National Outings Training Trip: Emigrant Wilderness, California

This National Outings Training Trip is designed to train and equip new leaders with the necessary skills to lead safe, happy, and inspirational Sierra Club National Outings. The two phases of training, Home School and in-the-field, cover approximately six months. During the home school phase, which can last up to five months, each trainee designs, plans, and submits his or her own National Outing and then develops a meal plan and practices screening participants for that trip. The trainee completes this phase on schedule and under the guidance of a mentor.

The field phase described in this brochure culminates during five days of hands-on practice under the direction of several veteran National Outings trainers. This brochure’s content includes details about the training and suggests who could apply, what the prospective leader should expect, plus additional information to help you decide if this journey is right for you. By applying for this trip, the aspiring applicant will begin the process to become part of a group of dedicated volunteer leaders offering world-class outdoor trips.

Once an applicant has been accepted into the program (after registering for the training, applying, and participating in 2-3 interviews), he or she and other trainees will receive a congratulatory and informational call from the program training-managers. The training program will be reviewed in detail and the trainee will be encouraged to quickly complete assignments since there is considerable material to be learned before the field training phase. The Home School phase—trip planning and preparation—constitutes 80% of the lessons with the remaining 20% completed during field training. During both phases, the trainee will follow an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that he or she and the trainers complete. It will be finalized by them at the end of field training and a copy forwarded to the trainee.

Consider enrolling in this training class and join hundreds of other Sierra Club leaders in a 100-year tradition, started by John Muir, to lead people into beautiful and inspirational mountains, forests, and deserts, and to encourage stewardship of these special places. In addition, the friends you’ll make can last for years and can be a frequent source of support as you continue your leadership journey. Please read this detailed content to assess your interest.

About Sierra Club’s National Outings Program

With more than 100 years of wilderness travel experience, and as a part of the largest grassroots conservation organization in the country, Sierra Club Outings offers more than 350 trips annually to unique destinations around the world. We aim to provide a variety of quality outdoor adventures for people of all ages. Our offerings include adventures in the U.S., Canada, and abroad, including backpacking, base camping, canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, rafting, sailing, skiing, snowshoeing, day hiking, service trips, lodge trips, and family vacations; domestic trips are generally 5–10 days in length, while international trips may last up to three weeks. National Outings provides services to about 4,000 participants per year. The 350 trips per year are led by approximately 500 volunteer leaders supported by a small staff in the Outings Department at the Club’s headquarters in Oakland, California.

The Ideal of Being a National Outings Leader: The opportunity to follow John Muir’s and the other founders of the Sierra Club whose goal was to inspire and lead people into the wonders of the outdoors. The added goal was to set an example and inspire others to understand the importance of protecting the natural world. By becoming a leader, you can help to foster and continue the Club’s founding tradition.

The Reality of being a National Outings Leader: Actually, these ideals can become your reality if you are willing to accept the challenge of becoming a volunteer leader since it requires commitment, advance planning, and training. Since the Outings Program is dependent on volunteer leaders, the Club has developed procedures to ensure trips are safe and successful. Volunteer leaders are organized into subcommittees. For example, there are subcommittees for California backpacking, for the Southwest, for Alaska, and for water trips. There are 18 different subcommittees in all, and many have their own set of special qualifications or requirements for leadership and for approval of proposed outings. While undeniably a lot of work, you’ll find the rewards far exceed your efforts. Our training trip will take you through the process step-by-step and give you hands-on experiences and case studies to improve your skills and help you gain confidence.

Upon successful completion of the training program, you will have access to additional resources to ensure your success. You may become a trainee or assistant on a trip and work with an experienced leader who will mentor you and provide post-training assistance about setting up a successful, enjoyable, safe, and inspirational outing.

Requirements to Become a Trainee

1. Have the interest and ability to lead a National Outing ideally once a year or at least once every other year.
2. Register and pay for this training.
3. Complete and submit an online National Outings Leadership Application.
4. Participate in interviews with the National Outings Volunteer Interviewer, Sponsoring Subcommittee Chair, and the leader of the field trip program in order to be accepted to the training.
5. Have previously participated on a National Outing. In limited cases, prior multi-day group trip experience may also be acceptable, especially in a trip leadership role.
6. Access to a computer and the Internet to complete the Home School and homework phase of the training. The homework phase of the training takes 40-60 hours during the five months leading to the field training session. Trainees will learn how to use the Sierra Club's Outings Campfire website, the National Outings Training Trip Google Site, and the online National Outings Trip Submission System, and will be expected to become familiar with these three systems.
7. Have the interest and ability to work closely with a Home School Mentor in a professional and timely fashion.

Goal of the Training

Home School lessons prepare trainees for the necessary application of many skills, which are practiced during the field training phase.

Of additional importance, the skills you learn during this trip will apply equally to the different types of Sierra Club Outings that you may choose to lead in the future, such as backpack, lodge, basecamp, water trips, or multi-sport. During the Home School and field training, trainees will:

• Design and submit (using the National Outings Trip Submission System) a fiscally realistic outing that engages participants and furthers the conservation mission of the Sierra Club.
• Write a captivating, informative brochure that will promote the trip to a diverse audience.
• Plan an appetizing menu that can accommodate a potentially diverse group of participants.
• Conduct pre-trip interviews with mock sign-ups and accept appropriate participants for the outing.
• Participate fully in the field section of the training, both as a participant and leader-of-the-day (LOD).
• Demonstrate safety awareness, sound judgment, and decision-making as part of the leader-of-the-day team.
• Demonstrate professional communication skills and maintain professional working relationships with Home School mentor, field trainers, fellow trainees, and leader-of-the-day throughout all of Home School and field training phases.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage all logistical aspects for a full day of the trip. This includes establishing camp, following Leave No Trace practices, finding and evaluating routes, assessing hazards, and determining group energy level, among other skills.

Curriculum

We will cover the following topics:

• Trip planning
• Safety management
• Participant welcoming and pre-trip screening
• Cultural history of the area you are travelling in
• Natural history of the area you are travelling in
• Coordinating trip planning with other staff members
• Nutrition and food planning
• Equipment and clothing selection
• Managing group dynamics
• Decision making and problem solving
• Wilderness emergency management
• On-trip health, sanitation, and hygiene practices
• Water purification and how-to
• Weather assessment and weather accommodations 
• Leave No Trace practices
• Conservation practices during a National Outings trip
• On- and off-trail travel and navigation
• Working with volunteer and Outings Department staff

Home School Phase

This phase of the program takes 40-60 hours of time during the 5 months prior to the field trip, with deadlines planned to meet specific schedules. The training is scheduled in the same way you would plan a future National Outing:

• Due 6 months before the field trip: self-evaluation 
  You will take a self-evaluation to rate your current skills that are needed to be a National Outings leader.
• Due 5 months before the field trip: key component: trip title and trip description text
  You will work with your Home School Mentor to decide on the overarching trip plan you are considering. Your Mentor will "approve" your outing in the same way that your National Outings Subcommittee Chair would. In addition, you will write a 30-60 word description to promote the trip.
• Due 4 months before the field trip: brochure
  You will now have the chance to write the online trip brochure for your trip, which is in the same general format as this one. Your homework mentor will work with you to refine draft versions.
• Due 3 months before the field trip: trip submission
  You will organize and plan the trip to determine costs. You will submit this information using our online trip submission system and receive your trip budget with feedback from your mentor.
• Due 2 months before the field trip: food planning
  Planning healthy and exciting meals for your mock trip is the most challenging step for most new leaders. You will have the chance to work with your homework mentor to develop and refine your menu, recipe document, shopping list, and participant food-preference questionnaire.
• Due 1 month before the field trip: screening
  During this step, you will welcome and screen at least two mock trip participants for your trip and decide whether to accept them or not.
• Due shortly before the field trip: field trip planning and leadership teaming
  

  As the last stage of Home School and prior to field training, we will ask trainees to work in pairs in order to act as trip Leaders of the Day (LOD) during field training. You and your partner will divide the day so that each of you serves as the principal leader for roughly half the day and each one serves as an assistant for the other partner half of the day. In advance, you will determine how to work together on the trip and plan for all trip components, including menu planning, supplies purchasing and packing, and then transporting it to the airport or campsite. You and your partner will prepare all the meals for that day. After completion of field training, you will submit an expense report to be reimbursed for the food costs in the same way that trip leaders account for expenses.

Field Training Phase and Trip

The field trip immerses trainees in Sierra Club’s best practices. Three or four veteran trainers will guide eight prospective leaders through all aspects of planning, preparing, and leading National Outing trips. Although this is a specific type of trip, focusing on related field skills, most lessons learned are appropriate to all Sierra Club trips, regardless of the type you want to lead.

During each of four full days in the field, the LOD team will put into practice what they planned during the Home School phase and will lead all aspects of our trip for an entire day (with guidance from instructors). Training days are long and full, and the trip is physically and mentally demanding. In addition to typical trip activities, such as meal preparation and hikes, there will be breaks for in-depth group discussions and daily training exercises. These daily activities will provide everyone opportunities to practice skills and think-through leadership situations that may occur on an actual trip, but the practice of being the trip leader for the day is the heart of the training trip. 

Each day you will receive continuous feedback while hiking, during a nightly debrief, and detailed in a personal development plan at the end of the trip. Eventually, this training program prepares you for a knowledgeable, working relationship with other Sierra Club leaders in the years ahead.

The goal is to build your skills and leadership ability, and to ensure ongoing support through mentors and other Sierra Club resources so that you are confident and comfortable to lead Sierra Club trips to help others explore, enjoy, and protect the planet.

The Training Trip:

The field training trip will take us into the Emigrant Wilderness on the Sierra Nevada’s west slope, just south of Yosemite National Park. Emigrant Wilderness features a mixture of forested mountains, granite slab, scree, talus, mountain peaks, ridges, alpine lakes, streams, and meadows. We will have a variety of terrain to negotiate, including stream crossings and cross-country.

Day 1: We will spend our first night at Cherry Valley campground near Cherry Reservoir in the Emigrant Wilderness.  We’ll set up camp, talk about the rest of the trip, set group norms, address any remaining questions, and begin with topics such as packing food in bear cans, stove operation, and kitchen management.

Day 2: We’ll drive 50 miles to the CrabTree trailhead (7,145 feet) to begin four days of backpacking. Our goal is to reach Bear Lake (7,680 feet), about three and a half miles away. 

Day 3: Our general target will be the Y-Meadow Lake area (8,620 feet), which is about two miles away. As on other days, the leaders of the day will pick a campsite. 

Day 4: We plan to camp at Chewing Gum Lake (8,700 feet), about four miles away. The leaders of the day will lead us on a short morning hike before hiking to our next campsite.

Day 5: Objective: head back to the CrabTree trialhead (7,154 feet). Today we will hike four miles back to the trailhead where we started.  We will return to the nearby Cherry Valley campground, where we began to finish up our training and spend the night.

Day 6: Today we clean up our campsite, pack gear, have our final breakfast together, and return to the Oakland Airport to end our trip.

Getting There

The trip begins at Oakland International Airport, California at 1 p.m. on Day 1 of the trip and concludes at 1 p.m. on Day 6, back at the airport. Transportation will be provided between the airport and the field training location.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader. An email address listing will be shared to encourage ride-sharing, if traveling by car, and hotel/motel room sharing before or after the trip, if desired.

Accommodations and Food

Since we will be backpacking, the accommodations are those you load into your backpack. We will be in backcountry camps with no amenities as well two nights in a frontcountry campground, which will have the luxuries of piped water and vault toilets. Food is a critical part of any Sierra Club trip, and one of the great things about this training is that you get to practice providing food to a group of backpackers. Trainees design, purchase, pack, and prepare all meals for the days they are the Leaders of the Day. Your mentors and field trainers will provide guidance for this seemingly daunting task. All food costs on the trip are included in the training cost. Upon completion of the training, trainees will submit for reimbursement for the food they provided in the same way that leaders do on actual trips.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is rated 3 on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 denotes the least difficult and 5 the most difficult. We will hike on and off trail at elevations between 7,689 feet and 9,800 feet. Daily moves of about six miles and elevation gains of up to 2,000 feet are designed to represent backpacking typical in an alpine environment, while at the same time providing ample time for training and discussion. While the mileage may be shorter than typical trips, all backpacking trips are physically demanding and this training trip is no exception. We plan to do some cross-country (off-trail) backpacking -- experience in cross-country backpacking is not required, but hiking on rough, rocky terrain does require good balance and a patient, tolerant attitude, both of which are requirements for the trip.

Known for its temperate summer weather, the High Sierra can also experience sudden, unexpected spells of rain, hail, snow, heat, and cold. Daytime temperatures can soar into the upper 80s, while nighttime temperatures can dip into the 30s or lower. It is essential that you be prepared for extremes in weather conditions, and also be flexible so that we can adapt our route to accommodate unexpected conditions or events. Mosquitos can be a problem at this time of year, so it is essential to bring insect repellent.

Equipment and Clothing

The trainers will bring all the group equipment: pots, stove, cooking utensils, water treatment. A detailed gear and clothing list will be provided to all candidates several months in advance of the trip.

References

• Ansel Adams Wilderness Topographic Map, Tom Harrison Maps.
• Timber Knob & Sing Peak, USGS 7.5 minute topographical maps.
• Morey, Kathy & White, Mike, Sierra North: Backcountry Trips in California’s Sierra Nevada.
• Secor, R.J., The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails (published by The Mountaineers), is an excellent general reference to climbing routes, cross-country routes, and trails in the Sierra Nevada.
• Laws, John Muir, The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada (published by the California Academy of Sciences), is a general reference to Sierra life. It covers trees, wildflowers, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and other life in the mountains.

Conservation

Congress designated a portion of the area of our trip as wilderness in 1964 (originally established as the Minarets Wilderness), but with 1984's California Wilderness Act, the area was enlarged and the name was changed to Ansel Adams Wilderness, honoring the famous landscape photographer. Adams spent many summers participating in and leading Sierra Club outings in the Sierra Nevada. His photography communicated the beauty of wild places and helped develop public support for protecting wilderness across the country. Ansel Adams was a visionary figure in nature photography and wilderness preservation. He is seen as an environmental folk hero and a symbol of the American West, especially of Yosemite National Park. Adams' dedication to wilderness preservation, his commitment to the Sierra Club, and of course, his signature black-and-white photographs inspire an appreciation for natural beauty and a strong conservation ethic.

During our trip, we will honor the legacy of Ansel Adams by living the Sierra Club motto "Explore, enjoy and protect the planet." While we’re exploring and enjoying this spectacular slice of the planet, we’ll also protect it by minimizing our impact wherever we go. This means we’ll follow the Leave No Trace ethic while we’re together in the wilderness.

The leaders will endeavor to present you with a background of relevant conservation topics relating to the area, from climate change to forest practices. We will also talk about how you might incorporate conservation topics, regional, national, and global, into future trips you will lead.