The Mountaineers
Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to....
Name: Jeremy Benezra
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Member Since: October 2016
Occupation: Real Estate Investor
Favorite Activities: Mountaineering, alpine climbing, rock climbing, backpacking, sitting by rivers, camping by alpine lakes.
10 Essentials: Questions
How did you get involved with The Mountaineers?
My main climbing buddy got accepted to medical school in Milan, Italy, and moved away last year. While I gained a great connection near the Dolomites and Alps, I was also forced to find new buddies who want to go uphill with me.
I also joined peakbagger.com, a cool website that got me on to the pursuit of bagging county high points. So far I've nabbed 2 COHPs in Florida, 1 in Hawaii, and 6 out of the 39 Washington COHPs. 33 to go!
What motivates you to get outside with us?
I've always enjoyed being outdoors, relaxing by a river, camping, and running and swimming with my dogs, but more and more I really enjoy the physical and mental challenge of ascending to a distant peak and surmounting it.
What's your favorite Mountaineers memory?
I'm fairly new to The Mountaineers, but I like how everything is very team oriented and supportive. I like that we all have some wilderness first aid training and that we provide aid to anyone we come across in the field that may need it. I like that The Mountaineers attempt to self-rescue. I'm a believer in pack it in, pack it out, and The Mountaineers practice this well.
Who/What inspires you?
Reading trip reports about the exploits of others inspires me to march onward to my own peaks.
What does adventure mean to you?
My wife and I met while we were both looking for an adventure partner. We only knew each other for about 6 weeks of dating and rock climbing at Exit 38 before we got on an airplane together for a grand adventure to Greece and Turkey. We learned a lot about each other during that adventure, married a few years later, and continue to have adventures to distant parts of the world as well as in the PNW wilderness.
Adventure can be in exotic locales or just down Highway 2. But it sure is fun to have a partner and to head somewhere you've never been to before.
Lightning Round
What's your happy place? Alpine lake campsite.
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