learned to identify some of the common birds in our region. Hopefully the bird feeder we installed in their backyard by the butterfly bush will attract some birds and the girls will notice them.

While the project at the Girls’ Inc. focused on flowers, plants, and birds, the project at Oasis took a different path.

 

Brescia University students set up a raised flower bed at the Oasis Spouse Abuse Center.

The facility has already had a well-established  courtyard with beautiful flowers and a gazebo.  Our master gardener, Sandy Phillips, advised us get a knockout rose to add to the butterfly bush and raspberry bush we already purchased.  She also suggested an herb garden.  One of their staff members, Vickie, heads their landscaping committee, got some of their residents involved in this project.  It was a great surprise to find out that she happens to have a degree in horticulture. That really helped!

She decided to get some huge barrels for the tomato plants and a raspberry bush, put all the herbs people donated by the kitchen area, and started another flowerbed for the knockout rose and other annuals the community donated.  The women love this courtyard and now it has more flowers for those who come out in the morning, evening, and any time they have a break. They all call it therapeutic.

Sierra Club volunteer Kenny Lin had a truck full of donated supplies for the Oasis project.

The final touch was when the local Brescia University got in touch with Aloma Dew to come up with a project for their freshmen community service.  On August 18, a group of 10 freshmen helped put a raised bed for Oasis to plant some fall vegetables such as cabbage and chard.  Ben Taylor, director of the Pennyrile Group of Sierra Club, gave a speech of the history and mission of the club. Even the local Daviess County extension agent, Annette Meyer Heisdorffer, PhD, came and gave directions as how to plant these veggies and thus really motivated the college students for their hard labor on a hot sunny summer day.

The flowerbed team from Brescia University.

We consider our summer projects a big "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" - with lots of help from the community and donations from Sierra Club members and the local Sierra Club. We will continue the work next summer!