The thing that I love most about climbing and backpacking is……
I can insert myself completely into nature. You can never be closer with the world than when you are on the rock, or sleeping on the forest floor. There is a world out there to explore, and climbing and backpacking are great ways to explore it.
My proudest climbing related moment was……
Last winter, during an attempted winter traverse of the presidential range, my friends and I made the hard decision to turn around because of horrid weather conditions. We summitted Mount Washington the next day, but I was quite proud that we were able to put our safety ahead of our desire to traverse.
The Highlights of my involvement with climbing include:
Winter ascents of Mount Washington and Mount Madison
Summit of Nangkar Tshang and a few others in the Himalayas
Putting up some first ascents and boulder problems in Saudi Arabia with a few friends.
I am excited to be part of the AAO Ambassador/Athlete program because……
AAO’s program is a great way for me to meet other people who love the outdoors as much as I do
Some accreditations that I have are……
Wilderness First Aid
Some of the organizations that I belong to are……
The Geological Society of America
The Sierra Club
Something most people don’t know about me-(that I’m O.K. with people knowing)-is…..
I was born in California, but moved to Calgary, Canada in 1993, and have lived in Saudi Arabia since 2001. I’ve travelled to 30 countries in my lifetime.
My favorite food is……
My mom makes a casserole with tortillas, beef, cheese, and peppers. It’s aptly named Tortilla Casserole, and while I couldn’t eat it every day for the rest of my life, Tortilla Casserole is definitely my favorite food.
My biggest addiction is…….
Chocolate. There is no competition in this category. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to chocolate, especially 70% dark.
Free Range….
Apart from my outdoors pursuits, I play guitar, soccer, and rugby, and I absolutely love to read. While I love the alternate worlds of Fantasy and Fiction, my dad has instilled in me a great love of history, which I find fascinating. In general, I love to learn, and have encyclopedia knowledge on a number of less-than-useful subjects. I’m currently pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Geology at Wheaton College.
Check out my blog at http://blessedoutdoors.blogspot.com/
