ABOUT ME
DAN WENKER
Author - Speaker - Mountaineer - Former REI Outdoor Guide
I am a self proclaimed "city slicker" and "boy scout drop out". At age 50 I decided to climb Mount Rainier as a way to celebrate a milestone birthday and in the process get in top physical shape.
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Raised in Philadelphia, I built a 40 year career in senior leadership across iconic, nationally branded foodservice manufacturing companies.
My life and passions made a dramatic turn when I moved to Yakima, Washington for work purposes.
That was when I was exposed to the world of mountaineering, outdoor adventure and backcountry skiing.
outdoor journey
That one climb on
Mount Rainier led me to pursuing multiple mountaineering trips in my 50’s and 60’s.
This includes many more outdoor adventures and even the grueling one-day rim to rim hike in the Grand Canyon.
I decided I would never let my age stop me from pursuing adventure. I went on to climb and conquer multiple ascents
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At 14,508 feet, I got to experience summiting the tallest peak in the contiguous US and the lowest point in the US, Death Valley at minus 282 feet - within a 2 days climb in September 2017.
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At 12,276 feet, this is the second largest mountain in Washington state. My first climb was in 2011 and I have climbed it 4 times since!
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At 11,250 feet. I was blown away by the “pearly gates” and the sulfur pools on the way up - climbed in May 2012.
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An active volcano that last erupted in May 1980. I climbed it the first time in July 2011, then three more times over the next few years including a ski descent.
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The highest mountain in Washington state. I summitted via the Ingraham Glacier in July 2010 and then again via the Emmons Glacier in 2014.
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At 19,341 feet in Tanzania, Africa. This is the tallest free standing mountain in the world, the tallest peak on the African continent and one of the 7 summits.
For my 60th birthday celebration I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.
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At 13,775 feet, the Grand Teton outside Jackson, WY rises as one of the most iconic peaks in the Teton Range. I summited The Enclosure on September 17, 2025, finally reaching it on my third attempt.
after surviving a life-threatening fall
At age 62 - while descending Wyoming's 13,700’ Grand Teton I fell into a 60 foot pitch-black underground ice cave.
After this near fatal experience, I embraced a renewed purpose: to inspire others to live a “what if” mindset instead of a “not anymore” mentality.
I do this by showing that purpose, adventure and transformation does not have to come with an age limit.
MY PURPOSEGet people to start asking “what if” and help them realize their best active life and adventure is still possible.
No matter the adventure - I want to get people outdoors, to experience nature and all its beauty.
no matter their age.Staying on Guard:
A spiritual Encounter of Miracles and Gratitude to discover life's Purpose
In my book, I share the gripping story of surviving a near fatal 60-foot fall into a pitch-black underground ice cave while descending Wyoming's 13,700 Foot Grand Teton and the life-changing impact mountaineering has had on my body, mind and spirit.
TESTIMONIALS
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