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Posted on Oct 8, 2014

14 Facts You Didn't Know About Mark Udall

You already know that Mark Udall is Colorado's senior U.S. Senator. What you may not know, however, is that...

by UdallForColorado

Community Brand Publisher

1. He has summitted Colorado's 100 tallest peaks, along with several of the world's highest mountains.

2. Before entering public service, he was the executive director of Colorado Outward Bound. That's where he met his wife Maggie Fox, an avid outdoorswoman herself.

3. After losing his eye in a knife accident as a child, Mark's father Mo Udall attempted to enlist in the Army, but was turned away. He persisted, was able to enlist, and served in World War II. He later played for the Denver Nuggets.

4. He had a pretty epic beard back in the day.

5. His mother Patricia was an accomplished pilot and sharpshooter. She even won a 2,190-mile coast-to-coast air race called the Powder Puff Derby in 1977 and served in the Peace Corps in Nepal at the age of 56!

6. He is an accomplished "backcountry chef" and insists on making the meals when on the trail.

7. His grandfather, Levi Udall, wrote the majority opinion on the Arizona Supreme Court that gave Native Americans on reservations the right to vote.

8. Mark's other grandfather, Roe Emery, is known as "The Father of Colorado Tourism" and was an owner of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park!

9. While climbing Aconcagua (South America's tallest peak), Mark had a chance encounter with his cousin, Senator Tom Udall (NM). Neither of them knew the other was climbing at the time!

10. During his senior year at Williams College, Mark traveled back to Colorado to complete a study of snowpack conditions in his favorite mountain range: the San Juans.

11. After Mark left Outward Bound, Yvon Chouinard asked him to come help run Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company, but he and Maggie decided they didn't want to leave Colorado and Mark pursued public service instead.

12. He and Maggie were married at the Colorado Outward Bound Base Camp in Marble, Colorado. Their priest was a former Outward Bound student they had led on a previous expedition!

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14 Facts You Didn't Know About Mark Udall

1. He has summitted Colorado's 100 tallest peaks, along with several of the world's highest mountains.

2. Before entering public service, he was the executive director of Colorado Outward Bound. That's where he met his wife Maggie Fox, an avid outdoorswoman herself.

3. After losing his eye in a knife accident as a child, Mark's father Mo Udall attempted to enlist in the Army, but was turned away. He persisted, was able to enlist, and served in World War II. He later played for the Denver Nuggets.

4. He had a pretty epic beard back in the day.

5. His mother Patricia was an accomplished pilot and sharpshooter. She even won a 2,190-mile coast-to-coast air race called the Powder Puff Derby in 1977 and served in the Peace Corps in Nepal at the age of 56!

6. He is an accomplished "backcountry chef" and insists on making the meals when on the trail.

7. His grandfather, Levi Udall, wrote the majority opinion on the Arizona Supreme Court that gave Native Americans on reservations the right to vote.

8. Mark's other grandfather, Roe Emery, is known as "The Father of Colorado Tourism" and was an owner of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park!

9. While climbing Aconcagua (South America's tallest peak), Mark had a chance encounter with his cousin, Senator Tom Udall (NM). Neither of them knew the other was climbing at the time!

10. During his senior year at Williams College, Mark traveled back to Colorado to complete a study of snowpack conditions in his favorite mountain range: the San Juans.

11. After Mark left Outward Bound, Yvon Chouinard asked him to come help run Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company, but he and Maggie decided they didn't want to leave Colorado and Mark pursued public service instead.

12. He and Maggie were married at the Colorado Outward Bound Base Camp in Marble, Colorado. Their priest was a former Outward Bound student they had led on a previous expedition!

13. Mark and his family have been longtime fans of CU Buffs athletics and were women's basketball season ticket holders for years.

14. In the early 1980s, Mark started running marathons and he completed his first triathlon around 1983. He went on to complete 20 more.

14 Facts You Didn't Know About Mark Udall

1. He has summitted Colorado's 100 tallest peaks, along with several of the world's highest mountains.

2. Before entering public service, he was the executive director of Colorado Outward Bound. That's where he met his wife Maggie Fox, an avid outdoorswoman herself.

3. After losing his eye in a knife accident as a child, Mark's father Mo Udall attempted to enlist in the Army, but was turned away. He persisted, was able to enlist, and served in World War II. He later played for the Denver Nuggets.

4. He had a pretty epic beard back in the day.

5. His mother Patricia was an accomplished pilot and sharpshooter. She even won a 2,190-mile coast-to-coast air race called the Powder Puff Derby in 1977 and served in the Peace Corps in Nepal at the age of 56!

6. He is an accomplished "backcountry chef" and insists on making the meals when on the trail.

7. His grandfather, Levi Udall, wrote the majority opinion on the Arizona Supreme Court that gave Native Americans on reservations the right to vote.

8. Mark's other grandfather, Roe Emery, is known as "The Father of Colorado Tourism" and was an owner of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park!

9. While climbing Aconcagua (South America's tallest peak), Mark had a chance encounter with his cousin, Senator Tom Udall (NM). Neither of them knew the other was climbing at the time!

10. During his senior year at Williams College, Mark traveled back to Colorado to complete a study of snowpack conditions in his favorite mountain range: the San Juans.

11. After Mark left Outward Bound, Yvon Chouinard asked him to come help run Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company, but he and Maggie decided they didn't want to leave Colorado and Mark pursued public service instead.

12. He and Maggie were married at the Colorado Outward Bound Base Camp in Marble, Colorado. Their priest was a former Outward Bound student they had led on a previous expedition!

13. Mark and his family have been longtime fans of CU Buffs athletics and were women's basketball season ticket holders for years.

14. In the early 1980s, Mark started running marathons and he completed his first triathlon around 1983. He went on to complete 20 more.

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