The Masterful Mountaineer • Public Servant & Avid Hiker
Fish Moges, most recently a Project Manager for the City of Long Beach, holds a Master’s in Public Administration and is excited to continue his career as a public servant here in Memphis as a recent transplant. Before relocating to Memphis, Fish lived in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Japan. He has a passion for volunteering locally and supporting organizations uplifting Memphis, and his hobbies include cooking intricate dishes and listening to music. He’s also an accomplished poet and has competed nationally in poetry slams.
In addition to Fish’s many hobbies and interests, he’s also an accomplished hiker. He recently completed the Nüümü Poyo, the People’s Trail, also known as the JMT or John Muir Trail. This 200+ mile journey ended with the summit of Tumanguya or Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the 48 contiguous United States at 14,494 feet. It was an accomplishment of a lifetime, requiring years of planning, sacrifices, and many months of training. Approximately 30,000 people try to summit Mt. Whitney yearly, but only 10,000 succeed. Due to the trail’s grade and accessibility of the peak, people underestimate the overall difficulty of executing a strenuous hike at a high altitude.
As part of the third of hikers who successfully summit Mt. Whitney, Fish prepared for this strenuous journey by painstakingly planning lightweight yet high-caloric meals, locating safe water sources, backpacking up to 16+ miles per day across mountain passes and the wilderness (with no cell service), and sleeping outside in a tent in very cold weather conditions. In the months leading up to his adventure, he prepared by hiking and walking in the parks here in Memphis, along the Mississippi River front, and working out at the gym. He meticulously planned out each day, meal, and detail for weeks.
Few people actually try to do the things they have always wanted to do in life. Fish accomplished this daunting goal and finished it one day earlier than planned. He certainly made the 901 proud by conquering the People’s Trail and summiting Mt. Whitney.
By Lucy Modzelewski
Photo by Tindall Stephens
Memphis Health + Fitness Magazine is proud to spotlight rising stars in the 901 fitness and wellness community in our inaugural 20 Under 40 issue. We received many amazing applications and handpicked a variety of individuals from different backgrounds and areas of expertise to showcase some of the best and brightest up-and-comers in our industry. We’re excited to present you with the honorees for the Memphis Health + Fitness 20 Under 40 Issue!
