Congratulations,New Outings Leaders!

Please join me in celebrating the accomplishments of the members who have earned leader status in 2009. In addition to the names of our new leaders, I am providing a description of what each level of certification encompasses.

Level O-1

This is a popular leader rating for 1-day trips that are on-trail. Its easy to earn this rating and most of our leaders start with this level. Leading a trip to one of your favorite places is a great way to contribute to the Club's mission.

The 35 new O-1 leaders for 2009 are as follows: Chris Albertson, Johnna Beeson, Robert Bortolin, David Burt, John Cederburg, Thomas Cloutier, James Dohn, Emile Fiesler, Joe Harvey, Michael Hecht, Lloyd Johnson, George Kenegos, Ioannis Kostoulas, Lisa Lee, Lisa Ludovici, Jose Mendez, Michael Metcalf, Jilana Miller, Jessica Muldoon, Gee Nam, William Payne, Charles Peavey, Robert Redecker, Heather Sargeant, Dave Scobie, Mariel Sipman, Andrew Stephens, Monica Suua, Sandra Tapia, Bea Tiritilli, John Voisinet, Edie Walker, Diane Wood, John Zappe, and Jeffrey Zinn.

Level O

Trips at the O level can be multi-day trips on trail. Leaders at the O-1 level can easily advance to the O level by leading a provisional multi-day trip and submitting the regular evaluation forms to Leadership Training Committee (LTC).

2009 brought us six new O level leaders: Kim Breul, Sylvie Côté, Lillian Jensen, Jenny Schnell, Annette Tamraz, and Mia Yang-Goldfarb.

Level I

A little more adventure is encountered on I Level trips, which can be multi-day and involve off-trail, cross-country travel.

The following 11 Club members attained Level I leadership status in 2009: Misha Askren, Todd Clark, Robert Draney, Bob Dryden, Robert Gunn, Matthew Hengst, James Montross, Jim Nichols, William Payne, Joseph Speigl, and Carol Tucker.

Level M

The M Level trips involve a little more serious adventure as more difficult terrain is crossed and ropes and ice axes might be used.

Greg Mason and Alexander Smirnoff earned Level M leader status for 2009.

Level E

The E Level Trips are the most challenging type of outing. They are often multi-day trips traveling terrain that requires the use of ropes, ice axe, and other technical skills. Although we didn't see any new leaders at this level we know that there are a few leaders out there that are thinking about advancing to this level.

Groups, Sections and Committees

All of these leaders received guidance and encouragement from fellow leaders in several Angeles Chapter entities including the 20's and 30's Singles Section, the Camera Committee, the Crescenta Valley Group, the Gay and Lesbian Sierrans Section, the Griffith Park Section, the Hundred Peaks Section, the Inner City Outings Committee, the Long Beach Group, the Orange County Sierra Sage Group, the Orange County Sierra Singles Section, the Palos Verdes-South Bay Group, the Pasadena Group, the Sierra Peaks Section, the Sierra Singles Section, the Wilderness Adventures Section, and the Wilderness Training Committee. Congratulations to all of our new leaders. Be safe on your journey to explore, enjoy, and protect our wild and natural lands. And thanks for your volunteer efforts.