Soquel SoleMates Hiking Group

We are a friendly group of avid forest bathers who will be meeting usually 2-3 times a month, typically on a weekday morning, to explore our wonderful and numerous local and beyond trails. Our hikes will range from Easy to Challenging/Difficult depending on the chosen adventure. Many of our hikes are in the Santa Cruz County area but we do oft-times venture out to trails in the counties of Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Clara and beyond.

Maximum group size will be 12 so as not to overwhelm nature with our presence. And all attendees should be fully COVID 19 vaccinated so as to allow us all to go mask-free if we desire. We trust everyone will be honest about their status when they sign up.

I personally tend to hike at a fairly rapid pace but can certainly appreciate the value of slowing down a bit to fully enjoy our surroundings so pace is somewhat flexible. Depending on difficulty our group pace usually averages an intermediate rate of 2.5-2.8mph. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower depending on terrain. I strive to be thorough in my event write-ups so please read through them carefully so that you can enjoy the pleasure of hiking trails that interest you and match your skill level. For those who join us but hike at a significantly slower pace might find it hard to keep up with the group.

Beginner hiking pace is 1-2 mph. Intermediate hikers = 2-3mph. Speed hikers = 3-4mph. We are an Intermediate Hiking Pace group.

Safety: Please keep in mind that you always hike at your own risk and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety.

Start times will vary. Typically anywhere from 8am to 10am depending on time of year, travel distance and parking considerations. Try to be on time. If you arrive beyond the start time please feel free to try and catch up to us!

Very important - Please RSVP only if you are committed to attend. Reevaluate your availability at least a few days before the hike and withdraw at that time if you can no longer commit. Please change your status to "Not Going" as soon as you realize that you plan to withdraw. This allows others to attend. Or just simply message me and I will remove you from the Going list. There is always a Waitlist of people who would like to attend and this way it opens up a space for someone else.

I look forward to healthy, fresh air exercise with new and established friends as we explore our beautiful outdoors!

Legal Disclaimer: The hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a hike, event, or other outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards. And further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.