MEET US
OC Hiking Club Board of Directors
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Suki Reed — OC Hiking Club President
Suki is the owner of PrepMasters www.prepmasters.com, a leading trainer training provider with clients including: US Military, CARE.org, and PA House of Representatives. She is also a partner in Irvine Web Consulting www.irvinewebconsulting.com, a web development firm. Suki graduated With Honors from the University of Wisconsin and holds a TESL Teaching Certificate from UC Irvine. Suki sits on the CompTIA Advisory Board and a speaker at the Microsoft World Training Summit. Suki finds hiking to be the perfect balance between work and exercise. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania Africa and every year she climbs her favorite So Cal peaks as well as Mount Whitney. Additionally, she volunteers for the United States Adaptive Recreation Center where she teaches handicapped children and adults how to ski. Suki also enjoys kayaking, yoga, road biking, snow skiing and horseback riding. Favorite local hike: I love Crystal Cove (located in-between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach). I've been hiking this area since I was a kid. Depending on the route you take, the hike is a workout for beginning through advanced hikers. It offers amazing views of the San Gabriel Mountains and Catalina. |
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Neil Fricke — Vice President
Neil Fricke is a retired Licensed Customs Broker. He is a native Californian, born in San Diego and raised in LA county. He obtained a degree in Psychology from Johnston College of the University of Redlands (now known as Johnston Center for Interdisciplinary Studies) and remains active in alumni affairs. He worked for several years in the mental health field before changing careers to Imports and Logistics. During the course of his work he ultimately specialized in wine importations and last worked as the office manager for a former client in Orange County. He retains a keen interest in wine to this day. My favorite hike: Sturtevant Falls — After hiking a steep trail down to the canyon plateau you will enter a magical canopy of oaks and alders resting alongside a winding stream. We follow the stream up to a group of rustic cabins. These historical cabins are serviced by pack mules from the station at Chantry Flats. After crossing the winding stream, the hike culminates at a natural rock basin fed by lush 50 foot waterfalls. In this moss-coated world, it is easy to forget that civilization is only a stone's throw away. |
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Mike Cabourne
I have been an avid hiker for many years and typically participate in five hikes per week. Most of these are local conditioning hikes (I lead two intermediate hikes a week in North Orange County) but I like venturing out into the San Gabriel’s, desert regions, and southern Utah for out of state hikes. I enjoy overnight adventures and my favorite hikes are in the more remote regions. My favorite adventures have been rafting the Grand Canyon and a safari into the backcountry of Belize. I'm also an active canyoneer and have been so for the last five years. I've descended over thirty technical canyons here locally, in the Sierras and in Utah, most multiple times. I've participated as a team member in three first documented descents. I also enjoy inline skating, climbing and mountain biking, while, around home I am an avid gardner, wood worker and builder of things. |
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Jeff Shimkus — Secretary
Jeff has been an outdoors person all his life. He started hiking and camping as a kid with the Boy Scouts and YMCA. He is also an avid, surfer, snow and wake boarder. He also enjoys riding his beautiful Harley when he's not hiking. He is employed as a Fire Captain and Paramedic with a large city here in Orange County. He also teaches at the Santa Ana College Fire Academy. He loves the outdoors, meeting new people and exploring new places. He has hiked most of the major So Cal peaks. His favorite hike is Mt Whitney, "I finished last summer by backpacking Mt. Whitney with an awesome group of people from the OC Hiking Club. It was an experience that I will never forget." In town hikes:
Out of town hikes:
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OC Hiking Club Expert Advisory Board
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Doug Thompson – Expert Mountaineer and Owner Whitney Portal store
Doug has been a mountaineer for the last 40+ years and has more experience in the high Sierras than anyone alive. His store at the base of Mt. Whitney makes him the hub of Sierra Mountaineering activity and rescues. When you are at the Portal be sure and say “hi” to Doug and his beautiful wife Earlene, two of the nicest and most knowledgeable people on mountaineering/climbing skills, mountain safety and Search & Rescue you will ever meet. In addition, his internet forum is the number one source for Sierra info with over 2 million hits per month. Doug is known and respected worldwide and has been interviewed many times over on TV as well as print in well known periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, LA Times and OC Register. We are honored to have Doug Thompson as a member of the OC Hiking Club Advisory Board; his vast experience is an ongoing source of guidance and information. Relevant links:
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Ed Talone — Trails Info Specialist & Hiking Historian of The American Hiking Society
Ed is the trails info specialist for the American Hiking Society. He is an accomplished backpacker with over 40,000 miles to his credit including the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and all major trails across the United States. He has contributed more than 100 articles for American Hiker magazine and has also provided content for several trail guidebooks. Relevant Links: |
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Dr. Ben and Denise Jones — “The Mayor and First Lady of the Badwater Ultra Marathon”
Dr. Ben and Denise Jones, Dr. Ben spent 40 years as the only doctor in the Owens Valley and it was impossible to drive to Mt. Whitney without passing his office on Portal Road. His experience as a General Practioner and Sports Medicine doctor is extensive. Both Ben and Denise have used Mt. Whitney as a training ground for the Badwater Ultra Marathon and have summated Whitney multiple times on day hikes/run. Dr. Ben is one of the initiators of the Badwater Ultra Marathon the world's toughest footrace. He and his beautiful wife Denise have been inducted into the Badwater Hall of Fame and are referred to as “the Mayor and First Lady of Badwater.” They are both three-time official finishers of the Badwater and continue to serve by holding training clinics, coaching, crewing and assisting runners. Denise is “the expert” on foot care and is known as the Badwater Blister Queen, Denise Jones. Her book “Death Valley Ultras: The Complete Crewing Guide” is available on lulu.com. Dr. Ben and Denise can be seen in film and print documenting their lives and historic involvement with the Badwater. We are greatly honored to have them and their extensive experience on the OC Hiking Club advisory board. Relevant Links: |
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Kurt Wedberg – 2 successful ascents Mt. Everest
Kurt is the founder of Sierra Mountaineering International. He has been a professional mountain guide since 1986 and has 53 major expeditions on his resume including two successful ascent of Mt. Everest. He has led expeditions to peaks in Africa, Alaska, the Alps, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Turkey, and the Himalayas. Kurt has guided on Mt. Rainier since 1991 where he is a senior guide with Lou Whittaker's Rainier Mountaineering Inc. and currently has 114 ascents of this peak. He has been mountaineering in the Sierra for over 20 years. Kurt runs Sierra Mountaineering International from his hometown of Bishop, California along the base of the beautiful Eastern Sierra. Relevant link: www.sierramountaineering.com |
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Mario Fuentes — Director and co-founder of Beyond Limits
Mario is a seasoned hiker who has hiked much of the South Western United States. Additionally he is the Director and co-founder of Beyond Limits a program that takes kids on wilderness trips for the purpose of rehabilitation. Relevant link: www.beyondlimits.org |
OC Hiking Club Hike & Event Organizers — One big happy family (-:
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Barb
Hi, I love the outdoors! There's no better way to see the world than to hike. I have hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro, Machupicchu, 100 miles around Mt. Blanc (Italy, France, and Switzerland), The Great Wall, Zion, Bryce, and Mt. Whitney to name a few. I have been hiking, camping, and backpacking for the past 20 years. I work 180 days and play 185 days. I spent every weekend as a child from age 5 - 15 camping with my family where we cleared the land, made a lake, and a sm. shack. It still does not have electricity, heat, or plumbing. Those are the best memories! Learning how to drive a farm tractor, start and maintain a fire, fish, swim, shoot a bow and arrow, etc... all by the age of 7. Brownies and Girl Scouts would have been boring. Favorite hikes: Everywhere! |
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Bill
Bill has been hiking for over 45 years. He learned most of his hiking skills at a young age in Boy Scouts and continued as a Junior Ranger. Bill worked in Yosemite as a ski instructor and back country trail guide for five years. He currently works as a snowboard and ski instructor at Bear Mtn. in Big Bear Lake where he lives. He loves the mountains and prefers high altitude. Favorite hikes are in the Eastern Sierras, Zion and Bryce National Parks. Bill leads the annual Mt. Baldy Perseids Meteor shower hike and attends most of Nat's Big Bear hikes. He worked two seasons as a fire lookout in the San Jancintos at Tahquitz Peak. "He picked that lookout tower because it was the only one you could not drive to." |
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Edd
Hiking was wholly foreign to Edd Ruskowitz until one Saturday morning in 1999. That first hike, a Sierra Club-sponsored conditioning hike around Peter's Canyon, was a major turning point that led to his becoming a rated leader with the Sierra Club in 2000, a rating requiring proficiency in group leadership dynamics, navigation, snow travel and rock scrambling. He's logged several hundred hikes and backpacks throughout the local mountains, the high desert and both the Eastern and Western Sierra. Edd has been an instructor in the Sierra Club's Wilderness Travel Course the past eight years and is currently the course's Orange County Chair. His OC Hiking Club specialty is the early weekday morning Anti-Gym conditioning hike around Turtle Rock. In town hikes:
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Gideon
Gideon started backpacking as a boy scout, carrying a canvas tent on a wood frame pack. He grew up on the East Coast, hiking short sections of the Appalachian Trail from North Carolina to Maine. After moving to the Bay Area in 1976 he explored much of the Marin coast, Western Sierra, Trinity Alps and Big Sur area on his own and with a UC affiliated club, Outdoors Unlimited. Since moving to Southern Cal in 1979 he has hiked and led trips to the local mountains, and discovered his true mountain love, the Eastern High Sierra. His favorite Sierra hikes are Little Lakes Valley, Piute and Bishop Passes, and the area around Tuolumne Meadows. In the winter he enjoys downhill and cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Gideon has practiced diagnostic radiology locally for more than 20 years, specializing in trauma, spine and orthopedic imaging. Gideon enjoys hiking the hills of OC with the OC Hiking Club and with his dog Charlie. He lives in Turtle Rock and his favorite local hike bears the same name. |
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Harish
Works as Research Associate in R & D dept of a leading disinfectants manufacturing Company. He was born, raised and lived most of his life in India. He has lived in the US now for more than ten years. He was raised by a single mom in a Gandhian Ashram among farms, animals, mountains, meadows, river beds, and was strongly influenced by yoga and meditation. Harish has done a lot of trekking and camping in the Himalayas and from Village to Village in India. He says, “I hike 25 to 30 miles a week however, for me hiking is a very spiritual experience. It does not matter how much I go up, or go long or how many summits I climb, the real fun is how much I connect with nature and enrich my inner world — that is the goal! Occasionally, I enjoy deep conversations on meaningful subjects, otherwise, most of the time I enjoy my peace and pace on a trail.” |
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Jeff Shimkus
Jeff has been an outdoors person all his life. He started hiking and camping as a kid with the Boy Scouts and YMCA. He is also an avid, surfer, snow and wake boarder. He also enjoys riding his beautiful Harley when he's not hiking. He is employed as a Fire Captain and Paramedic with a large city here in Orange County. He also teaches at the Santa Ana College Fire Academy. He loves the outdoors, meeting new people and exploring new places. He has hiked most of the major So Cal peaks. His favorite hike is Mt Whitney, "I finished last summer by backpacking Mt. Whitney with an awesome group of people from the OC Hiking Club. It was an experience that I will never forget." In town hikes:
Out of town hikes:
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Jim VT
I enjoy the outdoors — lots! I have climbed Mt. Whitney and loved it. I enjoy longer hikes and riding my bike. As a former president of OC Wheelmen, Jim is a supremely accomplished cyclist. Some of his amazing accomplishments include the California Triple Crown in 1990–1998, Highland Quad Quadruple Century 4 years in a row, and the Paris-Brest-Paris twice! Jim also works with disadvantaged kids in our local area. We are honored to have him as one our hike organizers. My favorite hike is Crystal Cove! |
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Jim Hanson was raised in a family that spent most free time out of doors. His father was a naturalist who took Jim and his siblings on hikes starting in grade school. Being raised in Tucson, Arizona, Jim has a special appreciation of desert and other arid climates. While drawn to SoCal for work, he spends as much free time as possible on the trail — either on hikes with OC Hiking Club or on his own. Although work takes up too much of his time — building new theme park rides — what free time he has is mostly devoted to being outdoors.
In town hikes are mainly fast beach walks or the great hills in Crystal Cove or Santiago Canyon — at an intermediate to fast pace. Out of town has mostly been on his own exploring the desert southwest — predominantly the southern parts of Arizona, Utah and California. |
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Joel
Joel has been hiking regularly since he joined the club, “I really enjoy it and my fitness level has really improved.” His favorite hikes are everywhere! |
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Joel Robinson is the founder and head naturalist for Naturalist For You. He has guided thousands of curious individuals on professional wilderness tours since 2001. Many organizations and agencies have utilized his talents, including the US Forest Service, Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlands Conservancy, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, Los Padres Forest Association, Silverado Modjeska Park & Recreation District, Santa Ana Mountains Wild Heritage Project, City of Santa Ana, City of Lake Forest, and Orange County Department of Education. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide with the National Association for Interpretation. His vision is to connect the majority of the public to our local natural areas, so their preservation is guaranteed for future generations. |
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Karen
As a southern California native, Karen enjoys leading and participating in South Orange County hikes, and has many years experience both hiking and camping. She leads hikes on weekends with our club and besides the exercise; she enjoys the variety and depth of conversations with other hikers. She also does Pilates. Her education includes an M.A. in literature from Chapman University. For the past 4 years she has worked as a volunteer for the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Being a troop leader is rewarding as she sees young girls gain leadership experience and exposure to new activities and friends. |
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Laura
Laura has loved the outdoors since she was 5 years old. On her way to school she use to stop by the orange groves (remember them) and climb the orange trees. Now she is busy climbing local trails & mountains. She was born and raised in Orange County. She's is currently teaching third grade in Santa Ana (13 years strong) and loves it. She also spends her time volunteering at Orangewood Children's Home (in Orange) doing art with the children. When she's not busy teaching or volunteering, she enjoys hiking, snow skiing, roller blading, and swimming. She has hiked Mt. Baldy & San Jacinto. Her goals right now are to hike San Gorgonio & Mt. Whitney. One of her fondest trips was when she backpacked (16 yrs. old) up to the Palisades Glacier in the high Sierras. "It's just around the corner," they told me... Yeah, "MOUNTAIN CORNER." — Good times!!! In Town Hikes:
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Laurie Ann has no claims to fame but is quite certain she was conceived in the back woods of Northern Maine ;>)) A wanna-be long distance backpacker AKA "Hiker Trash" is in training most of her spare time. She has mapped out over 20,000+ miles of trails included on her bucket list. She works on the weekends so come on out on a week day or night and join her on one of the many various different type hikes. Perhaps an urban trail "Coto Meets Casper" or a more challenging rugged terrain trail up the Bell Ridge which is part of the Cleveland National Forest. |
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Mark Edward
Mark loves the outdoors. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs he learned about hiking early by trudging through the snow to school in fierce blizzard winds. Since then he has graduated from Purdue with an engineering degree and is a certified professional photographer. Racquetball became the first sport, then it was on to ten years of competitive figure skating and now he will retire one day by hiking in the great outdoors. In Town Hikes:
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Marshelle
Marshelle is a native Californian and has lived in North Orange County with her family for over 20 years. Marshelle is a banker and enjoys her position as Senior Vice President for a local community bank. As a working mother of six, most of her experience was gained from hiking and camping as a Girl Scout leader. She is a certified scuba diver, enjoys riding horses, road trips, reading, music, spending time with family and friends and the great outdoors. Now that her children are grown, she has more time to spend hiking, meeting new people and discovering new places. In Town Hikes:
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Mike Cabourne
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Mike Moore
Mike has been a runner and an outdoorsman from a very young age. Although he is done with running, hiking and camping continue to be a big part of his life. Mike has climbed summits on four continents and continues to hike at least twice a week locally. On every hike, Mikes finds Aristotle’s words, In all of nature there is something of the marvelous, validated. In addition to the physical element and the health benefits of hiking, Mike enjoys the friendships and interaction with the OC Hiking Club members. Mike discovered the club (by accident) on a Google search during December 07 and has been hiking with us ever since. As an Aerospace Scientist, Mike has lived in Orange County since the mid 80’s and considers Lake Forest his home. |
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Mitch
Mitch Barrie is a native Californian who grew up in Orange County and has lived here most of his life, with occasional sojourns in places like Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Paris. He originally worked as a graphic designer, spent most of his career in high tech marketing, and now runs a small business in Costa Mesa making tactical accessories for law enforcement and military customers. Mitch has been backpacking in Southern California's mountains and deserts since the mid 1970s, when as a Boy Scout the stone was strapped to his back before he had a chance to protest. In 1989 and 1990 he was a National Forest volunteer ranger in the San Gorgonio Wilderness in the San Bernardino Mountains. He especially enjoys climbing San Gabriel Mountain summits such as Mount Baldy and Mt Baden-Powell, particularly in winter. For the OC Hiking Club, Mitch hosts an annual series of beginner backpacking overnights in local mountains, plus a handful of other backpacking trips on San Gorgonio and in the Sierra Nevadas. His favorite conditioning hikes are the Crystal Cove Loop and Holy Jim Trail. |
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Nancy
Nancy is a Realtor in Laguna Niguel, CA. She is happily married and has two wonderful daughters. She use to mountain bike all over the western US with her husband but got tired of crashing and now loves to hike. In Town Hikes:
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Neil Fricke
Neil's introduction to hiking came during his senior year in high school via a school sponsored program which started with an introduction to safe hiking practices including the "10 essentials" and led to his first hike from Icehouse Canyon to the top of Mt. Baldy. Despite a lack of consistent hiking partners prior to joining the OC Hiking Club; he managed to hike a variety of locales including the Grand Canyon, Half Dome, Mist Falls in King's Canyon, and the Pinnacles National Monument. In Town Hikes:
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Percy Presswalla is a Sr. Business Analyst with a leading Insurance company. He grew up in Bombay (Mumbai), India and later migrated to Toronto, Canada in 1989. In Bombay and later in Canada Percy was involved with the Scouting movement. He held various roles in the area service team including Area commissioner, fund raising coordinator and organizing challenge camps for scouts. In scouting he developed a love for the outdoors.
Percy started hiking with OC Hiking Club since June of 2007 after he moved to Orange County in Feb of that year. Out of Town Hikes:
Percy organizes the Annual OC Hiking Holiday party in December. Percy’s favorite quote: George Burns - "Don't stay in bed, unless you can make money in bed." |
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Pete is a computer programmer living in Irvine and has been a OC Hiking Club member since November 2006. He hikes for exercise and fun. For him the best thing about hiking with OC Hiking Club is meeting new people and socializing on the hikes. After joining OC Hiking Club he was amazed at the numerous local hiking spots that give you the wilderness feeling yet are located in urban Orange County. He is mostly a local hike.
Hikes in town: Whiting Ranch, Crystal Cove, Laguna Wilderness, Aliso Woods, Santiago Peak Out of town: Half-Dome in Yosemite, Santiago Peak |
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Rod started hiking with the club around February '07 and has been hiking & camping since his teens.
Hikes in town: Santiago Peak via the Harding Truck Trail, back when it was open. He knows it's a boring fire road, but you get great views of O.C. L.B. on the way up. The Ortega Corridor hikes, any of the Laguna Canyon hikes. Anything in the San Gabriel is always a fun time. Out of town: Sequoias, Death Valley, Anza-Borrego, Sespe Wilderness |
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Steve N grew up in Orange County and has hiked, backpacked, and rock climbed for many years. His favorite playgrounds are the Eastern Sierra, San Gabriel Mountains, and Red Rock Canyon. In the winter, you can find him skiing at the resorts and in the backcountry. When he's not hiking, he enjoys road trips on his motorcycle or riding the local canyons.
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Suki Reed
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Sunny
Sunny enjoys outdoor activities and sports. He spends much of his precious free time either hiking or playing racquetball. He hikes more during summer season and plays more racquetball in winter season. He is a sponsored racquetball player. He was born in Seoul, Korea and grew up in New York City. He has visited and lived in 22 countries so far and plan to add few more to that list. He currently works at a startup biotech company developing artificial liver. In Town Hikes:
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Verdi
Originally from Turkey, Verdi grew up in the Eastern part of Turkey in a small village. As a child he hiked the rugged mountains of Turkey with his father and learned to navigate by the movement of the sun. Later in life he became an expert in GPS navigation. He has climbed many of the 13 and 14'ers in the Sierras. Verdi places a strong emphasis on safe and healthy outdoor activities. In Town Hikes:
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