Camp Sheppard High Adventure Base Staff

Trek Offerings

Trek Staff

The Camp Sheppard High Adventure Base Trek Staff meets and in some cases exceeds the National BSA Standards for High Adventure Programs. They have led hundreds of exciting, challenging and successful alpine treks in the magnificent Washington state wilderness. The combined staff has been to mountain summits above 10,000 feet over 75 times. They have expertise in mountaineering, rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, navigation, Leave No Trace, first aid as well as search and rescue plus much more. The Base Director maintains what some consider as the finest High Adventure Staff in the nation.

Pat Tobin - Base Director	Bill Rengstorf - Program Advisor	Denny Fenstermaker - Climbing Director	Lynn Smith - Lead Instructor
Before coming to Camp Sheppard, Pak served on the Camp Brinkley Staff from 1994-2001. There he worked as the Beach Director and multi talented go-to staffer. He then completed the Colorado Outdoor Adventure Guide School and worked as a Professional Outfitter. He's been on over twenty 50 mile hikes and has climbed most of the major peaks in Washington State. He has coached Little League Baseball, played rugby, football, wrestled and ran track. He also enjoys fly fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding and hunting. His previous job was the Director of Outdoor Education at the Crater Lake School in southern Oregon. Their focus was using camping, hiking and climbing as tool for teaching responsibility and team-work. At Camp Sheppard Pat is responsible for all aspects of program over sight including program and staff development and procedures, program promotion, registration, instruction, equipment, transportation, safety, facilities and budgets.	Bill has been registered with the Chief Seattle Council for more then 50 years. He is a charter member of the Camp Sheppard High Adventure Staff beginning in 1966. Bill has led many hikes in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains plus climbed many of the state’s major peaks including 4 climbs of Mt. Rainier. He’s also a long time member and leader of the Seattle Explorer Search and Rescue unit and Seattle Mountain Rescue where he’s participated on over 300 search and rescue missions for the county sheriff’s department. Bill has education in engineering and business. He has leadership experience with systems design and management. Bill focuses on program and staff development, program promotion and procedures.	Denny began his high adventure experience as a Scout on one of the Camp Sheppard treks in the late 60’s. He was so impressed with the program that he later applied for a staff position and soon worked his way to senior staff in 5 years. This included leading many hikes and climbs at a young age including 28 summits of Mt. Rainier. Denny also served as a very accomplished Field Leader with the Seattle Explorer Search and Rescue and Seattle Mountain Rescue units. During this time he climbed Alaska’s famous 20,320’ ft, Mt. McKinley as well many northwest classic peak’s technical routes. Denny also serves as a senior fire service officer in the Seattle Fire Department where he is a seasoned instructor and founder of their Technical Rescue Team beginning in 1990. Denny has completed the National Outdoor Leadership School course. Denny’s focus is on all aspects of staff and trekker climbing instruction, equipment, logistics and routes.	Lynn has been a CSHAB Lead Instructor for 7 years. She’s done many 50 milers and is an avid rock, snow and ice climber of Washington peaks as well as in Canada, France, Oregon, California, Texas and Colorado. She has faithfully led our climbs on Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker for the last 3 years and has completed Explorer Search and Rescue, BSA Climbing Instructor and Trek Leader training. Typical of our staff members, Lynn is fun, exercises good judgment and always has the best interest of trekkers in mind. She has degrees in math and french. Lynn loves to teach.
Peter Fisher - Mt. Bike Advisor	Rob Healy - Instructor	Andrea Ham - Lead Instructor	Chris Rothchilds - Lead Instructor
Peter is an expert mountain bike rider, racer and instructor. As owner of Black Diamond Bike and Backcountry, he serves as our bike program sponsor, bike provider, trail expert and trek leader. Peter has an excellent report with young people and is a Venture Crew Advisor.	Rob joined the CSHAB staff in 2006. He’s already climbed Mt Rainier, Mt. Adams and Mt Baker multiple times. Rob is a BSA Climbing Instructor, Explorer Search and Rescue Team Leader and an Eagle Scout with many hikes and backpack trips under his boots. His Eagle project was to coordinate the repair of a forest fire lookout that was at the top of a 3 mile, 3800 foot trail climb. Rob is very well organized and a fine leader.	Andrea is an avid snow and ice climber, has led extensive backpack trips as her Venture Crew President and enjoys mountain biking, road biking and rock climbing. She has climbed Mt. Rainier by various routes, can teach trekkers about Leave No Trace and has taught Wood Badge. Andrea is from the Seattle area and is studying civil engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. Andrea is responsible, a team player, positive and eager to pass on her extensive knowledge and skills to trekkers.	Chris is from the Seattle area and has been active with his troop where he led several of their backpack and climbing treks as an Eagle Scout before joining the CSHAB staff. He’s summited Mt Rainier four times, has extensive winter camp experience and is a skilled mountain bike rider with 11 years of experience. Chris has earned his private pilot's license and is studying to be a commercial pilot at the University of North Dakota. He's outgoing and eager to give back to scouting as a member of the CSHAB staff during the summer.
Mark D'haem - Senior Instructor	Brett Gombasy - Instructor	Bryan Clark - Instructor	Chris Pearson - Senior Instructor
Mark is a full time teacher during the off-season at Eagle Point High School in Oregon and specializes in earth science plus backpacking as a member of the Camp Sheppard High Adventure Base Staff. He’s also taught many kids about outdoor living at the Crater Lake School in Southern Oregon before becoming a member of the staff. Mark loves to lead long term backpack treks where he can spend all week turning the wilderness into an amazing outdoor classroom.	Brett is from the Seattle area and came to us after attending one of our Mount Rainier Expeditionary Climbs as a Trekker. He’s been very active as a troop leader on local backpack treks as well as at Philmont and learning at Sea Base. Brett enjoys other kinds of HA activities including rock climbing and mountain biking. He is an Eagle Scout and is studying to go into Fire Service at a Western Washington University. Brett is excited and pleased to pass on his many outdoor skills to new trekkers.	Bryan applied for a CSHAB staff position after attending one of the Basic Mountaineering Seminars as a trekker that climbed Mt. Baker. He’s a long-term backpacker, mountain biker and an Eagle Scout. Bryan is a Certified Leave No Trace Trainer, a BSA Climbing Instructor, has led many Crew treks, attended Philmont and Sea Base programs, and worked as a climbing instructor at a rock gym and as a bike mechanic. He’s pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree at Tidewater Junior College in his home state of Virginia. Brian is passionate about sharing his skills as member of the CSHAB Staff.	Chris started on camp staff in 1995 and High Adventure Base Staff in 2000 leading mountain bike, backpack and combo treks including a summer at Sea Base in 2003 as a Kayak Guide. He has also served as Head Cook, Asst. Camp Director, OA Chapter Advisor, District Training Chair and currently as the Council Outdoor Ethics Advocate. Chris's passion for the outdoors and kids has driven him to a career as an outdoor educator working for local private programs when not at Sheppard Base. His spare time is spent wandering through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness or kayaking the San Juan Islands. Chris is a Wilderness First Responder and plans to go back to school this spring for E.M.T. training.
Camp Sheppard High Adventure Base Staff have the opportunity to receive financial assistance to further their education through the Max Eckenburg Trust (MET). The MET is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the CSHAB program staff as they serve scouts and receive training for future careers. The MET accepts contributions to this end. Please visit the MET website to learn more about the Max Eckenburg Trust and how you can help.