Member Since: 2000

"I moved back to the Puget Sound region in 1999 and joined The Mountaineers in 2000. It's been a wonderful way to explore Washington state and the outdoors, challenging myself and continuing to learn new things while meeting fascinating and dedicated people. I'm slowly switching from ice hockey as my defining sport to climbing/skiing. To support this habit I help manage a network of non-profit manufacturing engineering consulting firms on the West Coast."

Member Since:1999

"Like many of you, I joined The Mountaineers because I love the outdoors. I was new to Washington, eager to meet people, and wanted to learn how to play in the mountains safely."

Since she joined in 1999, Mona has served on various committees and contributed her professional marketing and business management experience toward development of Mountaineers programs and outreach.

A climber, hiker, scrambler and snowshoe enthusiast, Mona believes in keeping pace with what members demand of their organization. She says the board should continue with a strategy that "evaluates the things we do now relative to our mission, considers new opportunities, and makes hard decisions about where to invest for the future."

Member Since:2002

Eric Linxweiler has contributed his knowledge and time to the organization since 2005 when he became involved with the Seattle Climbing Committee. He became a trustee in 2006 and was elected president in 2008.

During his term as president, the organization moved its center of operations from Queen Anne to a new, dynamic program center at Magnuson Park. Under his helm, the board set The Mountaineers forth on a new strategic plan and hired a new executive director to execute the plan--thus engaging the organization more deeply in its mission and objectives.

His love of the outdoors started at a young age with the Boy Scouts of America, and he has imparted his passion for the outdoors to his son and daughter.

"This club is an outstanding resource to everyone who loves the outdoors. With its amazing diversity of activities, members, and resources, The Mountaineers has the opportunity, challenge--and above all, responsibility--to evolve, adapt and grow for another 100 years."

Member Since: 1988

Lorna is an attorney in Everett, Washington, where her practice involves general civil litigation. Prior to assuming the office of secretary for The Mountaineers Board of Trustees, Lorna served as the chair of the Everett Branch. She has lived most of her life in Western Washington and grew up in a Mountaineers family. Lorna has fond memories of learning to ski during family weekends at the Snoqualmie and Meany Lodges. She enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and scrambling, and appreciates the camaraderie and shared adventure that comes with membership in The Mountaineers.

Treasurer

Member since: 2008

"After climbing Mt. Rainier with a guide service in 2008, my wife and I joined The Mountaineers to learn how to be independent climbers and explorers of the Northwest. The tremendous support provided by countless volunteers inspired me to want to help the organization thrive and become an even stronger part of our community. I am thrilled to work with such a dedicated group during this time which, I believe, will prove to be one of the most important periods in the history of The Mountaineers."

An Intermediate Climbing Course student, Gavin has been taking full advantage of all the opportunities to find adventures on the snow, rock and ice on nearby peaks. He also enjoys skiing, triathlons and long-distance running. Gavin was elected to the board as treasurer in early 2010.
Prior to joining Expedia, where he is currently a director, Gavin was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. He is a former U.S. Army infantry captain and decorated combat veteran (Operation Iraqi Freedom). He holds a mechanical engineering degree, with honors, from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Member Since: 1968

Dave Claar is a long-time member with a history of volunteer leadership within the organization. He has been a board trustee, chair of the Property Division, member of the Seattle Climbing Committee and has sat on numerous board-level committees responsible for a variety of duties. Recently, Dave has been mostly involved with the Meany Lodge.

Member Since: 1979

Member since: 1980

Ed Henderson has a long and varied history with The Mountaineers. He has chaired activity committees, was the board president from 2000-2002, and has been a member of the Library, Northwest Environmental Issues Course, Conservation, Recreation Access and Alternative Funding committees. He's taken the basic and intermediate climbing, photography and sea kayaking courses, and has earned various climbing pins and the Olympia Branch's Service and Stewardship Award.

Member Since: 1993

Active in the climbing and family activities programs for The Mountaineers, Rich has been a member since 1993 and relishes the friendships he has developed within the organization since joining. A Microsoft researcher and father of two daughters, Rich applauds recent efforts by The Mountaineers to engage more families and aims to help continue this pursuit.

"This is an exciting and challenging time for The Mountaineers. I see the move to Magnuson Park as an opportunity to revitalize our programs. I look to the new building to set the tone for The Mountaineers as a modern club, still vibrant and relevant to everyone interested in outdoor recreation," Rich says.

Besides climbing, Rich enjoys skiing and windsurfing.

Member Since: 1993

A Mountaineers member since 1993, Lynn has now served on the board of trustees twice and has been involved with various lodge and board activities, including the board's Strategic Planning Committee and the Snoqualmie Lodge Committee, which she chaired in the late 1990s. She has recently finished compiling a biography on a Mountaineers paragon, Wolf Bauer, and titled "Crags, Eddie & Riprap: The Sound Country Memoir of Wolf Bauer."

A teacher by trade, Lynn has contributed her time to several conservation groups in the Northwest, including the Sierra Club and Audubon Society. When not devoting her time to conservation groups, she has earned her stripes on the lacrosse field as co-founder of the women's league in the Pacific Northwest and as an inductee into the state Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Lynn is dedicated to the future of The Mountaineers as it enters its new era. "We have to look ahead... being careful to honor our legacy while at the same time adapting to the realities of our modern world." She adds, "As we develop a model of partnership between activities and conservation... we will find that healthy membership growth and heightened status in the community are inevitable rewards."

Please see President-Elect position above for info

Member Since: 1999

Member since: 1986

Mark Scheffer grew up hiking and scrambling in the Cascades. He joined The Mountaineers to take advantage of the many trips and classes offered. He has taken the alpine scrambling, basic climbing, and intermediate climbing courses. A longtime climbing committee member, he has also spent many years on the scrambling committee and leads trips for snowshoes, hikes, backpacks, scrambles and climbs.

"What originally drew me to The Mountaineers was the desire to go on trips with experienced leaders who could show me places I had never seen before and that I was unwilling to try without more experience. I quickly discovered that what I liked most about The Mountaineers, and what has kept me a very active member, was not only the excitement of seeing new places or climbing challenging peaks, but the friendships and connections that are developed with others who also seek these same challenges and adventures.

"One of the challenges for the organization is the impact our larger courses have on the wilderness environment, both physically as well as visually. Magnuson Park gives us a unique opportunity to reduce, if not eliminate, the impact of these large courses in the environment, yet provide high-quality classes for our members so that they can safely enjoy activities in the outdoors. It's an exciting time to be a member and help mold the changes that will be felt for years, if not decades, to come."

Member Since: 1998

A Mountaineers member since 1998, Kirk has immersed himself in the climbing community, most recently in the transition of the climbing curricula to the new program center at Magnuson Park. However, he enjoys a wide breadth of other Mountaineers activities, including sea kayaking, snowshoe travel, skiing, photography and hiking.

"My passion and commitment to wilderness adventure led me to seek out The Mountaineers shortly after moving to Seattle. Since then, my involvement as a Mountaineers participant has evolved into leadership positions in which I thrive on bringing diverse ideas and people together," Kirk says.

A construction engineer by trade, Kirk adds, "As we move to Magnuson, these are exciting times. The location gives the organization greater exposure as a premier leader in the Pacific Northwest and is an ideal venue for hosting conservation and community awareness activities."

Member Since: 1981

"I took the Basic Climbing Course in 1982 and quickly became very active in a number of Mountaineers activities -- ones I still enjoy today. I completed the Basic, MOFA, Intermediate, Ski Mountaineering, Snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, Sea Kayaking, Sailing, and Naturalists courses, then became an instructor, and then leader, for most of these activities. I continue to enjoy teaching many of these classes even after 20-plus years.
The intermediate climbing program led me to Seattle Mountain Rescue in 1985 and I continue to remain active in this organization. I have taken part in high-angle extractions of badly injured climbers and in searches for lost hikers.
My climbing, rescue, and emergency-care skills allowed me to become a valued volunteer backcountry ranger at Mt. Rainier National Park from 1995 through 2000, where I did everything from digging backcountry toilets to intubating fallen climbers before they were whisked away by helicopter.
Mountaineer Books asked me to take part in the creation of the seventh edition of 'Freedom of the Hills,' for which I authored the Rescue Chapter. I am now a member of the 'Freedom 8' authoring team.
Most recently, I have been a member of the New Facilities Construction Committee, spending 100-plus hours volunteering at the site of our new program center.
I have found that the more involved I have become with The Mountaineers, the larger the number of really great folks I have met, and the more the organization has changed my life. Get involved -- the same is likely to happen to you."

Member Since: 1973

"After growing up in California, backpacking in the Sierra Nevada, and working summers in Yosemite, I came to the Northwest in 1972 for the mountains, greenery and the skiing. Joining The Mountaineers in 1973 and taking the Basic and Intermediate Climbing courses expanded my skills, confidence and horizons greatly. The Mountaineers provided a framework of increasing opportunities to enjoy hiking, backpacking, scrambling, climbing, bicycling and skiing. As a scramble and climb leader, and as an instructor in scrambling, climbing and nordic skiing, I have always loved introducing others to the activities that I find so satisfying. And I have always loved that so many other volunteers in the organization are doing the same thing! I am confident in the mission and future of our organization and look forward to a little Mountaineers make-over as we settle into our new program center and put it to work.
Between weekends and vacations, I work as an audiologist for an ear, nose, and throat medical practice in Edmonds."

Member Since: 1998

"I am a Mountaineers member because I am amazed by the natural bounty we have in the Pacific Northwest. From Puget Sound paddling to Cascades trail running, skiing, and snowshoeing, there is something exciting to do every season. I am passionate about sharing this natural bounty with my sons, aged 10 and 8."

Matt is an experienced marketing and market research executive with such Fortune 100 companies as Microsoft, Kellogg's Company, Procter & Gamble, Guinness, and J. P. Morgan, and he currently runs his own research company. In addition to The Mountaineers, he promotes youth education and physical activity with the YMCA, Seattle Schools and Seattle Community Centers.

Member Since: 1971

For the past 40 years, Steve has had the opportunity to participate across the spectrum of The Mountaineers as a volunteer with several committees and groups, including three different branches. A Bellingham Branch member, Steve helped design the Winter Travel Course for the Seattle Branch, has edited The Mountaineer and has taught basic and intermediate climbing, MOFA, scrambling, snowshoeing, and navigation.

Member Since: 1994

Member Since: 1992

Member Since: 2003

Jimmy has served The Mountaineers off and on since he joined some 50 years ago. He has been a vital cog in the formation of one of the newest branches of The Mountaineers, Kitsap. He has been an avid climber, reaching the summit of most of the major Northwest peaks and has volunteered his time to search-and-rescue organizations over his long climbing career. He has also served with the National Ski Patrol at Snoqualmie Pass.

A retired tax consultant, Jimmy trains his focus on crafting Mountaineers products so that they appeal to "the young men and women who are our next generation members." He maintains that "when we accomplish that, our other challenges will be much easier to handle."

Member since: 1990

John graduated from the Olympia Basic Climbing Course in 1992. He additionally completed a number of other Mountaineers courses, including Tacoma scrambling and Olympia winter travel. He was awarded the Five Majors Pin in 2003.
John has held several Olympia Branch offices, including:
- Basic Climb Committee Chair
- Climbing Division Chair
- Olympia Branch Chair
- Olympia Branch Trustee
Additionally, he has served in various committees and club positions, including:
- Climb Committee member since 1995
- Olympia Climbs Coordinator/five years
- Olympia Basic Course redesign committee; and
- Basic Course Instructor Manual Committee
John retired in 2006 from the Washington State Department of Information Services, where he had served as a senior project manager. He and his wife, Virginia, live in rural Olympia. They have five adult children and many, many grandkids.

See the President listing above for Tab's bio.

Member Since: 1986

"While I discovered my love of the outdoors in my mid-20s, it wasn't until my move to the Pacific Northwest in 1985 and my joining The Mountaineers that it became a passion. I've climbed, done long-distance hiking, bicycling, canoeing . . . well, the list goes on. Ultimately it's about spending time in wild places, be it in the mountains, desert, tundra, whatever this planet has to offer. Through my association with The Mountaineers I have developed the skills to travel in wilderness.

My work-life was spent doing product development, last with Cascade Designs (makers of the Thermarest and other products for outdoor users) here in Seattle. I'm currently self-employed as a contractor, specializing in seismic retrofitting of older homes, which allows me to spend more time doing what I really enjoy, spending time in wilderness."

Gates of the Arctic National Park. Photo by S. Campion.

Helen Cherullo is publisher of The Mountaineers Books, the publishing division of The Mountaineers and dedicated to "leading our readers to the lessons and pleasures of the great outdoors." She has been a Mountaineers member since 1992, when she first started at "Books."
Born in Chicago and raised next door to a forest preserve in the city's suburbs, she has had a lifetime passion for nature study and preserving wild places. Other passions include day hiking, canoeing, and gardening. Her modest-sized city lot includes over 20 dwarf fruit trees rapidly transitioning into an out-of-control forest. She has a BA in journalism from the University of Montana, with a major in fine arts -- and believes in the power of words and images to inspire and transform lives.