Seattle Basic Backpacking Course - Gearpalooza

This is the room reservation for the Seattle Basic Backpacking Course "Gearpalooza" event.  The information below deals only with the room reservation itself.  For more info about the course see the 2021 Basic Backpacking Course page.

The Basic Backpacking Course Gearpalooza is an event at which students in the Seattle Basic Backpacking Course can view various kinds of backpacking gear in person and talk with experienced backpackers about it, with the goal of helping students make informed purchases of the gear in their new backpacking kits.  We plan to divide the gear into approximately seven stations, with each station staffed by 1 - 2 instructors. Groups of 4 - 8 (TBD) students will rotate through all the stations at 20 - 30 minute intervals.  The exact numbers will depend on the student enrollment and the number of available instructors, all of which are hard to predict in 2021 due to COVID-19.

For 2021 we are having to spread out more than usual due to COVID-19.  We are creating our plans with the expectation (hope) that we will be in WA Phase 3 by the end of April, 2021.  We plan to observe all COVID guidelines, of course, including the restrictions on shared gear. 

We plan to set up the stations approximately as follows.  All room capacities are for Phase 3 as published in the August 26 version of "Guidance for Mountaineers Programs during COVID-19".

Goodman A (capacity 25): Two stations, distanced from each other. Both pairs of outside doors to remain open all day.

Goodman B (capacity 25): Two stations, distanced from each other. Both pairs of outside doors to remain open all day.

Cascade A + B (capacity 10): One station. Both pairs of outside doors to remain open all day.

Basalt Columns (outdoors): One station, probably the stove and cooking gear demo because they are best done outside. We hope to be able to get some sort of tent covering for this area, if not from the Club them one owned by a member of the Backpacking Committee.

North Wall and green spaces to the Northeast (with the "metal sphere" sculpture) and Northwest (by electrical boxes): One big station used as a tent demo area.  We may send someone a week or two before to prune the thorny berry vines.