Presentation for Hike Organizers
Hiking with the WMC, By Donn Seeley
Why organize hiking activities?
The basics
Some questions you might have about hiking activities and organizers
How to make hiking activities go well
How to recognize (and rescue) situations that aren't going well
Organizing out of town trips
Why organize hiking activities
You get all the fun stuff that goes with joining a hiking activity.
see new places
meet new people
challenge yourself
And you get to go exactly where you want to go.
experience the joy of showing others a cool hike
avoid boredom of the same old hikes to the same old places
find company for exploring new places
The basics
Start with a hike you know and enjoy
Get the hike on the schedule
choose a destination and route
choose a date plus (optionally) departure time and meeting place
fill out the hiking activities form from the hiking calendar on the web
or contact one of the hiking directors or a member of the hiking committee
Be aware of Rambler publication deadlines
the Rambler deadline is the 10th of the preceding month
for example, May activities need to be turned in by April 10th
the Rambler doesn't always come out on time -- plan for it
the hiking committee appreciates lead time!
On the day of the activity
arrive at the meeting place 10 - 15 minutes early
prior to the day of your activity, you should receive in the mail a packet with a release form / sign-up sheet
we distribute sign-up sheets to evening hike organizers during evening hikes
get people to fill out the release form / sign-up sheet
tell people how to find the trail head
organize carpooling
meet people at the trail head
do the hike
check people off on the sign-up sheet
Afterward
relax
mail the sign-up sheet and trail survey form using the stamped envelope
Some questions you might have about hiking activities and organizers
What kinds of hikes can I do?
day hikes
afternoon hikes
evening hikes
moonlight hikes
family hikes
dog hikes
artist hikes
musical hikes
gourmet hikes
lodge-based hikes
What other fun things can I do with hikes?
loop hikes
key exchange hikes
nature hikes
geology / fossil hikes
historical hikes
hikes combined with parties
hikes combined with restaurant visits
hikes combined with lodge service
out of town day hikes
What if I want to do something more advanced?
off-trail hikes and scrambles
marathon hikes
snow hikes
exploratory hikes
(we leave real mountaineering to the climbing committee)
What's in the packets that get mailed to organizers?
instructions for organizers
a release form / sign-up sheet
a membership form
a trail condition survey
(the board occasionally changes the contents)
Do I have to have some special training to organize a hike?
no, other than life experience, common sense and good citizenship
but we encourage people to appreciate their abilities
Do I get paid to organize hikes?
no -- not a penny
everything (EVERYTHING!) is done by unpaid volunteers
we have no professional guides, no paid staff, no fund-raisers -- zip!
What are my responsibilities as an organizer?
mostly, the same responsibilities as any Club member and hike participant
in addition, you must complete and return the sign-up sheet
otherwise, it's sort of like being the host at a party
Does the Club have policies about hiking activities?
yes, there are written policies
you should have received them in your membership packet
we can supply new copies if you need them
Does the Club carry insurance for hike organizers and/or participants?
no, sorry
if you don't have your own medical and homeowners/liability insurance ...
... you might be taking a risk
the Club, its organizers and participants have never been sued -- yet
Does everyone understand that hiking is sometimes a risky activity?
sort of, but we do our best to remind everyone
and we'll remind you of that right now!
Club policy and common sense: don't do something you might regret
understand your capabilities and don't exceed them
have respect for acts of god and the failings of man
Can I drop someone from a hike?
yes, if they are causing problems -- it's your call
if you drop someone from a hike, help them back to the trail head
if someone doesn't have the right gear, don't let them come on the hike
there are many reasons to send someone back, most of them innocent
never, ever put yourself or the group in real danger
cancel the hike and return to the trail head if there's any question
When should I leave the meeting place and start the hike?
people need to be at the meeting place by the meeting time
make sure everyone signs the release form
don't leave till the departure time, if one was stated in the write-up
if someone doesn't read and sign the form, they are NOT on the hike
it's polite to accept late-comers
Does the hiking committee choose hikes?
no, organizers choose hikes -- but ...
we work with organizers to create a (mostly) balanced schedule
ultimately we will schedule anything that members want to organize
Will the hiking committee reject my hike?
in practice: no, this has never happened to our knowledge
we might try to talk you out of a bad hike
we will advertise a hike's risks in the write-up, if we know them
What's the best way to submit a hiking activity?
complete the hike activity form from the hiking calendar on the web
or send a write-up to one of the hiking directors via e-mail or call one of the hiking directors or someone on the hiking committee
or submit a paper write-up (preferably typed)
we will use any text that you submit; the more the merrier
we do reserve the right to edit submissions
you can mention a hiking activity to one of the hiking directors while on a hike, however, unless we can make a note of it while hiking, we might forget
Aren't evening hikes done specially?
yes, evening hikes are put together separately
talk to one of the hiking directors if you would like to organize an evening hike
however, moonlight hikes are scheduled like regular hikes
Do I have to be a member to organize an activity?
yes
non-members (prospective members, guests) may participate in activities
only members may organize activities
hey, it's a club!
What if someone on my hike wants to become a member?
they should mail a signed membership form with dues and application fee ...
... to the attention of the membership director at the Club office
they can use the membership form from the organizer's packet
or they can download the form from the Club's web site
or they can ask a board member (membership director, hiking director)
What if nobody shows up for my hike?
it happens
that's one reason why the hiking committee tries to balance the schedule
sometimes the weather is questionable; sometimes it's basketball finals
sometimes you never find out why
don't let it get you down
it happens to just about everyone once in a while
Do I have to show up for my hike if [insert excuse here]?
yes
even if it's pouring down rain or there's 6 inches of fresh snow
feel free to leave at the meeting time if no one shows up
don't leave until the departure time if one was listed in the write-up
feel free to cancel the hike in bad situations, but be there to tell people
if you have a schedule conflict, find a substitute organizer
substitutes have all of the responsibilities of regular organizers
substitute organizers should contact one of the hiking directors
if there's an emergency, call one of the hiking directors directly
one exception: to cancel pre-registered activities, just call participants
Don't we have enough organizers already?
no, we barely get by in most months
people tend to take the Club for granted
nothing gets done without volunteers!
What if I have an activity that straddles committees?
sometimes people want to do hiking plus snowshoeing
or a car camp with both biking and hiking activities
some MSD and EXT hikes straddle hiking and mountaineering
you should choose one committee and work with it
you don't need to involve multiple committees
How to make hiking activities go well
Be a good citizen, just as you would be on any hike
you should do the right thing regardless of whether you're the organizer
if you organize a hike, you may well have the most experience on the hike
you can help out less experienced hikers
remember, you're the host of the party
most of this stuff is pretty obvious, we hope
Know the route
hike it yourself or go as a participant on another hike
or if it's an exploratory hike, check maps and guidebooks
avoid getting lost
you can get lost on the way to the trailhead too!
The question of gear
gear can be important ...
... but so is common sense
why carry an ice axe if you aren't competent to use it?
still, there are some gear essentials
see the ten essentials for a list of gear you should always carry along with other recommendations
If someone has inadequate experience or gear, don't let them participate
most people have common sense about gear, but some need clues
most hikes require boots; some hikes require tough boots
some folks don't bring essentials like water
if a hike requires ice axe experience, don't take inexperienced people
make sure people understand the requirements and the risks
water is by far the biggest essential
Counting heads
if there are more than a couple participants, count heads
it really works!
count heads initially at the meeting place
count again at the trailhead
count again at rest stops
count again at the end of the hike (and check people off)
make sure that you don't go over the headcount limit for wilderness hikes
the current group size limit for wilderness areas around Salt Lake City is 10, including the organizer
Carpooling
carpooling helps to avoid parking problems at trail heads
it can also save on gas and fees
on long trips, everyone kicks in for gas money (and optionally mileage)
make sure that people know the arrangements before they leave
make sure that the drivers are clear on where you are going
if it's a long drive, give maps to drivers or illustrate the route on a map
don't leave until you see every participant with a driver
count the cars just like you would count heads
wait for drivers at obvious way points
on long drives, bring an air pump, engine oil, extra water, etc.
Trail etiquette
with more than a few people, hikers break into groups
find someone to bring up the rear and account for everyone
sometimes it's better for you to be in the rear; find someone for the front
collect people and give directions in complicated situations
for example, collect people at trail junctions
on really enormous hikes, assign traffic directors at trail junctions
look for people in trouble and attend to them
point out the cool stuff: waterfalls, crags, fossils, bighorn sheep, etc.
but don't be a pest
Keep to a schedule
before the hike, estimate the duration
note the starting time
make sure that you can get back safely before dark
remember that not everyone may hike as quickly as you do
it's unfortunate if you don't make it to the destination, but sometimes it's better to turn around
Account for everyone at the end
do a head count and check participants off of the sign-up sheet
make sure that no one gets left behind at the trail head
How to recognize (and rescue) situations that aren't going well
Don't get intimidated or challenged into an unsafe situation
groups take more and bigger risks than individuals (!)
don't try to go on when water runs short
don't try to go on when the weather turns really bad
don't try to go on if the snow is deeper than expected
don't do scrambles when people are inexperienced or tired
don't let someone talk you into abandoning your good judgment
(this applies whether you are an organizer or a participant)
people may be disappointed, but that's better than being dead
Recognize the limitations of your group
a hike is only as fast as its slowest participant
pay more attention to people than to scenery ...
... the scenery will still be there when you come back next time!
observe, ask questions, listen -- measure the group's progress
watch for water running out, people developing blisters, tiredness
it's not a race -- discourage people from getting far ahead of the group
if the group is stronger than expected, then you may take advantage of it
but if the group is weaker than expected, reduce your expectations!
Stay away from rattlesnakes
people have an odd habit of gathering around rattlers and pointing at them
leave them alone and they will leave you alone
Stay away from big critters
cows are big critters, and not very bright -- watch out!
wild animals are not 'cute': don't pet the moose / bears / goats etc.
Learn from experience
analyze your mistakes and remember them
If there's an accident, what should I do?
identify participants with first aid experience
locate the group's first aid kits
stabilize the victim
use your judgment about whether it's safe to move the victim
never leave the victim alone
try not to travel for help alone
make sure that the people leaving for help know the route
make sure that they can find you when they return with rescuers
make it easy for rescuers to spot you
fill out an accident report for the Club
What if someone goes missing?
collect the group -- don't lose any more people
wait a reasonable amount of time for slow people to catch up
search briefly but carefully -- don't take unnecessary risks
look at places where people could get lost
get the rest of the group safely back to the trail head
call search and rescue
Organizing out of town trips
Again, most of this should be obvious...
Car camps
a car camp is a trip where you carry your overnight gear in the car
typically you stay at campgrounds and do day hikes
the organizer needs to book any campground reservations
Backpacks
on a backpack, you carry your overnight gear with you
you might car camp for one or more nights
How do I prepare to organize an out of town trip?
all participants must register with the organizer (you!)
you do the research on (for example) group size limits
when someone calls, you take down the caller's name and phone number
you fill them in on details of the trip
you tell them that you will call back later with final details
you ask about whether they would be willing to drive in a carpool
A few days before the trip...
you call everyone back to discuss the final arrangements
some folks will probably back out at this time (anywhere from 0 - 100%)
you assign people to carpool vehicles
you give directions for the first night's campground to the drivers
if you have a cell phone, give your number to the drivers
if a driver has a cell phone, you can take it down
On the day of the trip...
leave as early as you can so that you can get a campsite
turn your cell phone on (if you have one)
when you arrive at the campground, pay the fee(s) for your site(s)
when you have a campsite, post a note or mark it so others can find it
if you can't get there early, ask another driver to pay the fee
make sure that fees are appropriately reimbursed by the group
count the vehicles to make sure that everyone makes it
