Rules and Guidelines
Most Sierra Club Angeles Chapter outings are open to members and non-members alike. (Mountaineering trips require Club membership.)
Activities and Outings Skill Level Rating
The Chapter Safety Committee has established ratings for all Chapter-sponsored outings to differentiate the levels of skill required of participants and the event leaders. This rating does not relate to outing strenuousness. The outings leaders are the sole judge of the qualifications of participants, and they are required to screen participants to manage the safety of the entire group. Our Ratings page offers definitions of these ratings.
Safe Space Agreement
Outdoor Activities runs programs that insist on a safe space agreement among participants, leaders, volunteers and staff. We want to support everyone in exploring, enjoying, and protecting these phenomenal spaces, and hateful and dangerous behavior will not be tolerated. We don’t want to deny participation in these outdoor programs and we will always say no to racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, impairment, and disruption.
Liability Waiver / Paticipation Agreement
All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a liability waiver, now called a Participation Agreement, often in the form of a "sign-in sheet" at a trailhead or online. The forms include Minors. You can read the text of the new waiver here.
Ride Sharing
We encourage outings participants to make their own ridesharing arrangements, but we cannot take an active role in making these arrangements. Our Ride Sharing page explains this in further detail, and provides a list of rideshare meeting places.
Participation by Minors
Participation of minors on outings is at the discretion of the Leader. Minors are included in the New Participation Agreement forms. Sierra Club policy requires that a parent or legal guardian sign the form for any minor under the age of 18. Uanccompanied minors: a parent or legal guardian must sign an individual waiver before the start of the trip.
Rules of Conduct
Our Rules of Conduct apply to all persons participating in Sierra Club activities. Conduct at all times must be acceptable to the group itself, to the general public, to the land on which we travel and to officials with whom the group may come in contact. These rules are listed on our Rules of Conduct page.
Become a Leader
The volunteers who lead our outings are the backbone of this program. If you'd like to know more about becoming an outings leader, look over our Skills Level page and visit our Leadership Training website for all the details about our steps to leadership.
Mountaineering Restrictions
Outings requiring the use of ice axes or rope/climbing gear may be conducted under very restrictive circumstances, including approval at the National Sierra Club level. Such trips require special screening of participants, leader qualifications, trip plan approval and Sierra Club membership for all participants. Groups, Sections or Committees must be certified, after special application to and approval by the National Mountaineering Oversight Committee, in order to conduct such outings. Chapter Activity Sections that sponsor these trips include Sierra Peaks Section, Desert Peaks Section, and Leadership Training's Advanced Mountaineering Program. Trips by the Wilderness Travel Course are usually open mainly to students and staff who meet the criteria.
Bus Insurance
Bus Coordinator TBD, contact the Chapter office or OMC Chair and they will direct you for information on insurance for bus trips.
Chapter Ombudspersons and Conflict Advisory Committee: ombudsman@angeles.sierraclub.org
[Header photo: Santa Monica Mountains, © Bob Cates all rights reserved]
