ENGAGE
STAFF PROFILE ROSEMARY SAAL By Shelby Cranshaw NOLS grad
“I’ve been staring at these mountains my whole life and not once did I imagine them as a place I could go.”
W
hile no path with NOLS is the same, many would agree that Rosemary Saal’s has been wilder than most. Rosemary grew up living part-time in the Pacific Northwest and it was there that she got involved with the organization Passages Northwest (now Girls Outdoor Leadership Development with the YMCA). She participated in their
Taking in the view while mountaineering. Courtsey of Rosemary Saal
first ever mountaineering course when she was 17 years old. Of the trip in the North Cascades, she says, “I just remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow, I’ve been staring at these mountains my whole life and
not once did I imagine them as a place I could go.’ I think that’s what really got me into mountaineering—thinking back to that incredibly empowering experience of realizing how my body was capable of more than I ever thought possible.” Rosemary had heard the name NOLS here and there, but wasn’t officially introduced to the school until she learned about Expedition Denali. Her first NOLS course, a Waddington Range Mountaineering expedition, was in preparation for the 2013 attempt up Denali, North America’s tallest peak, with a group of African-American climbers. She was the second youngest expedition member, at just 20 years old. From there, it has been full speed ahead with NOLS. In 2016, three years after Denali, Rosemary returned for the Alaska Mountain Instructor Course. Saal explains, “I feel super fortunate to be able to spend so much time in the Last Frontier; I have a ton of love for that state. The fact that I’ve come full circle in a way was one of my favorite feelings coming off of the IC [Instructor Course]. When I initially went to Alaska for Expedition Denali all the way back in 2013, I didn’t expect that
this would be the same [location] I would return to to take the IC and work my first course. It’s wild, truly.” When asked what keeps her motivated personally and as an outdoor educator she says, “Really, the awe I experience when out there is what does it. It is just unreal! It is definitely hard work, and I would be lying if I said I never had moments when I question why I choose to pursue this activity on purpose, but as long as I remind myself how fortunate and privileged, even, I am to be able to do this, I’ll have motivation to continue. What I really want is to be able to pass that same enthusiasm on to students.”
Shelby Cranshaw After finishing her Fall Semester in Patagonia, Shelby moved to Lander and was the PR and Marketing intern for a year. She is currently a student, but hopes to return to the West after finishing school!
Wilderness Quiz QUESTION | What is the largest State Park in the United States? (Hint: It’s also home to the newest NOLS Alumni climbing trip.) Answer on page 30. NOLS.EDU | 7