2010 Conditioning Hiking Series (CHS)   

 

 

Are you an existing hiker who is interested in challenging yourself to go on day hikes of 15+ miles? Have you seen Go Guide trips describing long-distance day hikes and wondered how you could get into shape to participate in those types of hikes? Well, wonder no more!

The Seattle Hiking Committee offers the Conditioning Hiking Series starting in April. This course is designed to prepare existing hikers currently experienced at the upper easy/moderate level for the challenges of strenuous, long-distance day hiking. It is also designed to provide a group trip environment in which hikers can build friendships by hiking with many of the same people on each trip. All hiking trips are limited to the participants in the course. If you have hiked before and already are in fairly good shape (easily able to do hikes rated as "Easy" and "Moderate"), would like to progress to longer and harder hikes as a challenge, are willing to build physical fitness and spend time outside of the course keeping yourself in shape, are able to commit to a summer-long course, and would like to be part of a small group that hikes together, then this is the course for you. Several graduates of the CHS course have said that this is the best course they've ever taken with the club, and some have even been inspired to become hike leaders!

 

 

What to Expect: The CHS course consists of one evening class on Thursday, Mar. 25 and an optional skills refresher class (date TBD) at the Seattle clubhouse, and hike offerings several times per month from April through August. The classes are designed to teach information needed for longer hike preparation. The hikes are composed of progressively more difficult and longer day hikes, culminating in a graduation hike in September.

Prior to your first hike, you will choose a "track" of fast-paced or moderate-paced hikes, subject to class size and input from the hike leaders. If you are uncertain which level suits you best, a weekend of pacing hikes will be offered in March. A tentative hike schedule for the course will be provided at the first evening class, but past destinations have included season-appropriate hikes in the North Cascades, the Mt. St. Helens area, Eastern Washington, the Olympics, and everywhere in between! Graduation certificates will be given to those who complete the classroom sessions, ten CHS day hikes (two per month), and one CHS graduation hike. One day of trail work will also be required of each participant.   

 

 

Enrollment Process: You must be a member of The Mountaineers to register for the course. Registration for the 2010 CHS course is from Mar. 1 through Mar. 14. The course fee is $95.00. As with all club hikes, participants are expected to pay the carpooling per mile allotment set by the club guidelines if they are riding as a passenger. Online or telephone registration will be available. Mail-in registration forms will not be accepted - no exceptions! Enrollment will be limited to 70 participants. If the number of signups exceeds 70, then we will use either a lottery or member number system to cut the roster to 70 participants. There is no advantage to signing up at the beginning of the registration period. Those not selected will be notified by e-mail and will receive a full refund of the course fee. 

 

For More Information: Contact Kelly Cleman at 360-563-0320 or masterhiker@gmail.com, or Steve Payne at 253-315-0426 or stevepayne@mindspring.com. An information session about CHS and the Basic Wilderness Travel (BWT) courses will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at the Seattle clubhouse. Please attend if you would like to find out more before enrolling.