Mark was born and raised near Seattle, Washington, and spent much of his childhood playing in the outdoors. He studied undergraduate mathematics at Western Washington University (WWU) in Bellingham, Washington, which placed him strategically close to Mount Baker. Along with earning a B.S., he spent plenty of time snowboarding and climbing in the nearby North Cascades.

Mark began guiding on Mount Rainier in 2004. He received a Master of Science in Mathematics from WWU in the spring of 2005. Looking to stay in school as long as possible, he is now pondering which type of degree to attempt next. While not guiding or proving mathematical theorems of vast importance, he enjoys surfing, climbing, snowboarding, and ping-pong.