Sierra Club Beginning Backpacking Course: Winter Class/Spring Trip

BEGINNING BACKPACKING (BP) COURSE

How Do I Get to Go?

1. Read all of this announcement.

2. Join the waitlist here on Meetup, then send an email to KCbackpack@yahoo.com with your name & "Let's go backpacking" in the subject line.

3. In reply we'll send you a survey + a participant agreement to complete, & provide PayPal details.

4. Once the preliminaries are done, you'll be moved to "Going" here on Meetup. We are aiming for ~12 students.
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An introduction to three-season recreational backpacking around KC for adults, combining practical instruction w/ a guided backpacking experience where we supportively put it together outdoors. The classroom activity is in Jan., yes. But don't worry, outdoor activities are in the spring! This gives you ample time to decide if you want to use the gear lending library as a member or purchase your own gear after learning what we have to share in class.

Previous sessions have introduced many to BP & have been a catalyst for networking w/ members of KC's hiking & backpacking community. After the course, we can help you take it to the next level with addt'l KC-area BP trips & options for a wide variety of big league adventures w/ the Nat'l Sierra Club.

YOU HAVE NO EQUIPMENT? We have a gear lending library focused on sleeping bags & pads, tents, backpacks and stoves for Sierra Club members for this course. Here's how to join the Sierra Club:
https://tinyurl.com/jointtheclub (membership as low as $15).

COURSE PRICE: $65 (going up fall 2022), exclusively contactless via PayPal. Payment instructions to be provided for those confirmed to participate. This pays it forward, helping to finance the gear lending library, local leadership training & trail maintenance. Instructors are volunteers & not compensated.

ACTIVITIES:

1. 1/22/22 - Class #1, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Veterans Community Project, https://www.veteranscommunityproject.org/
   1201 E 89th ST, KC, MO 64131

It is recommended to bring your lunch.

A picture is now posted (in the photos) showing a building with a red square and a parking lot w/ the shaded yellow square. Park in the yellow square area, and come over to the class in the building w/ the red square.

2. 4/09/22 - Shakedown hike with full backpacking kit 12:30 - 4:00 p.m., then camp out at Timber Ridge Adventure Center that night, adjacent to Kill Creek Park. We'll have several "how to" demos & gear displays. We'll invite recent backpacking class grads & backpacking regulars to camp with us using backpacking gear.*

3. 4/29/22-5/01/22 - TWO-NIGHT BP TRIP, ~3 hrs. from KC, leave KC approx. 7:30 a.m. on 4/29 & return p.m 5/01* The leader(s) might bring a dog(s) on the backpack.

Course syllabus:
https://tinyurl.com/kcscwtr22

p.s. we'll also hold a separate spring class in addition to this winter one; so if this winter one doesn't work for you, there is another opportunity to sign up for that different course - which is posted on Meetup. The spring class will share in the same shakedown hike & campout, but have a separate backpacking trip.

We will use LNT & Beyond LNT practices,
www.lnt.org/
www.tinyurl.com/beyondLNT

Here come the required statements!

Bring a personal 1st aid kit to the * activities,
https://tinyurl.com/P1stAid

A mix of vaccinated & unvaccinated individuals is possible on all activities.

Face coverings/masks are required by Sierra Club policy on all indoor activities.

During sign-in for the course, approved participants are required to sign this standard Participant Agreement which applies to all activities/outings, www.tinyurl.com/SCAGR

Each activity is an Outing; they start & end on dates, locations & times designated by Sierra Club. Outings do not include carpooling, transportation or transit to & from them; each participant is personally responsible for ALL travel-associated risks.

https://tinyurl.com/SCKCVid