GoHike: Beginner Hiking Course

Participants must be a Mountaineers member with current waiver on file to register for the GoHike course. 

registration: 

Registration will open for new participants and returning course participants all at one time. Please email info@mountaineers.org with registration questions.

Cost: The course fee is $110.00. Scholarships are available.   

Cancellations are subject to the following refund schedule.   (The  $10 club cancellation fee is taken into account in the numbers below).

• Before Apr 1 - $75
• Apr 1-30 - $50
• May 1-31 - $25
• After May 31 - no refund

Course Overview

GoHike is designed to prepare  beginners or individuals looking for easy to moderate level of hiking and urban walking trips. We offer a small group trip environment in which participants can build connections and friendships over time by participating on trips with many of the same people on each trip. This course helps ease fears and prepares participants with safety first in mind, and always within an accepting, compassionate and fun learning environment. You will let go of fears of not having the right gear, feeling out of shape or not fitting in. This course is where you DO fit in, and our leaders meet you where you are to help you achieve your goals.

We begin  with basics:  preparation, knowledge, safety, conditioning and  fitness tips, to make hitting the trail less daunting. The main goal of GoHike is  getting outdoors and on the trail with others who are starting out, or who want to saunter at a comfortable, social pace. We will introduce you to the essentials of hiking and urban walking, encourage you to set personalized conditioning and trip goals month by month during the course, and most of all, connect you with a community of fellow beginning participants. All backgrounds, shapes and sizes will find a welcoming home with GoHike! 

Who is GoHike For?  

• Beginners - completely new to hiking/urban walking, and/or new hikers/walkers with minimal experience
  
• Participants who haven’t been out for a while and want to ease back into activity.
  
• Participants looking for easy to moderate trips with a gradual and progressive goal-orientated approach.
• People who are already comfortable on the trail but want to find a community of people who are looking for easy to moderate hikes or urban walks within a social environment.
  
• Individuals of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds.

GoHike: goals, Expectations and style:

Goals:

• Encourage and inspire our participants to reach their personal goals.
• Provide education and information on gear, safety, clothing, nutrition, hydration, etiquette and trip planning.
• Foster community and belonging among our participants, our leaders and the lands we recreate on.
• Lead and learn in a collaborative spirit.
• Foster compassion, understanding and curiosity with one another and in nature.
• Have fun, be safe and enjoy one another's company.

Expectations:

• Participants are able to complete a 2-mile, fairly flat hike/walk in under 1.5 hours, including rest stops. Participants must be prepared to meet this baseline on the pacing trips offered in March, in order to be ready for the course.
• Participants are expected to be prepared and ready for each trip they sign up for. Being unprepared impacts the leaders and entire group. Your readiness is essential for the success of each trip.
• Participants are committed to learn, grow, and actively participate within the mission and values of this course. 
• Participants are committed to building and maintaining their conditioning and endurance over the course. This means going on walks/runs near your home and/or training at home or in a fitness facility in between course trips, and/or participating in trips outside of the course to continue to build your  endurance and stamina over time. 
• Committed to building community in a social learning environment where we take care of one another with kindness, respect, and compassion
• Committed to a growth mind-set. 
• Committed to thoroughly read all course communications via email, course page and Facebook page.
• Commitment to borrow or buy the minimum gear for your safety and comfort in advance of going on the offered trips.  It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy gear, and we’ll help you figure out what you need and find the best deals. We will introduce gear recommendations at each level appropriate to the needs of the season.
• Committed to having fun while learning how to be outdoors safely! 

style:

• Course leaders are knowledgeable, friendly, experienced and love to share their love of nature.
• We strive to have two leaders on each course trip to maintain a low leader/participant ratio to better meet our participants needs and promote safety.
• Through actions and words, leaders are inclusive and supportive.
• We lead trips in a casual to moderate pace, allowing for flexibility. 
• We emphasize leave no trace principles and act as environmental stewards.
• Leaders are detail-oriented, patient and encouraging.
• Leaders are fun and strive to build community.

baseline pace requirement:

To be prepared for the course, participants must be able to complete at a minimum, one 2-mile fairly flat hike or walk in under 1.5 hours, including rest stops, by March 8. Participants must be prepared to meet this baseline on the pacing trips offered in March, in order to be ready for the course.

Communications:

We communicate by email, course material documents within our course page and through our private GoHike Facebook Group page to make announcements and share additional course information. As a participant, it is your responsibility to read our communications and ask any clarifying questions or address concerns with the course administrators in a timely manner.

It is critical that you adjust your settings to receive our emails. Course emails often end up in junk/spam folders. We expect that you will read our emails in a timely manner and thoroughly, or you will miss out on important information about the course, trip communications and details from your leaders.

Where do we Go On OUR TRIPS?

Early hikes and urban walks in the series could involve a half day or long summer evenings including driving to the trail. As the season progresses the trips are likely to require being able to get away 6 to 10 hours including travel time. Trips may be held during the week, in the early evening and weekends. Participants are responsible for arranging transportation to a trailhead; carpools may be arranged by participants. Individuals should be prepared to contribute to the cost of trip expenses to carpool drivers.

Course requirements and Components

• MANDATORY  Attendance for all NEW GoHike participants at the virtual online GoHike Orientation on March 6, 2025 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This includes new participants and returning GoHike participants who have not graduated.
  
• MANDATORY Attendance for ALL GoHike participants at the virtual online GoHike Orientation on March 20, 2025 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This includes all new participants, returning participants who have not graduated and graduate alumni.
  
• Completion of ONE Pace trip in March
• Completion of a minimum of 12 (TWELVE) course trips, at least two per month, between April – September.
• Completion of six or more hours of Stewardship activity, to earn the Stewardship Credit Badge.
  
• Completion of the Low Impact Recreation self-paced e-learning course.
  
• Completion of Outdoor Advocates Network Introduction to Public Lands eLearning course and successfully pass the course quiz.

Required Student Orientations

• New participants must attend both Orientation 1 and 2 sessions.
• Returning participants who are not graduates, must attend Orientation 1 and  2.
• Returning graduate alumni must attend Orientation 2, Orientation 1 is recommended.

Orientation 1 - Mandatory for all new participants and returning non-graduates.

• This 2-hour online virtual classroom session will introduce you to the philosophy and vision of GoHike. We will set the stage for our season, introducing course expectations, and demonstrate how to register for course trips and activities. We will touch on basic preparation, safety, conditioning and fitness tips to help you start preparing for the course activities
• Online virtual classroom session March 6, 2025  6:30 to 8:30 pm. 
• Register for GoHike Orientation 1 when you register for the course.

Orientation 2 - Mandatory for all GoHike participants

• 2-hour online virtual classroom session. We'll review GoHike expectations and schedule, cover steps to take to prepare for selecting hikes, strategies for setting goals and how you can make them happen and more
• Online virtual classroom session March 20, 2025  6:30 to 8:30 pm. 
• Register for the GoHike Orientation 2 when you register for the course.

Pacing Trips (REQUIRED)

• These are easy, low-stress hikes to help you determine where you are in terms of gear, the pace and distance you can complete comfortably, and what your season goals for conditioning and trips are, so that you can determine what level of trips and pace would be the best fit for you to sign up for.  Pacing trips will help you determine where you are, what level of trips and pace you want to work toward and help you assess your gear and clothing.
  
• Pacing trips are offered between March 8 and 31 only. Please sign up for only 1 pacing trip.
  
• Pacing trips are 2 to 4 miles, 0 to 750 feet gain
• Registration for pacing trips open on February 7 at 6 pm.

Monthly Trip progressions

This is a beginning course. To be prepared for the course, participants should be able to complete one, at least 2-mile fairly flat pacing trip in under 1.5 hours, including rest stops by March  7.

• It is the expectation in this course for students to be prepared to increase mileage, and elevation gain gradually from April - September, with your September trips being your most challenging of the series. Participants are encouraged to dedicate time outside of the course for conditioning and building endurance to be prepared for the trips that they sign up for. You will participate in small groups of 6 to 12 current course participants and alumni with one or two leaders. All trips are limited to current course participants and GoHike graduate alumni from past years. (Current course participants always get priority for sign-ups.)
• Trips will be listed for each month within the range that is posted for that month. Monthly trips and check-ins will open for registration on the first Friday of each month, beginning in March for the April trips and check-in. Register for only ONE trip at that time. On the second Friday of the month, course participants may register for a SECOND trip. On the third Friday of each month, GoHike Alumni and participants and leaders may register for additional trips if space is available. (Note that there will unlikely be extra trips to register for on the third Friday registration date) 

April: 2 monthly trips, 2.5 to 5 miles, 250 to 1,000 feet gain

May: 2 monthly trips, 3 to 5.5 miles, 300 to 1,250 feet gain

June: 2 monthly trips,  3.5 to 6 miles, 400 to 1,500 feet gain

July: 2 monthly trips, 3.75 to 6.5 miles, 500 to 1,750 feet gain

August: 2 monthly trips, 4 miles to 7 miles, 600 to 2,000 feet gain

September: 2 monthly trips, 4 miles to 8 miles, 750 to 2,000 feet gai

monthly check-ins

These one-hour online sessions will be held 6:30 to 7:30 pm, from April through August and are optional but highly recommended. Each sessions will include topics related to beginning hiking, such as conditioning and goal setting, gearing up, nutrition and hydration, how to plan your own hikes and most importantly, checking in with you to see if you have any questions.

Participants can register for check-ins on the first Friday the month, same schedule as the the trips registration, for the next months check-in. Registration will close two days before a check-in. Zoom information will be sent out via email two days prior to check-in sessions.

mAKEUP TRIP POLICY

We allow a maximum of two make up trips during the season. We have an established process for requesting a make up trip that will be discussed during the orientations. The request has to be made and approved in advance (ideally a month in advance) before a substitute trip is done in order to count. If something comes up last minute, please continue to go through the steps below and submit. 

• Need to make up a trip?
  • Step 1: Complete and submit REQUEST FORM
  • Step 2: Admin will review and confirm your request
  • Step 3: After you've completed your trip, complete and submit REPORT FORM
  • Step 4: Admin will review and confirm your credit
    • If we did not get your photo upload on the Report Form, we'll reach out to you to submit via gohike.course@gmail.com

Graduation celebration and potluck social

• We will hold an in-person celebration and potluck social on October 10, 2025 at the Seattle Program Center. Grads, non-grads, leaders and alumni welcome!