Trip Leadership Workshop
October 4 – 6, 2019
Leading a backpack trip, or any overnight outing, involves a lot more than just getting your first aid certificate and posting a notice on the chapter calendar. A good trip requires planning, effective communication, and leadership in addition to activity specific skills.
On October 4 – 6, the Backpack Section will sponsor its ninth Trip Leadership Workshop at the Sierra Club Hiker’s Hut in Sam McDonald County Park. Instructors are Backpack Section trip leaders. This workshop is recommended training for anyone who leads trips into remote areas, from day hiking on trails to multi-day treks cross-country. The Workshop satisfies the OLT201 training requirement for Sierra Club Level 2 Outings Leaders plus additional skills. The workshop topics include:
- Responsibilities of leaders and co-leaders
- Sierra Club policies and requirements
- Using Campfire web resources
- Trip planning and permits
- Leadership on the trail
- Orienteering (land navigation)
- Leadership challenges
- Leader’s horror stories
- Backcountry cuisine
- Dealing with emergencies
- Wilderness emergency communications
- Nature interpretation and docenting
- Leave No Trace
The Hiker’s Hut is an hour’s drive from most of the South Bay, and a 1.5 mile hike from the parking lot. We will hike in as a group on Friday evening. Most of the training will be on Saturday, so the workshop can be done as a Saturday only activity for those with limited time. Saturday dinner is a potluck. Those who stay over till Sunday will enjoy a group day hike through San Mateo County’s beautiful surrounding parks plus opportunities to practice newly-acquired skills.
Cost for the weekend including all course handouts is $60. Interested? For more information and to sign up, contact Jeff Stanger at jdstanger@gmail.com.