Hikers Inc - A Profile.

Hikers Inc. was established in the year 2001. Its three founding members were Paul Singh, Richard Lewis, and Mario Russell. The club sought to infuse a new professionalism and energy into local hiking adventures that was hitherto unknown.

 “Going one step further” became the vision of this new organization, which soon rose to prominence as the preferred hiking club for many outdoor enthusiasts. With this drive and vision the club undertook to introduce the “mother of all hikes’- the annual fitness hike from Blanchisseuse to Matelot. We have also visited Tobago   -Tobago Hiking Extravaganza - and in 2008 we ventured into the Caribbean. The current directors, Richard Lewis, Roger Reverand and Michael Jattan all have varying degrees of hiking experience under their respective belts. Most importantly they all share one common philosophy and that is hiking must be fun for those who venture into the outdoors with safety always being of primary importance. Hence the origin of our mission statement,” Your safety and enjoyment is our priority.”            

           The directors are ably assisted by several like-minded leaders and officials whose contributions to the organization have been noteworthy. They are Adrian Rush, Marissa Loobie, Felix Lamy, Rhonda Beckles, Lalchan Ramsaran and Camille Mitchell. Our past leaders also deserve special mention. They are Aldwyn Archer, Brian Samuel, Randy George (R.I.P), Cecil Francis, Hayden London, Sunil Maharaj, Jai Baal and Joey Mohanlal. We must also mention here the support given by the Hikers Inc. Special Events Committee.

            To underscore our belief in safety the directors and leaders have undertaken first aid training with the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade and the Red Cross Society. Approximately two hikes are held each month. In terms of rating, hikes are classed as Easy, Moderate, Moderately Challenging, Challenging, Very Challenging and Extremely Challenging. Individuals are encouraged to make sure of their physical or medical fitness before beginning to hike. A visit to the physician is thus advised. At the beginning of each hike the leaders would address all participants drawing their attention to the “Important Guidelines’ listed in the quarterly schedule. The participants are then divided into two or three groups with two or more hike leaders assigned to each group. Each group has a first-aid kit, two-way radio, rope, and flashlights. Before a scheduled hike, the leaders would undertake to do a scout or “recce” of the trail to ensure that it is properly cleared and marked. A “recce” may also involve consulting with the local police station. Apart from our regular public hikes Hikers Inc. also provides tours for private groups and has trained teams to compete successfully in the annual BG Challenge. Hikers Inc. is a dynamic organization always open to change once it redounds to the benefit of the hiking public and is in keeping with their safety and enjoyment.

 Together we seek to offer you a service that is friendly and professional. So come with us and discover the natural wonders of Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean. God bless. 

MEET THE HIKERS INC LEADERS