Trip Leader Questions

“This Sunday I'm heading up a dayhike in the Hudson Highlands with my best friend and 3 fellow students from school.

I feel some added responsibility as 3 of the 5 people going on this trip are 'newbies' (and typical college student age, i.e., younger than me).

I really want this to be a pleasurable first experience for them so that we can eventually move on to overnighters. That and we're all in the Geology department which is unfortunately somewhat stuck in 'city living' mode, i.e., I'd like to see us going out into the field and observing the processes we're learning about.

I'm looking for any tips to make this dayhike as much fun and comfortable as possible. So far I've organized the meeting place, train schedules, maps (am making photocopies for each of the group), and items to bring. I'll be carrying a headlamp and first aid kit (just in case).

Was thinking of bringing some yummy snacks to share with the group once we reach the first awesome view.

Any other ideas or tips?”

“Starve the bastards.

Make 'em eat bread and water and put the whip to 'em.

Only then can newbies appreciate the hardship and the joy.


hahahahahahahahaha”

“When ever I went on group geologist trips we paird up on food meals...we came up with some really creative meals! Me and my pardner had sweat and sour chicken and rice that wee heated up over a fire on a little grill grate we brought. We also had nutella melted over pound cake, YUMMY.
A fun thing to do around the fire...have everyone bring a favorite short story, poem and quote about the outdoors. I read the creamation of sam magee, and a lot brought muir quotes (We were in the sierra after all) and some even brought along Indian Coyote stories (Like hoe Coyote Almost Lost His #&%!$ and Coyotee and the talking #&%!$...I love those ones!)”

“silly, get them drunk. they will love ya for it!”

“I ain't eating with you!”

“Yo Morticia!
(how's your buddy One Inch?)

Bring a little, or a lot, of TnT.

Cooking up something simple is a good idea.
Hot soup and fresh bread(New York has lots of REAL Italian, etc bakeries) with some good fruit and carrots will charge their batteries.

I try to avoid processed foods at home and on the trail.”

“Stovestomper, you beat me to it.

Anybody like sweat tea?”

“Hmmmmmm, a bit of sweat with your chicken?”

“Ooooo, and don't forget some nice European cheese with that fresh bread.”

“...and sour chicken at that!”

“It was really good..it had red and green bellpeppers in it, YUMMM. We ate it in tortillas :D”

“Toes,
Set the pace for the slowest member of your party. If this is the first time hiking for some of your peeps, sometimes it's not the physical nature of the hike that can get you, but the psychological part of the game. Never been on the trail and not knowing what to expect can really set someone up for a bad experience when it's time for that first big uphill. Have you ever been way behind everyone else and everytime you catch up to the speedos, they're ready to go and you haven't caught your breath? Keep it slow, keep an eye on group attitude and keep spirits high, it's the classic recipe for a good time.

:)

Oh yeah, alittle TNT never hurt!”

“You really think I should drag out the stove for a dayhike? That means also having to carry cups and spoons...then garbage. Aww man, that's going to start getting heavy. ;) Dang, too bad it's a great idea!”

“Thanks Bobo - good advice.”

“An Esbit stove is great for this kind of thing. Heat a little water and make some cup-of-soup to warm up with.”

“I like miso soup.
Trader Joe's has instant miso soup AND they have to best prices on some outta sight cheeses.

You can skip the hot soup and just do the bread and cheese and fruit and vegetable thang.

And of course there's TnT.........or red wine!

Just don't get 'em too drunk and have some joker break their ass and have to be hauled(haul ass) outta there.”

“Have them sign a release for absolving you of any responsibility.”

“Print up a list of stuff they need to bring and distribute a day in advance.

sort of 10 essentials type list.
Water bottle - filled is good.
Mini flashlight with batteries
Whistle
small backpack - or bookbag to carry stuff.
snacks powerbars or cereal bars are ideal.
some sort of rain protection - just in case. The cheap lightweight option here is a big garbage bag with holes for head and arms.
hat with brim.
suntan lotion.

compass if they have one - spend a little time (5 min max) when on a peak explaining how to use it with the map.

group stuff - only 1 or 2 needed.
small binoculars for checking out feathered type birds if they have them bring them.
small camera if they have one.
handbook on bird or tree identification if they have one.

On the list make a 'sense of humor' an essential, don't leave home without it.”

“Definitely have at least one other person with a headlamp (one to hike out with and one to stay with any injured parties for signaling, should the need arise)

Also, beef up your first aid kit, if yours is the only one. Be sure to have plenty of moleskin and bandaids for newbie feet (they always seem to be a problem). Remind everyone to bring extra layers for standing around, so they don't get cold. I always try to bring the "essentials" for staying the night, on any hike with newbies...if you are the "leader" (whether officially or just by assumption) the burden is on you to play it safe.

On the train ride up, make an emergency plan...in case YOU get hurt, so they will know how to handle the situation.

Lots of yummy snacks are never a bad idea on any trip. Mini-Snickers bars are yumbilicious and good energy.

Have fun!!”

“Dang Twinks, if it's their first trip, it's not supposed to be pleasurable.”

“Make sure you get full contact info on people: names, addresses, phones and cell phones; emergency contact.”

“... and make them all carry pink thingies.”

“All these suggestions are great, but...are you really "leading" the trip?
Don't take on responsibilty as "leader" if it's not necessary, rather, keep all of the above in mind as a "fellow hiker."”

“Be sure and tell someone else where you're going, so if you all end up with your hands stuck under a rock, you don't have to do the amputation thing.”

“Twiggy - I feel I have to take the responsibility as it was my suggestion and organization. Also, I'm (scary as it seems) the 'adult' of the group. Just making sure as many bases are covered as possible so we have future trips (trying to get it so there's demand for an extended 'field' trip to some exotic locale like...Alaska? New Zealand? Hawaii? You get the point).

AmyG - good stuff...forgot about tender feet :)”

“The only exotic place I ever got to go to in school was the lower east side of Manhattan.”

“I guess it's just that I don't consider myself a leader, but an organizer or a host...even though I plan many trips for newbies or otherwise.

When you start getting into the "leader" role, then you start assuming responsibilty for others stupidity...

In Maine we have the Guide service, where you have to be licensed, get paid, and ARE held responsible - those guys are leaders.”

“That's cool TE.


Right, thanks for the great tips/suggestions everyone. Should be a fun time.”

“Make sure the bastards don't litter. That's a hard concept for many NYC folk to grasp.”

“Hey, you smack talking folks from the big crapple?

Bite me fart boy!”

“Not all of them. Just the ones that litter. And also the Yankee fans.”

“make them climb up the biggest steepest hill you can find”

“have trail sex with each of them.”

“In "true typical" form for who?”

“Come on, stikmon... let us know.”

“Great suggestions so far.

One additional suggestion: Unless you are all going to stay within sight of each other, have one of the excperienced hikers be the path-finder and have the other be the sweep (by either being last, or keeping within sight and hearing of whoever is last).



When I hiked with Twiggy, she was definitely the host and we were the parasites.”

“how 'bout the standard "trail mix" (you can get it pre-mixed-- we like to add other dried berries to it to expand the flavor). Granola bars and dried Mangos are pretty good :-)

We also like peanut butter in a squeeze tube and celery or carrots and triscuits.

Plus we've found that Pringles in a can is a great way to bring some potato chips (nice salty snacking!)... After the can is used up, you can use it to store your garbage... :-)

My hubby and I solved the weight (and size) of the cup thing by using freezer ziploc baggies as our cup/bowl... great for the instant stuff and small enough/light enough to pack home easily. :-)

We like to enjoy our trail snacks...”

“silly boy... stikmon is referring to Twinkle Toes' eagerness to accept a "tent pole" in her "back trail" from any TTer nice enough to let her share a six-pack.

It's all about the nuance.”

“Don't buy the "cheap" ziplocks. Found out the hard way, their seams are not strong enough for hiking or even car-camping.”

“in MY true typical form...Twinkletoes is a nice girl. me, I'm an old horny toad.”

“Yeah, the lambskins are the best.”

“Three newbies broken in!

The dayhike was awesome. Everyone had a good time and are looking forward to future trips. Yes!

Funny, these kids sure were slow on the trail! Something about a steep incline, walking too fast, can't breath, are we there yet? Ha! I thought I was a slow hiker? Moohahahaha! Suffer wee babies on your first NY hike!

Nah, all in good fun...they did good really good and it was a blast.

Will post pictures later...

Thanks again for the suggestions.”

“If you google the Alpine Club of Canada, they have a trip leader's manual. Yopu can go to www.accmontreal.ca and click on the activities, et c. to get a contact. They can send you the manual for you to download.

If you have a problem, contact me at dougmurdoch@yahoo.ca and I'll do it for you.

Doug”

“Pedxing's suggestion for the "path-finder and the sweeper" are good.

I prefer the term "spanker" for the person bringin' up the rear.

Oh, and watch out for the Gremlin dude. ;8^]”

“Grrrrr.”

“Gremlin, how's the ankle? How long before you can hit the trail again?”

“I just thought of a really important thing to do when you are the trip leader!

Don't bailout!





lol just kidding Twinkles!”

“hahahahahahahahahahahha!





so not funny mr smarty funny pants...don't make me put rocks in your pack! :)”

“Putting rocks in the newbie's pack is a tradition.”

“The cast came off Friday, but the ankles badly sprained and I'm slower with a stick than on crutches. It is also painful and for the first time in my life I havge a nap in the afternoon.

I'll get physio and it should come back to normal in a few weeks.

About the trip leader thing. It's quite a responsibility and I'll get back to everyone about the trip leader handbook of the Alpine Club of Canada.”