Foothills Branch

about us

BRANCH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEETINGS

The Foothills Branch Leadership Council meets monthly to bi-monthly to discuss existing program needs and opportunities for new programs, events and other services for our members.  Most meetings are open to members interested in contributing their ideas and learning what's going on in the branch.  We typically meet at libraries and Fire Stations around the east side. Meetings starts at 6:30pm with time for socializing and meeting other branch members. 

Notice of upcoming meetings will be posted on the branch website and all upcoming dates can be found here. Advance-notice emails will also be sent to all club members who choose Foothills as their branch selection on their club "profile," where  members can choose a branch location closest or most relevant to them for personalized course, activity, and event information via postings and email.

GENERAL INFO

The branch’s activities and courses focus on backcountry skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing, crevasse rescue, avalanche awareness and AIARE certification,  snowshoeing, hiking, backpacking, alpine scrambling, trail running, first aid (including Wilderness First Aid certification), and navigation (including "Staying Found" focused on hikers and backpackers and Wilderness Navigation focused on off trail and winter travel). Our signature programs include a comprehensive Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) backpacking course, Ski and Snowboard Mountaineering, Basic and Backcountry Snowshoeing and a Compressed Scramble course.  New programs are launched regularly.

The Foothills branch also seeks to be a vital community presence in promoting safe and enjoyable recreation and to be a voice for wilderness and trail access. Among our community-based efforts are special film events, speaker presentations, social events, outdoor leadership training, and trail-maintenance work.

Foothills Winter Program is dedicated to bringing out the back country skier in everyone. We offer programs customized for x-country skiers to take their skills to the back country. We also offer courses catered to Alpine Touring or Randonnee skiers. We use a mix of traditional instruction, experimental education, and lots of fun to forge a memorable experience where you learn skills and techniques to become a safe and competent back country skier. For more information, go to:  www.foothillswinter.org.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers don't just do our organization's most important work - they make our organization work! As our branch membership grows, new programs and expanded activities also create additional leadership and support needs. These needs are opportunities to develop skills in leading, teaching, organizing or facilitating events and activities with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. The branch is always looking to expand our number of activity and trip leaders, and recruit course instructors, writers, photographers, event planners and website specialists. We also need people to help with administrative tasks such as financial bookkeeping, publicity, scheduling – the sometimes mundane tasks vital to the success of the branch. So if you have some time or relevant skill, or an interest in developing a talent or skill, or want to help Foothills branch out into new areas of outdoor activity, please consider volunteering with the Foothills Branch!