TRIP LEADERS
LEADING THE PASStoPASS HIKES
DAVE BAUMGART
Bellevue, WA –David Baumgart has been hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing ever since a family outing to Colorado when he was 17. His favorite mountain is Mt. Rainier which he finally summited on his 5th attempt. David is a volunteer hiking leader for his church, his community, and the Northwest Parkinson’s Association. He always advises his hiking partners, Rule #1 is to stay within their safety comfort zone, and Rule #2 – have fun. His mantra is: “So Many Hikes, so little time.” David is a professional Sr. Project Manager, recently retired from the City of Seattle. David’s wife, Ruth, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s since 2016. They continue to enjoy hiking and camping – and their shared adventures as they explore our world. She agrees: their favorite hike is the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier.
KATIE MILLER
Olympia, WA– Born and raised in Washington State, I grew up exploring and backpacking with my Dad. Both of my parents helped instilled a love of the outdoors, as well as how to live and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Now a days, I spend as much time in the mountains as I can!
Employed as a Recreation Therapist at a Behavioral Health Hospital, balancing my own mental/emotional/physical health is important to me. Backpacking, skiing, climbing, mountaineering, paddleboarding, trail running with my Golden Retriever Gus Gus and playing soccer all help keep me balanced.
2024 was my first year working with Pass to Pass. My Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014 and every time I am out in the mountains, I think of him. I love sharing pictures of my adventures with him when I get back. I feel truly blessed in the opportunity to work with Pass to Pass and all the incredible people involved.
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RICH DENMAN, JULIA CHAPMAN, JERRY JONES
Portland OR – Rich and Jerry are hiking buddies that have explores much of Oregon. The trio of Jerry with Rich and his wife Julia hiked with PtP in 2020 and offered to lead an Oregon hike in 2021. They led a Chinook Pass to White Pass in 2022 and plan a new hike in Oregon with a new set of llamas in 2023.
Julia is famous for her gourmet hiking food she prepares, Rich loves hiking in a kilt and Jerry is a strong llama caretaker- he even knows how to administer charcoal for an upset stomach.
KARIN GORDON
Seattle, WA – I started backpacking in 2022 after deciding to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. I was born with a left club foot, and had limited mobility in my left leg after multiple surgeries until I went to massage school in 2018. Body work I received significantly increased my range of motion and sensation on my left side – with my newfound ability to walk in ways I never had imagined and with no prior backpacking experiences, I decided I wanted to take advantage of this newfound freedom and walk the 2,200+ miles of the Appalachian trail. That wasn’t enough backpacking, so in 2023 I walked the 3,000+ miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.
No thru-hiker is successful without the ample support of whole communities of people, and I knew I wanted to find ways to give back some of the kindness and support I had been shown – when I met a group of Pass to Pass hikers with llamas on the PCT, I immediately knew that I wanted to support folks who, like me, may have mobility or other health challenges that might otherwise prevent them from enjoying the magic of the trail.
When I’m not on trail, I enjoy being at home with my two wonderful housemates, spending time with the beautiful people I’ve met throughout my life, cooking delicious and amazing vegan food, redesigning the interior of my not-so-liveaboard-right-now sailboat, paddling my folding kayak in and around Puget Sound, and generally being curious about just about anything.
LINDA LEE
Athol, Idaho – My dad moved my family from Florida to western Washington when I was 8 years old. He immediately fell in love with the mountains and the Puget Sound, and he brought me along for the ride. I grew up backpacking and sailing with dad. His influence continues to inspire me today.
I have a passion for the outdoors and for backpacking and am committed to the benefits of exercise in the aging and disease process. My family has a history of Parkinson’s Disease, so when I learned about PasstoPass, I was excited to become involved. It is so inspiring to hike alongside people who have such a zest for life, and a positive determination and strength to push through the challenges of Parkinson’s to continue to live a full and adventurous life.
I have been involved with PasstoPass since 2020. In that time, I have observed firsthand the impact that the goals of preparing for and completing the hikes, the support and sharing amongst the hikers, and the laughter and fun have had on individuals living with PD. I look forward to continuing to share the love of the mountains, the love of adventure and the love of a challenge with others on the PasstoPass hikes this summer!
DEREK TORRY
Upland CA –Diagnosed in 2012 at age 40, I have Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Like many of my fellow hikers, PD has pushed me to be more active than before my diagnosis. I’m an optimist who is eager to do all I can to make a cure for PD a reality and encourage other Parkies as they live life with PD. I’m involved with several Parkinson’s organizations and believe we need to be proactive about combating the symptoms and finding a cure. Exercise and backpacking have definitely helped me.
I always backpack with my son, Seth. This makes him a natural fit on the team this year as a support hiker. He and I regularly log 30+ nights and 250+ miles a year on the trail. We enjoy trailer camping and fishing too. I’m married to an awesome wife and we have a beautiful daughter.
My trail name is The Hulk, not just because of my massive muscular body (haha), but because when I was an Assistant Scoutmaster in a troop that backpacked every month, I was usually wearing a green shirt on the trail.
ERIC MATSON
Bellevue WA – I am a retired corporate lawyer who finds special joy in outdoor adventures, particularly wilderness experiences. The opportunity to help others experience that joy is a very gratifying. I will be 74 when we hike in 2022. My wife and I moved to Washington State in 1980 and have experienced many outdoor adventures together and with our kids over the years, in the Pacific NW and far beyond. In recent years we have done more expedition and wilderness sea kayak trips than backpacking, but among my (our) favorite backpacking adventures have been two completions of the Wonderland Trail (once in each direction), Section J of the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass, several trips into the upper Enchantments, the Goat Rocks Wilderness section of the PCT, the Coast-to-Coast walk across northern England, and the Olympic Coast North trail. I also enjoy day hikes, snowshoeing, X-C skiing, kayak day paddles, and playing pickleball.
STEVE MOODY
Seattle WA – I am a 61 year old Seattleite that officially became a PwP in July of 2020. It was in that summer’s edition of the APDA’s Parkinson Pathfinder publication that I became aware of the Pass to Pass opportunity. Wow, just what I appeared to need after experiencing unusual muscle fatigue on two recent multi-night backpacking trips through the north cascades…Llamas to ease the load! I enjoyed my first PtP trip in August of 2021 and look forward to continuing to explore the beauty of the Pacific NW with others that are learning to look at life through a different lens. In addition to camping, backpacking and hiking I enjoy cooking with my wife and biking.
IRENE PASTERNACK
Bellevue WA –Irene started leading backpacking trips during college and made her living during her 20’s running summer backpacking camps and taking troubled teens on month-long trips in the Cascades. Her mom had Parkinson’s, and the two of them led a support group together. In her 60s, she rediscovered her love of backpacking and took up ice-skating. She is a Feldenkrais Practitioner and Nia teacher, working one-on-one with people with movement challenges to regain comfort and ease and build new skills. She teaches several dance and movement improvement classes each week through Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation. She discovered Pass to Pass in 2021 as a support hiker, and started leading trips in 2022. She also works for Washington Llamas, leading summer trips in the Cascades and Olympics. When not leading llama trips, she can be found ice-skating, running, or in her garden.
TAKAHIRO SHIGEMITSU
Bellevue WA –I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 at age 45. I have a wife and 2 children and they are my primary motivation to become more active and fight this disease.
Outside of work, I enjoy boxing class for PD, hiking trails, climbing mountains, and learning to play golf. 2019 was the first passtopass hike I joined and it was spectacular!! I am very fortunate and thrilled to join this hiking group again this year to raise awareness of PD in the community. I am grateful of all PD community’s support through various support groups and events.
JUDI SPENCER
East Graham WA – Judi Spencer was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, skiing and hiking the Canadian Rockies. “The Mountains are Calling” is a phrase she uses often, knowing it is time to head to the beauty and peace of the outdoors.
Judi’s father, Ken Pritchard, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1995 and she has been involved with the Parkinson’s community from that point forward. Today Judi is a music specialist leading rhythm, music and vocal workshops, performs as a concert marimba artist and is an inspirational speaker. She has lobbied in both Canada and the United states as a Parkinson’s advocate and currently is the WPC Choir Director, opening the World Parkinson’s Congress in Portland, Oregon (2016) and Kyoto, Japan (2019). The next WPC conference is scheduled for July 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.
.Judith is a Warrior in Pink, touched by cancer in 2014, and has been cancer-free since. Judi and her husband currently live in Graham, Washington, near their three sons and four grandchildren. Judi’s Pass to Pass name, given on her debut hike in 2020, “Songbird”. www.JudiSpencer.com
BEN GLEITER
Chapel Hill, NC – I am a physical therapy student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When I am not in class, I love hiking, biking, and cheering on the Tarheels and Green Bay Packers. I started backpacking in 2023 while working at a summer camp in New Hampshire, and on my first backpacking trip, I led a group of 14-year-olds on a 40-mile backpacking trip through the White Mountains. My mom was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2020 and since then I have become more involved with the PD community. I serve on my local Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day planning committee and I am an assistant coach at Rock Steady Boxing. I went on my first PasstoPass hike in August 2024 and I can’t wait to go on many more!
DANIEL LORENSON
Hey, Daniel Lorenson here in Spokane, Washington. A lifelong outdoor and mountain enthusiast who started by sneaking outside at night as a child so I can roam the woods and has ended up rock climbing 1000’ walls in Washington. My love of the outdoors led me to study forestry and horticulture at the University of Washington where I met professionals to engage with backpacking, climbing, fly fishing, and ski mountaineering. Pass to Pass has provided me with the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people throughout the years which has been the most impactive aspect of the organization to me. I am looking forward to many more positive and creative experiences with the group, the people are truly the best. Stay well and stay strong…
MIKE & CINDY CALBAUM
Cindy and Mike Calbaum are a sister and brother hiking team. Their philosophy is to expect the best but be prepared for the worst. Mike was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011. He has been hiking with PasstoPass since 2020, first as a hiker and then as an assistant trip leader. Cindy recently retired from a 35 year career with the forest service. She lives in Utah and has hiked and kayaked extensively in the Utah/Arizona/New Mexico mountains and canyon country.
GEORGE TRIFONOV
Redmond WA –I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at age of 38 in 2017 . I have a wife and 3 sons, 1 daughter and family is my main motivation to keep moving and fight Parkinson. I enjoy doing non contact boxing classes, playing ice hockey, hiking, biking to keep dopamine flowing. I am very fortunate to discover and participate in 2018. I have hiked every year since, often with my sons My main goal from hiking with PtP is to raise awareness that Parkinson’s affect all age groups and show that staying physically and socially active as much important as your meds.
BRIAN LORENSON
Spokane WA – I’ve been backpacking or climbing for most of my life and in 2016 I was inspired after seeing an interview with Bill about his deep brain stimulator (DBS) and hearing about the inaugural Pass to Pass event. After meeting the group at the kickoff for Pass to Pass 2016, I decided to become more involved in the Pass to Pass effort. Since then I’ve led Pass to Pass trips in the North Cascades, the Central Cascades, and the Goat Rocks Wilderness.