Meet Carly, one of our more recent thumpistas to join us! A native of Cave Junction, OR, Carly has lived in Bend for 5 years.

Mt. Bachelor drew Carly here from Eugene, where she was attending Oregon State University.  After having an awesome winter on the Mountain, Carly decided to pursue a degree in Outdoor Recreation at OSU Cascades in Bend.  After one year of outdoor classes, Carly ended up changing her degree to Natural Resources because she  “… wanted to learn more about the scientific aspect of the outdoors, not just play in it.” she said.  “I wanted to learn about the ecological and biological systems of how the world works.  For me to enjoy the outdoors, I want to understand how it works!” she added.

Carly has been teaching both skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor to 7-13 yr. olds for 4 years. She said, “I love sharing my passion and watching the light bulb turn on when they make that great turn!”  Inside sources at the Mountain say that Carly is a requested instructor, so if you’re looking for someone special to teach your child, Carly’s the one!

Though she has been a Bend resident for 5 years, Carly has only enjoyed 1 of those summers in Bend! Her summers away have been spent as a wildland fire fighter, wilderness therapist, traveling throughout the Pacific Northwest and most recently as the International Program Director for Global Leadership Adventures in Costa Rica.  Global Leadership Adventures is an expeditionary based learning program for high school students, lasting from 10-21 days. As the International Program Director, Carly developed curriculum and built relationships with the local community, to set up service learning projects ranging from trail building in the Cloud Forest Reserve, to building schools, to spending time with the young and the elderly.

Carly sees herself as a professional outdoor educator in life.  “All jobs have kind of pointed to this, and I want to continue to find a way to be outside.” she said.  Other things to do in life, she reflected, “I want to keep taking all of these extra moments and have fun outside. I want to get out of the country. I want to go to India. I’m obsessed with that region of the world.”

We’re quite happy that Carly has joined us at thump! We’re hopeful that her second summer in Bend will be in 2011, at Thump!  But how can you turn down the title of International Program Director?  It’s so close to International Rock Star, which she pretty much is in our eyes! Here’s Carly! A bright, passionate, interesting thumpista.