ANDY'S BIO
Andy's outdoor career began shortly after he moved to the Northwest from Wisconsin at the beginning of 1986. He
soon began exploring the Cascades and Olympics, doing cross-country skiing, hiking, and backpacking. In 1988, he
discovered the Mountaineers (a Seattle-based outdoors organization), joined the Everett branch, and took the Alpine
Scrambling Course. The following year, he returned as a volunteer instructor for the course, became a trip leader, and
also completed the Basic Climbing course with the Mountaineers.
Over the next several years, Andy was very active as a participant and leader of Mountaineers scrambling, climbing, and
skiing trips. In 1992, he became a guide for the Outdoor Recreation Program at Whidbey Island Naval Station. This
involved several outings each year guiding Navy personnel and other base employees on recreational climbs such as
Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt. Olympus, and Mt. Rainier. In the winter months he led occasional snowshoe trips for the
program.
The mid-90's were the height of Andy's activities as a mountain climber. He took the Mountaineers Intermediate
Climbing Course, an advanced-level program teaching the techniques of rock, ice, and winter climbing. To graduate
this course, climbers had to complete over 25 elements, an involved process that requires in most cases three to five
years. Andy graduated the course in just one year, one of the quickest ever to do so. During this time he won several
awards from the Mountaineers, including the Ken Nelson Memorial Climbing Award for outstanding volunteer service
to the Everett branch's climbing program.
In 1995, Andy met with Jane Lewis of Everett Parks and Rec about some Mountaineers-related business. He offered
his services as a trip leader if Jane ever had the need for extra help, and she replied, "Can you lead a ski trip this
Saturday?" That was the first Everett Parks and Rec outing, to Chiwawa Sno-Park in February of '95. Andy continued to
fill in leading trips, about once a month for the first couple of years.
From 1997 to 1999, as interest in the Everett Parks outdoor programs grew, Andy was able to transition from working
as a part-time City of Everett Parks employee to being a one-person "guiding service", contracting with, but separate
from the city. This allowed the program to expand, eventually reaching the point where the Parks programs became,
more or less, his full time work. Interest in the program continues to grow, and now Andy leads about 80 hikes, 40
snowshoes, and 10 ski trips a year. While most of Andy's outdoor leadership work is with Everett Parks, he does
occasionally contract with other parties to guide their adventures.
Andy also continues to be active with the Mountaineers, as an occasional trip leader, instructor, lecturer, and committee
member. In 1998 he was honored with the Everett Branch's Distinguished Service Award, given annually to a member
for their years of outstanding contributions to the branch and its over 1000 members.
Throughout his years of outdoor travel, Andy has been a very avid nature photographer. In his collection are over
30,000 images that document his trips in and out of Washington State, from the bottoms of the valleys to the tops of the
peaks. He has given many presentations, and is available to groups interested in seeing mountain travel slides.
Andy is single, and lives in Everett.
Andy's outdoor career began shortly after he moved to the Northwest from Wisconsin at the beginning of 1986. He
soon began exploring the Cascades and Olympics, doing cross-country skiing, hiking, and backpacking. In 1988, he
discovered the Mountaineers (a Seattle-based outdoors organization), joined the Everett branch, and took the Alpine
Scrambling Course. The following year, he returned as a volunteer instructor for the course, became a trip leader, and
also completed the Basic Climbing course with the Mountaineers.
Over the next several years, Andy was very active as a participant and leader of Mountaineers scrambling, climbing, and
skiing trips. In 1992, he became a guide for the Outdoor Recreation Program at Whidbey Island Naval Station. This
involved several outings each year guiding Navy personnel and other base employees on recreational climbs such as
Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt. Olympus, and Mt. Rainier. In the winter months he led occasional snowshoe trips for the
program.
The mid-90's were the height of Andy's activities as a mountain climber. He took the Mountaineers Intermediate
Climbing Course, an advanced-level program teaching the techniques of rock, ice, and winter climbing. To graduate
this course, climbers had to complete over 25 elements, an involved process that requires in most cases three to five
years. Andy graduated the course in just one year, one of the quickest ever to do so. During this time he won several
awards from the Mountaineers, including the Ken Nelson Memorial Climbing Award for outstanding volunteer service
to the Everett branch's climbing program.
In 1995, Andy met with Jane Lewis of Everett Parks and Rec about some Mountaineers-related business. He offered
his services as a trip leader if Jane ever had the need for extra help, and she replied, "Can you lead a ski trip this
Saturday?" That was the first Everett Parks and Rec outing, to Chiwawa Sno-Park in February of '95. Andy continued to
fill in leading trips, about once a month for the first couple of years.
From 1997 to 1999, as interest in the Everett Parks outdoor programs grew, Andy was able to transition from working
as a part-time City of Everett Parks employee to being a one-person "guiding service", contracting with, but separate
from the city. This allowed the program to expand, eventually reaching the point where the Parks programs became,
more or less, his full time work. Interest in the program continues to grow, and now Andy leads about 80 hikes, 40
snowshoes, and 10 ski trips a year. While most of Andy's outdoor leadership work is with Everett Parks, he does
occasionally contract with other parties to guide their adventures.
Andy also continues to be active with the Mountaineers, as an occasional trip leader, instructor, lecturer, and committee
member. In 1998 he was honored with the Everett Branch's Distinguished Service Award, given annually to a member
for their years of outstanding contributions to the branch and its over 1000 members.
Throughout his years of outdoor travel, Andy has been a very avid nature photographer. In his collection are over
30,000 images that document his trips in and out of Washington State, from the bottoms of the valleys to the tops of the
peaks. He has given many presentations, and is available to groups interested in seeing mountain travel slides.
Andy is single, and lives in Everett.
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