Zack Baker

Major LAM Activities and Positions Held:

• LAM Cage Master and Backend Tsar,  2012-2016
• LAM President, 2011
• LAM Program Presenter: click here for presentation details.
• Vice President and Climbing School Director, 2010.
• Vice President, 2009.

Zack Baker has been a member of the mountaineers since 2007, when he took the Climbing School under Jason Halladay.  Zack climbs as much as possible, but not nearly enough due to various unfortunate circumstances, namely, work.  He has helped with climbing school instruction as well as monitoring at the YMCA.  Whatever you might hear, Zack does not actually buy used cams on E-Bay.

Zack's first major backpacking trip was in 9th grade, an 80 mile jaunt from Mineral King, up the Kern River, and over Mt. Whitney to Lone Pine in three days.  Somewhat unprepared, there was serious discussion of provoking a bear solely to justify a helicopter rescue.

Zack on lead at Thanksgiving Rock

Zack also enjoys bicycling.  After finals in sophomore year at USC, he left Los Angeles and headed toward the east coast, alone.  Twenty two days later, having lost 30 pounds and all feeling in both hands, he arrived in Washington DC with a severe case of dysentery and a job with the Sierra Club.

Mid-PhD, Zack ran with the USC Marathon team and eventually joined the coaching staff.  He has run 9 marathons.  Having joined the lab, Zack is getting slower quickly.

Zack is also currently an instructor at UNM-Los Alamos, teaching computer logic design.

Zack runs the LAM lead climbing class:

Zack in the  pool preparing for a triathlon