On the summit of Vulcan in the Aeolian Islands, very much from the Sierra Club Sicily trip
Chuck Montange is telling a story that has the couple beside him in stitches. He's sitting on the steps of a crowded bus after summiting Mt. Etna near the coast of Sicily. His wife and partner in adventure, Dr. Kathy Patterson, is nearby—no doubt impressing another climber with her knowledge of geology and tales of her career as a pediatric pathologist. They've been abroad nearly 70 times now, an accumulation of decades of travel ever since their four kids got old enough to attend summer camps.
As Sierra Club Outings participants, Chuck and Kathy have made a lasting impression on countless travelers. "Their curiosity about the world and zest for life contributed immensely to the positive group dynamics we all experienced. They are true citizens of the world, avidly interested in the cultures they visit and giving back when appropriate," says trip leader Kathie Fowler. "Kathy has donated a lot of her medical expertise in surgical pathology in developing countries. Chuck loves delving into the history of the places they visit, and he is a wonderful storyteller, with clear reverence for cultures whose footsteps he travels in."
Chuck and Kathy grew up on farms in northwestern Iowa, where being close to the land sowed the seeds for their deep archaeological interest in agriculture and helped them understand how human activity affects the planet's ecology. The two met in high school, and they stayed connected as college led them down different paths. For Chuck, that path was a career in law, and for Kathy, a career in medicine.
"One of the most beautiful scenes I have ever witnessed is a full moon just over the top of the Kilimanjaro crater."
As an attorney, Chuck helped found Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and served as its first pro bono general counsel. He has helped convert nearly 2,000 miles of rails into trails in more than half the states in the nation. Kathy spent much of her career volunteering abroad and working at children's hospitals in Washington, D.C., and Seattle while serving on university medical faculties and teaching pediatric pathology on three continents. Outside of law and medicine, Kathy and Chuck are avid bicyclists, having completed multiple bike rides across Iowa as well as through France, Portugal, and Slovenia. Kathy bike-commuted to Seattle Children's Hospital for 26 years roughly 10 miles each way. Chuck holds a sixth dan in aikido and has black belts in tae kwon do and iaido, as well. He is a history buff with a knack for European history, and Kathy excels in biology, ecology, and geology.
Together, they summited the iconic peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mt. Whitney in California. "One of the most beautiful scenes I have ever witnessed is a full moon just over the top of the Kilimanjaro crater," Chuck says. "And one of our more unique experiences was meeting K'Dunk, a rather raggedy looking marmot begging for food in the rocks atop Whitney. I doubt that many people can tell you the name of a guy who, for a time, was the highest rodent in the continental United States."
There's no shortage of entertaining stories with Kathy and Chuck, who share a passion not only for exploring our planet but for articulating what is so magnificent about it. Someday, you, too, may find yourself in their company, enjoying tales of work, travel, environmentalism, or their pet parrot, Nutmeg. You certainly won't be asking, "Are we there yet?"