About Friends of Scotchman Peaks
We are concerned residents of North Idaho, Western Montana, and Eastern Washington. We believe that the 88,000-acre Scotchman Peaks roadless area deserves permanent protection as wilderness. Faced with rapid growth and change, we want to make sure that this special place stays the same, not only for us but for the benefit of future generations. It is our aim to preserve one of the last and largest wild areas in our region.
We need your help! If you wish to join our cause or provide support, please click to the You Can Help page.
Below our Executive Committee Biographies you'll find our Non-Descrimination Policy.
We see the backbone of the Rockies when we look at the Scotchmans.
They're the soul of the Rockies. There's nothing like the Scotchmans.
Randy Sharp
Lifelong resident of Heron and Noxon,
Montana
Being up on that mountain, looking down, it was as if we were
part of the sunset.
Nancy Cheslic
Remembering childhood horseback rides
with her Dad to the Scotchmans
Executive Committee and Key Volunteers
Phil Hough, Chairman - responsible for overall direction and coordination of the group.
Phil graduated from Colby College in 1981 with a BA in English Literature. After 20+ years in Hotel/Hospitality management, organizing and directing staff, assisting with sales and marketing and coordinating events and conventions, Phil moved to Sagle, Idaho in 2002. He is a past president of the American Long Distance Hikers West Assoc (ALDHA-WEST), a past president of the Kinnikinnick Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society, and the former chair of the Bonner County Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force. His love of the wilderness has led him to thru hike the entire Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest trail (twice) as well as to paddle the length of the Yukon river, among many other shorter trips to most of the corners of our continent. During the summer months Phil leads backcountry trips for the Galena Ridge School for troubled teens.
In May 2007 Phil was awarded the Idaho Conservation League’s highest award for environmental activism for his work on the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area.
Phil is shown here with his better half and hiking partner, Deb Hunsicker.
Doug Ferrell, Vice Chair and Montana Outreach Director
Doug graduated from Brown University in 1972, and moved to Montana soon after. He is a home designer, happily married with two sons, who also love to hike and camp. Doug also serves on the board of the Council of the Montana Wilderness Association, and has been working to protect roadless areas on the Kootenai National Forest for over 30 years.
Lexie de Fremery, Treasurer - responsible for managing and reporting the financial aspects of FSPW.
Lexie received her AA degree in liberal studies from Central Oregon Community College. For 15 years she owned and managed a horse boarding, lesson, and training facility in Central Oregon. After moving to North Idaho in 1999, she again opened her own business, We Care for Your Critters, in Bonner County. Lexie wore out her first hiking boots in the Mt. Hood, Three Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas in the Oregon Cascades. Now, in her spare time, she can be found hiking in the Cabinet and Selkirk Mountains, always seeking a new vista of the beautiful Scotchmans.
Lexie is shown with her horse Sundance.
Carol Jenkins, Secretary and Grant Writer
Carol is an MSN with 24 years experience including nursing administration and education, with several specialized certifications. A life-long volunteer including 20 years CPR/First Aid instructor, 10 years Girl Scout Leader and public school volunteer. Carol is also a current board member of the Kinnikinnick Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society. Active in Community Assistance League and Kaleidoscope elementary education program. Member of the Idaho Conservation League, Sierra Club, Idaho Forest Owners Association, Friends of the Library, and Bonner Co. Historical Society. “After a full career and supporting my husband and daughter through graduate programs in environmental science, climbing Scotchmans Peak was a highlight and a milestone in my life, as those who were with me can testify!”
Neil Wimberley, Hope/Clark Fork Outreach Director
Neil was born in Alabama in 1947. He graduated from medical school in 1973, and practiced pulmonary medicine for 25 years on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama. In addition to FSPW, he enjoys hiking and serves on the Conservation Committee of the Kinnikinnick Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society, and the board of the Sandpoint Chapter of the Ice Age Institute.
Bill Martin, Founding Committee Member
Active in conservation issues for over 30 years, Bill Martin was one of the founders of the Cabinet Resource Group at its inception in 1976. He currently serves as president of that organization. Bill worked close to the land as a forestry contractor. And he has hunted and hiked in the Scotchmans for 3 decades. Bill is self sufficient, living completely “off the “grid” just outside of Troy Montana.
Charlie Clough, Board Member
Charlie Clough is a third generation native of Libby, Montana. He was born in 1943, graduated from Libby High School in 1961, and took a BA in Education at the University of Montana in 1973.
He has been active in land management issues, serving as the president of the Libby Rod and Gun Club during the successful campaigns to stop dam construction at Kootenai Falls and Osprey Landing, and during the contentious times of the Kootenai-Lolo Accord.
Retired from teaching in 1998, he has worked for 23 seasons as a wilderness ranger, logging over 7000 miles on trails in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.
He and his life partner, Ann Brownback, enjoy hiking in the mountains and kayaking on the streams and lakes of western Montana and the Kootenay region of British Columbia.
One of their greatest pleasures has been making music, he on the stand-up bass and she on the hammered dulcimer.
Ann Wimberley, Editor of Peak Experience, the newsletter for FSPW.
Ann moved to Hope, Idaho in 2003, after retiring from the practice of internal medicine in Mobile, Al. An Idaho Master Gardener, she is also active in the Kinninnick chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society and the Sandpoint chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute. She enjoys hiking and snowshoeing, especially in the Cabinet Mountains behind her home.
Sarah Lundstrum, Board Member
Sarah graduated from Utah State University in 2003 with a BS in Environmental Studies and minors in Public Policy and Philosophy. She spent three years working for the Sierra Club in New Mexico, on both public land campaigns and elections, before taking a job with the Montana Wilderness Association in Kalispell MT. Sarah grew up in Spokane, WA and spent a lot of time camping and hiking in Northern Idaho. She currently lives in Whitefish MT with her two dogs, plays ultimate Frisbee, does all the outdoor activities possible and also serves on the board of the Whitefish Animal Group and the Montana Conservation Voters.
Sarah is shown with her faithful hiking companion, Paige
Jim Mellen, Merchandise Manager
Jim was born in Washington DC in 1948 and raised in Northern Virginia. After attending college for four years (business admin/economics) and four years in the Air Force (electronics), he moved to Sandpoint in 1975. He has worked for Encoder Products Co since 1978 as an electronics technician, applications engineer, quality assurance manager and manufacturing engineer. He and his wife Sandii spend as much time as possible hiking, backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding and snapping pictures in the mountains.
Will Valentine, Friends List Coordinator
On retiring from the energy industry in 2004, Will moved to Idaho from Qatar.
Concluding that “conservation” fitted his personality, he joined FSPW.
In addition he volunteers at the Bonner County Historical Society three days a week and is a volunteer fireman.
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness - Non-Discrimination Policy:
The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness believes that equal opportunity is important for the continuing success of our organization and that organizational performance is greatly enhanced when people with different backgrounds and perspectives are engaged in the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness activities and decision-making. The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness intends to comply fully with all state, federal, county and municipal laws as interpreted and applied by the courts which preclude negative discrimination because of race, disability, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, or any other protected classification. The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness defines "negative discrimination" to include, though not necessarily limited to, the denial of services, employment or volunteer opportunities to any class of individuals in a manner that negatively restricts opportunities to that class of individuals. This policy applies to all activities of the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness including, but not limited to, employment, selection of volunteers, grant making, purchasing and selection of vendors or consultants."