*VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE!* DO NOT leave valuables in your car; it's a common occurrence to have break-ins at trailheads, and it's even happened to our members in the past. So please, please, please- do not leave any valuables in your car! If you have a purse or wallet then leave it at home. Tuck your license, etc into your pack. Hikers often put their valuables into the trunk, and this is not a deterrent! Thieves often sit in their car and watch to see who is putting their valuables where, so please play it safe and leave all that at home.
First of all, in case I haven't made it very, very clear: I am so excited to have you join us!
We have many events happening in the near future; you can check them out at our calendar. Even if you can't make it, please at least RSVP "No" (that will cut down on the amount of email Meetup.com generates to you!). Guests are more than welcome, and Dogs are welcome at most hikes (it's listed on each hike description). Dogs don't have to be counted as guests. ;)
You can see in the left-hand column and in the menu bar above are options for different pages on this site. I've put together a section on Hiking How-To, which is a perfect place for you to start! Even if you're an experienced hiker it never helps to at least skim through the information. And if you aren't an experienced hiker (most of our members are not- yet!) then you will probably find the information quite valuable.
Be sure to read about the 10 Essentials- you'll be strongly encouraged to pack these on every hike. Remember that we are literally going out in the woods; emergencies can happen, even only a few miles from civilization. Don't worry, we aren't asking you tote along a 50-pound pack. As a matter of fact, there's even a special article on fitting those 10 Essentials into a fanny pack!
When you show up for a hike, you'll be expected to sign-in. The sign-in sheet doubles as a liability waiver. What the waiver basically says is that if you do something silly, like not pack your 10 Essentials, you won't hold me or any of my helpers personally responsible. You can read the exact wording in the Frequently Asked Questions section in the above menu bar. We have a suggested donation of $6 per person annually. You can find out more about that policy here.
One last thing I'd like to mention is that while our group doesn't require ANYone to meet a certain participation level in Meetups, per our Rules and Regulations we do ask that you log into the PNW Leisure Hiking Meetup Site at least once every two months. This lets us see how serious people are about participating, and helps us plan our venues and events better. Thanks for understanding, and please if you have any questions about this please ask.
Again, thanks for joining, and please feel free to contact me directly anytime at PNWLHMeetup@gmail.com.I really am excited to have you on board!! :)
