Galvanized by The Adventurers’ Club with Alan Feldstein


Growing up Alan Feldstein was always adventurous, but not an adventurer. Then, in his 30’s, he took up rock climbing and climbed all over the U.S. including the East Buttress of Mount Whitney. But in 1992 Alan had a 40 foot fall that shattered his ankle. Told he would never climb again (proving them wrong later) he then took up kayaking which led to a chance meeting with ACLA member, Jim Dorsey.

Since becoming a member of the Adventurers’ Club, Alan has kayaked all over the world. He now holds the record for several kayaking firsts, including being the first to kayak off the coast of Tanzania and has created kayaking routes that had never been paddled before.

This sense of adventure has also led him to observe voodoo ceremonies in West Africa, lead trips in Africa and Patagonia, kayak to Anacapa Island, stand on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, kayak the length of the Hudson River, raft the Colorado river on a self-supported trip, do conservation work with Rhinos and Cheetahs, set foot on all seven continents, and see and experience things many have not.

 

Alan will discuss how The Adventurers’ Club of Los Angeles has motivated him to get off the beaten path!

Alan is member #1094 of the Adventurer’s Club of Los Angeles and the international Explorers Club where he was the Southern California Chapter Chair. He also sits on the boards of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Saving The Survivors, and The Bird School Project. In 2023 he and his wife, Journalist Diane Haithman, founded the Infinite Safari Foundation which is dedicated to humanitarian, educational and conservation initiatives in Africa. It is funded, in part, from a donation of the cost of each Infinite Safari Adventure safari that is created. Alan is an avid nature photographer, whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Wavelength Magazine, and the paddling.net calendar. He is also the author of “The Best African Safari : Tips from an Obsessive Planner” a definitive guide to help people plan their best safari.

This program was organized by Phoebe Piper #1244.