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: Brian Booth
Hometown: Glen Ellyn, IL
Member Since: October 1991
Occupation: Recently retired Materials Engineer at Boeing
Favorite Activities: Alpine scrambling, animal tracking, primitive skills, backpacking, long distance hiking, circumnavigating volcanoes, climbing.
10 Essentials: Questions
How did you get involved with The Mountaineers?
After serving 5 years in the Navy, I took two years off to travel the continent and complete a thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. During that time, I narrowed it down to six locations in the US to move to and start a new chapter in my life. Seattle was the winner, and upon arriving, The Mountaineers was the clear place to start. Within a year, I had given a slide show on my PCT trek to a full house in The Mountaineers' auditorium.
What motivates you to get outside with us?
Doing shared favorite activities is the best way to make and maintain friends. I lead Mountaineers scrambling & snowshoeing trips, and also lead Conservation Northwest wildlife surveys (snow tracking), along with Laurel Baum. Lately I have been leading Mountaineers snowshoeing trips for the purpose of surveying for threatened species in remote areas. Anyone who is curious about animal tracks or signs they have seen are welcome to send me a photo that I might assist in identifying it!
What's your favorite Mountaineers memory?
Climbing Mera Peak in Nepal, on a Mountaineers Global Adventure led by Craig Miller. Another good one was finding fresh wolverine tracks on a spring snow scramble of Jove Peak. Another good one was contributing to Freedom 6 and going to the release party for that. There are a few illustrations of me from Freedom 6 that remain in Freedom 9. See if you can find me!
Who/What inspires you?
I'm most inspired on overnight/multiday trips in deep wilderness, away from roads, development, and technology (aside from the technical gear I need for survival and safety). Counter to that, the use of distracting electronic devices in the wilderness (i.e. not cameras) are a buzzkill for me; they disrupt my sense of inspiration and joy.
What does adventure mean to you?
Adventure is travel to a destination about which I have curiosity, where I need to test my physical strength, endurance, and tolerance of the elements, and where I can experience solitude & wonder. Adventure = memories.
Lightning Round
What's your 11th Essential? A 4-inch ruler, for photographing animal tracks.
What's your happy place? A lake in Glacier Peak Wilderness. (But no way you're getting me to tell you where it is! Leave No Trace!)
If you could be a rockstar at any outdoor activity overnight, what would it be? Figuring out how to get a permit for the Enchantments.
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