About The Portland Hiking Meetup Group

Welcome to the Portland Hiking Meetup! We are a diverse group of people who enjoy sharing our love of exploring Oregon and southern Washington’s trails and byways with other like-minded folks. You’ll find experienced hikers and those who are new to hiking; young and finely-aged (our youngest “hiker” is one and half, though most of us are 20ish and up); single and coupled; fair-weather hikers and all-weather hikers; those who think nothing of doing a quick 15-mile Alpine loop and those whose idea of a good time is a gentle 4-mile stroll; birders, wildflower specialists, geologists, landscape photographers, and more. Everyone brings a unique perspective and their own special talents to the group in a spirit of camaraderie and sharing.
To help get you started with the group, we’d like to offer the following points of information:

• EXPLORE THE WEBSITE. Become familiar with the resources and tools available to you as a member. The menu at the top left of every page will get you to the Message Board, where you can communicate with other members; the Files page, where your organizer posts relevant information; the Photos page, where members share their pictures of recent hikes; and more.
  
• ATTEND AN EVENT AS SOON AS YOU CAN. Get up, get out, and get active with us NOW, before the thought passes you by! Here’s how it works:
  
• Honestly assess your fitness and skill levels: we’ve all done it—ignored an injury or a cold, convinced ourselves we’re in better shape than we really are, and pushed ourselves past limits we later wished we had respected. Please try not to. We provide information about each hike that should help you judge whether it’s the right trip for you or not. Distance, elevation gain, temperature and climate conditions can all present challenges (after all, that’s why we’re doing this, right?). As a rule of thumb, assume that our hiking pace will be about two miles per hour, meaning that a 6-mile hike will take at least three hours, not including water and food breaks. We want you to finish a trail wishing it had been longer, not wishing you had never come. Also, please review the Waiver of Liability at (Waiver of liability). If you have any questions whatsoever about whether a hike is right for you, do not hesitate to contact the hike leader via the Meetup site (more on how to do that, below).
  
• RSVP for an event: as a member, you will automatically receive an email whenever a new event is posted. Simply indicate “yes”, “no”, or (sometimes) “maybe” in the box at the top right of the event posting, hit the “RSVP for this Meetup” button, and your name and photo will appear in the correct place on the right-side column.
  
• Show up, on time: all of our organizers are volunteers who put significant effort into planning safe, fun, interesting events. Please respect their schedule by showing up at the designated meeting place a few minutes before the posted start time. IMPORTANT: if your plans have changed and you are no longer able to attend, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR RSVP TO “NO” JUST AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. Many of these trips have limited participation, and it is likely that there is someone else who would like to go if a spot opens up; please play fair by releasing your reservation. Also, organizers make plans based on how many will be attending; please support us by keeping your RSVP current.
  
• Show up prepared: many of our hikes take place in fairly remote wilderness areas, and all of our hikes are subject to Oregon’s changeable weather. We make every effort to inform you of what you will need to bring along and wear for your hike. We need you to pay attention to that information and plan accordingly. Hiking gear lists are on all event postings. HIKERS WHO SHOW UP UNPREPARED AT THE CARPOOLING SITE MAY BE TURNED AWAY AT THE HIKE LEADER’S DISCRETION. This is a matter of safety—not just yours, but the entire groups’. If an unprepared hiker is injured or incapacitated in any way, the entire group may be put at risk in having to stage a rescue. The organizers of the Portland Hiking Meetup put a high priority on the safety and comfort of our members, and we ask that you take responsibility for doing your part.
  
• Share the wealth: if you are a car-pooler riding with someone else, plan to help pay the driver’s expenses. Operating a car is about more than just the cost of gas; there’s insurance, maintenance, and the energy it takes to drive safely after a long day in the woods. Please honor that by bringing gas money for the driver, depending on both the length of the trip and the number of people in the car.
  
• Have fun: if you are interested in identifying wildflowers, bring your book and share what you learn with the rest of the group. If you love playing blues harmonica, give us a tune or two while we’re having lunch. This group is meant for more than just hiking. We all want to meet interesting people and make new friends, so let your light shine!
  
• Provide feedback: when you return to your computer after your hike, you will find an email from the Meetup site waiting for you, asking you to rate your hiking experience. Please complete as much of the rating as you care to and add a comment if you like. We do pay attention to your feedback!
  
• Become a leader: we are always looking for additional Assistant Organizers who would like to lead hikes of their own. There is a need for people who would enjoy leading shorter hikes and mid-week hikes, in particular. If you are interested, or have any questions about the process, please contact the Portland Hiking Group Organizer, Claudio Berstein
  

One last point: The Portland Hiking Meetup is a great place to make new friends and socialize, but it is not a dating site or a singles group. While dating among members is not discouraged, it's important
to remember that we're here for friendly group hiking and outdoor activities. We're very serious about creating a safe environment that is comfortable for everybody. When leading a large hike, it's
impossible for a hike leader to monitor every social interaction; if for any reason you are made to feel uncomfortable as the result of unwanted, or inappropriate advances - or you observe someone
overstepping any boundaries - please bring this to the attention of a hike leader and we will intervene. In extreme cases, we will revoke membership to people who display behavior inappropriate to this group.
To contact the Group Organizer or any of the Assistant Organizers/Hike Leaders, go to the “Organized By” box in the left-hand column of any page on the site, and click on the desired person’s name. Their personal profile will open up. Go to the top left of the page under the person’s name, and click on “Send email”. You will have the option to make your return email address anonymous if you wish. Any reply will then be sent to you through the Meetup site.
Happy hiking!