meet our hike leaders

Jeff Hughes

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
DMV resident since: 1978
Adventuring member since: 2006
Favorite hike: Devil’s Garden (Arches-Utah)
Favorite local hike: Whiteoak Canyon-Hawksbill-Cedar Run (Shenandoah)
Fun fact about me: Before falling in love with the outdoors, I spent most of my time indoors: acting. Among many other performances, I was a mean Major General in the “Pirates of Penzance”.

Karsten Halusa

Hometown: Woodbridge, VA
DMV resident since: 1975
Adventuring member since: 2020
Favorite hike: Fiery Furnace (Arches National Park, Utah)
Favorite local hike: Duncan Knob, Three Ridges Hike

Martin

Hometown: Washington, DC
Adventuring member since: 2014 – My first hike was the Winter Solstice Hike.
Favorite hike: Gulfside Trail from Lake of the Clouds Hut to Madison Springs Hut in New Hampshire – An epic trail traversing the iconic Mt Washington
Favorite local hike: Roberson Mountain in Shenandoah National Park – A Sisyphean climb to the top but worth it for the amazing views
Pets: None but proud Plant Dad

Anders Olausson

Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
DMV resident since: 2016
Adventuring member since: 2018
Favorite hike: Avalanche Peak, WY / Pear Lake, CA
Favorite local hike: Old Rag, Little Devils Stairs

Jerry Cowden
Hometown: Annandale, VA
DMV resident since: Birth Adventuring member since: 1982 Favorite hike: Kalalau Trail (Kauai, Hawaii)
Favorite local hike: Whiteoak Canyon in Shenandoah National Park
Fun fact about me: I can milk goats.
Craig Howell

Hometown: Takoma Park, MD
DMV resident since: birth
Adventuring member since: 1985
First trip led: 1987
Favorite national park: Yosemite
Favorite local hike: Antietam Battlefield
Fun fact about me: Kept the Viet Cong out of West Germany, 1970-71

Peter Redding

Hometown: Houston, TX
DMV resident since: 2013
Adventuring member since: 2013
Favorite hike: Big Meadows Weekend, to watch meteor showers in Shenandoah Natl Park
Favorite local hike: Kayaking at sunset near the national monuments (we do more than hike)

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
DMV resident since: 1984 w/detours to San Diego, CA for 14 years and Costa Rica for 3 years
Adventuring member since: 1994
Favorite hike: Meteor Shower Weekend at Big Meadows/Shenandoah National Park
Favorite local hike: Rock Creek Park to Silver Spring
Fun fact about me: LGBTQ+ community organizer/pioneer

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA 
DMV resident since: 2005
Adventuring member since: 2018. I’ve done a lot of camping, hiking, backpacking and road-tripping in the West. My favorite area is the canyon country of the Southwest.  
Fun fact about me: I once slept in an igloo of my own making.

Hometown: Long Island,NY
DMV resident since: Actually a Baltimore resident for decades.
Adventuring member since: Well before the world wide web became commercial.
Favorite hike: Navaho Knobs.
( Capital Reef NP )
Favorite local hike: Big Schloss
Fun fact about me: If you hear me whistling, you know it’s an easy trail. Ask me about that mushroom.
Hometown: Long Island,NY
DMV resident since: DC in 2000
Adventuring member since: 1998
Favorite hike: Old Rag
Favorite local hike: Rock Creek Park Western Ridge Trail
Fun fact about me: Riding my new Priority 600 Bicycle to the Capital Crescent & Bethesda Trolley Trails

Hometown: Chicago IL and St. Paul MN
DMV resident since: 1990
Adventuring member since: mid 1990s, but not regularly until mid 2000s
Favorite hike: Hard to choose, but Picos de Europa in Spain was pretty amazing
Favorite local hike: anything in Shenandoah over 10 miles
Fun fact about me: I’m an avid biker. Hiking and biking are the yin and yang of my outdoor activities.

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
DMV resident since: 2016
Adventuring member since: 2018
Favorite hike: Barr Trail (Pikes Peak, CO)
Favorite local hike: Old Rag, Mary’s Rock
Fun fact about me: served in the Peace Corps, Poland 1998-2000

Hometown: Norfolk, VA
DMV resident since: 2014
Adventuring member since: 2021
Favorite hike: Loudoun Heights, Old Rag
Fun fact about me: Able to burn water