The Mountaineers
For eight years, we've hosted the BeWild Speaker Series to bring you stories of passion and adventure. We're excited to announce this year's lineup, which includes award winning authors, not your average thru-hiker, and a world class alpinist.
EVENT Info & Tickets
- $12 Individual | $24 Household (2+ Attendees)
- All events will be held virtually over Zoom
- Presentation starts at 7pm
2021 LINEUP
- Jan 14 | Bernadette McDonald
- Feb 11 | Elsye "Chardonnay" Walker
- Mar 11 | Barney Scout Mann
- May 13 | Graham Zimmerman
January 14, 2021
BerNADETTE mCDONALD | Winter 8000: Climbing The World's Highest Mountains in the Coldest Season
The world of high altitude climbing is challenging in any season. In winter, the cold and the wind and the isolation take it to another, almost incomprehensible level. And yet, there are those who are passionate about climbing 8000-metre peaks in the coldest season.
These individuals savour the cold, they train for the conditions and they are motivated by the loneliness of the Himalayan peaks in winter.Men and women from Poland, Italy, Korea, the U.S. and around the world, have become known as the Ice Warriors. More resembling space travellers in their protective clothing and specialized equipment, their stories are epic, heroic and often tragic as they endure fierce winter storms, hurricane force winds and sweeping avalanches.
From Everest to Nanga Parbat, Bernadette McDonald's Winter 8000 talk will introduce the Ice Warriors and their adventures on the highest mountains on earth, in the coldest season.
Purchase Winter 8000 - Climbing The World's Highest Mountains In the Coldest Season from Mountaineers Books.
February 11, 2021
Due to a medical emergency, Chardonnay will not be speaking this evening and the virtual event has been cancelled.
All ticket holders may request a full refund or credit to the next BeWild by emailing Garrett Arnold at garretta@mountaineers.org from the email they used to purchase their ticket.
ElsYe "Chardonnay" Walker | Finding a Path to The Triple Crown
Elsye ‘Chardonnay’ Walker, became the first African American woman to complete the “Triple Crown of Hiking”– completing the 7,900 total miles along the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide National Scenic Trails in 2018.
Born in Flint, Michigan, an army veteran, a self described 'free spirit' and wine enthusiast, Chardonnay is still not your average thru-hiker. Only picking up backpacking at 45 years old, she set out on her first overnight backpacking trip just months before she took the first steps on the PCT --1000 miles of which she hiked on a fractured ankle.
Join The Mountaineers and Chardonnay as she shares her story of life on the trail and her passion for adventure during her virtual presentation.
March 11, 2021
Barney Scout Mann | Journeys North: The Pacific Crest Trail
In 2007 Barney Mann and his wife Sandy undertook the adventure of a lifetime, setting out on the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Adopting the trail names “Scout” and “Frodo”, their lives became intertwined with four of their fellow hikers: Blazer, Nadine, Tony, and Dalton. Unbeknownst to them, the year was fated to hold extreme weather conditions in which only a third of PCT hikers finished.
A once-in-a-generation drought, severe winter storms, shattered bones, illnesses, and helicopter rescues strengthened the hikers’ bond as they made their way northward. Join us as Barney shares their compelling story, revealing the universality of our humanity and what it means to belong.
Purchase Journey's North: The Pacific Crest Trail from Mountaineers Books.
May 13, 2021
Graham Zimmerman | Global Adventures of an Imperfect Advocate
Join The Mountaineers on Thursday, May 13 for a virtual presentation from outdoor athlete, creative, and climate activist Graham Zimmerman.
Graham will share stories from expeditions to remote corners of Alaska and Pakistan and the path that took him to some of the world's most remote places. He'll show us how these journeys led him climate advocacy including being the captain of the POW Climb program and making a congressional testimony on the importance of taking action on climate change policy.
In the end, Graham will provide suggestions for how outdoor-minded individuals and organizations can help protect the places we love for generations to come.
About the BeWild Speaker Series
In its eighth year, The Mountaineers are proud to present the BeWild Speaker Series. Our goal is to put outdoor passion and adventure on stage. Come to any one of these talks - or all four - and we guarantee you'll leave inspired to seek adventure, connect with nature and work to protect wild places.
