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 student club trekked 7.2 miles amid continuous snowfall.
They happily braved the cold to chat with 天美影院 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 天美影院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鈥�t need a car to participate. The club operates in fall, winter and spring.听
Peaks鈥� aim is to break down traditional classroom barriers.听听
Caitlin Wassell, 鈥�28, is a trip lead who coordinates and organizes hikes and says that Peaks鈥� model is unique. Wassell thinks 鈥渢he best conversations, intellectual insights, curiosity and relationships arise from intentional time spent learning in nature.鈥� 听
Vincent Huynh, 鈥�28, admits he was 鈥渄eathly scared鈥� of his first hike with Peaks at Heather Lake in April 2025 because he didn鈥檛 know anyone. Relationship-building got the finance and marketing major over his fear. 听
鈥淎fter getting to the trailhead and warming up with both the professor and a bunch of strangers,鈥� Huynh says, 鈥渋t was amazing to hear how many new, different perspectives we all had.鈥�
鈥淭he best conversations, intellectual insights, curiosity and relationships arise from intentional time spent learning in nature.鈥�
One of Huynh鈥檚 favorite hikes was with Darrel Cowan, a 天美影院professor emeritus of geology. Huynh 鈥渓oved being able to hear a professor so passionate about the different kinds of rocks that were on our hike.鈥�听Huynh, who is now a trip lead, says the hike with Cowan changed him in a profound way.听
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 鈥淧eaks and Professionals鈥� 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 天美影院student club interested in wilderness medicine that Peaks joined this past fall.听听
On top of that, the club hosts educational nights, wellness walks closer to campus and other events, including its 鈥淧eaks and Pancakes鈥� community days, where students can get free pancakes and learn about the relationship-building Peaks is known for.
鈥淓very hike challenge is adaptable 鈥� and often results in a funny story,鈥� says head trip lead Gavin Ginn, 鈥�27. 鈥淭he overarching theme is that Peaks and Professors provides the 天美影院community with opportunities to form connections and think outside in ways that are memorable and accessible.鈥�
Story by Lincoln McElwee // Photos courtesy of Peaks and Professors
Originally published March 2026
