Information for Trip Leaders

Trip Leader Checklist

• How do I become a Ski Leader or Co-leader?
• Trip Planning
• Sample Poop Sheet
• Equipment Checklist
• Clothing Checklist
• Trip Report Template
• WMNF Trip Report
• WORKSHOP REPORT form (for Workshop coordinators)
• Release Agreement

How do I become a Ski Leader or Co-leader?

1. Brief description of yourself and your favorite places to ski.
2. List the trips you've coled with the SkiCom or workshop you taught. Be sure to include dates, location, and leader's name.
3. References from the leaders you've worked with
4. Leads or co-leads for other AMC committees. Please include leader phone #s.
5. Other trips or groups you've organized or helped managed outside the AMC.
6. Please describe what types of trips you would be interested in leading with the SkiCom.

Trip Planning

The first step to a successful trip is planning. These are required and recommended tasks for all leaders and co-leaders to keep in mind when planning out there trips.

1. Trip Listing: List your trip in Outdoors, Mud, and/or web page and amc-ski. Your listing must be submitted 2 months prior for the Outdoors, 1 month prior for the Mud, and 2 weeks prior for the web page and amc-ski. There are trip listing guidelines for the Outdoors and Mud. Publication Dates. Web page listings do not list co/leader names for phone #s, but will list an email link to either leader, coleader, or contact person.
2. Money: There is a $2/person/night fee for overnight trips that goes to the Ski Committee. This is to reemburse the committee for training, workshops, expenses and planning costs. There is no fee for day trips. As leaders, you are entitled to have reasonable expenses covered out of the cost trip.
3. Screening: As people contact you to sign-up, describe your trip itinerary, difficulty, and necessary equipment. Describe any hazards they will face during your trip.Allow them to select themselves out of the trip. Verbally talk with each participant with regard to their ABILITY, EXPERIENCE, FITNESS, MEDICAL problems, and their EQUIPMENT. Although email is convenient, you need to talk to everyone on the phone prior to the trip. Questionable/Marginal skiers don't know their equipment and are vague about their experience. Be particularly careful with last-minute sign-ups and those signing up friends.
   If the person meets your requirements, obtain their Name, Phone #, Email. You should also obtain their town for car pool info, but you don't need their specific address.
4. Checklist:Leader and Coleader should carry FIRST AID kit, MAP & COMPASS, extra CLOTHING and FOOD, and extra EQUIPMENT or TOOLS. (See Leader Equipment checklist). Leader should discuss equipment with coleader prior to trip.
5. Poop Sheet:Leader needs to send out POOP sheet at least one week prior to departure date. This should contain the trip objective, meeting place and time, itinerary, necessary equipment and ability, back-up plan, costs, cancellation policy, and other specific info needed. A sample itinerary is shown here.
6. Weather Forecast: Before leaving town, obtain a current WEATHER forecast and snow conditions. Forward this info to participants if you have an email list.
7. At the trailhead:
      a- Ensure everyone is properly clothed and equipped.
      b- Take a total headcount of participants, make sure all sign-ups are present.
      c- Describe the itinerary, lunch stop, and weather forecast. Describe any known hazards and where. Introduce the Coleader, and ask for questions. 
      d- A sweep should be designated; the trip coleader or leader is preferred. The sweep should know the overall route and equipped to handle problems or emergencies.
8. During the trip: Pause frequently to shed clothing, admire the view, and keep the group together.  Take a headcount during these breaks and at lunch. Watch and talk with each participant during the trip; identify participant problems early and assess their ability to keep up or continue with the group.
9. Group Decisions: Final decisions are up to the leader. Coleader and participants should suggest ideas or options, but the leader makes any final decision. The coleader's role is to assist the leader and support his decision.
10. After the trip: Account for all participants at the end of the trip. In the interest of group enjoyment, it is best to start the trip together, stay together, and leave together.
11. Enjoy Yourselves: Beyond safety, the most important responsibility of the leader is that everyone has a good time. The success of the trip is measured by the enjoyment that the participants derive from it. To a large degree, it depends upon the enthusiasm, tactfulness, sociability, and good sense of the leader and coleader.
12. Trip Report: File a trip report even if the trip is cancelled. This report should describe number of participants, any accidents or problems, recommends new leaders, and other useful comments.

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FOREST SERVICE TRIP REPORT

The Forest Service requires all AMC trips to the White Mountain National Forest be reported. The information they need is:

Date(s) of trip
Location or Destination
Number of persons on the trip
Number of person-days (#persons times #days)

This report can be emailed to the Forest Service directly.

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Sample Poop Sheet:
This poop sheet is for a day backcountry tour that occurred during relatively mild temperatures. An overnight trip requires deposits and a cancellation policy. A more complete checklist is available at this website.  GREELY PONDS Backcountry Ski Tour
2/13/99
Jeff Barrell / Sue Gallahue
617-964-1246

MEETING TIME and PLACE
 We will meet on Saturday morning at 9:30 at the Tourist Info Center just off I93 exit 28 (Waterville Valley). The Tourist Info center is easy to find: turn RIGHT at the end of the off-ramp and RIGHT again at the first street, just before the gas station. The center is on your immediate right, across this side road from the gas station. Drive time from Boston is approximately two hours. This trip will cancel if rain is expected; please call me if you cannot go. 

ITENERARY:
  We will drive together to Waterville Valley and park above the upper parking lot (Livermore Road trailhead). We will then pack up and ski up Livermore Road to Greely Ponds and back, a tour of approximately four miles. If conditions and group energy are good, we can continue up Livermore Road past the Greely Ponds turnoff for another mile or two, covering 5-7 miles and about four hours including lunch. Livermore Road is wide and mostly flat near the parking lot, picking up gradient as the road nears Tripyramid peak. The Greely Ponds trail is narrower and steeper, particularly near the Ponds. Participants need to be able to ski in control down an ungroomed trail in a variety of conditions. A solid snowplow or wedge is an absolute minimum for this tour.

EQUIPMENT:
Metal edge skis should be used for all backcountry tours unless snow is soft and deep (rare in New England). Boots are more important than skis and participants need a good, stiff pair of boots with a 3-pin or BC binding. This tour is not suitable for track skis and boots and anyone showing up with this equipment will be encouraged to ski at Waterville Valley for the day. Call me if you have questions or concerns with your equipment.

CLOTHING:
 Winter so far has not been particularly cold here in Boston. Waterville is higher in elevation and a cold snap could occur any day in winter. Everyone needs to dress in layers to adjust for the conditions. You'll also need a pack to carry extra clothing, water, lunch, and other essentials for backcountry skiing. I've enclosed a list of items I typically bring skiing.
 
 

Skis, Boots, Poles Pack ITEMS inside PACK: Lunch, munchies Water bottle Extra layer (sweater or pile top) Moleskin & tape Sunglasses Sunscreen & lip balm Bandanna Duct tape Pad for sitting

CLOTHING: PolyPro top and bottoms Pile or wool shirt Pile, wool, or spandex bottoms [Please, NO COTTON tops or bottoms] Thick pile or sweater top (extra layer inside your pack) Gortex or nylon parka or jacket Wind pants Wool or pile hat Glove liners Gloves or Mittens Overmittens Gaitors Wool or synthetic socks (2 layers) Good socks are important to prevent blisters and cold feet

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    Preferred Inns & Lodges

We would like to build a list of Inns used by AMC Leaders for trips and workshops. Please send your recomendations to the webmaster - include Inn name, location, phone #, email, price/person, if meals are included, and comments. 

Name                Location                  Cost     W meals?     Phone#         Email            Comments