A lifelong conservationist with roots in advocacy and environmental foundations, Bert’s accomplishments and leadership roles in the environmental space are abundant: he’s been a founding board member of the Grand Canyon Trust, Chairman and Board Member of The Wilderness Society, Board Member of the National Outdoor Leadership School, founding board member of EcoFlight, Trustee for Sierra Club Foundation, board member for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and many, many more. As a wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Bert also served as a volunteer with Mountain Rescue Aspen for over 20 years.
Bert doesn’t just lead trips—he tells stories that make the land come alive, especially in places like the Grand Canyon (where he has spent over 1,500 nights), where Sierra Club’s historic victories against proposed dams once redefined what grassroots activism could accomplish. That blend of awe and awareness is central to what drives Bert. “I do it out of love and passion for the place,” he says. Sharing the remote canyons, quiet plateaus, and star-filled skies gives participants more than a vacation—it gives them context. He often weaves in local history and invites wildlife experts or park employees to speak about the area’s ecological challenges. These moments help participants understand not only what
they’re seeing, but what’s at stake, and why protection of these landscapes is never guaranteed.
From leading a grueling 13-day backpack around the Grand Canyon’s Powell Plateau to welcoming first-time backpackers into the fold, Bert has seen firsthand how Sierra Club trips change people. Unlike commercial outfitters, he emphasizes, Sierra Club’s trips are led by people who do it for love—not for a paycheck. “We’re not just leading hikes,” he says. “We’re trying to build advocates.”
Thank you, Bert, for your many years of dedication as a Sierra Club Outings leader!
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