Steve LeBrun
Meet Foothills Trail Running Committee co-chair Gabrielle Orsi. A San Diego native who relocated to Washington State from Colorado in 2013, she leads trail running, hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing trips for the club in addition to her committee work.
Trail Running is the newest committee in the Foothills branch, celebrating its one-year anniversary this November, and has accomplished a lot so far, including offering new classes, training more than a dozen trail run leaders, and planning weekend running-themed retreats.
Gabrielle's volunteer spirit extends beyond The Mountaineers; she also volunteers with the US Forest Service by staffing fire lookouts from June through October in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. She represents Pacific Northwest athletes by sitting on the US Snowshoe Association's Board of Regional Representatives, serves as a volunteer board member for the Seattle Running Club, and volunteers as a ski patroller for the Mount Tahoma Trails Association near Ashford.
Growing up in Southern California, Gabrielle's introduction to the outdoors was through Girl Scouts activities, family hikes, car camping trips, and her father's love of surfing. She has been running since she was 5 years old and has completed more than fifty marathons and ultramarathons. She can be found running through the Issaquah Alps every week and combines her passion for snowshoeing with running by competing in snowshoe races in the wintertime, as well as skiing.
"My dream is to lead interesting, safe, and well-crafted trips, to share my love of the outdoors and particularly winter travel. As a leader I aim to bring unique experiences to Mountaineers members. I would also like to create trips for the Mountaineers' Global Adventures program some day. Join me for a snowshoe, a hike, a backpack, or a run. Get out there!"
