Out & About

OUTPEOPLE

High Society

Ang Dorjee Sherpa stayed at the Spokane home of Chris Kopczynski last weekend, along with Lhakpa Dorjee Sherpa. All three men have climbed Mount Everest, but the Sherpas are in a league of their own.

Kopczynski’s local mentor, Joe Collins, put the visit in perspective, from a climber’s viewpoint: “Gee, that’s like having John the Baptist over for dinner.”

Ang Dorjee, 36, has climbed the world’s highest peak 10 times. He lives much of the year in the Tri-Cities, with his two children and wife, Michelle Gregory, who works for Battelle. During the climbing season, he goes back to Nepal, were his numerous expeditions have made him a rock star in the Himalayan sense of the term.

Lhakpa Dorjee, 48, is among the most famous Sherpas in his country of Nepal, having climbed Everest 11 times, all without supplemental oxygen, plus about 60 other expeditions that have forged his fame for strength and mountain smarts.

Noting that Lhakpa Dorjee was almost always holding Ang Dorjee’s baby at the Kopcynski dinner, Gregory explained, “They can’t help themselves around a baby. They have to pick it up. It’s a Sherpa thing.”

OUTFITTER

Warehouse honored

Ducks Unlimited recently awarded The Sportsman’s Warehouse the Platinum Teal award for generously supporting the wetlands conservation group with contributions totaling $650,000.

Since 1997, the company has become a top DU retail supporter and frequent host of events, including hunting education classes.

Sportsman’s Warehouse is the only retailer to receive DU highest award for contributing more than $500,000.

OUTCLIMB

Rainier Festival lures top climbers

What: Fifth annual Rainier Mountain Festival

When: Sept. 16-17.

Where: Rainier Basecamp lodge in Ashford, Wash.

Who: Programs presented by Jim Whittaker (first American to summit Everest), Ed Viesturs (first American to climb all 14 8,000-meter peaks without oxygen), Lou Whittaker (founder of Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.) and more than 15 other climbers who’ve stood on top of Everest.

Details: Other free activities include equipment sale, alpine games, climbing wall, salmon bake, live entertainment, raffles, kids’ games. A 5-mile run also is scheduled.

Contact: (360) 569-2142, www.rainierfestival.com

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory list peak fishing times. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after given times. Applies to all time zones.

(* indicates best days.)

Through Sept. 17

Today

3:15 a.m., 4:40 p.m.

Monday

4:10 a.m., 4:35 p.m.

Tuesday

5 a.m., 5:30 p.m.

* Wednesday

6 a.m., 6:25 p.m.

* Thursday

6:55 a.m., 7:55 p.m.

* Friday

7:55 a.m., 8:20 p.m.

Saturday

8:45 a.m., 9:15 p.m.

Next Sunday

9:40 a.m., 10:05 p.m.