What we’re about
http://www.socialfundation.com for the full calendar.
Ever suddenly realize that the weekend is almost upon you and you have a few free days, but can't find someone with an open schedule to accompany you on that killer hike you've been wanting to do for months? Or have you tried to organize a trip through another backpacking meetup and found that it's a mess of coordinating schedules? Here's the place to post your idea, no matter how short the notice.
We are a collection of backpackers from absolute beginner up to hard-core mountaineering folks all looking to share some new adventures with new friends. We will have regular events hosted by our organizers but we also welcome the community to post their own trips to see who else might be interested in joining.
A couple of things about being part of our group:
- Safety! Know your abilities and your limits. If you find yourself over your skills, be vocal and let others know.
- Respect nature! Practice good stewardship and leave it cleaner than you found it.
- Respect Others! Be mindful of how your decisions can impact them, especially when it comes to safety!
- Be patient! If you like to grind out the miles be patient if your group isn't quite up to your level.
- Be generous! Some trips will be free, others will be paid, it is all dependent on what the organizer decides. Even if a trip is free, offer to help with gas for the car pool or bring a dessert to share on the trail.
Upcoming events
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•OnlineFeatured International Meetup Trips for 2024 & 2025
OnlineThis Zoom Overseas Q & A is a monthly event.
Video Link: https://meet.google.com/irp-rnyi-fgb No software or download needed. Just open in a browser.
The date gets moved right before the event occurs. This way all the links posted to events keep working.
We have some truly EPIC Overseas events ahead. And Epic Adventure leads to Copious Questions.
To solve that . . . Let's Talk! Join us for a Q & A Zoom where you can ask all your Q's and get all your A's.
SCHEDULE
6:00 to 7:30pm PST is Q & A about our Overseas Events.
Such as Costa Rica, Japan Fall Colors, Angkor Wat, Everest Base Camp, Meetup On The Orient Express, Machu Picchu, Spain and Portugal...7:30 to 9pm PST Is about camping stuff. Newbie Q's. Gear. Food. Camping Tips.
Including Q & A and about specific local trips/events.Click Here for the The Local Events and Beginner Camping ZOOM event
To join the zoom FILL OUT THIS GOOGLE FORM and/or RSVP to this event. We will email direct on the day of, to remind you.
What to talk about? Most of the convo will be on the following:
Sep 12, 2025 Bali & Singapore Journey (filled)
Oct 12, 2025 Jordan: Dana to Petra Trek with Wadi Rum (filled)
Oct 19, 2025: Petra to the Pyramids. Dead Sea, Sphinx & Nile (filled)
Nov 27, 2025 Catalina & Ensenada -- Thanksgiving Weekend Cruise
Feb 20, 2026 Northern Lights. A Scandinavian Odyssey!
Feb 28, 2026 India's Golden Triangle with HOLI and Dubai
Mar 29, 2026 Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Jun 5, 2026 Costa Rica Eco Adventure
Jun 18, 2026 Mt Kilimanjaro Trek! One of the 7 Summits
Jun 27, 2026 Serengeti Photo Safari! Africa’s Best Wildlife Show
Jul 05, 2026 Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Aug 03, 2026 Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier Cruise from San Francisco
Sep 09, 2026 France Culinary Explorer! Food
Sep 20, 2026 Meetup on the Orient Express
Dec 04, 2026 Vietnam & Cambodia (with Angkor Wat)
Mar 06, 2027 Galapagos Islands Expedition
Apr 25, 2027 Everest Base Camp Yoga Trek:To receive detailed itinerary on ANY of our events . . . CLICK HERE to fill out our google form.
Our events are all very safe, fun, curated, and organized.
Questions about Hotels, Flights, Meals, Museums, Power Plugs, Converters, Money Conversion or whatever!!
All the folks currently signed on to our events are invited to come and ask all the Q's and get all the deets they want to. They will also get them in writing too, but we know a lot of folks rather a face and voice compared to an email. It's that whole human interaction thing!
**To join the zoom FILL OUT THIS GOOGLE FORM **We will email direct on the day of to remind you.
110 attendees
•OnlineSo you want to be an organizer? Find out how to post your own event on the group
OnlineWhy not host some events. Great way to meet people!!!
Got an idea for an event or an event you want to do?
NOW is your chance!!!!
It's a new year coming up. AND you want it to be different than the last.
Do you find events and think: "Gee, . . . I like this event but want it closer, or on a different day, or just a little earlier or later."If you post the event you pick the time, and place and date that in convenient to you. As well as pick the content/topic/focus of the event.
What a win!!!
This meetup is a giant collaboration. In that vein we welcome new organizers.
These are basic rules all organizers must abide by and work within. Mostly they are all about showing a respect for the members.
Best Practices or the rules simplified.
- No Emailing and no using the "discussion" box
- No outside links
- All events are Hosted. There are no "no host" events.
- List any money costs in the first 2 or 3 lines.
- Special note about Repeat Events.
- Special note about city or area in title
Not too many rules. Not too complicated. They all have to do with respect for the membership.
1.) No Emailing AND No Discussion Box
The one BIG BIG rule I have is NOBODY messages the general membership via the email feature. Post the event and let Meetup send out all the notices. The discussion box is just another way for you to send spam. So that is closed, and only for the use and management by and of the (main) organizer only.2.) No Outside links:
No links to other meetups. No links to other social media (no instagram, no eventbrite, no twitter, no facebook etc).
For instance: Do not just put a Facebook link. Instead copy all the wording from FB and put the words. Plain and simple; Link's are lazy. So don't be lazy!!!
You want members to click the RSVP. So you don't give any other option that may lead them away from the event page.
*** If you "need" outside links of any sort: Contact the lead organizer and just make sure ok. It usually is. Just ask first.3.) Meetup does not allow "No Host" events. You or the listed Event Host will be there and present. You will welcome and make sure people can find you or the meetup area. And that people will be able to actually be able to meet others from meetup. If members in attendance report you are not attending your events you will not be allowed to continue to post events. If you want to post an "informational" event then go and post it on Craigslist.
4.) List money costs in the first few lines.
This has to do with email notices. The email version of the event sends the first few lines of the writeup. If it's free, . . .say it's free. If it costs . . . say it early so people have the info.
If it is free it is best to include the word "Free" in the title.5.) Events can repeat no more than every three weeks, unless you get permission ahead of time.
When making a repeating event DO NOT USE the auto-scheduling feature. After your event occurs log on and list it again.
The Auto-pilot is a problem as people forget they listed. They don't show up and people do. The complaints end up being filed against the group and not the organizer that bailed.
If you use the "repeat" feature it will be edited and the future ones edited off.6.) List the city or area in the title. You get better turnout and less flakes.
There are some general guidelines to making great events
General Guidelines:- Great wording
- Great Pix
- 4 weeks notice is best
Cost of posting events?
We do not charge for access to the group. We only ask that the event is good decent social and creates community.TO BE AN ORGANIZER ON THIS GROUP YOU NEED TO DO THREE THINGS:
#1 RSVP to this event.
#2 SEND A DIRECT MESSAGE TO THE LEAD ADMIN ON THE GROUP WHO CAN CHANGE YOUR STATUS TO BE ABLE TO POST AN EVENT. Click this link to send a Direct Message:
https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=273063881INCLUDE IN YOUR MESSAGE:
- If you are an Event Organizer, Asst Organizer, Co-Organizer or Organizer of any meetup groups . . . List those. Links to the group is preferred so I can see what your events look like there.
- AND some links to current or past events.
- If you do organize things . . . but not on meetup . . . list links to those instead.
- If you have not organized anything before . . . Include links to samples of what you want to do or what you are thinking of.
#3 FILL OUT OUR GOOGLE FORM Click this link to fill out the form
https://forms.gle/d1yNnhUiNP6CzyCw7Question: Why do I have to do all three thing?
Answer: For us to have you post to the group we need to know (approximately) you wish to post. AND . . . we also need to trust you . . . AND . . . We want to get an idea of what kind of organizer you will be.These three things combined help us to do that. Do just one, or the other or not all three . . . Sorry . . . that's our rule. Do step One, Two and Three. On your group you can make your own rules. On ours . . . please respect ours.
Still got questions? Click this link to send a Direct Message:
https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=273063881Organizing events is the best way to meet people.
We pay for the group and you don't have to. You post events and get attendees and have great social fun.
What a win!!!
note: the date of this event keeps moving to a date in the future so the event stays active and editable. And your RSVP stay active.
We will do a Zoom on that date and time and you can ask your questions in person or ask how do I organize things.
See you at the zoom . . . OR . . . forget about the zoom and send a DM/Direct Message
It's your choice.
Of course the best choice is to be able to post events and create good decent social.
So what are you waiting for?
52 attendees
Past events
323
