Hike’rizons Event Leader Guidelines

Be kind.

Have a positive outlook. Any hike will be more enjoyable, rain or shine, if a leader shows a positive attitude.
Have diplomacy. Conflict should be resolved in a healthy manner. Someone may gossip or slight the group or an individual. If and when that happens, a leader will talk to that person one on one first. Contrary opinions are inevitable, but be kind and understanding. If another leader isn’t living up to the group’s expectation, bring it to their attention without making it a public scene.
The priority of this group is the community we create. Remember to put people first, and getting to the destination, second. If someone is holding the group back, prioritize keeping the group together and making it fun for all. Create an environment to help that person succeed.
Look for ways to make trips ‘better’, whatever that looks like. Be creative.

Avoid canceling. Prepare your participants for the anticipated weather or to be flexible with the destination. Change destinations or adventures instead of canceling. This is especially important when people take time away from work and family to join a trip.
Plan your trip with a co-leader. It’s not required to do this but because leaders have real lives, things can come up, causing a leader to back out of a trip. A co-leader can support you when life happens. If the co-leader can’t lead the trip on their own, ask the other Hike’rizon leaders if someone can take over. Post the details in the Facebook “Expand your Hike’rizons Leaders” so that another leader can step in. Sharing the work means less work, more reliability, and will help you form closer friendships with fellow leaders.
Be respectful of participants’ time & schedule. If people RSVP to your trip when the attendance limit hasn’t reached yet, provide feedback at a reasonable time frame as to whether they will make the “going list” or not. We discourage people from signing up on multiple events for the same weekend then pick one to go later. Likewise, we should also let people know whether they make a trip within a reasonable time frame.
Have the right vehicle (either own one or have reliable access to one), parking pass and gear. Don’t plan a trip if you can’t actually get yourself to the trailhead and complete the trip.

Only take people on your trips that you reasonably believe have the gear, physical ability, and skills to complete it safely. Be detailed in your Meetup posts so people know what to expect. Also, remember people don’t always read the full Meetup event. For this reason, interview people you don’t know to get a good idea of their experience and capabilities. If someone struggles to keep up, think about how you can plan better on the next trip.
Disclose all safety risks you know of. If you learn of a change in weather or a wildfire nearby, or there is any other risk important for your group, share it!
Look after your group. Do not leave people behind that shouldn’t be left behind. Use good judgment. Have someone in your group stay with them or mutually agree with that person that they will turn back, and have a safe way to do so. If you have reason to have confidence in a person, agree to meet them at a specific place later.
Once a leader, always a leader. There is no such thing as “this is so-and-so’s activity, so I don’t have to help”. As a leader, every trip you are on is also your trip. We expect you to help as needed, where needed, for the success of every person in the group.