Mike Becker

Albany Chapter Leader for 32 years

I enjoy introducing people to the beauty of the mountains and meeting new people.

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: A or A+
Favorite Season for Outings: Fall
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondack High Peaks
Experience/Education/Certifications: 4-Season Adirondack 46er, NY State Licensed Guide

Pamela Bentien

Albany Chapter Leader since 2015

I began as a fill-in leader to help out a few years ago and then began to sign up officially around 2015.  I am also Paddling Co-Chair, so I mostly lead canoe & kayak outings. As the owner of an Old Town Otter I am a de facto leader for the slower group of paddlers.  I began going out with the paddlers in the Spring of 2002, a few months after buying the kayak.  Over time I gained skills and confidence so was able to assist other leaders when called on during outings.  It only seemed fair to take a turn leading to evenly distribute the responsibility throughout the season. I particularly appreciate the ADK emphasis on safety and camaraderie while maintaining a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy the outing.  I hope to share that with more people who may be new to paddling or who have kept going out on a back burner because of lack of companionship.

Typical Outings: Paddling
Favorite Season for Outings: I enjoy all seasons but lead paddles from April through October at all our launch sites.
Favorite Place for Outings:  I like some sites better than others but usually my favorite is the one I’m at.
Experience/Education/Certifications: I participate in the ADK paddle leader training and will continue to build on my skills.

Don Berens

Albany Chapter Leader for about 30 years (since the early 1980s)

Others have shown me how to make outdoor recreation a happy part of my life; now it’s time for me to do the same.

Typical Outings: Hiking, showshoeing, cycling
Typical Difficulty: A, usually strenuous outings
Favorite Season for Outings: I limit my outdoor recreation to the months between January 1 and December 31
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondack High Peaks, also over eastern NY and western New England
Experience/Education/Certifications: 50+ years of hiking on 5 continents & in every state, including many rounds of the Adirondack 46 in all seasons. I’ve also biked on 3 continents and in every state U.S. State.

Jesse Cole

Albany Chapter Leader for less than a year

Typical Outings: High Peaks in New York and Vermont
Typical Difficulty: A or A+, over 10 miles roundtrip
Favorite Season for Outings: Winter
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondack High Peaks
Experience/Education/Certifications: I have SOLO Wilderness First Aid, am an Adirondack 46er, and am a former member of Search and Rescue K9 team.

Brad Gawron

Albany Chapter Leader for less than a year

I lead trips and educate for the sake of getting people involved in the outdoors. The digital world is encroaching on enjoyment of the world outside of our doors. Involvement tends to create advocacy, so this is a great way for us all to contribute to stewardship of the wild areas out there.

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: B to A+ Young Adults outings
Favorite Season for Outings: I equally enjoy the Winter and Summer seasons. In the Winter, I spend time cross-country skiing and hiking. My hiking focuses primarily in the Adirondacks this time of year, I am big on taking advantage on the lack of bugs and mud. During the summer, I still hike – but spread my time around the region – I also bike, kayak and play Disc Golf – a lot.
Favorite Place for Outings: Although I can be found doing most any outdoor activity, I typically lead hiking trips, mainly in both the Adirondacks and Catskills. I also go to the Berkshires and Palisades from time to time, but my hiking endeavors trend a bit more on the strenuous side.
Experience/Education/Certifications: Aside from holding current First Aid and CPR certification, I have Master’s level education in geography and geospatial (including GPS) technologies.

Stephanie Graudons

Albany Chapter Leader since 2009

I lead trips to meet new people, teach outdoor skills, help others achieve their hiking & fitness goals, and to inspire an appreciation for nature through backcountry adventures. Reaching the summit with someone climbing their first mountain ever is my favorite thing.

Typical Outings: Mostly hiking, occasional backpacks, easy paddles & bike rides. Mainly Young Adults outings (though all are welcome!)
Typical Difficulty: Mostly A and B, occasional C
Favorite Season for Outings: Year-round
Favorite Place for Outings: Anywhere in the Adirondacks
Experience/Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, NYS Licensed Guide, volunteer Summit Steward, Adirondack 46er, Winter 46er, Saranac Ultra 6er, the list goes on. In addition to a decade of hiking in the northeast, I also spent a few years in Colorado and had both the challenge and pleasure of leading backpacking trips for middle school students around Rocky Mountain National Park.

Tom Hart

Albany Chapter Leader since 2011, though few people remember that the first outings I led for the chapter were paddles in 1984

What I especially enjoy though is taking people out who are just learning how to take on challenges and expand their capabilities. Each hike then can become a learning opportunity for those who are interested. Another niche I like to fill is finding different out-of-the way places and alternative approaches to destinations that are not travelled often.

Typical Outings: Usually easier hikes in the Capital District’s Helderberg Hills, modest hikes in Southern Vermont, and more frequently, more difficult hikes in the Adirondack High Peaks.
Typical Difficulty: Trip difficultly runs the full range of easy C hikes to harder A hikes.
Favorite Season for Outings: Fall and Winter are my favorite times to lead hikes, including combined ski and snowshoe adventures. No season is a bad one for getting out and enjoying the outdoors though!
Favorite Place for Outings: Anywhere in the Adirondacks
Experience/Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, DEC Licensed Guide, being part of the ‘bag of hammers’ crew for Lean2Rescue, and membership in the Yo! Antonio hiking group are my most important outdoor certifications.

Ralph Keating

Has led hundreds of hikes for the Adirondack Mountain Club and other organizations

I am an avid hiker and paddler who has led hundreds of hikes for the Adirondack Mountain Club and other organizations in many areas of New York State. I have led some multi-day backpack and paddle trips to the more pristine areas of the Adirondacks, and also enjoy the beauty and solitude of hiking and backpacking in the wilderness of the Southwest, California, and the Rocky Mountains. I love to share my knowledge of the outdoors with others and take great pleasure in introducing others to beautiful, wild, and pristine places, encouraging preservation of these areas for future generations. My adventurous spirit continues calling me to explore new trails and routes throughout the country.

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: More challenging A hikes, but some B and C hikes as well
Experience/Education/Certifications: I maintain a current certification in Wilderness First Aid.

Nick Lanzillo

Albany Chapter Leader for less than one year

I lead outings to share my love of these mountains!

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: A & B range
Favorite Season for Outings: I enjoy getting out in every season, but summer will always be my favorite!
Favorite Place for Outings: I especially love exploring the Adirondack High Peaks, the Central Adirondack Region, and the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Experience/Education/Certifications: I’m a member of the Adirondack 46ers and the Catskill 3500 Club, and have been enjoying time outdoors as far back as I can remember. Look for me hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, paddling and fishing in the best park in the USA!

Ted Letcher

Albany Chapter Leader for 3 years

I lead outings to meet like minded folks and to convert indoor people to outdoor people.

Typical Outings: Hikes (both on and off trail) and bikes in New York and Vermont. Often Young Adults outings.
Typical Difficulty: A or A+
Favorite Season for Outings: Winter and Spring and Summer and Fall.
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondacks
Experience/Education/Certifications: A lot of time outside all over the country.

Keith Martin

Albany Chapter Leader Since 2005

If it’s outdoors count me in! On backcountry x-skis in winter, hiking or paddling in other seasons.  I’ve enjoyed many group adventures throughout NY, the eastern US, Rockies, Cascades, and internationally; pieced together long stretches of the AT; completed the Northville Placid Trail, the Cranberry Lake 50 and the Firetower Challenge.  I’ve bicycled extensively on roads and highways throughout the Adirondacks, and recently biked with friends around Lake Champlain from Whitehall to Fort Chambly, Que. and back.

Typical Outings: Hiking, Trekking, Skiing, and Bicycling. I’d like to get back into some Flat Water overnight paddling Trips too.
Typical Difficulty: Hikes C+ to A+; Bicycling B to A
Favorite Season for Outings: Year-round! We live in a great four season locale!
Favorite Place for Outings: Primarily Adirondacks and Catskills. Occasionally Appalachian Trail (AT) in NY, CT, MA, VT, NH and ME.
Experience/Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, ADK Outdoor Leadership Training, 46r (2724) & Catskill 3500r (1578), Certified Spinning Instructor.

Diana “Bigglesworth” Niland

Albany Chapter Leader for less than one year (I’m new!)

I enjoy getting to know like-minded people and leading trips with both beginners and experienced hikers. I would like to see greater diversity of outdoorspeople in the woods.

Typical Outings: Hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, often as a co-outing with the Northville Placid Trail chapter
Typical Difficulty: Mostly A and B rated
Favorite Season for Outings: Year-round! I’d like to do more winter hiking & camping.
Favorite Place for Outings: Northville-Placid Trail, Adirondack High Peaks
Experience/Education/Certifications: I’m a backpacker at heart, having thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, Northville-Placid Trail, John Muir Trail, and Long Trail. I also enjoy day trips and I’m currently working on my ADK 46r. I’m Red Cross First Aid and CPR certified, and I work as a physical education professor in the SUNY system, where I teach a number of outdoor oriented courses.

Cliff Prewencki

Albany Chapter Leader Since 2011

I lead outings to share the wonders of the outdoors with others.

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: B- to B+
Favorite Season for Outings: Every season has its joys
Favorite Place for Outings: Catskills
Experience/Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, AMC and ADK leadership training, ADK compass and GPS courses.

Bob Priest

Albany Chapter Leader for 3 years

Three years ago, when I retired from my job with the State Insurance Department, I found I had too much time on my hands. I’ve always enjoyed hiking, biking, and skiing, so I started leading hikes for ADK as well as working part time as a substitute teaching assistant and volunteering at Albany High School.

Typical Outings: Long but leisurely hikes. I enjoy spending time on summits to savor their spectacular views and appreciate that there are no two places exactly alike in the forest.
Typical Difficulty: Varies
Favorite Season for Outings: Lake George area and southern Adirondacks in spring and fall; high peaks in the summer when there’s more daylight.
Favorite Place for Outings: Lake George area & southern Adirondacks and High Peaks

Gene Reilly

Albany Chapter Leader Since the 1990s sometime

I like sharing the special places I have experienced and am dedicated to helping others have an enjoyable, safe trip.

Typical Outings: I most often lead hiking outings, but sometimes include a paddling trip or XC Skiing. I lump snowshoeing into hiking – only in the winter.
Typical Difficulty: C+ and A
Favorite Season for Outings: Winter and Fall for Hiking, summer for paddling
Favorite Place for Outings: I generally hike mostly in the Adirondacks – particularly the High Peaks areas. When I paddle, it is on flat-water.
Experience/Education/Certifications: I am certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid; have thru-hiked the Northville Placid Trail; have been hiking in the Adirondacks since 1981. Come along on a hike and see what fun it can be!

Kathy Rzant

Albany Chapter Leader for a few years

My favorite hike is what we’ve been calling a “Swike,” a hike up a mountain followed by a refreshing swim in a lake on our descent.  I lead C+ and B hikes, mostly in the Adirondacks and mostly in the summer.   It’s great fun to meet hikers and discover we’re from the same tribe.

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: B & C
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondacks and Albany area
Experience/Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Aid

Alison Saville Zoske

Albany Chapter Leader for about 10 years

I am Paddle Chair for our Albany Chapter and I lead paddles in the Capital District as well as in the Adirondacks. Our Chapter offers a  paddle outing every Tuesday night, and I generally am out paddling three times a week, May through October.  I also enjoy wilderness camping and paddling and love to spend three or four overnights on an Adirondack lake or river.  My husband, Joe, and I lead a couple of bicycle outings each year also.  We tend to do 15-20 mile bike trips in the Capital District, nothing too strenuous.  In addition, we like to do walks and easy hikes, but are not A hikers.

Typical Outings: Paddling, biking
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondacks

Bob Scaife

Albany Chapter Leader for 10 years

I enjoy introducing others to the challenges and rewards of Adirondack hiking.

Typical Outings: Hiking and snowshoeing
Typical Difficulty: A+
Favorite Season for Outings: Winter
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondack High Peaks
Experience/Education/Certifications: 40 years of experience hiking, backpacking, paddling, skiing, climbing, and hanging out in the mountains of New York, New England, the American West, and, most recently, the Swiss Alps.

Brad Schwebler

Albany Chapter Leader Since 2018

I decided to lead hikes because I wanted to share the beauty and wonders of the Shawangunks which I had become very familiar with. My hikes are generally slower paced to enjoy and photograph flora and fauna, rocks, trees, fungi, and waterfalls. The hikes are moderate in difficulty and length and sometimes include rock scrambles. I am also interested in exploring other areas I have not been to in the Catskills, Taconics, Berkshires, Adirondacks, and elsewhere.

Typical Outings: Hiking
Typical Difficulty: C, C+ and B
Favorite Season for Outings: Spring for the waterfalls, Summer for the flora and fauna, Fall for the fall
foliage, Winter for snowshoeing and skiing.
Favorite Place for Outings: Shawangunks, Catskills, and Adirondacks
Experience/Education/Certifications: I am a former Boy Scout, a retired USAF Medical
Service Specialist and retired NYANG Aeromedical Service Specialist. I was formerly certified
as an EMT. I attended and completed an ADK first aid class and an ADK wilderness survival
class.

Phil Seward

Albany Chapter Leader 15 years for the Albany chapter, 20 years overall

I enjoy meeting new members and keeping in touch with the ”regulars” while sharing our common love of the outdoors and nature. It’s always a fun day enjoying the hike, exercising, sharing knowledge, and summiting a mountain to take in the spectacular views.

Typical Outings: Mostly hikes, occasionally paddles, xc skiing, & cycling
Typical Difficulty: Mostly B, occasionally A
Favorite Season for Outings: Year-round
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondacks
Experience/Education/Certifications: I have been hiking most of my adult life and accomplished many goals; completed the 46 High Peaks 4 times including in winter, Catskill 3500 summer and winter, Northeast 111, and the 1 Day Taconic Crest Trail Challenge. I have summited the Grand Teton, Rainier, Whitney, Galdhopiggin (Norway’s highest), and attempted Mount Blanc (France). Hiked in Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Japan, Costa Rica, Spain, Ecuador, Glacier NP, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain NP, Yosemite NP, Canadian Rockies and Italy’s Dolomites. I have 15 years of kayaking experience, 20 years xc skiing and have biked my whole life, recently completing a century ride in 2013. I completed Wilderness First Aid training Oct. 2017. I served as a member of the Albany ADK Executive Committee for 9 years (2004-2012) as Program Chair, Vice Chairman, Finance Committee and then Chairman of the Chapter for 3 years. I also organized and led ADK Adventure Trips to Alaska, Spain and Ecuador.

John Sheehan

Albany Chapter Leader Since 2010

After a few years of hiking with various chapter leaders, I recognized that being organized and well oriented were the primary skills necessary to be a leader. I felt I had this to offer and I have enjoyed the experience.

Typical Outings: Primarily hiking and snowshoeing, occasionally xc skiing
Typical Difficulty: Moderate C+ to B+ with a pace suitable to enjoy a day in the woods
Favorite Season for Outings: Year-round
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondacks and South Taconics
Experience/Education/Certifications: I have always loved the outdoors. Over the years I have been a runner, cyclist and paddler but of course never had time to do as much of it as I wanted while I was working full time. I joined the ADK in 2004 after an early retirement and these activities quickly became my lifestyle. Although I am an Adirondack 46er, I enjoy more moderate hikes and especially enjoy introducing new hikers to the mountains. Most of my training has been informal by just being out with experienced leaders however I do hold Wilderness First Aid certification. I was Albany Chapter Chair from 2011 to 2014 and I am currently one of the chapter representatives to ADK’s Board of Directors.

Jen Shepherd

Albany Chapter Leader for 1 year; Glens-Falls Saratoga chapter leader for almost 4 years

I lead outings for the opportunity to get others out on the trail and help them pursue their goals. I’ve gained many great friendships through ADK outings.

Typical Outings: Hiking, snowshoeing.
Typical Difficulty: Generally B to A+ rated hikes.
Favorite Season for Outings: Definitely fall (mild temperatures, fewer bugs, beautiful colors)
Favorite Place for Outings: Adirondack High Peaks mostly, also enjoy leading hikes that count toward earning patches
Experience/Education/Certifications: Adirondack 46er, Saranac 6er, completed Fire Tower Challenge in summer and winter.

Jim Slavin

Albany Chapter Leader for many years

My special interests are hiking safety, trail work and outdoor environmental education. Let’s explore the beautiful trails of our region together.

Typical Difficulty: B and C
Experience/Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Aid training and First Responder training at Jiminy Peak Mountain. I am the past Chair of the Albany Chapter of the ADK and present board member.

Virginia Boyle Traver

I have led outings all year ’round for our Chapter since 2006.

I love to lead outings because I, selfishly, want to go to my favorite places!  Scheduling with ADK assures that I actually get there. I have met fabulous people on my outings as well, many of whom have become lifelong friends.

Typical Outings: Hiking, snowshoeing.
Typical Difficulty: C+ or B
Favorite Place for Outings: Most often my trips are in the Adirondacks or the Berkshires
Experience/Education/Certifications: In addition to being a trip leader, I have been our Chapter’s Outings Chair since Fall 2007. I think that I have the best job in the entire ADK.  I am an Adirondack 46er, and have Red Cross and CPR training.