Hike Leader Profiles
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Hike Leader Profiles
The North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter has a long history of excellent hike leaders who have both vast trail experience and enthusiasm for leading hikes. All of them have led many hikes of different levels and make hiker safety their number one priority.
Henry Barkhorn
Member of ADK since 2013. Hike leader since 2015. Regular participant and leader of ADKNJR Thursday hikes. Retired from a career in finance and currently living in NYC.
Paul Margiotta
After retiring early, I was seeking a recreation activity where I can socialize and make new friends. Joining ADK fit that bill more than I had hoped. I am now paying it forward by leading hikes, mostly on the intermediate level for experienced hikers. On occasion I will lead an easier hike that is suitable for a beginner, as I once was.
Geoff Fonseca
After retiring from work in 2015, I took to hiking and joined the ADK NJR chapter. After my first year with ADK, I felt called to serve as a hike leader. I find it fun and rewarding, and I enjoy giving back to the hiking community, offering our members the many benefits of staying connected, engaging with friends, and experiencing the healing power of the outdoors.
Bob Zachowski
I moved to the Hudson Valley in 2022 and immediately fell in love with the area, with its mountains and lakes. Having been an ADK member since 2019, following my move I started hiking with the NJR Chapter on Tuesdays with my mentor, Roland Autran. His encouragement persuaded me to start leading hikes on my own in October 2023. I am still learning, but my fellow hikers are equally supportive, and many have become my friends.
Mike Prestia
I started hiking in 2015. I joined ADK because I wanted to meet new friends that enjoyed hiking. In 2017, I began to lead hikes for the club, mostly on weekends at the intermediate level of hiking, usually 5-8 miles in length. ADK has provided me with many benefits. I enjoy the healing powers of the outdoors and in general, the good camaraderie of the hiking community. I hope to see you on the trail soon.
Howard Basch
I started hiking with ADK in 2019 and led my first hike in 2023. I live in Rockland County and enjoy taking advantage of the numerous hiking opportunities in the area. In addition to day hiking, I participate in backpacking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. I find that my involvement with ADK provides a great opportunity to connect with other hikers and share my enjoyment of outdoor activities.
Anastasia Tavarez
I joined our club to hike and socialize with like-minded people. Not long after I joined, I started leading hikes. By doing this, I get to decide the date, time, and place for the hike, plus the distance and elevation. I am enjoying the camaraderie and the challenge of facilitating these hikes. I hope more hiking opportunities become available as more members become leaders.
Nikki Nasr
I joined the Adirondack Mountain Club while training for an overseas hiking trip and because I no longer enjoyed hiking alone. What began as preparation quickly became something more meaningful. After about a year of hiking with the group, I started leading hikes as a way to give back. I enjoy being outdoors and sharing the restorative, stress-relieving benefits of nature, along with the camaraderie that comes from spending time together on the trail.
Matthew Blevins
I’ve been leading hikes for about 5 years—the last three proudly with the ADK—and I’m currently serving as the Trail Maintenance Chair for our chapter. My sweet spot for a day on the trail is a 5-to-7-mile trek with 400 to 1,200 feet of elevation gain, moving at a steady, moderate pace (around a 30-minute mile). While I always appreciate a beautiful stretch of forest, I especially love routes that feature unique points of interest and local history. While we’re on a hike, definitely expect me to relay any history I know about the area as we walk! When I’m not leading hikes or managing the Vista Loop at Ramapo Reservation (one of my favorite spots, alongside Minnewaska State Park), I’m heavily involved in local Scouting with my two sons, including organizing a massive annual Scouting hike event. I’m deeply passionate about stewardship, often guiding hikes on unmaintained trails to help identify areas in need of care, and I’m currently working on bringing conservation-focused guest speakers to our members. My hikes usually kick off around 9:30 AM—I’d love to have you join me on the next one!
Louis Spector
A hike can exhaust or exhilarate us, test our limits or quiet our minds, and bring us face to face with a world that is wild and beautiful, reminding us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. And there is something special about sharing those experiences. I’m looking forward to leading hikes that give us a chance to be active, enjoy the outdoors, and connect.