What to Wear
  • Layers
    • The weather will change and it's good to be able to cool off or warm up quickly
    • In fact, the weather will change with altitude
    • We will go back and forth among uphill, sitting, and downhill, so your internal weather will change often, too
  • Fabrics
    • Synthetics are usually best - wicking is valuable
    • Silk is nice, too
    • Avoid cotton - it is cold and heavy when wet - and you will get wet
    • Wool can be good for extreme cold but is also heavy when wet (and it stays wet)
  • Footwear
    • There will be mud & roots & rocks
    • Boots are best
    • Sturdy, grippy sole
    • Ankle protection as you prefer
    • Street shoes, including tennis & running shoes and such, are generally inadequate
What to Carry
  • Lots of water
    • Easily accessible - don't depend on a group water break to hydrate
    • Electrolytes should be replaced, unless you don't sweat (or exhale)
  • Food
    • Most of our hikes include a lunch stop
    • Extra food for emergencies or delays
  • The Ten Essentials of Hiking
The Art of Group Hiking
  • Prime Directive: The Group Stays Together
    • Earlier this year a group of hikers met to discuss safety and responsibilities while hiking. There were lots of ideas and different opinions, but everyone agreed on one basic safety rule- the group stays together as a group. You must not forge ahead on your own, take side turnings, or fall behind.
    • A party of old folks like us in the mountains is always at risk, but let's do what we can to reduce it.
    • The leader recruits someone to set the pace and another to follow behind, called the Sweep. Everyone must stay between the Pacesetter and the Sweep whenever the group is moving; the Pacesetter should slow down or stop if the Sweep is out of sight for any substantial period of time.
    • As a backup, every hiker should be within voice range of the hiker in front and the one behind. If you see a large gap developing anywhere in the group, you should call ahead and alert the Pacesetter.
    • So if you are hiking with us, stay with the group. If the pace is uncomfortably slow (or fast) for you, you should probably try another group.
    • And if you have an appointment at a fixed time in the afternoon, you probably shouldn't come, because return times can't be guaranteed.
  • For Slower HIkers
    • It is important for hikers to choose hikes that are in line with their abilities
    • Slower folks should hike near the front or middle of the pack
    • If you stop, for any reason, always alert the hikers ahead of you so they can stop, too. Sometimes people will say, "I don't want to hold up the group", but given the Prime Directive, if anyone stops, all must stop.
    • The Sweep must not be a slow hiker
  • For Faster Hikers
    • Slow hikers probably cannot speed up, so the onus of keeping together mostly falls on the faster hikers
    • There should be some fast hikers, along with the Sweep, near the rear of the group
  • For Everyone
    • Don't follow anyone too closely, especially the Pacesetter. It's challenging enough without someone stepping on your heels.
    • And think about what can happen when you stand up a bunch of dominos close together. (On the side of a hill, yet!)
  • In Case of an Emergency
    1. Gather everyone together
    2. Engage everyone in working out a plan for a response
    3. If the response involves splitting up the group, each subgroup must have its own leader and a clear plan for how, when and where to get back together
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