Hiking Docent Landing Page
This is a password protected page for the Conservancy’s Hike Leaders. Here you should find all of the information you need to plan and lead a hike! Thank you all so much for volunteering with us.
Contact with Questions
Gillian Rowe
growe@inlandnwland.org
Work #: 509-328-2939 ext. 8
When Gillian will contact you via email:
- Reminder for Hike request: one week prior to the deadline
- When your requested hikes are officially scheduled (or if dates need to be adjusted)
- When hikes are live for online registration: about 1-2 months prior to the hike date
- Send updated attendee roster 1 business day before the hike date
- Post Hike Follow Up (Who attended, # hours spent planning and leading hike, Any anecdotal stories and/or pictures from hike)
I will send out a reminder and follow-up email to the hike attendees
If it is the weekend and you have an urgent matter, like canceling an upcoming hike, please call my cell phone number. If I am out of office, you can call Carol’s cell.
Gillian’s cell # 847-778-1510
Carol’s cell # 509-844-8354
Request a Hike
Register to lead a hike at the link below. After submitting, Gillian will reach out with the status of your hike.
The program asks that you lead at least one hike a quarter but you can feel free to lead more based on your availability!
Hike request deadlines:
- Mar 20 – for Jul, Aug, Sept hikes
- Jun 21 – for Oct, Nov, Dec hikes
- Sept 23 – for Jan, Feb, Mar hikes
- Dec 21 – for Apr, May, June hikes
Our goal is to have at least 2 hikes a month so if you see gaps in the schedule to the right please try and fill them!
Hike Request FormHikes on the Schedule
4/05/25 Palisades Park hike with Mike Harcarik @9am
4/27/2025 Waikiki Springs hike with Bernie Bank and Chad Pritchard @ 10am
5/10/2025 – Cougar Bay Nature Preserve Hike with Mark Merhab @ 9 am
(CANCELED) 5/11/2025 – Verbrugge property tour for members with Brenda Day
5/17/2025 – Waikiki Springs hike with docent Joe Spitz @ 9 am
5/18/2025 – Palisades Park hike with docent Chris Kirby @ 10 am
5/31/2025 – Wes Hanson and Theresa Schaffer property tour for members with Mark Merhab
5/31/2025 – Antoine Peak Summit hike with JoAnne Baldwin @ 9am
6/7/2025 – Cougar Bay Nature Preserve Hike with Mark Merhab @ 9 am
6/8/2025 – Chris Kirby Antoine Peak Hike @ 10 am
6/17/2025 – Slavin Hike with Liz Melville and Alan McCoy @9am
6/28/2025 – Cougar Bay Nature Preserve Hike with Mark Merhab @ 9 am
Partner with an Expert!
The newest addition to the Hike Docent program is the opportunity to partner with local experts when leading your hikes. In the past, we have seen an increase in event attendance with the addition of local experts on hikes. This is optional but highly encouraged!
To the right, you will find the contact information and a brief description of each local expert. If you wish to include an expert on your hikes, please reach out to them and set a date that works for the two of you. If the expert is too busy to lead a hike with you, I encourage you to ask them if they know anyone in their network who could join instead. You will then include this information in the hike request form!
Like every aspect of this program, this is a process of trail and error. Please reach out if you have any difficulties reaching experts. If you know anyone who you believe should added to this list, please let me know!
Finally, always remember that when communicating with partners/the general public you are an ambassador for INLC. I appreciate you all SO much and am excited to see how the program continues to grow. Feel free to Cc me in any emails if you would like 🙂
-Gillian Rowe
Bugs
- Michelle Bos (pbos@comcast.net) – Loves bugs, she led a bug walk with us in June 2023
Geology
- Nigel Davies (ndavies2@ewu.edu) – Has led geology presentations for us before, works at EWU
- Chad Pritchard (cpritchard@ewu.edu) – Geology professor at EWU and co-author of “Washington Rocks”, has led hikes with Dishman Hills Conservancy
Wildflowers
- Karen Jurasin (kjhiker49@gmail.com) has lead other wildflower hikes in the community and is familiar with INLC
Mushrooms
- Kelly Chadwick (k@spiritpruners.com) – mycologist, contributes to OutThere Outdoors
- Suzanne Schwab (sschwab@me.com) – mycologist, taught at EWU
- Jessi Allen (jallen73@ewu.edu) – mushroom expert, knows lichens well (easily observable in any season), faculty in the EWU Biology Department
Birds
- Jon Isacoff (jisacoff1@gmail.com) – Birding expert, has led hikes with us before, on the board of the Dishman Hills Conservancy
- Lisa Langelier (langelier.lisa@gmail.com) – Birding expert, Spokane Audubon Society, retired preserve manager, member of INLC’s Land Protection Committee
- Lindell Haggin (Lindell4118@comcast.net) – Birding expert, has led hikes with us before
- Alan McCoy (ahm2352@gmail.com) – Audubon Society, can join on hikes/connect you with other birding experts
Other
- Jack Nisbet (jacknisbet@icloud.com) – local history and tribal expert, knowledgeable on native plants, has led many events with us
- Brian Walker (brian_walker@fws.gov) – Wildlife and restoration expert, active with the Rimrock to Riverside work, has led wildlife hikes with us before (great for Palisades, Slavin, Saltese Flats, and Waikiki)
- Rob Lindsay (rlindsay@spokanecounty.org) – former board president, mastermind behind Saltese Flats restoration, expert in local hydrology
- Robin O’Quinn (roquinn@ewu.edu) – has taught classes on moss identification, faculty in the EWU Biology Department
- Becky Brown (latahcreek@gmail.com) – Professor and Chair of Biology at Eastern Washington University. Area of expertise is in plants, restoration, & riparian ecology
Fact Sheets and Trailhead Info
Click the links below each location for more information! All links should open in a new tab.
Mica Peak
Link to Trailhead and Parking Address
^when printing, select to shrink oversize page and put in landscape orientation
Docent Bio Form
This form will be used to gather more information about our docents that we can share with the public when promoting your hikes.
Submit Bio Here