Every adult BCMC member in good standing may volunteer to organize club trips through the BCMC Events schedule.
Newer trip organizers will have their trip suggestions reviewed by the Trips Team *before* being added, based on:
previous trips and/or courses participated in, previous trips organized, and the technical difficulty of the trip.
for "extreme" trips, a phone call from a member of the Trips Team to discuss your plans in greater detail.
All club members are invited to email the Trips Team at trips@bcmc.ca for some assistance when adding trips.
The procedure for members wishing to submit a trip to the club schedule begins with logging into your account, then either:
open the Events page, click on the "Add Trip" button to open a blank Trip Information form, fill in the details and submit it.
open a previously or currently scheduled trip info page that is similar to your plans, click on the "Reuse Trip Details" button, then edit the Trip Information details to match your plans and submit it.
if you receive an error message when submitting, place the mouse-pointer over the red icon(s) to read why an error occurred.
While filling in or editing the Trip Information form, please provide a reasonable trip description that includes essential requirements such as outdoor gear needed and minimum mountaineering skills. Organizers may find it helpful to use the "Questions for Participants" area to obtain some personal details, e.g. current skill level, for each of those registering.
Pre-Trip Planning
Obtain road maps, guide books, notes and topographic area maps. Check parking, weather, avalanche forecasts, the need for permits, area limits and access issues.
Familiarize yourself with any hazards and check the strenuousness of the route. Reconfirm that the rating is according to the club's criteria.
Do your best to make an informed decision on the minimum and maximum number of participants that can, with reasonable safety, be taken on the trip. For more involved trips, consider asking another member (in advance) to co-organize the trip.
Plan for what to do if the group becomes separated driving to the trailhead and on the trail. Consider a rendezvous at key places.
Have an emergency plan including:
A suitable First Aid kit that is freshly stocked.
An emergency "bivouac sack" (if someone is injured and can't be moved).
Two 5 metre prusick slings.
Know the quickest route to a telephone (ask who has a cell phone in the group and if it works in that area).
A list of emergency numbers.
Awareness of who will take the injured to the hospital (or get help) and who stays with the group.
Make sure everyone knows the departure time from the meeting place -- as opposed to the meeting time.
Tell a responsible person where you're going, when you'll be back, and what to do if you don't return in the planned time frame. Give the participants the name and number of the emergency contact.
Participant Registration
At the trip organizer's discretion, those registering may be screened based on a set of expectations explained in the trip description, such as minimal skill-levels and required equipment. For trips requiring a high degree of fitness and/or specialized safety gear & skills, organizers are encouraged to list questions in the "Questions for Participants" area of the Trip Information form in order to obtain some trip-related information from each of those registering. Also, if ongoing "remoteness" could be a safety concern, ask participants if they are taking medication or have a medical condition that might become an issue.
It's important that organizers check the Status info in their trip's online Participant List to ensure each person Confirmed to attend has an up-to-date signed BCMC waiver. In the case of a "joint" BCMC trip with another club, all participants from the other club must sign the BCMC Waiver *before* the trip begins.
Be aware that only current club members may join a trip online or be added to the trip-list by the organizer. If the organizer decides to reschedule a trip to a future date, recheck the Confirmed List to ensure all participants will still be members when the trip starts.
As the departure date approaches (the sooner the better), sort out transportation needs and car-pooling. For big trips, discuss cost-sharing for items such as fuel, permits and/or group equipment.
Finally, if a participant shows signs of being unsure or intimidated with increased details or expectations for a trip, then it's better to let them back out of the trip. Similarly, if an organizer becomes unsure of a participant's ability to safely complete a trip, it's better to discuss those concerns in person, or over the phone, and decline to take them.
At the Meeting Place
Have non-members fill out a paper copy of the BCMC waiver. Make sure they have time to read the waiver before signing it. Check that it is correctly signed and dated when you witness it.
Using either the general Participants Form print out or the trip's "Print Participants" option from the trip's webpage, create a complete list of participant names and emergency contact information.
As a group, ask who has First Aid Equipment and ask everyone what their level of "First Aid" expertise is.
Present the group with a short overview of the trip you have planned including objectives and safety requirements. Include any updates on potential hazards based on recent reports.
Remind participants this is a club trip and everyone is expected to travel with the group. Any splitting of the group should be discussed with everyone concerned and agreed to by the organizer(s). For large groups, consider asking another member you trust to help with keeping the group together and safe.
Ask everyone to double-check whether they've brought suitable equipment, tents, stoves and food. Ensure nothing is forgotten when people move gear from the vehicle they arrived in to whichever vehicle they are carpooling in. If someone forgets an essential piece of equipment then you should consider safety first, even if that means cancelling the trip for one / some / all participants.
At the Trailhead
Briefly run through the objectives again.
Review map/guidebook with participants.
Discuss and agree to a few 'regrouping' points along the way to and from the objective(s).
Check digital safety gear (e.g. transceivers, GPS tracking).
Leave the Trip Participants information and club Waivers where they can be located easily by Police, Highway Crew or Rescue-Emergency personnel in the event of an emergency, e.g. vehicle dashboard.
Remind everyone of relevant safety issues such as avalanche, rock fall, weather and environmental waste disposal.
Remember to stop once or twice in the first hour to adjust clothing or treat hot-spots before blisters occur.
After the Trip
Return the signed waiver forms to:
British Columbia Mountaineering Club, P.O. Box 20042, Vancouver, BC, V6B 3W8
Any member of the BCMC Executive.
Write a trip report (or have someone in your group write one) for inclusion in the BCMC Newsletter and/or on the website. Photos are more than welcome, as well! We rely on your submissions for our news and website content!
Please send your Trip Report and photos to the BCMC Newsletter Editor: editor@bcmc.ca
Management of Groups and Individuals
Make policies known.
Keep instructions simple.
Use positive feedback and focus on results. Tell people what to do, as opposed to what not to do.
Be sensitive to the needs and condition of all participants at all times.
The priorities are a safe, happy and successful trip -- in that order.