Meet our guides;
We employ local guides and drivers who intimately know the area for which they call home.
Each guide brings their own stories and knowledge of local history, weather, fauna and wildlife to the track to make your adventure with us memorable and unique.
Jason Hodge
Jase has dedicated his journey to connecting with nature and helping others achieve their personal best. Through his experience as a mental health clinician, hiking guide and personal trainer his work has been aimed at inspiring others to embrace the benefits of hiking and outdoor adventures.
Growing up in Lower Hutt, Jase cut his teeth tramping in the notorious Tararua Ranges, and when not out in the bush he could be found surfing the windblown Wairarapa and Wellington region. His passion for all things outdoors carried on in the form of trail running, adventure racing, mountain biking and into 7 years guiding hikes in across the ROuteburn & Milford Tracks. In between the guiding seasons Jason would travel overseas, working with professional mountain bikers in Europe and Canada on the competitive circuit. To get his own dose of adventure Jase took every opportunity he could to explore, visiting the Swiss and French Alps, Pyrenees, Rocky Mountains as well as hitting South East Asia and Indonesia for some surf.
On track Jase loves sharing his knowledge and connection to Te Ao Māori, bringing a mixture of science and spirituality to his kōrero. He has an affinity for our native birds and his enthusiasm is infectious. When not on the trails or the ocean Jase runs his personal training business Flow | Health & Fitness, supporting others to improve their health and wellbeing, offering tips, advice and online training for their next adventure.
Summar Tasker
Born and raised on the rugged West Coast, Summar embodies the spirit of Kiwi adventure. She is a well respected Guide across NZ/Australia and is all about getting people stoked on Mother Nature. With a deep-seated passion for the great outdoors, she is your go-to guide for exploring the untamed beauty of the West Coast wilderness.
From the moment you meet her, she exudes a laid-back, easygoing vibe that instantly puts everyone at ease. She brings a friendly and welcoming approach to every hiking excursion (and lots of bad jokes). Summars love for outdoors knows no bounds. Whether she is riding waves in the ocean, riding her motorbike, climbing towering cliffs or embarking on epic hikes, she is in her element. She can't wait to share that zest for life with you on your Paparoa Track experience.
Summar radiates sunshine and always has a big, cheesy smile too. She is also a nature nerd at heart, constantly acquiring knowledge of NZ's flora and fauna. Expect to be bombarded with her fun facts during your hikes. So, if you're looking for an unforgettable outdoor adventure join Summar on a journey through the stunning landscapes of the West Coast, and let her show you the magic of the Paparoa Track.
Trev Hayes
Trev grew up in Queenstown, where his love of the great outdoors, and tramping began. Now, with 40 years of tramping behind him (including multi-day hikes in Norway, Morocco, U.S.A and Spain), he has a wealth of experience under many different conditions.
He has been living in Punakaiki for over 30 years, so has an intimate knowledge of the area’s natural wonders, as well as it’s history and culture. He’s always keen to share his knowledge about the place he loves. Aside from being a tramper, Trev is a keen surfer, gardener, musician, and poet. He holds a BA in English literature and Spanish language, and an MA in creative writing from the International Institite of Modern Letters at Victoria University, Wellington. He has a small book published and another in the pipeline, so don’t be surprised if he occasionally breaks into a recital!
Trev is also the father of a 5 year old daughter, so is active in working to protect and preserve the planet’s remaining wilderness. Being a guide aligns with this passion for conservation, and his enthusiasm is contagious. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable outdoor journey with Trev as your guide.
Lauren Dunlay
Lauren has a profound passion and love for the outdoors, focusing her energy on hiking, climbing, yoga and skiing. But most importantly, loves drinking her morning cup of coffee with a beautiful view.
Lauren loves being in nature, surrounded by Aotearoa’s truly unique native fauna and flora - whether that’s spotting the Pekapeka bat (NZ’s only native land mammal), or being amongst the flowering Rimu trees (which only flower every 5-6 years). Being in the backcountry is a genuine joy for her while experiencing life’s simplicity and richness at the same time.
Lauren is currently studying Biological and Environmental Science, learning life’s molecular details, and Earth’s natural processes only grows her love for the outdoors.
With Lauren as your guide, expect to learn plenty about Aotearoa’s native flora and fauna, indigenous knowledge, and how conservation can be such a strong component for mitigating climate change.
Lauren is a self-described plant nerd, who loves all things related to plants including, weaving, eco-dying, foraging, and cooking. She loves learning new things, challenging herself outside of her comfort zone, traveling and meeting new people. Lauren is a deeply compassionate person, that cares for the future of the planet, and all the people that inhabit it. The perfect guide to your Paparoa Track experience.
Adrienne Trematerra
From an early age, Adrienne has preferred to be outside. This love of the outdoors inspired her to move from Florida to California once she graduated college to enjoy the beaches and mountains of the western US.
Her outdoor professional life started as a photographer for an outdoor apparel company, while spending off days backpacking, surfing, mountain biking and snowboarding. Eventually, the joy of sharing her outdoor experiences with others led her to pursue a career that would pay her to do just that!
Adrienne began her guiding career leading kids on multi-day expeditions throughout Colorado and Wyoming. During her time with Open Sky Wilderness Therapy, she created therapeutically rich environments that fostered personal growth and healing through nature immersion. Recently, Adrienne has managed our Colorado program for Wildland Trekking, and is inspired every day by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. You will find her hiking and mountain biking in her free time, while dreaming of surf sessions and the perfect wave.
Edward Cochrane
Edward has been with Paparoa Guided Walks since 2021, with the majority of his time spent running the operations of the business. When given the opportunity though, he is quick to strap the boots on and get out on track. Ed has hiked the full Paparoa Track 43 times (and counting), knowing each bend and corner intimately.
When working his university holidays on the Routeburn and Milford Tracks, he developed a deep appreciation for the wild places in New Zealand. The uniqueness of New Zealand’s flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world fascinated him, and developed a thirst for knowledge that will no doubt continue for the rest of his life.
Having had the opportunity to travel the world and guide in unique locations such as the USA’s Yellowstone National Park and in Australia’s Alice Springs, Ed has been able to combine all the favourite aspects of each guiding company he’s worked for in order to create an experience along the Paparoa Track you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Be sure to expect a huge smile from Ed at the pre departure briefing, because he’ll be out of the office for the next 4 days!
