Lauren Richert

Originally from Olympia, WA, Lauren now lives in Lincoln, NE, where she recently graduated from Union College. In the fall, she was incident command for a group of college students on a rescue and relief disaster response team for Hurricane Ian in Florida. She also helped teach an outdoor expedition planning class, culminating in a multi-day backpacking trip. She completed a semester in Malawi as the co-leader of an international expedition helping with natural disaster and hurricanes; there, she was responsible for risk management, menu-planning, trip logistics, group dynamics, and more. She’s also helped with disaster relief in Grand Isle, LA.  Previously, she was a camp counselor in Washington, where she worked with kids ages 7–17.

• Education: Union College, bachelor’s degree in international rescue and relief
• Certifications: Wilderness emergency medical technician, wilderness first responder, swiftwater rescue technician, recreational rappelling operator, rope rescue specialist, ice rescue technician
• Favorite outdoor memory: I think one of my favorite outdoor memories was the day I spent in Yosemite Valley with two of my good buddies climbing all over the park from sunrise to sunset. We were pretty disorganized and not everything went as planned, but it was a gorgeous day and we ended up having a blast!
• Favorite outdoor achievement: I think a big highlight for me was getting to see the girls who were in my first-ever backpacking group with AT get to summit Shasta. They went from feeling apprehensive about the first backpack to absolutely crushing it on Shasta, and it was so cool to see how much they grew in self-confidence and resilience through it.
• Favorite place you’ve traveled: One of my favorite places on earth is on the Gunnison river in Southern Colorado. The gorgeous black walls of the canyon and the crystal clear water are stunning. Plus, it’s a really fun river. Definitely want to go back!
• Favorite hobbies: In the outdoors I love whitewater paddleboarding, rock climbing, bouldering, and mountain biking most. In general, I love reading, practicing hand stands, trying new things, and having conversations over coffee with old and new friends.
• What are you most excited about this summer? I’m excited to learn from my fellow instructors. Every AT instructor has some niche area that they know a ton about. I can’t wait for students to help me expand my Gen Z vocabulary, and I’m most excited for the backpacks! I love the time they allow to talk with and get to know everyone on the trip. SO much fun!!
• Previous Adventure Treks trips include Colorado Explorer, California Challenge 3