Neal Robbins

Name: Neal Robbins

Sierra Club Leader Rating: E

WTC Position: Group Leader

WTC Student Year: 1998

WTC Leader / Instructor Since: 1999

Sierra Club / WTC Biography: I joined the Sierra Club to take WTC in 1998. My main goal with WTC was to acquire 4-season (snow) skills. Once the course had ended I was wondering what more I could do with my new-found four season wilderness skills (and gear) beyond backpacking and so I began mountaineering with Group 3 leaders. Subsequently I was asked back as a Group 3 Staff Instructor in 1999. In 2009 I took over as the Group Leader of LBSB Group 3. I earned my M rating in 2004 and my E rating in 2012. In addition to WTC I instruct the club’s Advance Mountaineering Program, I’m a technical Snow, Rock and Navigation examiner for the Leadership Training Committee (LTC) where I evaluate new Sierra Club leader candidates. And I’m a member of the Sierra Peaks Section (SPS) and Desert Peaks Section (DPS) of the Sierra Club. In 2020 I was awarded the SPS Master Emblem for summitting ≥175 Sierra peaks (182 to date). I also hold the SPS Geographic Emblem. And I am a member of the California Mountaineer’s Club (CMC).

Wilderness Biography: I was a Boy Scout in my youth and my family did extensive vacation and camping travel in the western US and Canada when I was young. And that instilled a love of the outdoors and wilderness that persists to this day. I took WTC because I was tired of putting my backpacking gear away for ~half the year once snow started falling. Since taking WTC I have climbed a range of peaks around the world many requiring technical rock, snow and ice climbing skills. Some examples would be Kilimanjaro (19,341’) the tallest mountain in Africa, El Pico de Orizaba (18,675’) the 3rd tallest mountain in North America, and Mt Rainier (14,411’) along with various other Cascade Mountain Range peaks, 164 SPS peaks in the Sierra, and a range of desert peaks in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Mexico.

Interests: Hiking, Backpacking, Mountaineering, Canyoneering, Rock Climbing, Snow Boarding, Scuba Diving, Surfing, anything that gets me outdoors.

Something unique about me: I was born, raised and currently live in the South Bay (Redondo Beach). I haven’t seen a reason to leave (for long). That’s pretty unique in Los Angeles.