Who are our guides?
Read about their passion for outdoor education and decades of wilderness experience
Our Story
Trails Diverged
Trish started Trails Diverged to continue our guiding journey after our company suddenly closed. She has a strong dedication to creating a physically and emotionally safe space for beginners to learn and love outdoor experiences in the Pacific Northwest. We are committed to fundraising to provide outdoor access for those that are otherwise restricted by financial constraints.
Read more about us in our article in OutdoorsNW Magazine.
Meet The Team
Keith
Mountain Biking Guide
Keith loves instructing and guiding outdoor activities, especially Mountain Biking. Keith lives near Welches, OR, at the base of Mt Hood (Wy East). He enjoys outdoor activities daily on the mountain, while also exploring across the USA, and especially out west. In these drier months, Keith is Mountain Biking almost every day, usually with his two Golden Retrievers. Keith is a retired HS Teacher (Sciences and Math), and has degrees in natural resources/ecology and teaching.
Keith was born and raised in inner city Chicago, and left as soon as he could. During his college years in MO, PA, NV and WY, as well as over the years while teaching HS and after retirement, Keith started learning and teaching outdoor activities. He started off teaching adaptive XC skiing to youth and adults with multiple special needs near Lake Tahoe, NV. This experience gave him insight about individual learning styles, and he quickly realized that all of us are unique and have special needs.
Since then, he has taught people of all abilities in multiple locations around the US. His activities have included Mountain biking, XC and Tele Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Rafting, Rock Climbing, Kayaking, SUPing, Golf Tai Chi & Chi Gong, … Today, Keith focuses on teaching Mountain Biking, XC Skiing and Rock Climbing.
Keith started Mountain Biking in 1979, and has been able to ride through the development of bike technology, as well as riding techniques. He has trained with various instructors and programs over the years. Keith has ridden in PA, IL, UT, WY, AZ, NV, CA, ID, OR, WA and Sweden.
Keith will create a plan with you based on your wants and needs for learning mountain biking. During the learning process, he will give you direct feedback about technique, body positioning and dynamic movement on your bike to help your learning process. We will reflect together about your process. We will learn and practice in a safe and controlled setting where we can unlearn and learn new skills. We unlearn some skills that people have developed riding in urban settings which hamper mountain biking. We will learn how our bikes work and what we need to check for safety and enjoyment. We will learn and add new skills, one layer at a time. As we progress, we reinforce each layer of learning which allows us to integrate our newly developed skills. It is a very active and fun process. The integration of new skills will give you the ability to pursue and enjoy Mountain Biking in a fun and safe way. Most likely, we will all be pooped by the end of the day, and hopefully have a smile on our faces.
Greg
Outdoors Skills Education Guide
Greg has 35 years of guiding trips and experiences for the university classes he teaches, REI, and several professional organizations. Greg has taught at the college/university level for 33 years. He teaches in the areas of Outdoor Education, Outdoor Adventure, Exercise Science, and Health and Wellness. Greg has built his career in guiding and teaching around promoting student access to the benefits of outdoor recreation.
Greg is passionate about increasing access to the outdoors for people of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Greg has guided experiences in Map and Compass, Backpacking, Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Outdoor Survival, The Ten Essentials, Leave No Trace, Snowshoeing, Winter Camping, Kayaking, and Photography.
Greg is currently a Wilderness First Responder (NOLS, WMI) and Challenge Course Practitioner Level 2 (ACCT). Greg’s outdoor accomplishments include summiting 32 mountains over 14,000 feet in Colorado, standing on the geographical high point of 37 states, and visiting 32 National Parks, as well as more than 45 National Monuments and National Historic Places. Greg spends as much time as possible taking photographs of beautiful places. Greg has won several photography awards and has had photographs published in calendars and books, and organization websites.
Trish
Owner/Guide
My primary goals as a guide are to help people build confidence, feel comfortable as a beginner, leave no trace, and recreate safely. I know how it feels to be intimidated by a new activity, and I will always work to be sure you feel safe physically and emotionally so that you can enjoy our trip and learn something new.
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During our time together, I will call upon of 6,000 miles of backcountry experience & Search and Rescue experience to help you enjoy the outdoors safely. I strive to provide a personalized experience that shows a different side of the world to my clients, and to help them gain a better and deeper understanding of the sites and destinations we visit.
My passion is helping people that don't have the income to "try out" backpacking and wilderness exploration. My goal is to make access affordable and safe, while building confidence and life-long memories.
I have Wilderness First Responder training and practice the Leave No Trace principles so that we can recreate responsibly and conserve our special places for generations to come. I also teach Wilderness survival classes and backcountry navigation - I take care of the planning and medical gear so you can relax and enjoy the view. I have been a dedicated Professional Guide since 2020, and I was awarded the prestigious REI Guide of the Year Award in 2024.
If you’d like to tour with me, please get in touch so I can start creating the perfect itinerary for you.
Nanne
Mountain Bike Guide
Nanne has been guiding and instructing for the past 35 years, leading bike tours and teaching and guiding kayaking, mountain biking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and hiking in the Northwest, California, Utah, Hawaii and British Columbia. He has also spent time with a wrench in his hand as a bike mechanic as well as a ski tech.
He caught the wheel of the beginning of the mountain biking scene here in the Pacific Northwest and has ridden most mountain biking trails in the State of Oregon and SW Washington. He’s been instrumental in developing mountain biking curriculum during his tenure at REI. He is a level 2 BCIP (formerly IMBA) certified instructor and teaches their methods, instructing at REI, Timberline and Ski Bowl. In the winter season, Nanne teaches cross country skiing at Mount Hood Meadows Nordic Center and has also taught downhill skiing on Mt Hood.
Nanne often tells people he was born on a bike. He hails from the Netherlands, and biking is in his blood. He currently lives in Portland with his wife and two sons. In his free time he likes road biking and mountain biking in the summer and when the snow falls you can find him on the slopes.
Sara
Snowshoe Guide
Born and raised in New Jersey, Sara spent most of her early years in the concrete jungle. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2017 and feels incredibly grateful to call Hood River home.
Professionally, she's a guide, park ranger, EMT, substitute teacher, and serves as a trustee on the board of a non-profit private high school. She is fiercely passionate about helping people in any capacity and especially as it relates to feeling confident getting outside and having a fun and safe time trying something new.
During her free time, Sara loves a good road trip. She recently completed her journey to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks. She also enjoys hiking, snow shoeing, camping, game nights with friends, puppventures with her dog, Dakota, cross country skiing, puzzles, and hot tubs.
Sara is looking forward to seeing y'all on the trails! She's excited to get to know some of the things you love and get outside with you!
Ian
Snowshoe Guide
Ian has been hiking, backpacking, and driving old cars into the far reaches of Oregon since 2017. From learning that there are many meanings to the word "waterproof", to spending perfectly good weekends digging out of snowbanks, he misadventures so you don’t have to. A mechanic and guitar teacher by trade, he also volunteers with Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue. He loves fire lookouts and abandoned railroads, exploring roads that clearly go nowhere, and foraging for the occasional berry, mushroom, or hat.
Lauren
Snowshoe Guide
Lauren has worked as a professional outdoor guide since 2013, leading trips for adults and youth in the mountains of Oregon, Washington, California, New Hampshire, New York, Maine, and even Tanzania. She is passionate about cultivating a love of the outdoors in everyone - from newcomers to pros - and helping everyone feel welcome and at home in natural spaces. Lauren is trained as an Oregon master naturalist and loves sharing her knowledge of the Pacific Northwest's fascinating natural history whenever she's out in the mountains. Her favorite topics to learn about and teach include the geology of our cascade volcanoes, the ecology of our temperate rainforests, and the behavior and protection of our many unique species.
Outside of guiding, Lauren works as a Wilderness EMT and wilderness medicine instructor, teaching courses such as Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and Basic Life Support. Lauren is also pursuing her paramedic certification. She keeps (even more) busy by volunteering with Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue and by playing and coaching Australian Rules Football with the Portland AFC.
Karen
Snowshoe Guide
TLDR: Music, sports, science, fungi, women’s empowerment, SAR volunteer, loves rabbits.
The details: Born and raised in South Florida, Karen chose music as her career, earning a Master’s from Manhattan School of Music and touring the US and abroad as a professional pianist and flutist. A year in Argentina inspired a passion for tango music, to which she dedicated years of her career.
Sports have been equally vital: competitive swimmer and diver in her youth, water skier, certified scuba diver, plus all racquet sports (especially squash), volleyball, and soccer—all while maintaining a rigorous performance schedule. Karen also has a strong interest in sports nutrition and medical science. She loves to nerd out about either!
As a traveling musician, she never expected to settle down until a 2005 Columbia Gorge vacation changed that. Just months later, she, along with her 3-year-old twins, relocated from Santa Fe, NM, to Hood River. Since living in Oregon, she added snow skiing (particularly alpine touring), snowshoeing, mountain biking, road cycling, and hiking and backpacking to her sports interests. While hiking, she loves to identify and share information about mushrooms and plants.
After retiring from music in 2020, Karen turned to volunteering—first teaching safe, fun camping basics through Oregon State Parks’ “Let’s Go Camping!” program, then leading self-defense and empowerment classes with Portland’s GirlStrength program. Eventually, she discovered search and rescue, which proved the perfect match for her love of outdoors, fitness, and service.
Now in her sixth year with Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue with over 200 missions—more than anyone on her team for that period—and newly with Skamania County SAR, Karen’s passion, dedication, and intensity are evident—as your guide, you will see this firsthand. Karen also wants you to know that she loves rabbits and has a soft spot for snakes and spiders.
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Julio
Snowshoe Guide
Originally from Bolivia moved to the US for school. After a few years in the midwest, I wanted to live in a place that allowed me to explore outdoors more, especially climb mountains, so I made Oregon my home. I work in the aviation field but spend a lot of my time backpacking and climbing/mountaineering. I've found I really enjoy teaching these skills to people that never had those chances, so I've been getting involved with groups that provide these opportunities specially for minority groups. Also involved with Search and Rescue and disaster preparedness groups for the difference they make in communities.