Sierra club serves to protect the environment

by Amber McLaughlin
Staff Writer

Members were both saddened and moved by the video about Glen Canyon Dam on Tuesday's meeting held by the Mt. Baldy Group of the Sierra Club.

The Mt. Baldy Group belongs to the largest chapter, Angeles, which includes both Los Angeles and Orange County.

The group meets every fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Bauer Center Room 24, at Claremont McKenna College. They discuss political, social and naturalistic issues.

In 1963, 180 miles of the Colorado River, Glen Canyon and side canyons were flooded and Lake Powell rose to drown riparian ecosystems that flourished along the river and side canyons.

Phil Pennington went to Glen Canyon to videotape a world that was soon to disappear. His slides were presented to the Sierra Club in 1964, and shown all around the country.

David Brower, unaware of the beauties hidden in Glen Canyon, originally agreed to a trade where a high dam would be built in Glen Canyon rather than in Dinosaur National Park.

In 1963, he visited Glen Canyon and recorded a 20 minute film just before the flood waters rose.

The video, which is made from Pennington's slide show and Brower's movie, shows what was lost when the Glen Canyon Dam was built. The Dam was built to bring power to Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

The Sierra Club is America's most influential environmental organization with over 700,000 members. It was founded in 1892 by John Muir, a writer, philosopher and conservation activist who served as the Sierra Club's first president.

Robin Ives has been a member since 1958. He has held almost every position in the club and is currently the chair of the Angeles Chapter.

"The Sierra Club is a very effective environmental organization that runs great outings," he said.

He explains that the Sierra Club was very effective in stopping any further dams in the Colorado River. Over the years they have been responsible for many of our national parks including the Redwoods, Sequoia National Park and various parks in Alaska.

Member Margaret Russell traveled with the Sierra Club as a teenager and saw the Glen Canyon before it was flooded by Lake Powell.

"This was indeed the place the public was unaware of, said Rusell. "Its beauty would have never been sacrificed by flooding if more people had known of its value."

Connie Layne, a member of 23 years said, "I decided to join the Sierra Club so they could teach me to be safe and use a map."

In 1961 Layne took the Basic Mountaineering Training Class, started by Robin and Lori Ives. They taught her how to repel down cliffs, what clothes to wear, how to clean water and first aid.

The Mt. Baldy Group of the Sierra Club always welcomes people to join.

The prices varies for memberships. Their influence and effectiveness is dependent upon members, donors, and benefactors.

For more information contact Ives at 909-621-7148 or visit their web site at www.sierraclub.org.