Ann Marie graduated from high school in Japan before settling in the Pacific Northwest and calling it home. She fell in love with the outdoors while in college, where she was introduced to climbing in 1991. She climbed a lot in the early years before moving to the Midwest and starting a family. Upon returning to the Northwest in 2004, she got back into climbing and wanted to find a group to climb with. Finding the Mazamas opened a whole new world of adventuring. Ann Marie is a provisional leader in the Leadership Development (LD) program.
Name: Ann Marie Caplan
Pronouns: She/her
Year Joined Mazamas: 2018
Present-day outdoor activities: Rock climbing, cycling, alpine in the summer
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? I remember hiking with my family when we lived in Hawaii. On one hike, we had found an abandoned kitten that they let me take home and keep.
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? I learned about the Mazamas from a friend, Mark Milobinski. He was a climb leader and was going to lead a couple climbs (Hood and Eldorado) and invited me to come along. I joined so I could climb with him. I then decided to take ICS (Intermediate Climbing School) to brush up on my skills and be more in line with “the Mazama way” of doing things. From that point on, I was all in with the organization. I was drawn in by the community of like-minded climbers who love to adventure like I do.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Don’t worry about being the strongest or fastest. There are plenty of us who are here for the people and the journey.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I am inspired by people who push themselves to do things they may feel they are not ready to do. My favorite thing about assisting on climbs is the pure joy people feel when they overcome mental or physical challenges they otherwise may not have done without the Mazamas.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. This is a tough one, as I am not one to choose favorites. I am a fan of Alpine Savvy because John Godino is cool. (@alpinesavvy on Instagram)
What’s on your adventure bucket list? I’ve always wanted to trek to Everest Base Camp. I would love to see the Khumbu Ice fall in person.