Keynote by International Mountain Guide Charlotte Austin
Charlotte Austin - KEYNOTE Address, ADVENTURE WRITING & More
Charlotte Austin is an award-winning adventure writer, editor, and adventurer living on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She has been an international mountain guide for more than a decade, and leads climbing, mountaineering, and hiking expeditions around the globe. She has guided some of the world's biggest mountains, and works in places including North and South America, Europe, Alaska, Patagonia, and Nepal. She is a Wilderness-EMT, a Leave No Trace (LNT) Trainer, and holds Level 2 certification with the American Institute for Avalanche Education and Training (AIARE). She is an extra class ham radio operator.
She did her undergraduate work at the University of Saint Andrews (in Scotland) and at the University of Washington (in Seattle), where she earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Environmental Studies, then attended the low-residency MFA program at the University of Alaska Anchorage in creative nonfiction. She has been the writer-in-residence at the Oregon State University’s H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest as part of the Long Term Ecological Reflections (LTER) program, and was a guest at a month-long artist residency at Jentel Artist Residency in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Charlotte’s adventures include paddling more than 300 miles of the Columbia River Water Trail, leading two expeditions to the highest mountain in Mongolia, and summiting four of the Seven Summits. She teaches writing workshops upon request, and offers keynotes and other inspiring lectures around the world.
She has written for Outside Magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, National Geographic, Alpinist, Backpacker, Seattle Met, and many more national and international print and online publications. She summited Mount Everest on May 22nd, 2019, and is currently writing a book about the climb.
Keynote Address by World Record Holder Steph Jagger
STEPH JAGGER - KeyNote Address & Adventure Goal Setting
Steph Jagger is an author, speaker, coach, and world record smasher who also happens to dabble in alchemy and energy. Her first book, Unbound: A Story of Snow and Self-Discovery, was released by Harper Collins in 2017 and details her awe-inspiring journey around the world on skis.
At her core, Steph is truth teller and provocateur. She mixes straight-talking authenticity, with bold intuition, and a pinch or three of humor to help those around her move into themselves and beyond. Her work is a marination of love, a bridge that takes us all from adventurous doing to adventurous being, thinking, and feeling.
She is the Chief Intuitive Officer behind coaching and development programs like The Great Big Journey and Sacred Rebellion, as well as a sought after speaker and facilitator.
Her first book, Unbound: A Story of Snow and Self-Discovery (Harper Collins, 2017) details her awe-inspiring journey around the world on skis. Her second, Everything Left to Remember, a mother-daughter journey through nature, is set to be released by Flatiron Books in 2022.
The Musical Mountaineers
You've seen them on television and featured in newspapers and magazines around the the country, but it's very unlikely that you've seen The Musical Mountaineers perform live. That's because this duo wakes up before the sun and heads out in the dark to climb mountains and play their instruments on the summits at sunrise.
Anastasia and Rose never intended to 'become' The Musical Mountaineers - instead, the duo was born organically when they began sharing their simple videos of their unannounced sunrise serenades. Since their first concert, The Musical Mountaineers have been featured both locally and nationally and have performed at Benaroya Hall for the Washington National Park Fund Benefit Concert. They are excitedly looking forward to performing at the WNPF Concert again in 2021.
“When we climb mountains with our instruments, we transcend the fears and excuses and put our mission first: to bring more good into the world, to inspire others to follow their heart and blaze their own trail. Everybody can find their own version of performing music on a mountain - what would that look like if we each brought our own unique gift into the world? How beautiful could that be?” -Anastasia Allison
Rose Freeman - Keyboard
Rose Freeman delights in the timeless art of music both as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and as the pianist of The Musical Mountaineers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Pedagogy from Whitworth University and has taught piano for the last ten years. She is an active member of Washington State Music Teachers Association, Snohomish County Music Teachers Association Chapter President, WSMTA Certification Chair, member of the Everett Mountaineers, and pianist of The Musical Mountaineers.
Rose embraces the opportunity to teach the art of piano music to 40 students from her home studio in Bothell. Her goal is to equip her students to practice productively with healthy technique, perform confidently, explore creative expression, develop a rounded musical education, and express their unique voice in the timeless language of music. Rose accompanied her husband, Tyler Freeman, through his masters degree in vocal performance at Eastern University and discovered the joy of being a collaborative pianist.
Last year, Rose embarked on a new adventure to carry her Yamaha keyboard to the summit of local peaks such as Granite Mountain, Mount Dickerman, and Mailbox Peak to perform concerts at sunrise with Anastasia Allison. Her least favorite part of musical mountaineering is when the music blows away!
ANASTASIA ALLISON - violin, STUCK TO SUMMIT, DANCE REBELLION
VIOLIN: ANASTASIA ALLISON
A life long classically trained violinist, Anastasia is the violinist for a nationally acclaimed duo called The Musical Mountaineers. Together with her partner Rose Freeman, they carry a violin and a piano (keyboard) into the backcountry for unannounced sunrise concerts.
STUCK TO SUMMIT: ANASTASIA ALLISON
Anastasia Allison is a former park ranger and police officer turned full-time entrepreneur after a near fatal car accident became the catalyst for her to pursue her dream of living an adventure-inspired life. She is also a Wilderness First Responder and has been a volunteer backpacking instructor with Washington Outdoor Women for nearly 10 years. She is the Seattle Trail Scout and Gear Tester for Backpacker Magazine, and she hosts the Inspired Adventurepreneur Podcast on iTunes. Anastasia also has a private coaching practice for aspiring adventurepreneurs and runs a group coaching program called 'Stuck to Summit'.
Inspired by her obsession for the wilderness and her passion for Leave No Trace ethics, Anastasia is also the inventor and founder of a company called Kula Cloth™, which is the very first of its kind - an antimicrobial pee cloth for anybody who squats when they pee. Since the company launched in July 2018, Kula Cloths™ have been shipped to every state and all over the world. The Kula Cloth™ has been featured by Backpacker Magazine, Outside Magazine, The Dyrt, Treehugger.com, Adventure Journal, the She Explores Podcast, and by the Washington Trails Association Magazine.
She lives near Seattle with her husband Aaron, who plays the ukulele, and their three cats, Niko, Cinder and Esa. When they aren't performing music together, they try to spend as much time as possible in the backcountry in a tent.
Latasha Dunston - Pen & Ink, Watercolor
Latasha is a young freelance illustrator originally from Baltimore City but now based in Denver, CO. She loves being outside whether it be gardening, hiking, camping, climbing or snowboarding. Her artwork is heavily inspired by her adventures and attempts to capture the fleeting joyous moments we experience. She creates mainly with watercolor, ink, and digital programs.
Latasha received her BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts with a concentration in Scientific and Medical Illustration. When she is not in her studio, she is cooking up a storm in her kitchen, tending to her plants, hiking and camping , or traveling to somewhere new! Her love of the outdoors is a vital part of her identity and she tries and share that passion with as many as she can to help show that the outdoors is for everyone! She is lives in Colorado with her partner, Jason, and her furry kids Leelo and Noodle.
With her work, Latasha hopes to inspire others, like herself, to explore more and to try new things!
Her clients include: Otterbox, Range Magazine, Craghoppers, SNEWS, Symone Center for the Arts and more. Hi, you can call me Tasha! I am an illustrator, painter, and plant lover. My artwork is suited for walls, in between the pages of books and magazines, on stationary, packaging and more!
TERESA HAGERTY - BACKPACKING BASICS, Map & compass, Knot Tying
BACKPACKING BASICS: TERESA HAGERTY
Teresa Hagerty is a Pacific Northwest-based hiker, backpacker, mountaineer, and experienced outdoor trip leader. She is the founder and Lead Guide of a women-focused outdoor adventure company Cascade Mountain Adventures.
Her passion is encouraging and educating outdoor adventurers to share the gift of the outdoors with everyone. She is also a Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer, and AAIRE 1 Certified.
Teresa resides in Seattle with her partner and a hedgehog named Snuffles. Her idea of a perfect day involves a remote mountain summit, a patch of sunlight, and a cold IPA.
WENDI BARKER - SELF DEFENSE (October)
Wendi Barker has been studying the martial arts for 23 years. She is a sixth-degree black belt in Uechi-ryu karate and has run her own karate school, Tiger Marshall Arts, on Whidbey Island for the last 16 years. She was awarded the Ruby Award from the Soroptimist of Washington, for the multiple women’s self-defense seminars that she has run for them. She also taught a self-defense class for them for three years at their Island Girls Camp. A mother, grandmother and artist she loves sharing her passion of empowering women to be the best they can be!
TRACIE MITCHEM - TRAIL RUNNING & HIKING (September & October)
Anyone who spends time in the outdoors alongside Tracie knows her story and experiences are best retold by the friends who have shared in those moments that have become part of their story, and return to do it again.
A few of the organizations Tracie has shared her time and talents with include:
Professional Ski Instructors of America, Special Olympics North America, National Outdoor Leadership School Wilderness Medicine, American Alpine Institute, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Washington Trail Association, US Forest Service
Waterfall Hikes
Deborah McGlawn
Deborah McGlawn is the creative founder of Ch8sing Waterfalls. Deborah’s mission with Ch8sing Waterfalls is to empower black women to explore nature and find the healing magic it has to offer. She is passionate about forging diversity outdoors by increasing the presence of brown faces in green spaces. She is a marathoner, a gardener, kayaker, GirlTrekker, an adventurer and true lover of nature. Deborah thrives outdoors and loves the amazing healing power of waterfalls.
Deborah is married to her best friend Richie. September 2021, they celebrate 29 years of marriage. She is also a Mother of two adult children, a Nanna to two amazing grandsons, and a really good friend.
When Deborah is not hiking and ch8sing waterfalls with the beautiful brown faces in green spaces, she is often taking walks, crafting, or hanging out on a lake in her kayak. Deborah holds a degree in Healthcare Management. She is a health care professional who works at one of the top three catastrophic care hospitals in the nation, located in Atlanta, GA.
Deborah's story is one of transparency, resolve, strength and passion. After several life changing events, and a struggle with depression, she found herself in search of mental healing. Thanks to Richie, she found it in nature, specifically in waterfalls.
Deborah shares her healing story and love of waterfalls to anyone who will listen. She remains humbled at the lives impacted by those who have chosen to embr8ce the ch8se with her in search of their own healing. To embr8ce the ch8se has its own meaning, so does ch8sing waterfalls. She looks forward to sharing it all with you soon.
Alicia "AY Jay" Jones
Alicia aka Ay Jay moved to Georgia almost 30 years ago from New Jersey were she was born and raised. She loves the variety of outdoor adventures that the peach state has to offer.
Ay Jay is an avid cyclist who took her passion for riding and became a certified bicycle instructor. She teaches adults and kids and loves to witness the excitement when they gain confidence to balance and pedal off for the first time. She also loves curating glamping trips for groups, kayaking, gardening, kite flying and hiking.
In 2019, Ay Jay completed emergency wilderness training and led groups of hikers in the Rocky Mountains with GirlTrek. As a Ch8se Ch8mpion with Ch8sing Waterfalls, she scouts and leads hikes to waterfalls in the Southeastern region of the US. Ay Jay is a Holistic Health Coach who believes that there is an abundance of healing in nature so she strives to help people to find their wellness connection to the outdoors.
TRAIL RUNNING: BETH BAKER
Beth Baker hated running & it took her a year to train for a 5k. Then she was hooked, and started helping friends start running & created Running Evolution 13 years ago. Since then she has made over 2000 new runners. She launched Coach Running Evolution Certification to train people to coach new runners. These days she travels the world to help runners get into the sport on retreats and clinics. She also loves music and beer.
CLAIRE GIORDANO - Watercolor Painting (September)
Claire is a painter and writer exploring how art can forge connections between people, place, and science. Her work is grounded in firsthand outdoor experiences and painting outside on-site during hiking, backpacking, and climbing trips. In her workshops Claire strives to share how the fun, versatile, and unpredictable nature of watercolor can be a tool for capturing both how a place looks as well as how it feels to experience it.
Her work has been featured in Alpinist magazine, by the REI Journal and Force of Nature publication, Stay Wild Magazine, She Explores, and the Waymaking anthology of women’s stories. In addition to commercial work for local outdoor companies like REI, Claire collaborates with scientists to blend art and data and was recently an artist in residence at the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest.
You are most likely to find Claire perched beside a trail or in her studio, a paintbrush in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. To learn more about her work check out her website at www.claireswanderings.com and her Instagram at www.instagram.com/claireswanderings.
@CLAIRESWANDERINGS
Wilderness First Aid: Calle Flint (October)
I have been a critical care RN since 2009 and managed to make my way from Austin, Texas to Seattle in 2013 after various travel nurse assignments. I immediately fell in love with Washington, more specifically the mountains. All my free time outside of work was spent exploring the outdoors and I quickly became interested in wilderness medicine. I took multiple courses on remote medicine for the advanced provider and it wasn’t long afterwards that my two passions collided. I started working medevac as a Critical Care Flight Nurse for Airlift Northwest. I have the wonderful opportunity of working closely with Firefighters, Search and Rescue, Park Rangers, Medics and Police to provide critical care both on scene and on inter-facility medevac transports. We also provide frequent training and educational opportunities for the community regarding a wide range of medical topics including wilderness first aid and survival skills.
I currently live in Seattle with my husband but recently have spent most our time outdoors prepping for our honeymoon. We recently eloped on a backpacking trip in the mountains and will be spending our honeymoon trail running Tour du Mont Blanc in the Alps!
Crystal Bailar - Wood Burning (October)
Crystal is an artist and pyrographer who teaches wood burning to empower others to be courageous and expand the boundaries of their own creativity. She firmly believes that adventure is a mindset that can be cultivated whenever and wherever you are.
She has been hiking all over the west coast and Alaska since she was a small child, and brings her love for the outdoors to her art. Whether backpacking in the mountains or just sitting quietly in a canoe, she finds great beauty and adventure everywhere she goes. She lives in Snohomish Washington where she works part time as a nurse at a local clinic and is often found wandering the local trails.
SUP & Yoga
Lindsay Lambert - stand up paddle board & Yoga (September)
Lindsay is an athlete with a 12+ years background in competitive swimming (national ranked) and water polo which lead to her career in teaching. After completing her lifeguard certifications in 1999, she began instructing aquatic based classes at swimming pools, water parks and beaches. Her focus moved toward land-based fitness in 2010. Practicing and teaching Vinyasa Yoga, mat Pilates, PiYo™ and TRX™ (Suspension Training) became her new passion.
7 years ago, she decided to put her knowledge of water and land based exercise together. She is a certified Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga instructor, a Level 1 World Paddling Association Instructor, and a PaddleFit Core coach. She is also a Certified Swim Coach through ASCA and specializes in open water swimming. Lindsay started her own Stand Up Paddle (SUP) business called Paddling Yogini LLC and now races, paddles, practices and teaches on bodies of water all over Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada.
4 years ago, Lindsay opened her own yoga studio in Issaquah, Washington called One Mind Yoga- Issaquah. she now has a location where she can offer certified TRX Training, yoga for all ages/abilities, community foam rolling, family fitness and Stand Up Paddleboard fitness. Her studio is very welcoming to all everyone no matter where you are with your fitness journey.
As a teacher, her passion is to make a positive impact on students’ lives. She believes through a healthy mind, body, and spirit you can achieve anything. She enjoys teaching all ability levels, beginners to advanced students. As a mother, she feels a healthy lifestyle should be introduced to children at a young age and encouraged through their lives. She is very passionate about raising her three children and helping them learn to lead healthy lives of their own. She has 3 little yogis: an 18 year old daughter who is an artist, writer, and yogini. A 13 year old son, who loves yoga, soccer, SUP and video games. A 2 year old who loves the outdoors, being in/on the water and attends mama’s family-friendly classes.
event photography by: Lindsey Ganahl
Lindsey Ganahl is an adventure photographer who specializes in outdoor events, lifestyle, and adventure elopements. She is a proud native of the Pacific Northwest and grew up hiking, camping, and backpacking in Washington’s National Parks. Prior to working as a full time photographer, Lindsey spent 10 years producing content and telling stories for large outdoor retailers like Eddie Bauer and most recently Helly Hansen, where she worked out of Oslo, Norway. Lindsey has visited 26 countries, traveling and photographing. A founding member of the “Nature First Photography Alliance” and official photography partner for Washington’s National Parks Fund, Lindsey is a committed steward to the preservation of public lands. When she's not shooting for her many corporate and personal clients, Lindsey can be found sailing, skiing, rock climbing, or attempting “Turns All Year” in a tutu on Washington’s volcanos.
You can see more of her work on her websites www.LindseyAllison.com and www.GirlintheWild.com
Or on Instagram @LindseyAllisonPhoto and @GirlintheWildPhoto