The Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO), the Sierra Club DC region's special activities section led by the VA Chapter, conducted a training weekend for new leaders, with participants from the Maryland and DC Chapters, on November 14-15 at Bear's Den Hostel on the Appalachian Trail in VA. SCPRO is working to expand its leadership base by recruiting people with outdoor skills who wish to connect other people to the splendor of the outdoor experience. Sierra Club believes, all the way back to our roots of John Muir, that if we connect people to the wilderness they will want to work hard to protect it. With this mentality, our group leads over 150 outings per year. As the DC area grows, we want to push that number higher in the next few years. Outings leadership is rewarding, exciting, and enriching. It's a great way to meet people, to get to know the local trails and the greater DC, MD, and VA mountains, streams, rivers, and Chesapeake Bay. It's the best way to get outdoors on a regular basis!
On the first day of training, new leaders received Outdoor Leadership Training 101 and Basic First Aid. On Sunday they covered Outdoor Leadership Training 201 which is required for leaders who wish to lead outings overnight, away from cars (backpacking, kayaking, etc). These courses taught how to plan outings, how to manage people & groups, and how to exercise good judgment in the outdoors. After completing the training courses, the new leaders will lead mentored outings with an experienced leader. Liz Guertin, SCPRO Chair, stated "Over the past two years SCPRO has been working hard to grow its outings program, both by increasing participation and by recruiting new leaders. We had a very successful New Leader Training over the weekend in November and we're excited to have this group of new leaders on board!"
The SCPRO is well positioned among other hiking and outdoors clubs because of its affiliation with the largest outdoors organization that runs outings in the country and whose reputation is well known and respected. We look forward to seeing a fresh new batch of outings leaders in many of the upcoming day hikes, and possibly some more adventurous activities like kayaking, backpacking, and maybe even rock climbing! Don't let the long cold nights of winter get you down - sign up for an SCPRO outing this winter and connect with nature! You might also make some great friends and acquaintances and challenge your skills and abilities in the outdoor places in the DC area. Many hikes take place right in the District, while others require traveling to the Shenanhoah mountains, the Catoctin Mountains, and other lovely locations in the area.