Sarah MacGillivray
The day has finally come - it’s time to start bidding! The Mountaineers 2022 Gala: Adventure with Purpose will take place on April 2 but bidding in the online auction starts TODAY. You have eight days to bid high and bid often for once-in-a-lifetime experiences!
Virtual Event
- Keynote Speaker Rick Ridgeway
- Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Dianne Roberts
- Silent and live auctions
- The epic Tyrolean Traverse
Important Information for Virtual Attendees
- Registration: To participate, you will need to register for the event
- Link to watch: Watch your email on March 28 for the link to watch the livestream on YouTube! No passwords or logins will be required.
- Event start time: The livestream will begin at 7:30pm on Saturday, April 2. Consider logging in a few minutes early to ensure you don’t miss any fun!
- More information: Found here
Auction Bidding
With over 60 auction packages to choose from, you can travel to new places, fill your home with stunning artwork, and take home top-of-the-line gear!
Important Information for auction participants
- Silent auction start time: now!
- Live auction start time: During the event on April 2
- Silent auction end time: April 2, 7pm
- Live auction end time: each package will close individually during the live event on April 2.
- Do I need to watch the virtual event to bid? You do not need to attend the virtual event to participate in our auction, but if you choose to you register then you will be given updates on new auction items.
- How do I bid? Click the button below to bid. If you are a returning bidder, you will be prompted to log in. If you have never bid with us before, you will be prompted to create an account.
Auction packages 1001-1055 are open now. Click the link below to begin placing bids!
Auction Preview: Round #3
The packages featured below are all included in our live auction. Live auction packages (101-110) will open for bidding during our in-person event on April 2. While virtual bidders are able to bid online, in-person attendees will receive bid cards to use for bidding during the live event. A delay in the livestream may impact the bidding experience and we encourage you to use the “maximum bid” feature so your bid will be placed automatically. The final sale will be determined by the auctioneer.
Special Auction Item: The first six seats at the Rick Ridgeway private dinner party are available to buy now during our online auction. See package #105 to claim your spot! The two remaining seats will be bid on during our live auction on April 2.
“Prayer Flags over Kantega,” Rare 24x36” Print from Dianne Roberts
Prayer Flags over Kantega, 6783 meters, at the climbers’ memorial near Mt. Everest Base Camp, Solu Khumbu, Nepal, 2003.
In 2003, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first American ascent of Mt. Everest, the Whittaker family – Jim & Dianne and their sons Joss & Leif – organized a trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp with a small group of friends from the USA. In Kathmandu, they were joined by Nawang Gombu, the Sherpa who had taken the last steps to the summit of Everest arm in arm with Jim, as well as his son-in-law Motup and two of his grandchildren. Jim had asked Gombu if he would like to see Everest again. “One more time, Big Jim, before we die,” Gombu had replied.
Near the last camp before Base – Gorakshep, at about 17,000’ – there are memorials to many of the climbers who have died on Everest in the years since the 1963 expedition, including one to Jake Breitenbach who was tragically killed in the Khumbu Icefall on the second day of his climb. Hundreds of Nepalese prayer flags flutter in the breeze over the memorials, which is where this photo was taken.
Dianne says: “Nikon provided cameras for our trek and it was my first experience with high-resolution digital photography. Up until then, I had been shooting almost exclusively with Kodachrome film. To be able to see the image instantly on the camera back was a revelation. I took many photos of the flags that day, but I wasn’t happy with any of them. Finally, I laid on the rocky ground with my camera mounted on a tripod, more-or-less upside down, and was able to capture the image I wanted. It is one of my favorite photos from that trip and a framed print of it hangs on the wall just inside our front door. Every time I pass it, I am reminded not only of the beauty of the mountains of the Solu Khumbu region, but also the grace of the Sherpa people.”
Along with a limited-edition print of this photo, the lucky bidder will also receive a never-before-shared photo album, with several family-favorite photographs from the trek.
Ice Climbing with Steve Swenson in Canmore, Alberta
In the summer of 2019, Steve Swenson made history by standing atop the 23,100-foot peak Link Sar. His team of four was the first to summit what had been one of the highest remaining unclimbed peaks in the world. Achieving this historic feat earned Steve his second Piolet d’Or Award - an honor achieved by very few. Steve is also a recent Mountaineers Board Director, Mountaineers Books author, and the visionary behind our Alpine Ambassadors climbing program. Now, you have the opportunity to hone your ice climbing skills and learn from the best when you join him for an unforgettable week of ice climbing in Canmore, Alberta!
You and a friend are invited to stay in the cozy climber’s apartment at Steve’s home for five nights, located just 50 miles west of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. Steve will spend two days ice climbing with you and a partner, bringing you to all the best spots in the area. You’ll also adventure with Canadian Rockies Alpine Guides, who will lead two additional days of ice climbing to round out your ice adventure!
Petzl has got your gear covered with two Nomic ice axes, a pair of Dart crampons, and a 60m Arial 9.5MM Rope. Commemorate your trip with a print of the summit that further cemented Steve’s status as a mountaineering legend: “Link Sar in the Karakoram,” signed by 2019 first ascent team members Steve Swenson, Mark Richey, Graham Zimmerman, and Chris Wright.
You can also peer into the lesser-known world of big mountains with your new signed copies of Steve’s memoir, Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict. Get excited for an epic trip to Canmore!
Super VIP Experience at the 2023 Mountaineers Gala
Saturday, April 1, 2023 | Fremont Studios
You’ve seen the glitz and the glam of the Gala, and now it’s your turn to sit at the best seat in the house! Join us at The Mountaineers 2023 Annual Gala where you and nine friends can have the ultimate VIP experience with next year’s Super VIP table. The Super VIP table affords you and your guests an abundance of exciting special treatments, including dedicated cocktail service in the ballroom, extra gifts, your own wait staff, custom dessert, and premier meet and greet opportunities with our special guests. You even get reserved parking and special passes to skip to the front of the registration line and immediately enjoy the evening’s festivities. Indulge in the extravagance, all while supporting a cause you care about.
Get ready for an evening of luxury and a little extra fun with your best Mountaineers buddies because this table is where the party’s at - and it has your name on it!
Other Unique Auction Packages
In the market to make some memories? Check out some of our novel silent auction packages - available for bidding now!
- Package 1005: 6-Night Stay in a 300-Year Old Historic Farmhouse in Deepdale, United Kingdom
- Package 1007: 4-night Adventure Van Road Trip with Cascade Adventure Vans and Stanley PMI
- Package 1010: Premier Seattle Mariners Experience: Diamond Club and the New York Yankees
- Package 1011: Private Pow Party at Meany Lodge Ski Hill for Ten
- Package 1016: Two Private Guided Mushroom Forages (Chanterelle and Morel) for Two
- And many more!
