Sierra Club | Kansas City | Backpacking | Hiking | Service

Join Sierra Club as we work together to restore the diversity, health and resiliency of the Blue River Glades Natural Area. This remnant of ecologically significant public land is managed in conjunction with Jackson County Parks & Recreation & KC Wildlands. It is located just south of Swope Park in the heart of Kansas City providing “nearby nature” opportunities for all. This limestone glade community is one of the northernmost occurrences of such a community in Missouri and the best example existing locally. Gnarled chinquapin oaks nearly 300 years old sit atop slab-like outcroppings of Bethany Falls limestone. A prairie-like flora of grasses and wildflowers provides rich color and texture through most of the year. This community is managed through periodic prescribed burning. The glade is threatened by several exotic plant species, especially honeysuckle, which needs to be eradicated so native flowers and grasses flourish again in these stunning wild areas.

Trail maintenance this time of year is an advantage because there are fewer ticks but if it is too wet or too cold we will reschedule. No prior experience necessary! Volunteers will work to remove invasive shrub honeysuckle from the Eddy-Ballentine Trail loop which winds through upland forest to the Blue River Glade Natural Area.
What to Bring:
Work gloves, long pants, and sturdy, closed-toe hiking shoes or boots (no sandals) are required. Layers of clothing and a hat depending on the weather. Glasses or sunglasses for eye protection. A water bottle full of water. Hand saw or loppers if you have them. Bug spray and sunscreen recommended.
At sign-in, all participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard participant agreement you can read here, if you would like to read it b4 you choose to participate, www.tinyurl.com/sonsite
The outing officially begins & ends on the dates & the locations designated by Sierra Club. Carpooling for this outing is not included or arranged by Sierra Club leaders. It is at your discretion with other participants to & from the outing; each participant is personally responsible for all risks associated with this travel.

Check out this short video of one of our workdays by Nyvia DelaCruz, Jackson County Communications DPT who also took the above photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXb8e8PpD4z/
This video explains how and why we are getting rid of honeysuckle-
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+chainsqw+honeysuckle&&view=detail&mid=7B9E815CCBCF458704A77B9E815CCBCF458704A7&&FORM=VDRVSR
Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet 🌎
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more informationl, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Why America must protect 30x30 (w/ Sen. Tom Udall, Dr. Enric Sala) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4VmOchhp8o

**Weather interrupted our first attempt to host this in December, so we are excited to bring it back**

Join your friends and neighbors for a hike along Prairie Creek. Enjoy a lovely winter walk passing waterfalls, rolling hills, and a lovely (sleeping) prairie.

This is a 4 mile loop on paved path. Learn about how KC is protecting water, air, and greenspace and ways you can enjoy and protect it from your local Sierra Club.

This event is rain or shine, but we will monitor the weather and may cancel if conditions become unsafe. Dress warmly and wear appropriate footwear (comfy warm socks, closed-toed walking shoes or hiking boots, please!). Water bottle recommended.

If you have any questions, contact the organizer or Billy Davies, co-leader and KC area Sierra Club staffer at william.davies@sierraclub.org or 847-636-3642.

This trail is pretty young and is a great example of how we can make greenspace more accessible. It also encourages reflection about how our green space and natural treasures can be threatened, including by new and proposed AI data centers, which pose big impacts on water quality. electricity and air quality. Prairie Creek is just a few miles from the site of a proposed 1 million square foot data center north of the KCI Airport.

There are no vaccine, mask or testing mandates, but if you're sick, please do not attend!

At sign-in, all participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard participant agreement you can read, if you would like to read it before you choose to participate, www.tinyurl.com/sonsite

The outing officially begins & ends on the dates & the locations designated by Sierra Club. Carpooling for this outing is not included or arranged by Sierra Club leaders. It is at your discretion with other participants to & from the outing; each participant is personally responsible for all risks associated with this travel.

Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet 🌎
The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with over 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit [www.sierraclub.org. ]

🚶‍♂️ From NKC to KCMO’s River Market: Suburban & Urban Adventure Awaits on a Ten-ish Mile hike! 🌆

Walk from the NKC Sam's Club parking lot, zigzagging through the 'burbs, diving into NKC’s industrial jungle, surfing above MO waves on the Heart of America Bridge, and finally river-siding it to the market! 🚗🌉🌊🛒 Did we mention one of the best cityscape views of downtown KC, too?

As we walk, we’ll witness the importance of urban planning, as on some of the stretches, we will be walking on sidewalks while on other stretches next to roads, where a sidewalk could be but isn't, in the grass/gravel/dirt/road edge (let's call walking along roads without sidewalks "roadside") in NKC neighbourhoods— it’s like a neon sign: Sidewalks Wanted! 🏙️

We'll cross the Mighty MO via the HOA Bridge (1, 2, 3), where great views await, walk down a wide road time forgot where we hope no train is parked on the tracks or have to go the long way around to **Berkley River Front **and see the new soccer stadium and then stop @ a river viewing deck.Then pop into Chinatown Market (great cold drink selection.) Finally, our outing concludes at the vibrant River Market. 🛒

But wait! 🍽️ Afterward, linger for a delectable **Taste of Brazil lunch -**if open and not cold outside, otherwise, the sure thing is indoors at Minsky's, where the TV wall's slate of sports games awaits.

Remember, this adventure spans ten-ish miles (follow that link to see a top-down perspective & use Google Street View for an impression).

You’re in control—of how you'll get to our starting point & then back to it. THIS IS A ONE-WAY POINT-TO-POINT HIKE. YOU HAVE TO PLAN HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO THE START & THEN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO FOR RETURN TRANSPORTATION, e.g. if your vehicle is at Sam's Club where we started, how will you get back there to get it, we are not returning there as part of the outing. And note, we have NOT cleared anyone parking at Sam's Club for this, it is the rally point for the hike, not necessarily a proper place to assume you can park.

And if the weather is bad, it is super cold, or streets are meh from earlier weather (e.g. snow or ice on the ground), we we'll likely cancel. So yeah, we're rolling the dice that we catch a break on conditions, tbd!

Guidelines for staying safe and projecting group strength:

1. What to Bring: Pack your headlamp, fresh batteries, water, snacks, mini-umbrella, rain jacket, hiking sticks/staff, & pepper spray.
2. Stay Close: Maintain physical proximity. Walk closely together.
3. Dress Code: Go ahead & wear bright colours if you'd like to, e.g. bright safety color vest/outwear (e.g. fluorescent blaze orange (hunter orange) or fluorescent chartreuse (hunter safety green)
   Also, wear layers that you can remove & put in a daypack that you also bring.
4. Blinking Lights: Since we're walking roadside without sidewalks at times, consider using reflective armbands or flashing LED lights. Stay visible & stay safe! 🚶‍♂️🌟
5. Awareness: Be vigilant of your surroundings. Scan for potential threats & stay alert. If you see something, say something.
6. Confidence: Walk with purpose & avoid looking hesitant. Confidence can deter troublemakers.

Remember, safety is a collective effort, and by following these guidelines, our group will be more visible to traffic, project strength and discourage unwanted attention. 😊👍

How Do I Get to Go?

Read everything. Be prepared. Sign up.

Use LNT practices.

Sign the standard participant agreement.

Bring a personal 1st aid kit.

Be prepared with a rapid solution should you not be able to finish and need to leave the outing, e.g. if you find 10 miles is too much, have a bail out ready so it doesn't bog down the group.

The Outing officially begins & ends on the dates & at the location designated by the Sierra Club, i.e., the trailhead. The Outing does not include carpooling—at your discretion, transportation, or transit to & from the Outing; each participant is personally responsible for all risks associated with this travel. Account for travel time when planning; we just show together time. You decide how to reach the start & leave from the finish.

🤒 If you’re sick, please do not attend. 🏥

Would you like to learn how to read a topographical map for wilderness travel and how to use a compass and GPS with that topo map so you don’t get lost? Join a two-part course “Introduction to Wilderness Navigation”. Saturday will be in class at the Discovery Center from 9-4 and Sunday will be in the field at Shawnee Mission Park Orienteering Course from. 1 to 3.

YOUR RSVP DOES NOT HOLD YOUR SPOT!
Class size is limited to the first 12 people who enroll. Once you have enrolled and paid, I will confirm that you are in the classes.
ENROLLMENT = $75
SCHOLARSHIPS = $25, For those under the age of thirty, Offered as part of the Outdoors for All Program which helps each new generation stay in touch with nature and learn the importance of protecting it for the next generation.
Please enroll via PayPal -https://paypal.me/kcsierracluboutings
Part of your payment ($25) is for class materials: UTM booklet with grid tool, USGS Hilda topo quad map, and worksheets/handouts. The remainder of the payment, is a fundraiser/donation to finance the Gear Lending Library, local leadership first aid training, & trail maintenance in KS & MO. Instructors are volunteers & not compensated.

BEFORE CLASS
Read the book “Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & GPS” by Bob & Mike Burns, Mountaineers Books, 2025 (fourth edition). The book is not included in the materials that I will be giving you at the first class. You may be able to find the book at the library -
https://search.worldcat.org/title/88994130
or you can purchase on Amazon.

FOR CLASS
You will need a compass with a clear baseplate and adjustable declination. One basic compass that the book recommends is the Brunton Tru Arc 5. You can order the compass online at several sites like Amazon or Target.

FEB 21 (SAT)9:00 AM- 4:00 PM, ANITA GORMAN DISCOVERY CENTER
CHAPTERS 1 - 2, MAP AND COMPASS BASICS
“With the exception of your brain, a map is your most important navigational tool. No one should venture into the wilderness without one, nor without the ability to interpret it.”
CHAPTERS 3, ORIENTATION & NAVIGATION
"Navigation is the science of determining the location of your objective and keeping yourself pointed in the right direction from your starting point to this destination.
CHAPTERS 5 -8, GPS, LOST, UTM, & ROUTEFINDING
“Routefinding begins at home. Before heading out the door, you need to know not only the name of your wilderness destination but also a great deal about how to get there and back. This information is accessible from guidebooks and maps and from people who have been there.”

FEB 22 (SUN) 1:00- 3:00 PM, SHAWNEE MISSION PARK
Practice with map & compass at the Shawnee Mission Park Orienteering Course. Meet at 7900 Renner Rd Visitor Center, Shawnee, KS 66219
At sign-in - all participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard participant agreement you can read here, if you would like to read it b4 you choose to participate, www.tinyurl.com/sonsite

Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet 🌎 - The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with over 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Why America must protect 30x30 (w/ Sen. Tom Udall, Dr. Enric Sala) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4VmOchhp8o