Wilderness Skills - Olympia Mountaineers

Schedule Times and Attendance
Please be on time to lectures, field trips, and hikes.
You must sign in to receive credit for lectures. You must attend all lectures and field
trips to graduate from the course. Lectures start promptly at 7:00 p.m. Please be
prepared by completing any required reading and practice.
Lectures are nearly impossible to make up, so plan accordingly.
Please review your personal commitments and schedule early in the course. If you must miss one of the
Lectures or the Outdoor Workshop, consult with the Student Liaison for instructions.
Outdoor Workshop
The Wilderness Skills Outdoor Workshop (Field Trip) has been designed to provide you with some practical
experience in wilderness travel and outdoor living techniques prior to the time they are actually needed. In
order to meet the intent of the workshop, the following procedures have been adopted:
Hikes
1. Student must have attended all lectures in order to participate in the outdoor workshop or to get
credit for the required outing (hike or backpacking trip).
2. Sign-up for the outdoor workshop or a hike with the designated person before the trip. Early sign-up is
necessary to provide adequate time to prepare detailed trip plans according to the size of the group.
3. Bring the equipment required. A list of the necessary equipment for the outdoor workshop or for an
experience outing (hike or backpacking trip) is provided later in this manual and will be reviewed prior to
the events. Mark your equipment with your name or initials so that it will stand up to abrasion and
moisture. Each student must have his/her own individual equipment and lunch.
4. Be cautious. There is always a degree of risk in any outdoor activity. Pay attention to and follow your
instructor's advice. Your safety and enjoyment are directly related to your cooperation.
5. Stay until the finish. No student will be permitted to leave the outdoor workshop practice site until the
entire class has safely returned or the student is released by the workshop leaders. The leaders will be
taking a role call to be sure everyone is accounted for. Those who leave unannounced cause
considerable work and anxiety while the group searches.
6. Be responsible. While on any trip, you automatically assume a responsibility to your fellow students
and instructors that takes precedence over any other personal obligation.
Experience outings (hikes or backpacking trip) are designed to provide you opportunities to put into practice
the skills you have learned through course lectures and field trips. For this reason, the following additional
procedures have been adopted:
1. Always leave information about your destination, expected return time, and the field trip leader's phone
number with a responsible person. Instruct this person that if you are unreasonably late in returning,
they should call the LEADER'S contact phone number and NOT emergency organizations (e.g., the
Sheriff's Department).
2. Pay your fair share of transportation costs.
3. The Hiking Committee and/or the trip leader will arrange sign-ups for experience trips. Sign-ups will
close at 9:00 p.m. two (2) days prior to the trip. When you sign-up, indicate whether you can take
passengers or need a ride. The trip leader will attempt to match riders with drivers whenever possible.
Notify the trip leader of ANY CHANGES in the transportation arrangements you originally requested.
Wilderness Skills Module Page 8 of 73
Olympia Mountaineers - Hiking, Alpine Scrambling and Basic Climbing