| • Benefits of being a hike leader: |
- You get to pick the hike.
- You get to pick the meeting place.
- You get to pick the meeting time.
- Free membership for leading five hikes in a year.
- An extra sense of accomplishment after the hike.
- The reward of giving back to the club what you’ve received in the past.
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| • Choosing the hike: |
- Personal experience.
- Old favorites.
- Hiking books.
- Hiking Web sites.
- The newspaper.
- Hiking with other clubs.
- Facebook.
- Suggestions from others.
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| • Announcing the hike: |
- Prepare the write up, including:
- The hike name.
- A few paragraphs describing the hike.
- The date, time, and meeting place.
- The distance, elevation, and rating.
- Directions to the trailhead.
- Any links to maps or other Web sites.
- Send everything to the Webmaster
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| • Before the hike: |
- Keep a roster of everyone who signs up (name, cell number, email address).
- Monitor the weather.
- Locate a club pack.
- Plan where to have lunch during the hike.
- Plan where to eat after the hike.
- Bring up the trailhead in Google Maps.
- Search for nearby restaurants.
- Look for something mid-priced that has local color and a good rating.
- Print maps or directions from the trailhead to the restaurant.
- Send out a message:
- Thank everyone for signing up.
- List everyone who’s going.
This helps people form local carpools.
- Give any necessary weather warnings.
- Provide any other information the hikers need to know in advance.
- Prepare driving instructions and maps.
- Print the roster.
- Check radio batteries and release forms in the club pack.
- Buy any batteries or other small supplies you need (the club will reimburse you).
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| • At the meeting place: |
- As people arrive, check them off on the roster.
- Make sure everyone signs the release form.
- Make sure everyone is adequately experienced and equipped (particularly any
new faces).
- Collect contributions from non-members.
- Call anyone who doesn’t show up.
- Divide the number of hikers by four, ask for drivers, and make sure everyone
has a ride.
- If anyone doesn’t want to stop and eat after the hike, group them separately.
- If the hike has two or more distance options, group the riders by distance.
- Make sure all the drivers have your cell number.
- If reaching the trailhead involves tricky forest roads, tell everyone to stop and
meet at or near the forest road turnoff, then convoy, waiting at each intersection.
- Depart for the trailhead.
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| • At the trailhead: |
- Gear up.
- Pass out radios.
- Take a group photo.
- Lead introductions.
- Give final instructions.
- If you haven’t hiked the trail before, make sure everyone knows that.
- Remind everyone to stop at every junction.
- Verify headcount.
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| • On the trail: |
- Check headcount at each junction.
- Track your position on the map.
- Don’t be afraid to tell people what to do.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.
- If you need to make a command decision, just give it your best shot.
- The hikers want your leadership.
- The worst decision is not to make one.
- Pay particular attention to the people in the back.
- Make sure people are taking photos.
- If you take a wrong turn:
- Detect it as soon as possible.
- Tell everyone they’re getting some extra adventure or bonus miles.
- Backtrack.
|
| • Back at the trailhead: |
- Collect radios.
- Be sure to talk with any new hikers.
- Thank them for hiking with Arizona Trailblazers.
- Bestow a key ring.
- Ask how we did.
- Ask whether they had a good time.
- Ask if they’re going to hike with us again.
- Ask if they’d like to become a member.
- Verify headcount.
- Get final consensus on where to eat.
- Greet each person who’s not staying to eat:
- Give them a smile.
- Thank them for coming out.
- Tell them you’re glad they came.
- Wish them a safe trip home.
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| • At the restaurant: |
- Get the table(s) from the hostess.
- Make sure the waiter knows we want separate checks.
- Assist with any problems that may arise.
- Take a group photo.
- Give anyone not riding in your car a smile, a thank you, and so forth.
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| • Back at the meeting place: |
- Give your passengers a nice smile and so forth.
- Make sure no one left anything in your car.
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| • After the hike: |
- Send everyone a thank-you message, along with any statistics or photos you
have (unless you have a lot of photos, in which case you should post them somewhere
and send everyone the Web address).
Also ask them for any photos they can contribute.
- Send any money and completed membership forms to the Treasurer.
If you had to buy radio batteries or any other minor items, just include the receipt along
with the rest of the money.
- Send to the club Statistician:
- Your roster updated with the mileage for each hiker.
- The names and distances driven of all carpool drivers.
- Send the completed release forms to the club historian.
- Select the best 10-20 photos you took or can collect.
- Write up a page or so of verbiage about the hike.
- Send the photos and verbiage to the Webmaster for the trip report.
- Relax.
- Plan you next hike.
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Your primary responsibility as a hike leader is to make sure everyone else has a safe
and enjoyable hike.