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The Mazamas Opposes PGE’s Power Line Construction in Forest Park

Letter sent by Rebekah Phillips, Mazama Executive Director on behalf of the Mazamas to Morgan Steele, City of Portland Environmental City Planner

Dear Ms. Steele,

Established in 1894 on the summit of Mt. Hood, the Mazamas is an Oregon-based 501(c)3 with a proud tradition of providing excellence in climbing education, leadership, and conservation in the Pacific Northwest. Our mission – to build a community that inspires everyone to love and protect the mountains – is carried out in partnership with more than 300 highly dedicated volunteers through education programs, climbs and hikes, stewardship activities, and scientific research. Current membership includes about 3,000 individuals.

Many Mazama members have been involved with Portland’s Forest Park from the beginnings of the park in 1946; in fact, many of the original committee of 50 that urged the city to make this area a city park were Mazama members, including the founder and chair of this committee, Ding Cannon. Our roots run deep with Forest Park, and we continue today to host many of our local outdoor activities in the park.

We are deeply concerned with PGE’s revised land-use application in the north end of the park, which proposes to clear cut 4.7 acres of 150+ year old Douglas fir and bigleaf maple trees and proposes to remove five white oak trees estimated to be 170-500 years old. In total, the proposal includes the removal of 376 living trees and 21 dead trees. It will permanently fill at least two wetlands and disrupt two streams that support multiple species of aquatic wildlife.

According to PGE, Phase 5 of this project may impact another 15 acres of Forest Park to the northwest and west potentially disrupting the Miller Creek watershed which contains salmon habitat. Should Phase 3 be approved, it will pave the way to Phase 5 as the “least expensive” alternative.

This area of land lies within the City’s Environmental Conservation and Environmental Protection overlay zones, and also within the City’s Forest Park Natural Resources Management Plan (FPNRMP). Legally, PGE must comply with this plan unless they can prove that there is no alternative to meet their obligation to provide reliable power. We are not convinced that PGE has investigated alternatives, nor have they been forthcoming with convincing information that they have tried to do so. Such information was requested as far back as 2022, and although a report on this was delivered to PGE by a private consultant at that time, it was not made available until a few weeks ago. Now PGE has released the report after withholding this information from the public for two years, and is requesting urgency on this matter to be decided.

As documented in the City of Portland’s 2012 Forest Park Wildlife Report, the northern area of Forest Park is home to over 200 species of interest, either listed, candidate, sensitive, or of concern at the State and Federal level. It is rich in wildlife structural diversity including larger trees, standing snags, and native understory. One of the streams that would be denuded is habitat for the northern red-legged frog, an at-risk species as noted in the Special Status and At-Risk Species List prepared by the City of Portland in 2022.

Ecological impact on the protected area of Forest Park would not be restricted to the area targeted for clear-cut. The edges of this pristine coniferous forest would be susceptible to plant invasions (ivy, blackberry, garlic mustard and others) that degrade forest health and limit diversity of species supported by the Park, tree blow-down from storms, land-slides, temperature increases which can weaken the forest making trees susceptible to insect and disease invasions. The slopes in this area of the Park are extremely steep, as documented in the Toth report, making this landscape prone to landslides when vegetation is removed.

Mitigation is not a solution for the environmental impact caused by power lines. Once a corridor is widened or opened, it is continually maintained in a manner that does not resemble the original natural state of the land. Proposing that this can somehow be compensated by improving other areas is ludicrous.

There are two more phases that PGE wants to follow up with. If this proposal is approved, against the overlay zones and long-ago approved FPNRMP, it will become a slippery slope – there would be an expectation that the following two phases could also be approved, incrementally increasing total impact to the north end of the park.

On behalf of the Mazama Board of Directors, Conservation Committee, and membership, I urge the City of Portland to reject this proposal.

Sincerely,
Rebekah Phillips
Executive Director

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Correction: The title of this post has been changed for clarity.

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Meet the Mazamas

A native Minnesotan, Chris moved to Portland in the mid-1990s and quickly fell in love with the region’s mountains, forests, deserts and coastlines. Despite a fear of heights, discovering the Mazamas 20 years later sparked a passion for climbing that took him from student and participant to instructor, climb leader and member of the Mazama board of directors. When not recreating outdoors, he leads marketing and business development efforts for technology companies of all sizes.

Name:  Chris Kruell

Pronouns:  He/him

Year Joined Mazamas: 2007

Present-day outdoor activities:  Climbing (alpine and rock), hiking, gravel biking and skate skiing. I used to be a competitive distance runner, and I just recently took up running again.

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? I remember being a little boy in Minneapolis. I was playing on the beach at the Minneapolis lake now named Bde Maka Ska, and I didn’t know how to swim yet. The family was heading back to the car, and my dad told me to go in the lake and rinse off. I remember thinking that made no sense because I was going to have to walk back through the sand again. I also have fond memories of when I first got cross country skis, and I would head out my back door and ski through the fields with my dog, Thor. 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? Somebody I knew was telling me about Mazamas, and she had taken BCEP (Basic Climbing Education Program) awhile ago and was going to take it again. She described climbing Mt. Adams and camping out on the Lunch Counter, and I just thought that was the craziest thing. But then I decided to sign up for BCEP, and once class started, I was all in. I just absolutely loved it. You’re engaging physical and mental strength and endurance, decision making under duress, sense of accomplishment, learning about “next time”—all facets. I took BCEP, then ICS (Intermediate Climbing School) and AR (Advanced Rock) and headed down the leadership path. In addition to climbs, I led a BCEP team for several years. I also ran the BCEP program and assisted for ICS and AR. 

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? I think there are three fundamental areas people should think about. Number one, they should seek out sound advice or education from reputable people and organizations so you know what you’re getting into. And second, is proper gear selection. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to outfit yourself with the latest gear. But you shouldn’t just be out climbing peaks in jeans and running shoes (ask me how I know). And lastly, find experienced people. Find your people. The fun factor goes way up. The safety risks go way down. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? Since I took up skate skiing, I just marvel at Jessie Diggins, the Olympian from Minnesota. She has a gear that most of us don’t and lays it out on the line every single time. The other people would be my high school and college cross country and track coaches who had a huge influence on my life. More recently in the outdoor recreation world, I’ve been thinking about the Mazamas. I went to the Steps Together fundraising dinner, and I looked around, and thought, “these are my people.” The Mazama community is incredibly inspiring, and I just love to be a part of it.

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. My favorite book of all time is “A River Runs Through It.” I loved the movie too, but the book was just phenomenal.  

What’s on your adventure bucket list? I am so looking forward to taking my almost 11-month-old granddaughter camping this summer! I’d also like to go live in Europe or the UK for a couple months and just experience day-to-day life there. I’ve done a lot of business travel in my lifetime, but it’s much different staying in a five-star hotel for work compared to experiencing life as a local. 

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Meet the Mazamas

Damon joined the Mazamas in 2018 when he signed up for the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) and then Intermediate Climbing School (ICS) to learn how to navigate the technical and glaciated terrain of the Cascade volcanoes. He now volunteers with the Advanced Rock (AR) program. AR is now accepting applications for 2025. His favorite outdoor days are on long multi-pitch rock climbs. When not outside, he’s either reading, watching TV or wasting time playing Sudoku.

Name:  Damon Greenshields

Pronouns:  He/Him

Year Joined Mazamas: 2018

Present-day outdoor activities: I spend most of my outdoor time rock climbing, mountaineering, or skiing with my partner Angie.

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? I grew up in Eastern Oregon just outside of the Wallowa mountains. When I was 5, my dad and I hiked to the top of Ruby Peak. My dad had this huge, blue backpack that he would tote the kids around with, so there’s a good chance I didn’t hike much at all and was just training weight for him. I’m told there were plenty of candy breaks.

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? When I moved to Portland in 2018, I wanted to climb some of the local Cascade volcanoes but had never used crampons or an ice axe before. I discovered the Mazamas while searching online for mountaineering classes. I’m so thankful I decided to join because through taking BCEP and ICS and now volunteering with AR, I have made many amazing friends. One of my favorite things about the Mazamas is the friendly and uplifting community it has fostered.

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in the outdoors was when I completed a difficult challenge by being well prepared and using skills that I learned to mitigate risks. So, I would say, at least regarding mountaineering/climbing, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to prioritize learning and truly understanding systems and skills that contribute to keeping you safe.

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I get anxious about being bad at things, so I’ve been working on putting myself out there more with new hobbies. It’s been way more fun and encouraging than I expected. I’ve found a lot of inspiration from friends who are passionate and excited about interests that are different from mine.

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. Angie and I listen to a lot of podcasts when on the road. Our favorite outdoor podcast is The Sharp End, and our favorite easy listening podcast is Normal Gossip.

What’s on your adventure bucket list?  Currently scheming up a plan to check out the Bugaboos next summer. The Bugaboos are a mountain range in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia, Canada

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Meet the Mazamas

Erin has been involved with the Mazamas for the past 11 years and has been lead climbing for 10. She has a strong sense of wanderlust and recently traveled to South Africa for her honeymoon in June and then rafted the Grand Canyon in August. She recently ran the Smith Rock Run half marathon in the beginning of November. When not adventuring, she works an occupational therapist and currently works with preschoolers. 

 Name: Erin Reaksecker 

Pronouns:  She/Her 

Year Joined Mazamas: 2015 

Present-day outdoor activities:  Rock climbing, running, biking, mountain climbing! 

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? My earliest outdoor memory is camping at Wallowa Lake with my family in elementary school! 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? When I first moved to Portland after grad school, I found a golden scroll at my aunt’s house that said “One free annual membership to the Mazamas,” so I asked my aunt about the organization and made a phone call and joined the Mazamas shortly after! 

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? My advice is do something that makes you uncomfortable, try something new and keep an open mind, because that allows you to grow and have memorable experiences. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I am inspired by ultra runners. I recently attempted a 50k and met some amazing people along the way. I realize that it takes significant mental toughness to complete an ultra and worked with a great running coach to help myself train! Dana Katz is amazing.

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. I enjoy listening to the podcast “Against the Odds” and learning how people get through unexpected circumstances in the great outdoors. 

What’s on your adventure bucket list? I would like to travel to South America and climb in Patagonia. I would also like to return to Squamish and lead some multi-pitch climbs!

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Meet the Mazamas

Almost as if winning the birth location lottery, Britt grew up near Olympic National Park and grew up camping there. She joined the Mazamas after realizing she needed some solid mountaineering education and has been active in the organization ever since. This past year, she helped bring back our Eastside Rambles, leading folks from the Mazama Mountaineering Center to trails (and stairs) on Mt. Tabor. She blogs about her adventures.

Name: Britt Q. Hoover

Pronouns: she/her

Year Joined Mazamas: 2016

Present-day outdoor activities: Backpacking, mountaineering, cycling. I also co-lead the new weekly Eastside Rambles! 

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? I grew up in a small town near Olympic National Park. My earliest outdoor memories are of car camping with my father and siblings around the park each summer. 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? Many years ago a few friends invited me to climb Mount St. Helens with them. It was my first time on a mountain and climbing on snow. Although I summited, I was woefully unprepared for the early start, elevation gain, and physical exertion. On the way down, while glissading, I (lightly) stabbed myself in the leg with my ice axe. It was at that moment I realized I should probably sign up for the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP)—and I did, that spring! 

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them?
We all start somewhere. It can feel intimidating for those new to the outdoors to figure out the right gear, understand weather and safety, and plan trips. I learned a lot by hiking and climbing with others, and I am so grateful to those who shared their knowledge with me. I encourage anyone just starting out to adopt a growth mindset and ask questions.

What activities, situations, or people inspire you most? I’m inspired by situations that call for quick thinking and helping others. I often read mountaineering accident reports to learn from others’ decisions and apply those lessons to prevent future incidents. My favorite Mazama experience was taking the Mountaineering First Aid course, and I’ve used these skills many times to aid others outdoors. 

What is your favorite book, movie, TV show, or social media account that you follow, and why? Pick one. One account I love following is Kimber Cross (@kimberbelle) on Instagram. Kimber is an alpinist, adaptive athlete, rock climber, and kindergarten teacher. I’ve followed her since she started her introductory course with the Mountaineers. Now, she’s regularly summiting tough peaks in the PNW, ice climbing in Montana, and is sponsored by North Face among other companies. Kimber is down-to-earth and an excellent example of how far you can go with hard work and dedication. I’m truly inspired by her.

What’s on your adventure bucket list? I just checked a trip off my bucket list in February! My spouse, Jeff, and I completed a 7-day backpacking trip across the remote Avellanos Valley in the Aysén region of Patagonia. I posted some photos from the trip on my website, Yes Mom I’m Alive (www.yesmomimalive.com). 

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Meet the Mazamas

Tiffany, a nurse practitioner, is board-certified in psychiatry and a solo practitioner. She is a therapist with the American Alpine Association’s Climbing Grief Fund and the American Avalanche Association Resilience Project. 

She divides her time between Virginia, where she helps manage care for her mother who has Alzheimer’s and Oregon, where she climbs with the Mazamas and assists with the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP).

Name:  Tiffany McClean

Pronouns:  She/Her

Year Joined Mazamas: 2018

Present-day outdoor activities:  Rock and alpine climbing, backpacking, downhill skiing, scuba diving and horseback riding. 

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Being on my dad’s sailboat in the Chesapeake Bay, which is akin to camping. It wasn’t a big boat, but it was big enough that we could sleep on it.  I used to sleep in the cockpit as a little girl and just look up at the stars. 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? To be honest, it was a rough introduction, although that can’t be blamed on the Mazamas. I first heard about the organization when I was dating someone who thought they were skilled enough to bypass BCEP and go straight into Intermediate Climbing School (ICS), but the Mazamas disagreed. Then, one of my close friends and colleagues was dating someone who died on Mt. Hood. I had climbed Mt. Adams, South Sister and other peaks, and I really, really wanted to climb Mt. Hood, but after that, I was so afraid. I knew I needed training that would allow me to take care of myself at a minimum, so I signed up for BCEP, and I got in!

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? I think first and foremost, nature and the outdoors are for everyone. And I mean everyone, regardless of age, sex, disability, race, etc. In the Climbing Grief Fund, we celebrate turning around, and I firmly believe mountaineering is more than just summiting. People need to know their limits, must work to fill in their knowledge gaps through organizations like the Mazamas and be OK with being vulnerable. Vulnerability in the outdoors is absolutely acceptable and should be encouraged.. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I guess I’d have to say that people who are willing to speak about their own fears and share mental health issues in the mountains. People can push the envelope of fear in climbing and yet still be willing to say, “Today is not my day,” or “I know my limits. South Sister is my Mt. Hood, and I am fine with that..” Mazama Climb Leaders Tim Scott and Pushkar Dixit embody these values and definitely inspire me. 

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. I have listened to almost every single episode of Hidden Brain. It’s a great podcast. 

What’s on your adventure bucket list? I’ve had to cancel a few Glacier Peak climbs to be with family, so that looms large on my list. I’d really like to trek to Annapurna base camp. I’d also like to dive into a great white shark cage. I feel like that can be done ethically. 

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Meet the Mazamas

Sarah Lydecker is a Portland-based rock climbing instructor, artist and Certified Recovery Mentor. She’s been climbing for more than a decade, inspired by strong women mentors from her first all-women’s mountaineering course. Sarah has taught climbing skills since 2015, using her passion to empower others and build community and develop outdoor programming for adults in recovery. A certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Sarah is thrilled to be the lead outdoor guide for the Multnomah Athletic Club.

Name: Sarah Lydecker

Pronouns: She / Her

Year Joined Mazamas: 2014

Present-day outdoor activities: Cragging, wandering around in the mountains, and finding the best outdoor napping spots with my dog. I also work as a professional guide leading climbing and hiking excursions.

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Feeding the horses and donkeys at the end of our street in west Texas.

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? I had gotten into hiking, and some of the trails took me up into alpine meadows and onto snowfields. Having grown up in the south, I had no understanding of snow, and was convinced I was going to die if I hiked in the mountains without training. I started reading about people doing something called peak bagging and was really drawn to the appeal of climbing up Mt Hood, so I enrolled in the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP).

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Sooooooooo many things! I think the biggest thing is to do activities for your own enjoyment and not to have ‘epic adventures’ to share on social media. If you couldn’t post your outing on Instagram, would you still do it?

I would suggest that people really enjoy their beginning period of outdoor recreation. You don’t have to do hard stuff all the time, and your validity as a sportsperson is not dependent on what grade you climb. You do not need to be pushing hard all the time with training, committing routes and long approaches. It’s okay to take it slow with the skills you develop. I took BCEP in 2014, AR in 2018, and SSI in 2023; having time between those courses allowed me to find confidence in myself as a climber and ask more informed questions when I was a student.

For rock climbing, the best advice I ever got was from the guy who taught me trad. After I led my first pitches and got his seal of approval to go and lead on my own, he handed me his copy of Climbing Self Rescue and told me to read it all and learn how to execute the techniques in that book before I sought out climbing partners independently. The skills I learned in that book got me out of trouble almost instantly. I think that as climbing becomes more mainstream, people can lose sight of the objective risks that the sport has. Yes, rock climbing is an extremely accessible sport that people of all ages and bodies can do, but gravity will always win and it’s important that we recognize that. Even if you are following a skilled friend up an easy multipitch, can you deal with a situation where there’s a bad leader fall and more than half the rope is out?

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I’m inspired by all the gray-haired ladies out there who are climbing. By Leora Gregorgy, who can outpace me walking up Mt Hood and by Teresa Dalsager who came out ice cragging with me this winter and helped me find the joy in that sport. I’m inspired by the women who have babies and still recreate despite the changes to their bodies and home life. I grew up in a world where the prevailing narrative for women is that our life is over after 30, and that’s something that has haunted me as a childless dog lady. I’m starting to get excited for my 40s and all the adventures they will hold.

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. I absolutely love “The Witches of Eileanan” series by Kate Forsyth. I listened to the audiobooks while doing a lot of solo backpacking in 2020 and I found the story and world so captivating. The characters are well-written and the author focused on the importance of platonic relationships and community. Reading a “happy ever after” where the main character and her lover both have separate intellectual callings and projects they devote themselves to was a revelation for me– very different from the standard story ending where the couple gets married, has kids, and that’s it.

What’s on your adventure bucket list? Astroman in Yosemite, All Along the Watchtower in the Bugaboos, Peter Croft’s Big Four in the Sierra, and being able to swing ice leads in Cody, WY. Maybe also learning how to whitewater kayak.

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Meet the Mazamas

Bill grew up in South Carolina, where he was captivated more by the rugged mountains than the coastline. After moving to Oregon, he found a deeper connection with the region’s trails and peaks through the Mazamas, eventually becoming an activity leader in 2014. Today, he leads a range of outings for the organization, including “A” climbs, backpacking trips, trail work excursions and urban street rambles. Participants on his trips will quickly discover Bill’s enthusiasm for outdoor adventure, world travel, and his knowledge of geology, anthropology, and literature, which makes every journey an insightful experience.

Name:  Bill Stein

Pronouns:  he/him/his

Year Joined Mazamas: 1997

Present-day outdoor activities: I climb in summer, hike in spring and fall, and ski in winter. I lead Mazamas climbs and hikes, and I hope to soon reach a level of skiing where I feel confident leading Nordic ski tours for Mazamas. 

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? My family of origin loved boating, both motorboating around a nearby lake when I was younger and sailing in the open seas when I was a teenager. I was more drawn to the Blue Ridge Mountains and did the premier hike in South Carolina, Table Rock, countless times. I find hiking, climbing, and skiing to be more affordable outdoor hobbies. 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? Getting lost with a friend in a North Carolina wilderness area led me to seek out mountaineering education when I arrived in Portland in 1996. A coworker told me about the Mazamas, and I did my first hike with the Mazamas within 10 days of my arrival. Within the next year I took my first Nordic ski class and the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP). I climbed Middle Sister with Mazamas on the one-year anniversary of my arrival in Oregon, and I was solidly hooked.

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Everyone who is climbing, whether on hikes or climbs, and particularly if carrying a heavy pack, needs way more calories than when sedentary in the city. Water is more nuanced; too little water is bad, but too much water (particularly without electrolytes) is also bad. I’m a big fan of modern filters (gentle squeeze or quick gravity) and knowing where you’ll find running water so you don’t have to carry too much weight.

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? Older people hiking, climbing, and skiing have inspired me from the very first hike I ever did with Mazamas. Year-round outdoor activity is a much more successful model for aging than anything I witnessed in my family of origin. I aim to be one of those older hikers, climbers, and skiers someday, beating my genetic odds, and I think this goal is available to most folks active in Mazamas.

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. I’ve led Portland Peace Corps Association’s book club for the last 15 years. Monthly we discuss books set in parts of the world where Peace Corps Volunteers have served–my service was in Niger 1990-1993–and we choose our books through an annual survey that I design and administer. We like books that reveal cultural insight, whether by western or non-western authors, and we’ve developed a strong distaste for books that focus on cultural stereotypes. Several people who are active in Mazamas are also in my book club.

What’s on your adventure bucket list? I aim to keep my climbing education and fitness up to date for my attempts on the last four mountains for Mazamas’ 16 peak award. When my wife Kathy and I travel, we hike, climb, ski, and/or snowshoe while engaging in cultural activities. Half a year ago, we did the most fun scramble of my life, up the fourth highest peak in Mexico, Nevado de Toluca. I look forward to more adventures both in and outside Mazamas.

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Meet the Mazamas

Gabrielle moved to Portland in 2022 and is no stranger to the mountains, having been a committee chair, trip leader, and course instructor for The Mountaineers in Washington state and mountain steward for the U.S. Forest Service and the Mount St. Helen’s Institute. When not leading hikes and activities for the Mazamas, Gabrielle has leveraged her PhD in Italian and other studies, working as an educator, program manager, and project coordinator for organizations like the University of Washington, Bellevue College, and Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

Name: Gabrielle Orsi

Pronouns: she/her

Year Joined Mazamas: 2022

Present-day outdoor activities: Trail running & fastpacking, backpacking, hiking, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, some mountaineering … and recently I took a class on mushroom foraging! I’m also a Leave No Trace trainer and so I’m often “plogging.”

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Playing in the yard of my childhood home in Encinitas, California, in the sunshine.

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? When my spouse and I relocated to Oregon from the Seattle area in 2022, a number of folks mentioned the Mazamas as a resource for getting outdoors, especially if we were interested in climbing Mt. Hood. The mission appeals to me, and I’ve been enjoying connecting with the Mazama community, both as a hike leader and as a member of the Queerzamas affinity group.

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? A little preparation goes a long way and “hike your own hike”—do what you find engaging and interesting. Don’t worry if other people have different approaches. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? People who strive for excellence but also have a philosophy that is focused on growth, self-actualization, and fun, not just winning or peak-bagging, inspire me—like Eliud Kipchoge, Des Linden, Catra Corbett (DirtDiva), Yassine Diboun, Kara Goucher, Mike Wardian … the list goes on!

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. I earned my PhD in Italian in 2008 and spent years teaching Italian, so I have to say Dante’s Divine Comedy is always going to be #1 for me. I actually have a tattoo of a quote from that poem. Plus there’s actually a lot of mountain climbing in the Divine Comedy! 

What’s on your adventure bucket list? So many things! I would enjoy visiting Nepal, South America, and the Alps but closer to home I’d like to do a winter circumnavigation of Crater Lake and a winter rim-to-rim of the Grand Canyon from the North Rim. 

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Meet the Mazamas

Jacob moved to Portland in 2016, partially for the outdoor lifestyle after living in North Carolina for 18 years. Jacob now leads and joins Adventurous Young Mazamas activities, including AYM climb nights. When not spending time outside, he likes to read, cook, explore new Portland restaurants and breweries and is learning the bass guitar. By day, he works as a software engineer in the healthcare space.

Name: Jacob Lippincott

Pronouns: He / Him

Year Joined Mazamas: 2022

Present-day outdoor activities: Hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, kayaking, running

What’s your earliest outdoor memory?   Walking along the Atlantic Ocean in Rhode Island, where I was born.

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? Through a friend I met in Beaverton, after discovering we had a shared connection for hiking and climbing. He had recently finished the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP), and I joined him on a Mazama hike. I wanted to engage with the organization to meet like-minded people and take advantage of the great educational options the Mazamas has to offer. 

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? We are incredibly lucky to have access to all kinds of outdoor activities in Oregon, but take recreation here seriously, especially when dealing with riskier activities such as climbing and mountaineering. It is important to have the skills necessary to venture into the backcountry safely. For me, that meant taking classes through the Mazamas and now assisting with other classes to help pass knowledge along. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I’m inspired by those who choose to lead activities outside, whether those are Mazama climb leaders or those just taking friends out for the weekend. Those who give up personal time to make sure other people get to enjoy nature and pass along their wisdom should be celebrated.

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. My favorite outdoor-related account is the YouTube channel HowNot2. They are local, outside of Seattle, and spend time testing and breaking climbing gear to help people gain confidence in their equipment. It makes me feel better to know how strong climbing gear really is, and they present information in an entertaining yet insightful manner. 

What’s on your adventure bucket list? I’d like to go to the Arctic and see the Northern Lights, and a Narwhal.