Aimee grew up getting dirty in the Utah Mountains, where she says backpacking and skiing were just the way of life. A former Mazama Board Member, Aimee has helped out with many of our class offerings, from Advanced Rock to First Aid. When not adventuring, Aimee is the co-founder and director of operations for Graphic 45, an award-winning scrapbook and paper crafting company.
Name: Aimee Filimoehala
Pronouns: she/her
Year Joined Mazamas: 2017
Present-day outdoor activities: I love being in the mountains, especially off the beaten path. My favorite activities include rock, ice, and alpine climbing, and exploring the mountains on skis.
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? I was fortunate to grow up in Utah at the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, where I was exposed to hiking and skiing as a child.
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? After hiking and backpacking for years, I decided to climb Mount Adams. Early into the climb, I grasped that alpine climbing was much more demanding and consequential than your typical hike. I realized I wanted to acquire the necessary skills to be safe in the mountains, and I signed up for the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) the next spring.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offerthem? Join an organization like the Mazamas or a meet-up group. I’ve met many amazing nature-loving people who have taught me so much.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I’m inspired by the members of Portland Mountain Rescue and the time they volunteer to help with Search and Rescue (SAR) missions on Mount Hood.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? Pick one. Alpinesavvy.com is a great resource for PNW climbing information like GPX tracks and route beta! I’ve downloaded maps and tracks for dozens of climbs.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? I’m hoping to get down to Peru and explore some of the Cordillera Blanca soon.
Flora is an elder in both the Mazamas and the Quinault Indian Nation in Washington state. She jokes that just means she’s old, but in fact, she’s been very involved for many years in both organizations. She climbed 40 mountains – never the same one – and was active in trail tending for the Mazamas. At 88, she says this winter’s ski trip to Eastern Oregon might be her last, and it’s time to hang up her skis. But she plans to continue to lead “old lady hikes,” for the Mazamas as long as she can.
When not outdoors, Flora’s had a varied career, washing dishes in hospital kitchens, driving a school bus, testing water quality, helping with cardiac research and volunteering at the Forest Center at Multnomah Falls. She is a retired RN.
Name: Flora Huber
Pronouns: She/her
Year Joined Mazamas: 1954
Present-day outdoor activities: Leading “little old lady hikes”
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? That’d have to be clam digging on the coast or bullfrog fishing on the Willamette River with my family and my father and his friends.
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? I had a teacher at Lincoln High School, Mrs. Obie, who was a sponsor for our square dancing club. She was a Mazama, her and her husband. We’d ride up to the Mazama Lodge in the back of their jeep with a bunch of kids. This was before seatbelt laws. We’d rent the stove at the lodge for 50 cents a day, so we could cook our breakfasts. Mrs. Obie taught me how to ski. Once I learned, I’d hitchhike up to Timberline Lodge and huff it up the Glade Trail because I didn’t have $5 for the lift ticket.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offerthem? Just keep going and persist. There’s going to be more and more people. Get up early and get out on the trail.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? Mazama climb leaders have always inspired me, and I had so many good ones. They’re just wonderful people who devote their time and energy to the outdoors.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? Pick one. I just read a book called Letters from Yellowstone. It compiled letters from a woman who was a med student who traveled to Yellowstone to be part of a group that cataloged flowers and vegetation in Yellowstone. Of course, it was the turn of the century, and she was quite an activist and loved the outdoors. I found it so very fascinating, how she persisted in her quest despite people who thought she wasn’t capable of being a scientist because she was a woman. Apparently there’s supposed to be another follow up book.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? Nothing too exotic. I’ll be leading a hike next Tuesday, and I hope to keep doing that three or four times a month. That’s adventure enough.
A Mazama Summit Certificate from Flora’s first climb.
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 offerthem? 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 andwhy? 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.
This Valentine’s Day, we point our compass to tales of love, connection and shared adventures. At the Mazamas, we believe the great outdoors not only supplies stunning landscapes and heart-thumping adventures but also serves as the backdrop for some of life’s beautiful love stories.
In celebration of this international day of love, we’re delighted to share stories of couples who’ve found love amidst the rugged allure of nature and strengthened their bond through the Mazamas.
Merche & Chelsea
They met online at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and married in a small ceremony at Crater Lake the following year. How did they get to know each other? They hiked. The first trail the pair walked together was Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain. At the top, they gazed at Mt. Hood, never dreaming they would soon stand at its summit together.
Chelsea, a high school Spanish teacher and initially the more outdoorsy of the pair, applied to the Mazama Basic Climbing Education Program in 2022. Hearing Chelsea and another friend talk nonstop about BCEP on a hike, Merche applied too. “I thought, ‘what am I going to do on all the weekends you’re with the Mazamas,’” Merche, who teaches fifth grade in Hillsboro, recalled. “I can’t miss out.”
They both were accepted to the BCEP LGBTQ+ team, which they credited with enhancing their overall experience. “Representation matters,” Chelsea said. “That was the first time either of us had been part of an affinity group, and it was very welcoming. There even were others who did not speak English as their first language (members of the all-Latino BCEP team) BCEP was such a great introduction to the organization.”
But the couple wanted more, so they climbed mountains together that summer – Mt. Hood, Unicorn Peak, Mt. Washington and South Sister, to boost their applications to the Mazama Intermediate Climbing School (ICS). There were a couple of climbs where they said they were feeling a bit unwell, and if they hadn’t been together, they might have bailed.
“But we helped and inspired each other, and it was so amazing to be on top of Mt. Hood together,” Chelsea said. “It’s so wonderful to have a hobby like climbing that we share.”
Chelsea and Merche are in the midst of ICS and have signed up to assist with the LGBTQ+ BCEP team again this year.
Kirk & Debbie
Debbie and Kirk met on the ICS committee in 2018, but it would take a few out-of-character, post-committee group pub gatherings, texts and a spare ticket to a soccer game before they truly clicked.
“Kirk is a major introvert,” said Debbie, who also noted she’s very shy. “I learned later he never went for beers after committee meetings.”
“Yeah, there was no way I was just going to ask her out,” Kirk said, recalling the group email he sent inquiring if anyone wanted to go to a Timbers game. He wasn’t looking for just anyone though, and lucky for him, Debbie was the only taker.
But even during the soccer match, Debbie didn’t think it was a real date. That didn’t happen until they had been texting a lot, they had a free weekend from ICS, and they went to the beach and went for a hike.
“The rest, as they say, is history,” they both joked. That summer, the pair began climbing a fair bit together, and they backpacked around Mt. Adams. Then Debbie had a bad fall.
“It was really bad,” Kirk said. “She fell like 30 feet.” She suffered a concussion, broke her heel. As a result, the couple spent a lot of time indoors, getting to know each other.
“I couldn’t do anything, and I really appreciated how supportive he was,” Debbie said. “I just wasn’t myself, and he was just wicked patient through all that.”
Fast forward to July 2019. Kirk proposed on the day off, between climbing South Early Winter Spire and Liberty Bell in the North Cascades. Their first wedding date, in 2020, was delayed due to COVID. In 2021, they opted for a small backyard ceremony at Kirk’s parents’ house in West Linn. Both had been married before and have kids ranging in age from 24 to 33.
Kirk and Debbie assisted with BCEP, with Debbie in Leadership Development and Kirk a longtime climb leader. Together, they have run the LGBTQ+ BCEP team the past few years as allies, and have been so happy to meet the demand for that affinity space.
Jeff & Freda
Jeff and Freda, who have run and continue to help with our Nordic and Backcountry Ski programs, met in November 1999. They both attended the Mazamas Annual Banquet at the Oregon Zoo. They met in the beverage line, and later, by coincidence, they wound up seated across from each other at dinner.
A few weeks later, Jefff got Freda’s number from a friend. They had dinner once, and shortly thereafter, Jeff took on a huge work project, and over the next year, he put in 60- to 100-hour weeks and had no time for a social life.
But he emerged that following spring, when the project was over. He helped out with a BCEP class, and in another coincidence, Freda was assisting the same class. Late on the Ruckel Ridge conditioning hike, while descending from Benson Plateau, Freda and Jeff happened to be together in the back. They chatted, and Jeff asked if she would be interested in picking up where they left off 16 months prior.
“Maybe” she said. “I have two questions…My dad was a school teacher, and in the summer he framed houses. Any man in my life needs to be handy. Do you know which end of a hammer to hold onto?”
Jeff replied: “Yeah. What’s your second question?”
Freda: “I intend to be married by the time I’m 50, and right now I’m 48. Are you still interested?”
Three-and-a-half years later they married at an outdoor wedding with a cloudburst rainstorm interruption between their vows. And they’re still going strong, living a life of adventure and volunteerism, with the Mazamas and beyond.
Born in Bellingham, Wash., Daniel moved to Portland in 1993 to attend college. Since joining the Mazamas, he has participated in our Basic Climbing Education, Nordic and First Aid courses. When not out in the wild, Daniel teaches yoga and mindfulness, serves as a cross-country coach and works as a care manager, shaman and Reiki master.
Name: Daniel J Hemmen
Pronouns: He/ Him
Present-day Outdoor Activities: Nordic and Alpine skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, biking, mountaineering, SUP, backpacking, yoga and trail-running.
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? As a child, I remember accompanying my parents on excursions to rural parts of our county to pick blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. The best part was making homemade jams and pies to eat and share with our neighbors.
How did you hear about Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? I first learned about Mazamas from friends who were climbing with the organization. I decided that I wanted to challenge myself and learn new skills so that I can climb safely and responsibly, plus make new friends who enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? I would say that in light of our environmental crisis, it is critically important to be conscious of the environmental impact you have when you recreate outdoors. In addition, ask yourself if the outdoor activity you are engaged in is inclusive to all people or not?
What activities/ situations/people most inspire you? I am inspired by people who dare to dream what others may consider impossible actually possible and then make it happen! I am inspired when ordinary people come together and achieve extraordinary things, no matter how small or large.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? Pick one. I just finished watching Netflix docuseries, 100-Foot Wave with my partner and loved it because the main characters dared to dream of surfing big waves that had never been surfed before and made it happen in Nazare, Portugal. Most importantly,100-Foot Wave is fundamentally about partnership as the story’s main focus is on a family growing in love through life’s challenges and triumphs.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? Annapurna Circuit Trek, Nazare, Portugal, Angkor Wat , Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Kyoto, Japan. Norway, and Bhutan.
Kristie grew up staring at Mt. Saint Helens from her living room window and has been living around the Northwest long enough to remember its eruption in May 1980. Since then, she has skied and climbed several of the Northwest volcanoes and loves to suffer by running ultramarathons around mountains.
When Kristie is not outside, she can be found working as a Nurse Practitioner in a small clinic in Hood River, practicing the piano, or having fun in the bouldering gym. She recently became an empty nester after sending two kids off to college, and is enjoying having more time on her hands to pursue more wilderness medicine teaching and adventure, including, Intermediate Climbing School (ICS, which she is currently taking) and volunteering for the Mazama first aid committee and the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP).
Name: Kristie Mitchell
Pronouns: She/her
Year Joined Mazamas: 2018
Present-day outdoor activities: I spend most of my spring/summers trail runni
ng, mountaineering or mountain biking. My winters I spend Nordic and backcountry skiing with some downhill skiing thrown in. I hope to incorporate some rock climbing post-Intermediate Climbing School (ICS) once the weather improves!
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? I remember my first day skiing like it was yesterday. I was 6 years old and enrolled in Powder Hounds ski school at Timberline. It was cold, and I fell a lot. I remember being very frustrated until after lunch and hot chocolate. Then parts of it became more fun. It obviously stuck!
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? I first heard of the Mazamas through a friend. I was looking to climb Mountain Hood again (initially I climbed it with Timberline Mountain Guides) and wanted to connect with more people to climb with.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offerthem? Enjoy the outdoors, but be prepared to be humbled. There is a lot that can go wrong, and being prepared (and in good fitness) is the key to enjoyment.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I love long days on the trails or climbing routes, particularly when it involves mountains and views and multiple terrains. I especially love being in the present moment and in awe of nature. That to me is the most inspiring. I am inspired by people who are passionate about the outdoors and generous with sharing.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? Pick one. It’s hard for me to pick just one. I guess I really like the Sharp End podcast because of the interviewing style, and I learn a lot.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? So many things. Definitely exploring Patagonia. There’s a race down there called the Patagonia Expedition Race where a team of four covers over 500 km by mountaineering, kayaking, trekking, trail running and mountain biking, all without electronic navigation on a course that is revealed 24 hours before the start time. That to me would be the ultimate adventure. If anyone wants to form a team with me let me know 🙂
Since joining the Mazamas 11 years ago, Matt has dedicated more than 6,000 volunteer hours to the organization. He’s chaired the climb committee, spearheaded the Mountain LEAD certification program, launched the AIARE Pilot Program and developed new programming like the Introduction to Alpine, Multipitch Skill Builder and Traditional Gear and Anchor Rigging courses.
Present-day outdoor activities: Mountaineering and alpine climbing, rock climbing, car camping, hiking, occasional skiing.
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? As a curious four-year-old exploring the woods behind my parents’ house, I used my National Audubon Society “Field Guide to the Southwestern States” to seek out creatures. I never did find any creatures from that book— I was located in upstate New York.
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? In 2010, I learned about the Mazamas from a friend—now a longtime climbing partner. Our friendship strengthened over a shared love for adventure, but our lack of education often led us into challenging situations. Recognizing the need for skills, he completed BCEP and ICS. Then, one day, he told me I couldn’t join him on some mountaineering adventures because he couldn’t teach me all the important skills I needed. He urged me to enroll in ICS, and I applied immediately, officially becoming part of the Mazamas community.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Besides encouraging individuals to pursue the proper mentorship, education, and training needed to safely recreate and be self-sufficient while adventuring outdoors…
I encourage everyone to discover their unique adventure. We all differ in how we engage with the outdoors, bringing our entire selves with us. Embrace the unique connection with adventure, honoring what inspires, thrills, and fulfills you. The world is vast and full of wonder. Find your adventure—whether a calm stroll or tackling remote peaks—on your terms. Don’t let others dictate how you should enjoy the outdoors. Forget social media, peer pressure, or unnecessary expectations. Engage in a way that suits you and feeds your soul.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? The moment when someone accomplishes a significant feat and the realization dawns on them. Whether it’s summiting a challenging mountain, leading their first pitch, excelling in teaching, or conquering a personal challenge, you can sense the achievement. You know it when you see it; it’s remarkable to witness.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? Pick one. My most recent favorite book is The Unexpected Universe by Loren Eiseley. His meticulous choice of words imparts thoughtfulness, wonder, and gravity to every sentence in his essays. Eiseley’s writing is inspiring and shows a love and connection to the natural world like few others.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? Visit Antarctica and the southernmost tip of Cape Horn. Climb the Daubenhorn via ferrata in Leukerbad, Switzerland. Walk the Camino de Santiago. Spend a few months rock climbing all over Thailand. Climb the Matterhorn.
Chris has served on the Mazama Board since last year and as the board liaison to the Lodge, he has helped shape future plans for that facility, conducting risk assessments, hosting strategy sessions, surveying members, playing an integral role in lodge host training and volunteer operations and representing the Mazamas on the Mt. Hood Climbing Permit Working Group.
When not volunteering, skiing or hiking, Chris continues to help organizations in hospitality, leisure and sports and recreation strategize and launch their sustainability initiatives. Read more about Chris and other board candidates.
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Ice skating/pick up hockey on anything frozen – lakes, ponds, streams, culverts and learning to ski (and dodging the hay bales at the bottom of the runs) at Little Switzerland in Wisconsin.
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? A colleague of my brother was a Mazama and talked about the climbing program. If I recall, he had completed the leadership program after Intermediate Climbing School (ICS) and invited me and my brother to climb Mt. Hood, which was my first climb.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offerthem? Just do it:) and learn to be safe so you can experience the deep, rich aspects of being out there, unplugged.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? Being in service to others. Particularly helping during times of crisis. With my background in hospitality – food and beverage – I’m trying to figure out how to go on assignment with World Central Kitchen to provide really good food for those around the world in situational, desperate need. I’m inspired by people that seek solutions in the most trying of circumstances.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? My favorite book is A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson. I have never laughed so hard by myself. I also enjoyed reading it before the movie came out. If you hike, you will find yourself laughing out loud so be prepared to answer to others if it disturbs the peace:) If you like podcasts checkout Michael Gervais’ Funding Mastery. The breadth of people he interviews is fascinating. Numerous climbers like Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold, Chris McNamara, Lynn Hill, Tommy Caldwell…
What’s on your adventure bucket list? Kilimanjaro. Not the most technical, but it’s Africa!
Joining the Mazamas has been transformative for Debbie, and she treasures the education she’s received, the friends she’s made and the myriad volunteer opportunities she’s embraced within the organization.
She’s a Mountain LEAD certified educator and a climb leader who has co-led the queer BCEP team the past two years as an ally with her husband, Kirk. For the past decade, she has worked as a licensed psychologist serving adolescents and young adults. Prior to that she worked in accounting and finance for 20 years. Read more about Debbie and other Mazama Board candidates.
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Camping with my parents and making campfires with my dad. I’m still mesmerized by a good campfire!
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? I heard about the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) through a friend. I had done some backpacking and had summited Mt. St. Helens in the summer (not a 10/10 experience…). I knew I didn’t have the technical skills to do more than that and was interested in learning more, so I applied. My BCEP experience opened up a whole new world for me, including an introduction to technical climbing skills as well as meeting an entire new community of amazing people. The other volunteers, sense of community, teaching opportunities, and being present when others reach their goals are what’s kept me engaged and active in the organization for the past several years.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offerthem? Learn how to do things safely from others who have trusted experience. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t let others try to tell you what you “should” do. Explore new things on your own terms, discover what sparks joy, and do more of that!
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? I am most inspired by strong female role models. I appreciate humans who don’t accept limitations put on them by others and instead forge their own path, whatever that looks like!
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? Pick one. It’s tough to pick just one! I’d say my favorite social media platform is Instagram. I have a wide range of interests, so I appreciate that I can quickly get information/updates on a variety of topic areas in one place, including climbing, soccer, nature photography, mental health, advocacy, music, humor, etc. I’ve been able to curate my feed such that it [mostly] sparks joy.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? So many things! As far as mountaineering goals, I have Mt. Rainier and Mt. Olympus currently on my bucket list. I also generally want to do more alpine rock climbs. I’ve spent the past several months recovering from injury, so I’m just excited to get back outside for more adventuring!
Lily grew up in Northeast Portland and enjoyed cross country skiing and playing sports as a kid. In her adult life, she has continued to engage in those activities as much as possible by coaching girls lacrosse.
She completed our Basic Climbing Education Program last year and has summited Mount Hood, Unicorn Peak and South Sister. She assisted with a BCEP team in 2023, intends to assist again in 2024 and also is serving on the BCEP committee, which is gearing up for its info night on Jan. 11.
Name: Lily Cox-Skall
Pronouns: she/ her
Year Joined Mazamas: 2022
Present-day outdoor activities: Mountaineering, backpacking, hiking, running, cross country skiing
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Going cross country skiing with my parents as a kid – I used to hate it! Lol
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with theorganization? A few of my friends had taken BCEP and posted about it on social media, prompting my interest!
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offerthem? Partaking in outdoor skill training can give you so much more confidence in the outdoors. Before I took BCEP, I felt like I had to rely on others to be knowledgeable about navigating outdoor scenarios. Since learning technical skills, I feel comfortable organizing and leading day trips and backpacking trips that I may not have in the past, and it’s given me the opportunity to get more of my friends and family outdoors with me!
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? Since joining the Mazamas and BCEP in particular, I have been so fortunate to meet so many amazing and inspiring people. In particular, one of my BCEP team leads, Ann Marie, inspired me so much throughout the course and beyond. On top of a million other commitments, Ann Marie volunteers to help students learn new outdoor skills, and she is so patient that it made it a lot easier to get through the intimidation of doing new and scary things. When it comes to badass mountaineering women who inspire me, I definitely hold her on the top of my list :).
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow andwhy? I recently finished the book Bravey by Alexi Pappas! It is a really inspiring memoir that inspires me when it comes to setting goals and accomplishing them.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? I want to go climb the Acatenango volcano in Guatemala!
