Community-building at its peak
This Husky club inspires students and professors to climb over traditional classroom barriers.
This past October at Snow Lake, in an alpine wilderness, Huskies from the Peaks and Professors student club trekked 7.2 miles amid continuous snowfall.
They happily braved the cold to chat with University of Washington Law, Societies & Justice and International Studies Associate Professor Stephen Meyers about the United Nations, Mexican food and the Boy Scouts.
Peaks and Professors is a student-led group that organizes hikes across western Washington with UW students, professionals and faculty members. The hikes consist of 10 to 12 students and guests. Anyone can join hikes regardless of experience, and you don’t need a car to participate. The club operates in fall, winter and spring.
Peaks’ aim is to break down traditional classroom barriers.
Caitlin Wassell, ’28, is a trip lead who coordinates and organizes hikes and says that Peaks’ model is unique. Wassell thinks “the best conversations, intellectual insights, curiosity and relationships arise from intentional time spent learning in nature.”
Vincent Huynh, ’28, admits he was “deathly scared” of his first hike with Peaks at Heather Lake in April 2025 because he didn’t know anyone. Relationship-building got the finance and marketing major over his fear.
“After getting to the trailhead and warming up with both the professor and a bunch of strangers,” Huynh says, “it was amazing to hear how many new, different perspectives we all had.”
“The best conversations, intellectual insights, curiosity and relationships arise from intentional time spent learning in nature.”
One of Huynh’s favorite hikes was with Darrel Cowan, a UW professor emeritus of geology. Huynh “loved being able to hear a professor so passionate about the different kinds of rocks that were on our hike.” Huynh, who is now a trip lead, says the hike with Cowan changed him in a profound way.
Students take the plunge into icy Lake Serene last spring.
Students pause in the sun to admire the view at Lake 22 last fall.
In addition to its traditional hikes, Peaks has expanded to create even more positive experiences through tailored activities and community events. On their recent first–ever “Peaks and Professionals” hike, the club invited businesswoman, diplomat and former U.S. Ambassador Suzi LeVine. The group also enjoys leading collaboration hikes with campus groups such as the Mountain Medics, a UW student club interested in wilderness medicine that Peaks joined this past fall.
On top of that, the club hosts educational nights, wellness walks closer to campus and other events, including its “Peaks and Pancakes” community days, where students can get free pancakes and learn about the relationship-building Peaks is known for.
“Every hike challenge is adaptable — and often results in a funny story,” says head trip lead Gavin Ginn, ’27. “The overarching theme is that Peaks and Professors provides the UW community with opportunities to form connections and think outside in ways that are memorable and accessible.”
Story by Lincoln McElwee // Photos courtesy of Peaks and Professors
Originally published March 2026
