Interested in Becoming a Leader for Sierra Club Outings?

We are currently not leading outings, the details below will apply once we are ready to host outings again

If you enjoy sharing Oregon’s incredible outdoors with others, then we hope you will become an outing leader for the Marys Peak Group (MPG), the local group of the Oregon chapter of the Sierra Club, and add to the number and variety of hikes we offer. We’d love to have you!

Because adding new leaders is critical to MPG’s goal of getting people out into Oregon’s outdoors, we try to make becoming an outing leader as smooth and enjoyable as we can. Typically new leaders are accompanied by a veteran leader when they lead their first few hikes. These initial hikes are local one-day trips. Outings can vary in time and distance; there is an audience for all varieties. If you have a close hiking friend, you may want to become coleaders for outings.

Having a love of the outdoors is the essential characteristic of an MPG leader. A background or interest in any of the natural sciences is a plus but not necessary. The purpose of MPG’s outings is to share parts of Oregon that you have discovered and enjoy.

Jules Moritz, Outing Chair, will make the process as smooth as possible. Contact them via e-mail if you are interested in finding out more about becoming an outing leader

Now The Details

1. Join the Sierra Club at sierraclub.org. Annual membership is as low as $15.
2. Contact Jules and join in on a couple of Marys Peak Outings to become familiar with how outings are organized and run.
3. Once they give you the go-ahead, you will need to:
   
   1. Become First Aid/CPR certified. MPG will reimburse the cost of this training after you have led 2 outings. MPG supplies a First Aid kit to check out for your outings. NOTE: Wilderness First Aid training is offered periodically by MPG. This advanced certification is required for those who lead backpacking trips, but leaders who lead groups on day trips far from immediate help are also encouraged to get this certification. MPG subsidies part of the cost for this certification for outing leaders.
   2. Complete Sierra Club’s Outdoor Leadership 101 program. This program provides practical advice on how to plan and conduct outings and handle various situations that may arise on group hikes. Periodically the outing chair will also organize a meeting of a group of MPG leaders to share practical experiences and advice and answer questions for new leaders.
   3. Select and organize your first outing: An experienced outings leader will mentor you on this first trip and provide feedback.
4. An Outing Leader for MPG is expected to lead a minimum of 4 outings per year. If you need suggestions for possible outings, the outings chair can provide suggestions, including a list of trips that were offered during the same months in previous years. William Sullivan’s books on hiking in Oregon provide an exciting list of possibilities.

What are the Advantages of Becoming an Outing Leader?

• Share your favorite trails with others
• Provides an incentive or motivation to find new trails
• Get people out enjoying nature
• Meet and interact with other lovers of the outdoors
• Enjoy learning new insights from participants on your trips
• Strengthen your organizational skills