Salt Spring Trail & Nature Club

Outing guidelines

Responsibilities of Members:

As a member participating in group walks, you are expected to:

1.     Choose an activity (ramble, walk or hike) appropriate to your capability. Note expected duration and elevation gain.

2.     Wear clothing and footwear appropriate for the coolest/wettest conditions likely on the day. Consider hiking poles for steep climbs.

3.     Bring water and a packed lunch (unless notified otherwise).

4.     Adhere to the hike’s leader directions. Advise leader or sweep if you find the pace is too fast and/or you need to stop and take a break.

5.     Stay on designated trails. 

6.     Take only photos, leave only footprints. 

7.     Dogs are not allowed at any SSTNC activities.

8. Carry a card in your backpack with pertinent medical information, along with an Emergency Contact named with contact details.

As an active member, it is hoped that you would volunteer to lead at least one hike, walk or ramble per year.

SSTNC Outings (Hikes, Walks, Rambles) – Leaders’ Responsibilities

Provide an accurate description of the excursion to the Coordinator in a timely fashion. Check the website for examples.

a. Location, terrain, difficulty, hazards and cautions; check tides if on shoreline.

b. Carpool meeting place and departure time and other meeting place e.g.Art Spring, trail head, Drummond Park etc. Allow for roadworks etc as needed. Suggested wording: “Meet at ArtSpring to car pool, departing at 9:45 or at the trailhead ready to set out at 10:00.”

c. Expected duration of outing, distance, elevation gain.

2. Do a reconnaissance hike shortly before the event to ensure that the route is still within the description; time it.

3. If the outing is set to enter private land, obtain prior permission; during the circle (see 6, below), inform people that we’ll be going through private property and they should not return to do the trail by themselves without first obtaining permission.

4. Consult the weather forecast. If the weather is inclement, looks set to deteriorate rapidly or the terrain has recently become dangerous on account of rain/snow, cancel the event by no later than 8:30 am on the morning of the outing. Send an email to sstnc@googlegroups.com. Participant safety is a priority.

5. Carry a whistle, cell phone and a first aid kit. If you do not have a first aid kit, ensure that someone is carrying one.

6. Meet the participants at the car pool meeting place or trail head.

a. Request participants form a circle.

b. Take an attendance list (name/signature).

c. Request any announcements. Announce the next week’s outing (repeat at the end of the outing). d. Check visually that clothing and footwear are appropriate for the conditions. The leader may refuse participation to anyone unprepared with clothing and footwear.

e. Provide waivers to any non-members and collect these when completed. Waivers can be handed in to the SSTNC box at the Visitor Centre, to the activity coordinator or the club secretary. Collect a C $1 fee from these individuals.

f. Remind participants that they are expected to stay with the group and return with the group to the trail head.

g. Number off. If the Coordinator is not present, email the number and any relevant comments after the outing to the Coordinator. h. Identify a sweep.

7. During the excursion, check that the sweep and last few people have not fallen behind. Be particularly vigilant on wooded trails where vision is limited.

a. Set a pace manageable for everyone in the group.

b. Ask the sweep to blow a whistle if there are people lagging behind or the group is too spread out. Whistle codes: 2 short means stop and wait, 3 long means an emergency.

c. Stop at all forks in the trail and after each difficult section to make sure the group stays together and everyone is ready to continue. d. If a participant needs (or is required) to leave the activity on account of physical distress, ensure they are accompanied.

8. Aim to stop for lunch between 12 and 1 pm.

9. Make a note of any major obstructions/issues on the trail and report by e-mail to the SSTNC Trail Coordinator.

10. At the end of the activity, check that every one is present at the trail head or parking location.

11. If an incident or accident occurs, complete an incident report and put it into the SSTNC box at the Visitor’s Center. Printable and editable Incident Report forms are found under the Guidelines tab on the club website Sweep Responsibilities

1. Carry a whistle and notify the leader if there are individuals that are having trouble keeping up.

2. If someone drops behind the main group wait at convenient location for them to catch up. Pass the word to the Leader to pause; whistle codes: 2 short means stop and wait, 3 long means an emergency. Participant responsibilities

1. Choose an activity (ramble, walk or hike) appropriate to your capability. Note expected duration and elevation gain.

2. Wear clothing and footwear appropriate for the coolest/wettest conditions likely on the day. Bring a small daypack for spare clothing/lunch. Consider hiking poles for steep climbs.

3. Bring water and a packed lunch (unless notified otherwise).

4. Tell leader or sweep if you find the pace is too fast and/or you need to stop and take a break.

Participation by non-members

For outings, people who are not members of the club or the Federation of BC Naturalists (FBCN) / BC Nature may participate in a maximum of three (3) outings trips during the club’s year. For each outing, non-members must complete and sign a Visitor Waiver form as well as pay one dollar to comply with insurance regulations.

The visitor waver form also available from Hike, Walk, and Ramble leaders. (Non-members are not eligible for liability coverage under the FBCN / BC Nature insurance scheme.)

Presentations by the club are open to the public.

Events with limited space or requiring registration

Members have priority for events with limited space.

Activities for which pre-registration is required are open only to members in good standing.

Extended Off-Island Trips

Any club member in good standing is eligible to organize an extended off-island trip. The initial proposal must include date, options for accommodation and meals, available excursions and all relevant costs. The trip must be approved by the Board of Directors before being offered to members.