Rocky Mountain Chapter Outings Program

Take a hike! You have reached the Rocky Mountain Chapter's Outings Information Page. On this page, you will find: Upcoming Outings and Events >> Information for Outings Participants >> RMC Outings Organizations >> Tools for Outings Leaders >>

Upcoming Outings and Events

Calendar - Our main Chapter calendar, showing outings, events, and meetings across the State of Colorado offered by 13 geographically-focused Groups and 3 Sections.

Participating in Outings

RMC Outings Organizations

RMC Groups and Sections offer Outings Programs with varying degrees of physical challenge at any given time. Some are in process of re-vitalizing their Programs. All post their Outings to the RMC Calendar, and many also post their Outings to their own web pages and/or LISTSERV announcements. Please visit respective Group and Section websites for more information on respective Outings Programs.

RMC Groups (click here for geographical locations)
	Blue River Group (BRG) - Located in Silverthorne, draws from Summit, Grand, and Eagle Counties. Need Outings Chair.
	Indian Peaks Group (IPG) - Located in Boulder, many Outings are offered in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, the Rocky Mountain National Park, Brainard Recreation Area, and the Front Range foothills. Outings Chair is Mike Whiteley (mike.whiteley@rmc.sierraclub.org). Sponsors Boulder Valley Inner City Outings group (see RMC Sections below).
	Mount Evans Group (MEG) - Located in Evergreen, draws from Evergreen, Conifer, and Park and offers Outings in the Jeffco Open Space Parks, Mount Evans Wilderness, and surrounding national forest areas. Outings Chair is Lin Hark (lin.hark@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Pike's Peak Group (PPG) - Located in Colorado Springs, draws from El Paso, Elbert, and Teller Counties. PPG offers Outings in the Rampart Range, Pikes Peak, and central mountain areas. Outings Chair is Jim Lockhart (jim.lockhart@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Poudre Canyon Group (PCG) - Located in Fort Collins, supports Fort Collins, Greeley, and Loveland and offers Outings in the Loveland foothills, Poudre Canyon, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Outings Chair is Ted Manahan (ted.manahan@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Roaring Fork Group (RFG) - Located in Glenwood Springs, draws from the Springs, Aspen, and Carbondale. Need Outings Chair
	Sangre De Cristo Group (SDCG) - Located in Pueblo, draws from southeast Colorado and the Arkansas drainage. Outings Chair is Jay Zarr (jay.zarr@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Trapper's Lake Group (TLG) - Located in Steamboat Springs, draws from northwest Colorado, including Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt Counties. Outings Chair is Stacey Bodden (stacy.bodden@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Uncompahgre Group (UG) - Located in Grand Junction, draws from Mesa, Montrose, Delta, and Gunnison. Outings Chair is Eric Rechel (eric.rechel@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Weminuche Group (WG) - Located in Durango, draws from southwest Colorado. Outings Chair is Jim Sumrall (jim.sumrall@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Denver Metro Outings - Located in Denver Metro Area, draws from Glendale, Lakewood, Arvada, Wheatridge, Littleton and western Arapahoe, Douglas, and northern Elbert counties. Current chair is Mike Whiteley Mike Whiteley

RMC Sections
	Gay and Lesbian Sierrans (GLS) - Located in Denver, draws from all over Colorado. The GLS program varies from day hikes to multi-day backpacks, mountain bike rides, canoe trips, out-to-dinner nights, and cultural site visits. Outings Chair may be contacted through the RMC Outings Chair.
	Denver Inner City Outings (Denver ICO) - Located in Denver, draws principally from Denver and Colorado Springs. The ICO program fosters community outreach to inner-city children with a focus on environmental awareness and wilderness values. Chair is Bill Myers (bill.myers@rmc.sierraclub.org).
	Boulder Valley Inner City Outings (BVICO) - Located in Boulder, draws principally from Boulder County and provides free nature outings and wilderness adventures to children from low-income families with a focus on environmental awareness and wilderness values. BVICO also offers a free youth leadership program for program participants. Sponsored by the Indian Peaks Group. Chair is Michael Le Desma (michael.ledesma@rmc.sierraclub.org).

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Tools for Leaders

• Wilderness Permits: Forest Service Rules apply to organized group use of many wilderness areas. Even day hikes require prior approval via permit. For the rules and regulations, and a downloadable permit application, for the Indian Peaks Wilderness, see http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/recreation/wilderness/indianpeaks/index.shtml.
  NOTE: Apply early since the number of organized hiking groups allowed to use a particular trailhead on any given day may be limited. The Indian Peaks Wilderness application states that a $5 fee applies, but this fee does not apply to non-profits such as the Sierra Club. Also note that stiff fines may be levied by the Forest Service for failure to have a group permit in hand.
• Incident Reports: Outings Leaders must submit Incident Reports for (a) any incident that requires search, rescue, or evacuation, (b) any injury or illness that could have future complications or require medical attention after the Outing (i.e., animal bites or severe sprains), (c) any act of suspected sexual harassment or child abuse, or (d) any act that violates the law. See Clubhouse for details.
• The Sierra Club Standard Liability Waiver/Sign-In Sheet may be downloaded from Clubhouse. Outings Chairs may modify this Sheet for their use by adding data elements (for example, to collect email addresses for LISTSERV announcement purposes), but no data elements may be deleted.
• Outings Approvals - Approval of Outings has been delegated to Group and Section Outings Chairs. Click on RMC Outings Approval Process for details.

Hiking / Backpacking Locations

Each Group/Section maintains records on the details, including locations, of their Outings, and those records are shared among Outings Leaders. In addition, on Backpacker magazine’s website there is a powerful search engine, based on zipcodes, to assist in finding hiking locations.

Other Leader Information

1. Be a Sierra Club member.
2. Be at least 18 years of age.
3. Have current (within four years of the training date) First Aid certification equivalent to or higher than American Red Cross Standard First Aid. Training in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and/or Automated External Defibrillators (AED) is recommended, but not required. Red Cross certificates are typically effective for three years from the date of the training, but the Sierra Club adds an additional year (i.e., a period of four years) to the definition of being "current." For leaders who choose to lead at high altitude, in more remote locations, or on overnight Outings, Wilderness First Aid (WFA) is recommended, but not required.
4. Complete Outings Leader Training 101 ("OLT 101") via (a) on-line on Clubhouse, (b) review of the OLT101 Manual provided by the Sierra Club (supplemented with taking an on-line learning assessment if so desired by Group and Section Outings Chairs), or (c) participation in Sierra Club sponsored OLT 101 "live" training.
5. Have skills and physical conditioning appropriate for the activities of Outings led, towards the advanced end of the scale.
6. Provisionally Lead at least one Outing and receive a positive evaluation by the Mentor Leader (note that Group and Outings Committees may elect to require two Provisional Outings under two different Mentors).
7. Receive approval to lead Outings from the sponsoring Group or Section Outings Chair.

NOTE: The only cost to new OLs is normally the price of First Aid Training. Standard First Aid taught by the Red Cross costs $30. Part or all of this cost may be absorbed by the Group or Section, subject to availability of funds. Part of WFA training may be absorbed if funds are available.
NOTE: Inner City Outings (ICO) groups operate under differing certification requirements, but volunteers may assist on ICO outings without certification (based on submission of an application and associated background check). The ICO programs in Colorado generally pay for WFA training for those leaders who opt for such. ICO also offers youth leader certification for volunteers under age 18.

• Ten Essentials: Definition of these essentials varies from source to source. In the Sierra Club Trip Plan, participants are asked to consider the following Ten Essentials: compass, extra clothing, extra food, first-aid kit, flashlight, map, matches, sunglasses, water bottle, and whistle. Of course during cold-weather additional items become appropriate. A pocket knife is always handy, and sunscreen and even a camera could be viewed as essential.
  An article is a recent Sierra Club magazine included in a "new and improved" survival kit the following: cell phone, lighter or flint & steel as alternative to waterproof matches, duct tape, parachute cord, signaling mirror, garbage bags, space blanket, water-purification tablets, and pictures of loved ones.

• Leave No Trace: The Sierra Club espouses Leave No Trace principles. Outings Leaders should become familiar with these principles and adopt them during Outings.

• CORSAR Cards: The Sierra Club recommends that Outings Leaders purchase Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) Cards, and that Outings Leaders suggest to participants who join them in higher risk adventures to also purchase a Card.