Chris was born in Rancho Cucamonga, California (Yes, it’s real. Yes, it’s a goofy name for a place. Yes, it’s a suburb of Los Angeles.) His varied interests led him to pursue the study of natural history at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. A few semesters in, he discovered a startling imbalance in the relationship between his continued interest in school and his ever-growing pile of loan debt. The remedy for this dilemma materialized in a position with the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC), where he worked for a year and a half on various salmon habitat restoration projects in Bellingham and throughout Washington State. Days off were spent backpacking in the Cascades, the Olympics, and climbing trees. He finished his service with WCC working on trail re-locations in Mt. Rainier National Park. Through this formative working experience, Chris’ interests are further diversified, leading him to look after acquiring a banjo (whose delicate twang had entranced him some fire-lit full moon night, months prior) He began work with SCA satisfying the desires to work outside and travel extensively, leading two high school crews and working on a leader crew in California’s Desolation Wilderness. Chris spent 2012 at Bear Brook State Park in New Hampshire co-leading the Manchester Community high school program. He is looking forward to living with a great new group of people, and building some more trail.
