Clara McMahon

Clara | Reservations Specialist

A true local, Clara grew up at the base of Mt. Adams in Trout Lake, Washington — right in the heart of the Cascades. With three volcanoes practically in her backyard, it was only natural that she developed a love for mountaineering and has climbed many of the iconic peaks surrounding her hometown. When she’s not buried in a biology textbook, you’ll find Clara backpacking around the PNW or cruising local lakes on her paddleboard.

Back for her third season at Wet Planet, Clara is holding it down in the reservations office. She previously worked behind the espresso bar in 2021 and 2022, keeping guides and guests fueled up and caffeinated while home on breaks from college. Clara recently graduated from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where she studied public health, microbiology, and Spanish. Now, she’s gearing up for her next adventure — heading to Yale in the fall to pursue a master’s in infectious disease epidemiology. Her mission? Stop the next pandemic. No big deal.

Clara’s long-term goal is to work internationally to help prevent the spread of parasitic diseases by expanding access to clean water and improving contaminated rivers and lakes. Until then, she’s soaking up every chance to enjoy the rivers and mountains she calls home before trading the Gorge for the East Coast.