Leader Materials

 

Leader Materials and Guidance

With the closeout of the clubhouse web site and its replacement by the Campfire Community in 2019, many of the links previously found below no longer work. Most information needed by Outings Leaders is available on the Angeles Chapter LTC web site.

For Angeles Chapter Outings Leader information, click HERE to go to
https://www.sierraclub.org/angeles/leadership-outings.

For Forms and Resources page, click HERE to go to
https://www.sierraclub.org/angeles/leadership-outings/forms-resources

NOTE: The new waiver forms must be used after 12/31/2019. See above URL.

Information specifically for SPS Outings Leaders is shown below. Additional links will be added as they become available.

Leader Incentives

Beginning in 2018, we are offering a free year’s SPS membership in return for leading one or more outings for the SPS. We have two leader categories: current leaders––i.e., those who have led for the SPS in the past three years––and new or returning leaders those who have never led for the SPS or haven’t led for the SPS for three or more years.

To be eligible for the free year’s Echo subscription and SPS membership, current leaders need to do the following:
1. submit the post-trip paperwork in a timely manner, which means simply to send the outings chair the sign-in sheet (and medical forms for restricted outings) soon after the outing;
2. send the Echo editors a trip report, written by one of the leaders or a participant. The article can be mostly photos with captions for outings that are fairly standard.

Only two leaders per outing are eligible for the free year.

We ask new and returning leaders to send in the paperwork shortly after the outing. While an Echo article would be nice, we are not requiring it as an added incentive to lead for the SPS. As for current leaders, only two leaders per outing are eligible for the free year.

We greatly appreciate leaders who lead more than one outing per year, but we’ll be giving only one free year per leader. The free year will go toward the next subscription and membership cycle, i.e., 2019. Thank you, leaders, for conducting outings for the SPS!

A Note to Outings Leaders

Spring and early summer outings provide some of the best climbing in the Sierra - no rubble heaps and the chance of fun downhill glissades. Such early season trips may be difficult to plan - with weather and snow conditions being unknown far in advance. Please feel free to schedule a trip with the hope it will work out. We'll be happy to work with you if dates and location need to be changed when you know more.

And for those leaders who don't want to plan far in advance - don't worry: We are happy to process trips for web publication at any time. Approval can be very quick. However, please remember that web publication still requires that we submit mountaineering applications (for restricted trips) and have safety committee review. For more information, click to see: letter to leaders.

Thanks for planning a busy and fabulous climbing season in the Sierra. Send your trips to the SPS Outings Chair.

Before the Outing

The first activity is to periodically review the following Sierra Club requirements to ensure that you meet the Leader requirements. If specific links are not provided below, check the Leaders Reference Book (LRB).

NOTE: The LRB was significantly revised in 2022 to conform to changes in the Sierra Club's Outing Leader Training (OLT). Leaders should be familiar with material in Part 1 of this revised LRB. The material below will likely be changed in the near future to better reflect the content of the revised LRB.

1. Policies: Leader Standards for all Outings Leaders

2. a. First Aid requirements: C, I and M rated outings.

2. b. First Aid requirements: M-R and E

3. Policies: Leader Standards for all Outings Leaders: Policy Update Requirement

4. Four Year leading at rating requirement

5. Information for Angeles Chapter Outings Leaders - A Supplement to OLT 101:  Any questions about the content of the above requirements should be referred to the SPS Outings Chair. If there is a conflict between the information contained below and in the internet links listed above, the material at the above linked site will govern.

6. Click here to download latest version of SPS Safety Policy.

Prepare a write-up following the Schedule format for the Schedule, Echo and SPS Website and send it to the Outings Chair of the sponsoring entity(ies). If your name is not listed in the last Schedule, please include the Leader Information for Schedule. A listing of SPS Outings 1996 - 2006 can consulted to help develop your list of potential outings.

For Restricted Mountaineering Outings (roped climbing and snow travel (ice axe or crampons), include the non-training version of the MOC Application Form (doc, pdf) for the outing. Every other year include an updated Leader Resume. The SPS Outings Chair will forward your application to the Chair of the Mountaineering Oversight Committee for approval. After approval your trip will be listed on the MOC website at campfire.sierraclub.org

Fill the forms out electronically and e-mail them to the SPS Outings Chair. Note that the many of the forms on this website are available in Word format (doc) which you can fill out electronically. The forms may also be available in the non-editable Adobe Acrobat format (pdf) which you have to print out, fill out and mail.

The national Sierra Club office has prepared provider/vendor listings for (1) basic first aid, (2) CPR, (3) Wilderness First Aid/Responder courses and (4) web-based first aid training courses. This material is current as of May 2008. The purpose of this list is to let Sierra Club Leaders know what first-aid training is available, not to endorse any of these providers. This material is available at campfire.sierraclub.org. For Angeles Chapter specific information, go to the LTP First Aid page.

Apply for wilderness permits and any other land agency permits needed for Outing.

Check the Mountain Records Chair website to see if the registers or register containers for the peaks you will be climbing are in need of replacement or repair.

Please note the use of bear canisters for food storage are required in many areas in the southern and central Sierra Nevada.

Prepare a trip sheet if it is an outing with pre-trip screening and e-mail it to the participants.

For restricted mountaineering outings, get two (2) copies of the Participant Medical Form from each participant including the leaders. Take one copy on the outing, keep the other one at home. From a review of the medical information you have to decide to accept or deny a trip participant. If you are not in the medical profession you may need the advice from the participants doctor or the Sierra Club's Medical Advisory Committee. But start this process as soon as possible since present experience has shown that the response from MAC is very slow. Limited help can also be found from the Medical FAQs.

At the Outing

Use the proper Sign-In Sheet and Liablity Waiver form. Restricted outings require use of the mountaineering version of the form with a column for the Sierra Club member number.

Carry the Incident Report Form, Emergency Response-Patient Report Form (at least two, one to go out with the runner getting help or with the patient if help can be summoned by cell phone), Refusal of First Aid form (any sheet of paper will do), Minor Release Form if needed, and one copy of the Participant Medical Form if it is a restricted mountaineering outing (one form per person on the trip, filled out and signed). Fill out the forms as needed. If there is an injury or illness leading to evacuation of the patient, include a copy of the Emergency Response-Patient Report Form and Medical Form (if it is a mountaineering restricted outing) with the patient to aid medical personnel. Remember, on the Emergency Response-Patient Report Form, if you do not understand what information is being asked for, just put "do not understand."

After the Outing

If there has been a life-threatening injury/emergency or death, call the National Club immediately at 1-888-OUTINGS (888-688-4647) and follow up with the Angeles Chapter Safety Committee Chair. Procedures are described on the LTC web site. Submit all the paperwork as soon as possible. Follow the instructions on the forms about whom to send what. For less serious incidents, you do not need to call National, but submit the Incident Report Form right away to National, the Safety Committee Chair, and Section Outings Chair. Make sure to keep a completed copy any submitted forms for your records. Send also a copy of the Emergency Response-Patient Report if applicable to each of the above entities.

For restricted mountaineering outings, leaders must send the Sign-In Sheet and Liability Waiver form and one copy of each of the Participant Medical Forms to the SPS Outings Chair. The foregoing material will be will be forwarded to and retained by the Sierra Club national office for a period of seven years. The Sierra Club is not bound by HIPAA privacy laws. The second copy of the Participant Medical Form is to be destroyed by the leader and not retained for any purpose.

Report any deficiencies in the registers or register containers for peaks you climbed to the to Mountain Records Chair.

Write an article about the outing for the SPS Echo, SPS Website and perhaps the Southern Sierran.

If you lose money on wilderness reservations or have other legitimate trip expenses, fill out the Reimbursement Form and send it to the SPS Treasurer.

Reminder

The Mountaineering Oversight Committee requires that Helmets must be worn on restricted outings for all rock climbing and descending and for snow travel when ice axes are necessary. Helmets are advised on non-restricted trips involving 3rd class rock not usually climbed roped or any travel where rock fall is a concern. The MOC Mountaineering Policy should be reviewed.