Last month, the American Alpine Club announced that Mitsu Iwasaki would be the organization’s new CEO. This was big news, as the new CEO was replacing Phil Powers, the club’s CEO for the past 15 years, who announced he would be retiring last October. It was big news to me because I’ve been friends with Mitsu since 2008, and have shared many adventures with him, from climbing and skiing volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, to trail running in the Grand Canyon, to this one time we helped a couple random guys load a massive roll of carpet pad onto a very small pickup outside a Home Depot store in Denver, without once asking them if they thought it was a safe idea (by the look of how bottomed out the truck was as it drove away, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t).
So when Mitsu got the AAC job, I thought it would be fun to interview him, but not so formally. I suggested iMessage, since that’s how we communicate about 90 percent of the time anyway. I hope it helps paint a picture of the person now leading the 25,000-member climbing organization.
—
BRENDAN
So I have some professional questions and some not-as-professional questions, which I hope will keep you awake and make this interesting. I think the best strategy here is to just be yourself
MITSU
Sounds good
I like tacos
Getting ahead
BRENDAN
We’ll do that part later.
Ok, so it would appear that you are the new CEO of the American Alpine Club, as of last month?
MITSU
Yes, as of August 3
I’m the new CEO at the AAC
BRENDAN
Do I talk to you about getting new membership cards, or who handles that
MITSU
You could talk to me about membership, but it might be faster to log into the AAC website.
BRENDAN
Just kidding
MITSU
Oh wow! I can help get you a non-moldy card
BRENDAN
I don’t think that’s mold
MITSU
What’s going on on the edges
?
BRENDAN
Just some general abrasion from being in my wallet I think
MITSU
Very well used! Love it! Also love that you haven’t had to call the rescue hotline
BRENDAN
I know, hoping to keep my streak alive for the rest of my life if possible
Anyway, was the interview for the job like half work experience questions and half climbing questions, or how did it go?
MITSU
I was impressed with the search committee. They made an early decision to focus on future vision of the club and not as much on my climbing resume. It was important to the AAC that I’m an authentic climber – building a life-style around climbing – but wasn’t important to know what or what not I’ve climbed
So, to answer your question more directly. 50% work experience and 50% vision.
0% climbing resume
I am taking an opportunity now, after the interview, to talk climbing with staff, board, members, and supporters.
BRENDAN
Did the search committee mention that Phil Powers climbed K2 and 5.13 in the same year?
MITSU
Yes!
Those are big shoes to follow.
Phil and I compared actual shoe size. We are both 8.5
BRENDAN
hahaha
You should ask them if they’ll settle for Mt. Rainier and 5.11 in the same year
MITSU
Haha!
BRENDAN
For the purposes of this interview though, what would you list as some important parts
of your climbing resume?
(Besides our visionary 30,000th ascent of Ancient Art)
MITSU
Oh interesting question. My impulse is to list the 5.12s and hard(ish) mountains routes in South America, Alps, Canadian Rockies, North Cascades, etc..
But
I think what’s important to me isn’t so much the grades.
But the ‘resume’ of close friendships formed in the mountains
Including you
BRENDAN
Dude you’re blowing my journalistic objectivity
But agreed, thank you
MITSU
I mean, I still remember our Estes Park expedition
epic
BRENDAN
I thought you were going to say “What’s important to me isn’t so much the grades, but the fact that I have a masters degree”
MITSU
Haha
BRENDAN
Feel free to use that one if it comes up in conversation
MITSU
I do think in addition to friendships, there’s been a lot of soul searching and learning in the mountains too.
And maybe those are more important to me now.
In my 20s I did think the objective was to climb the hardest thing I can.
But wasn’t learning anything from it, besides checking off a tick list
Being thoughtful and being honest with myself has resulted in a lot more joy
To your earlier statement, I’m surprised Ancient Art is still there
Jamie Logan, Mia Axon and I were talking about and remembering Billy Roos last night over dinner
First ascensionist of Cork Screw Route
BRENDAN
on South Six Shooter?
MITSU
Ancient Art
Oh sorry
Stolen Chimney
BRENDAN
South Face of South Six Shooter as well, I just checked
so let’s go through your biography a little bit: born in Japan, grew up in Seattle, graduated from Western Washington University, started working at Outward Bound right after college, do I have all that correct?
MITSU
Yes. That’s correct
Really chose Western because of its proximity to the North Cascades
I often say that I #vanlifed before the hashtag
Lived in a VW van for the majority of the 90s
BRENDAN
and went vegan
MITSU
Ha!
yes.
BRENDAN
Long hair
MITSU
For about 3 years
Inconvenient to get haircuts in vanlife
Past my shoulders.
My parents were horrified
BRENDAN
So the Outward Bound trips you led were in California, Baja, where else?
MITSU
North Cascades, San Juan Islands, Central Cascades, Sierras and Baja
Lived in Joshua Tree (or 29 Palms) for a few winters during that tie
Time
So. yah. Taught a whole bunch of climbing courses out of Joshua Tree
BRENDAN
And did you have leadership positions with OB too?
MITSU
Yes, I’ve had a few opportunities with OB. I was the Executive Director of Northwest Outward Bound School from 2013 through 2018
BRENDAN
Ah sorry, I was going chronologically
MITSU
ah
So, yes.
Program Director at the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School
And also Thompson Island Outward Bound School
And then helped with a merger of Outward Bound Los Angeles with the larger network
BRENDAN
Did you get the Thompson Island job and then decide to go to grad school in Boston, or vice versa?
MITSU
Yes, chronologically yes
BRENDAN
So you went to grad school, got a masters in … nonprofit management?
MITSU
yes
I knew I wanted to be in the non-profit space and in the outdoor industry, but my experiences at outward bound taught me that I was a good educator and climber, but didn’t have the background to lead organizations.
And to make a career in this space, leading organizations, I needed to go back to school
I think there’s a narrative that we can learn on the job, and I do believe a lot of people can, and have, but felt that learning from other peoples experiences and from experts made more sense to me.
At least, in the sense that I would be more effective with education
BRENDAN
So shortly after that you became the Director of Operations and Safety at Big City Mountaineers, where we met, and you no longer had a van, were no longer vegan, but still had long hair
Or am I missing a step?
MITSU
You’re exactly right.
I moved to Denver, sold my van and bought a subaru
I loved that subaru
It died last year…
BRENDAN
Wait, did you get a new one?
MITSU
I’m in a new one now!
2019 version of the same car
BRENDAN
new car, seems pretty elite
MITSU
Haha! So true
I read somewhere a Tesla could be a good road tripping / adventure car
That would be elite!
BRENDAN
indeed
Would you say your time at Big City Mountaineers was the low point of work-life balance (or the peak of work-life imbalance)? I remember you and I bailing on lots of stuff at trailheads during those years
MITSU
Yah. I’d say that was lowest point of work-life balance
And also of just personal health
BRENDAN
Yeah I don’t know if I ever saw you drink water in the office, just coffee
MITSU
Lots of coffee! It’s mostly water. Right?
BRENDAN
Chemically, yes
MITSU
I also remember eating a croissant bread pudding for your birthday
*chocolate* croissant
Or was that your going away?
Anyway. yes. Too much coffee & not good work-life balance.
BRENDAN
Going-away, Buffalo Doughboy Bakery
MITSU
Yes!
BRENDAN
One time you and I drove up to Lumpy Ridge, and in the parking lot it was really windy, and I said I think the climb we were going to do would be safe, just the rappel might be a little difficult and you said, “I’m not worried about it being not safe; I’m worried about it being not fun.” I often quote this when talking about bailing
MITSU
Haha! That day turned out well. We drank
coffee….
BRENDAN
I believe there were breakfast burritos too
MITSU
We fed our soul
BRENDAN
OK sorry for all the logistical questions, but you left Big City Mountaineers in 2012? And became the Executive Director at NW Outward Bound
MITSU
Yes
Moved to Portland
BRENDAN
What year did you cut your hair? And get welcomed back into your family
MITSU
I cut my hair day -1 of Outward Bound
My thinking was that donors, supporters, partners, etc.. should remember the contents of the conversation rather than the ED’s hair
BRENDAN
interesting
MITSU
So, it was a choice to put the focus on the organization than on myself
I also figured I had a hill to climb already being Asian
So
Reduce self created challenges in my work
BRENDAN
Ah ok
Plus long hair is a pain in the ass
MITSU
That’s true
BRENDAN
And being back in Portland, you started climbing and skiing the Cascade Volcanoes with our friend Kendall
Her idea or your idea?
MITSU
Yes!
I’m not sure who has claim to the idea
If I were to guess, I’d defer to Kendall
BRENDAN
That’s what I was going to say
MITSU
At some point we decided there aren’t enough volcanoes in the Cascades and are now climbing and skiing the Pacific Rim volcanoes
BRENDAN
So, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak … did you do all the Oregon ones?
MITSU
We haven’t skied the OR ones so much. I think Hood x 3 times
I haven’t skied Glacier
BRENDAN
Ah OK
MITSU
The North Cascades volcanoes are a little steeper than the Central Cascades
And a little more interesting
BRENDAN
Right, Lassen doesn’t look that exciting
MITSU
Haha
BRENDAN
OK so after NW Outward Bound, you became the executive director at Mazamas in 2017?
MITSU
I had a short interim ED gig at the Association for Experiential Education between Northwest Outward Bound and the Mazamas
8 months?
BRENDAN
ah that’s right
MITSU
So super short interim thing
And then the Mazamas
Which I’m still feeling tortured about
I was there for less than a year before this opportunity to lead the AAC appeared
It’s a great organization and I’m super grateful and proud to have had an opportunity to work with the staff and members at the Mazamas. And in the short time, I learned a lot about leading member organizations
BRENDAN
Well that’s nice of you but I’m sure they understand
MITSU
Member *driven*
yes. Everyone at the Mazamas were gracious and understanding
Supportive, really
BRENDAN
I quit a telemarketing job after 4.5 days in 2004 if it makes you feel better
MITSU
ha
I read that as I quit telemarking after 4.5 days
BRENDAN
Good transition, want to talk about how you quit telemarking after 20 years?
MITSU
I finally sold my telemark skis before moving back to Denver
yeah. I still love the telemark turn and I still believe my tele turn is better than my parallel
But efficiency
AT skis are lighter, more dependable, and less physical effort
I’m aging
Almost 50!
BRENDAN
You certainly don’t have to sell me on it
MITSU
While I did sell my tele skis, I couldn’t let go of the boots.
So, still hanging onto the idea that I’ll return to tele
Someday
BRENDAN
Ace Kvale swears it’s better for old knees
MITSU
I think he’s an expert
Maybe I will rethink this
BRENDAN
OK I want to be conscious of your time here—how about some AAC stuff?
MITSU
Sounds good
BRENDAN
What are some of the vision pieces you’re thinking about in your new role at the AAC?
MITSU
I think the AAC under Phil’s vision and direction over the last 15 years has gone through incredible growth; we grew from 7,000 members to 25,000
And with that growth, we’ve built capacity and greater presence in the outdoor industry
What I’d like to do with that is for us to lean into community building, education, and advocacy
As part of that, I think we can help to build a cohesive and understandable gym to crag pathway in partnership with regional climbing organizations
Also, I think there’s an opportunity for us to lean into difficult conversations.
Some of those conversations being equity and inclusion, misogyny, eating disorders, substance use/abuse
On the advocacy/policy side, I’d like to invest more resources into building political power to protect our climbing areas in partnership with the Access Fund and LCOs
We’ll of course continue to create opportunities and fund/support expeditions and climbs that inspire us
I like to create/inspire dreams
And we want to support entry into climbing, be a club for everyone, and inspire all of us into further adventure
I know that I was a little cagey about what I’ve climbed earlier
That comes from my feeling that we’re all on great adventures and we’re all pushing ourselves whether it’s a big mountain in the Himalayas or a windy day on lumpy ridge
BRENDAN
Right on, yes, was just hoping to establish that you have some credentials
MITSU
Yes. True
And I think that’s important.
And so appreciated
BRENDAN
So overall, it sounds like your mission is to help the club evolve and embrace the diversity of climbing and climbers, in so many words?
MITSU
yes. embrace all climbers and expression of being climber/human
And be a force in creating opportunity for climbers, protect our climbing areas, and engage in important conversations
Important conversation – culture
BRENDAN
That sounds great. So if you were talking to climbers at, say, Brooklyn Boulders, how would you sell the idea of an AAC membership to them—especially as it relates to the future of the club?
(Brooklyn Boulders as opposed to, say, climbers at Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier)
MITSU
Invest in the AAC to support advocacy and education for the climbing community
And as an organization that holds much of our history as American climbers in our library and archives
We, AAC, represent and are a club for all expressions of climbing.
We also have a campground/ranch in Hueco.
BRENDAN
And the Gunks, correct?
MITSU
So, let’s get outside and climb together!
yes
Gunks.
Grand teton
Red River
A small hut in AK
Rumney
Not red river
Sorry
New river
BRENDAN
Big difference there
MITSU
Lots of miles in-between
And, I suppose, as someone looks to transition outdoors, membership comes with rescue insurance
BRENDAN
OK, last question from me so I can let you get back to work: did you happen to see the not-insignificant collection of Japanese Alpine Club journals in the AAC Library?
MITSU
I did!
I haven’t read them yet. Once I’ve settled-in and have a bit of time to breathe, I’m definitely going down to the library and sitting down with those journals
With a cup of coffee
—
Thanks for reading.
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—Brendan
