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BRIEN SHEEDY
Whitman College Director of Outdoor Programs
Senior NOLS Instructor
AAI Guide
Brien brings a wealth of outdoor education and expedition experience to the Whitman College Outdoor Program. Brien has been running the Whitman Outdoor program since 2001. He has climbed the highest peak on every continent and has guided all over the world. He is extremely proficient in a wide variety of skill areas including whitewater kayaking, rafting, sea kayaking, telemark skiing and all aspects of climbing (rock, ice, big walls and high altitude.) He loves teaching outdoor skills and leading trips and expeditions that help people push their limits and succeed at difficult challenges.
In addition to running the Outdoor Program at Whitman Brien also does some guiding for Alpine Ascents International and is a Senior Instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School where he worked for over a decade, accumulating over 200 field weeks. He led courses and expeditions all over the western US and Canada and worked roughly four years out of the country between Kenya, India, Chile and Mexico.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from SUNY ESF at Syracuse and a Master’s Degree in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin where he studied Nepali for two years and conducted his thesis research on ecotourism in Nepal.
Brien is proud of the fact that last year the Outdoor Program was named the #1 outdoor program in the state of Washington by the Tacoma News Tribune and also ranked very high on a volunteer safety accreditation by Adventure Safety International.
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Selected Certifications: |
Significant Climbing Ascents: Everest (2x) Vinson (2x) Denali (4x) Aconcagua Elbrus Kilimanjaro Mt. Kenya (4x) Himachel Pradesh , India (2x) Ixtaciuatl Popocatepetl Rainier (10+) Baker (2x) Adams (2x) Glacier Peak (4x) Logan (Cascades) (2x) Mera Peak Cho Oyu |
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Courses Brien teaches at Whitman: |
Additional Courses that Brien Oversees: SSRA 138a,b,c,d,e Beginning Rock climbing SSRA 238 a & b Intermediate Rock climbing SSRA 140b Beginning Kayaking SSRA 240 Wilderness First Aid SSRA 242 a & b Wilderness First Responder SSRA 332 River Guide Leadership SSRA 115a Beginning Telemark skiing SSRA 142 Wilderness Skills |
Past Expeditions
Seven Summit History for Brien Sheedy
|
Mountain |
Height |
Route |
Location |
Summit Partners |
Summit Date |
|
Mount McKinley |
20,320ft 6195m |
West Buttress |
Alaska, North America |
Rob Duncan, Eric Remza |
May 1994 & |
|
Mount Kilimanjaro |
19,339ft 5963m |
Normal Route |
Tanzania, Africa |
Tanzanian porter and another American |
October 5, 1996, 4:45am |
|
Mount Aconcagua |
22,840ft |
Normal Route |
Argentina, South America |
Solo on summit but Moe Sheedy made it to 20,000ft |
January 12, 1999 |
|
Mount Everest |
29,029ft |
South Side Route |
Nepal/Tibet, Asia |
Kevin Flynn, Jason Tanguay, Dan Barter, Rauno Houglin |
May 15, 2004, 1pm |
|
Elbrus |
18,481ft |
Traverse to normal route after Irik Valley approach |
Russia, Europe |
Dan Barter, Jim Gagne |
July 1, 2005 |
|
Vinson Massif |
16,067ft |
Traverse Route. Ascended right ridge and descended the left |
Ellingsworth Range, Antartica |
Kevin Flynn, Jason Tanguay, Dan Barter, Jim Gagne, Phil Ershler, Dale Darling, Jordan Roderick |
December 3, 2005, 5:45pm |
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Mount Kosciuszko* |
7,310ft |
Via Charolette's Pass |
Australia |
Maurice Sheedy |
December 31, 2005, Noon |
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Carstenz Pyramid * |
16,023ft |
Normal Route |
Indonesia, |
Kevin Flynn |
July 2, 2007 |
* There is some debate amongst climbers as to whether Mount Kosciuszko vs Carstenz Pyramid should be considered the seventh summit. My feeling is that Kosciuszko should be the seventh even though it is easier because there is no way that you could successfully argue that Australia is not a continent. However, it was fun to climb Carstenz anyway since it was a good excuse for a fun adventure with friends.