NEW MEMBER GUIDELINES

The officers have put together this brief document to help our members, especially our newer members, get a little better understanding of what it means to be a member of the Outback Hiking Club and to help them find the best way to participate in the many activities of the club.

-The Officers for the year 2012 are Jeff Feldman, President; Terry Swanson,VP; Gladys Price, Secretary; Jerry Nolan, Treasurer; Ginger Nolan, Director of Hike Planning; Joe Brame, Director of Communications; and Penny Feldman, Director of Social Activities.

-What to Bring:  All hikers are responsible for their own supplies. At a minimum we suggest the following:

           -A good day Pack. Something that stays in place and conveinently holds what you need.

          -Weather appropriate clothing, and extra clothing to allow for changes in the weather. Include rain gear. It is best to dress in removable layers, and avoid cotton when there is any chance of rain.
           -GOOD HIKING SHOES OR BOOTS!! Please, please do not try to hike in tennis shoes, gym shoes, aerobic shoes or anything except specifically designed hiking footwear. Please be sure it fits well. Often the rubber on your shoes is all that keeps you on the rock, and to have the wrong footwear can literally endanger your life.
         Staff at stores such as The Desert Rat, Red Mountain Spa, etc, can be quite helpful with selecting what you need.
           -Food and Water – Bring lunch, and extra food for reserves, unexpected delays, etc. Always carry at least two liters of water. For long hikes, or summer hikes, a gallon or more may be needed.
           -First Aid Kit – Don't forget to include moleskin, New Skin, or some other blister aid. -Other suggestions are waterproof matches, a space blanket, a pocketknife, a compass or GPS, sunscreen and glasses, and a signal whistle. A whistle can be very helpful if you become lost or separated from the group.

-Conditioning and Safety: Please hike within your capability. Read the upcoming hike schedule to plan what hikes you are capable of safely doing. If you have a question call the hike leader.

-Your First Hike as a member: Most hikes are at least 6 miles often on rough or rocky terrain. Please call the hike leader the first time you hike as a member.  Let the leader know you will be on the hike.  Start out with a Class 1 or 2 hike so that you can gauge your ability relative to other hikers.  If either you or the hike leader has a concern about your ability to successfully complete that hike, there are two possibilities: 1. The hike leader may recommend that you first try a less demanding hike; or 2. A sponsor may be assigned to you.  The sponsor will hike with you and may be able to provide some helpful suggestions. If you have had limited hiking experience based upon the information provided in your application, you may be required to have a sponsor on your first hike.  If this is done, please don't be offended.  This is merely a precautionary measure intended to insure your safety and to provide you with any needed guidance.

-Guests: Guests are welcome on three hikes per year. If a guest plans to attend more hikes, he/she needs to become a member. On hikes that have a limit on the number of people, such as those in Zion, club members take first priority. Guests, if any, remain on the wait list till just prior to the hike. Please bring a guest only if you are confident that they will be able to keep up and safely complete a hike. You are responsible for monitoring their welfare during a hike. All guests must be approved by the hike leader, and must sign a waiver before a hike.

-The Environment: Since we live in a fragile desert environment we all need to be aware of the fact that a large group can do significant ecological damage. Therefore, we must always keep in mind that nothing must be left behind, such as refuse, including food parts, but also that we must do our best to not trample plants, and the like.

-Cell Phones: Cell phones are to be used in emergency situations only. Ringers must be turned off during the hike.

-Hike Schedules: The club, for the foreseeable future, will put out schedules covering four- month periods. We will try to get enough hike leaders to have two hikes each Saturday during the cooler times of year and one hike during the hot summer months. We will also try to schedule one more and one less difficult hike. This will give people of different abilities a choice and also to cut down the group size. To do this we need more members to volunteer to lead hikes than have done so in the past. There are many people who would be delighted to help new hike leaders and who would be pleased to help you explore new routes. If you want to lead and/or suggest a hike please contact Ginger Nolan, Dixie Newbauer, Terry Swanson , Jeff Feldman or Jeff Volp.

-Communication: We do all of our communication via e-mail. Therefore we encourage those of you who do not have e-mail to get an e-mail address. We will not only distribute the schedule but also notify you of changes via this medium. It may be difficult to stay up-to-date on all Club activities without e-mail!

-Driving to Trailheads: It is a very good idea for all riders to share in the cost of gas used in getting to the trailheads. One suggestion is to have each rider pay a share of the gas. (For example if the round trip mileage is 240 miles and there are 3 passengers plus the driver the cost would be $0.20/mile or $16.00 per passenger with the driver not paying for gas.) Any number of variations of this formula is certainly acceptable. 

-Hike Leaders: Recent history has shown that generally a small core of members has been leading the majority of hikes. Since the club does not have paid trip leaders, we have to depend on the willingness of members to serve as hike leaders. Thus all members are strongly encouraged to lead a minimum of one hike per year. Those who are not able to do this should act as a co-leader or a sweep on one hike or to volunteer to help with one of the social functions. Also, please do your best to give the leader some slack in running the hike as he or she sees fit. It is hard to please everyone so assume that the leader has given the hike a great deal of thought and is doing his/her best to meet the needs of the group. Also, along the lines of the needs of the group, it is the responsibility of the leader to do everything feasible to keep the group together especially during off trail hikes. However, it is also the responsibility of the hikers to remain with the group. This means that hikers should not set off on their own and should also be able to keep up with a moderately moving group and not lag behind unduly. Not all hike leaders hike at the same pace.  If you have any concerns about your ability to keep up with the group, speak directly to the hike leader,before the hike, about your concern. Slower hikers should select easier hikes.

-Hike Planning: To lead a hike it is not only desirable, but also necessary, to have done the hike in the recent past so as to make sure the route is well known and to be able to describe the hike for the schedule and to individuals who inquire. Also, we recommend all hikes have a co-leader and/or sweep.

-Suggestions: This is YOUR club. Let us hear from you about any areas that are of concern to you or suggestions that you may have to help make the club even more successful.