See Our Calendar for Upcoming Outings!
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Where we hike: Outing conservation messages
Sierra Club chapter outings– like our members – come in all shapes and types. We take the "Enjoy" in the Sierra Club Motto, "Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the Planet" seriously. These activities are a great membership perk and a great way to get to know other members as well as local natural treasures. Whatever your interests or experience level, you can find something to tickle your fancy on our calendar.
Do you dream of working your way up a steep narrow track that crests to reveal a well-earned vista below? Hankering for a cool beach stroll? Or maybe you prefer little-used trails with great food or a wine tasting at the end. Remember how especially delicious al fresco meals taste? If your dog needs an outing, we’ve got those too. Come scale a new peak with an experienced leader. Enjoy the snow with your Loma Prieta Ski Touring friends! Perhaps you’ve never backpacked, but want to try: Great, we welcome newcomers!
From Big Basin to Half Moon Bay and Big Sur to the Sierra mountains – Club outings cover the gamut. Carpools can help you get there and lighten your carbon footprint. Come meet some kindred spirits or simply hang out with convivial companions while enjoying nature.
Hikes are open to the public as well as Sierra Club Members and are free, except for parking fees or Park entrance charges. Experienced volunteer leaders conduct each trips.
You don't need to know anyone; newcomers are welcome!
Loma Prieta Outings Love Connections
Read our stories of love connections: Love Found on the Trail.
Here are summaries of some of the Outings Activity Sections.
Activity Sections
20's - 30's
Experience San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito County's Natural Beauty with the 20s & 30s Sierrans! The waterfalls at Uvas Canyon, the lush hiking trails of Hidden Villa, the crash of surf against Ano Nuevo State Park. You've gotta admit, we have it all here in the Bay Area -- mountains, woodlands, meadows, salt marshes, the ocean. Come explore it all with the 20s & 30s Sierrans. We're ecologically minded locals, in our 20s & 30s, who like to hike all day and dance the night away!
Backpacking
The backpack section sponsors between twenty and thirty trips annually, that range in difficulty from easy beginner weekends to up to two week long expeditions. Most trips are within California and Nevada, mainly to wilderness and scenic areas. You must get permission from the leader in order to join. Charges for trips are limited to the cost of permits and group meals. Want to go but don't know how to backpack? Courses in basic backpacking, lightweight backpacking, and leadership training are offered. Come, join us on a trip or at a monthly meeting.
Black Mountain Hiking Section
Explore the many natural treasures of the Santa Clara and San Mateo areas in the company of the welcoming, social Black Mountain Hiking Section! We balance enjoyment of nature with good companionship in moderate hikes, though we also offer short, family-oriented hikes and more strenuous day hikes. Discover and share your appreciation for wildflowers, photography, and the outdoors within our diverse community. Off the trail, come to our speaker series and dinners.
Day Hiking
The day hiking section offers many opportunities to view nature at its best, meet new and interesting people, and to just have fun. The section leads a hike every Saturday, rain or shine, within one of the bay area's state parks or preserves. Frequented locations include Big Basin, Mount Diablo, Open Space Preserves, Pinnacles, Pacheco Pass, and Henry Coe State Park. Most hikes are 15-20 miles long and have steep climbs. Everyone is welcome to join. See you on the trail!
Family Explorers
The Loma Prieta Family Explorers connects families to nature and educates them how to become stewards of our land through exploration and discovery of the outdoors. We promote the Chapter’s environmental work through fun and quality family time in nature.
Geographic Information Systems
Mission: The Geographic Information Systems Committee provides mapping and other GIS services to Chapter entities. Committee members are volunteers who use various software to develop conservation-related maps.
Loma Prieta Pride Sierrans
LPPS members share the enjoyment of the outdoors. We also offer the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community safe and supportive fellowship. Most activities are hikes but campouts are occasionally offered. Whether looking for friends, a partner, people to connect with, or recreation, this section offers a healthy pleasant way to socialize. LPPS invites everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, to join.
Military Outdoors
The goal of Military Outdoors is to improve the lives of veterans and their families through connections with the outdoors and to inspire members of the military and veteran community to become outspoken champions for environmental conservation and justice. The Loma Prieta Chapter has received a special grant from Sierra Club Military Outdoors enabling us to offer Pole Hiking and Pole Walking training FREE for veterans.
Peak Climbing
Come join us as we explore the high peaks of the Sierra, in summer, winter, spring and fall! We love the views from the top, but you'll find that we also take great pleasure in identifying the flowers, birds and trees as we pass through the meadows and forests on our way to the alpine zone. Not to mention, capturing some cool photos! The Peak Climbing Section (PCS) is an activity section of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club. Most of our members live near the San Francisco Peninsula. Come join us!
San Mateo Hiking
Enjoy nature on a wide range of hikes offered by the San Mateo Hiking section all over the Peninsula. Our excursions are typically twenty to thirty people large—a great chance to get to know a group of like-minded people. We have trips three times a week, mostly on Wednesdays and Thursdays, lasting from late morning to early afternoon. Hike difficulty ranges from leisurely 1A's to challenging "double-star hikes" longer than 8 miles. Past favorites include Big Basin and Portillo Park.
Sierra Singles
Sierra Singles offers a wide array of outdoor and social activities to over one thousand active, energetic singles. Each month, members enjoy hikes, bike rides, volleyball games, backpacking trips, overnights to National Parks, ski trips, photography outings, dog walks, dinners, BBQ's, dances and cultural events. There is an activity almost every day of the week. It's a great place to network, make friends and enjoy the singles scene.
Sierra Pathfinders
Join a friendly, active group of people age 40 and up who enjoy the outdoors and conservation! We have several hikes each Sunday followed by delicious potlucks (bring your own silverware). All are welcome to try out hiking, camping, backpacking, mule trips, bicycling, and more. Sharpen your appreciation for nature through our "Leave No Trace" mindset and our beach and river clean-ups. For one free schedule and information on joining visit our website.
Ski Touring
Immerse yourself in the winter beauty of the Sierras with the Loma Prieta Ski Touring Section! All are welcome to discover the cross-country experience on our trips ranging from day tours to expedition-length adventures. Accommodations range from private lodging to backcountry huts and snowcamping. Interested in developing and honing your skills? Our group participates in workshops covering compass skills, avalanche safety, snowcamping and more.