Local Hike Leader Orientation How to Lead Local Hikes BT Rev 3 09/17/2007 SCA Hiking Club

Thank You for being a hike leader

The Parking Lot We always meet at the same location: Independence center We always Meet here

Responsibilities at the Parking lot Leader –Know the hike & how to get there (sometimes a driver map is good) –Announce $ for car pool ($5 Red Rocks, $10 Charleston) –Arrange car pools (be sensitive to hiker levels in the same car) –Know Hike level, distance, elevation –Check for Water, Boots, Hat etc –Know number of hikers & # of cars –Sign in sheet

Stay on top of weather conditions –Cancel if snow or rain/lightning Introduce yourself by name New hikers? –(introduce them, assess level) Take Bathroom / Water stops

On our web site Club forms, for hike leaders Sign in sheet

On our web site Club forms, for hike leaders Hike Leader Check List

Hike Leader Check list continued

On our web site Club forms, for hike leaders Hike Leader Guidelines

On our web site Club forms, for hike leaders Health Card

On our web site Club forms, for hike leaders Emergency list Use with flexibility, as these numbers change often

Communications & How to use

Radios Push to talk, delay, then talk Un official Chnl 1 informal emergency WX = weather Lock button Test with your sweeper Channel 4 and Sub Channel 4

Radio’s 2 types FRS (.5w) & GMRS(5w), (sub chnls) 1-7 = FRS & GMRS GMRS Hi & Lo 8-14 = FRS & GMRS Lo = GMRS Hi FRS can hear GMRS W/sub but GMRS can not hear FRS w/o sub Good features = switches vs menu buttons, rechargable, GMRS >7 miles, You get what you pay for(Repeater capable)

Cell Phones Before you call, know where you are Who are you going to call? Dispatchers can not tell location like Land Lines Hoax = 112 diverts to Sat Phone via repeaters (Henderson Emerg)

Clubs Satellite Phone 911 eff 02/05 GPS Long/Lat location Dial 1 before prefex Charge the battery Free minutes each month (254) How to use (Instructions) Lets Utilize our Satellite Phone

Can a GPS Communicate 2 ways ? They are starting to (Loc to Loc, Go To)

Whistle 3 blasts (Lost)

Navigation North? Compass, Moss on a tree

Navigation Topo map

Navigation Look back from time to time & at intersections Three Object Sighting:

Navigation Blazing: This technique uses markers that are created along your route. Markers can either be the breaking of small branches, making a little pile of rocks, placing a branch on the ground, tying a little string to a branch, marking the branch or any little marking method that you can created that indicates that this is the way back to the beginning. Be careful to always point the marker that you created towards the direction that you should return. Be careful of the small branches that you are breaking so as not to endanger the plant or tree.

Navigation Carin Blaze

Lets assume you are hiking along as a leader And……………………Then…………….

The Unexpected Happens You determine you are lost, or are not confident of where you are You look back & no one is following Someone gets hurt or gets sick (or you) Your flock scatters Mutiny, some folks want to go another way Weather changes Out of water One or more Hikers are over exerted

You are at the ¼ way point & someone wants to go back Its getting dark & you still have hours to return

What is the 1 st thing you should do? IN ALL CASES exercise leadership 101 Do Not make a snap judgment –Stop, and think, assess the situation & your surrounding & options –Take a water break, stop the group so you can think & maybe consult with capable others –Maintain leadership or you will have 20 leaders, and your flock can scatter –Decide how much you want to think outloud

Guidelines If Someone goes back to the car –2 or more go + communications –Sign out If someone is in over his/her head –Assign a partner and/or decide on going back with a partner, + communications If you loose someone –Develop a plan, do not allow everyone to search on their own

Discussion: People qualified or capable of a hike? How far should the club go? Should we set rules, or delegate to the leader?

Weather Issues, Cancel Always keep an eye on weather

Always have an official sweeper & Large hikes have multiple leaders Discussion:

Proper Equipment for a hike Discussion Leader or follower, might be different Reading glasses, communications, medical card, 1 st aid kit, Hiking Boots, Hat, sun glasses, Water, Salt, Snacks, Knowledge of where, Layers, sign in sheet on car is complete (why?) What else ?

What should a hike leader have in his/her pack? First aid kit Communications (Whistle / Radio/ Cell Phone/ Sat Phone) Extra bottle of water for those who run out Phone numbers of emergency help Reading glasses, pencil/paper Compass

Open Discussion Thoughts to add /update this presentation