Of Desert Peaks Not Normally Climbed in Summer
DPS Group hikes Tin Mountain, 1985 (Wynne Benti pictured third from right)
Desert Hiking 101 - How to be Prepared
Spring is upon us and it (along with close competitors Fall and Winter) is a perfect time to strike out into the deserts of Southern California. Spring is the time to catch Instagram-worthy flowering cacti and plants that only strut their stuff after a few winter storms and the desert is always ready to provide stunning sunsets full of orange and red.
Featured Entity: Leadership Training Committee (LTC)
In the early 1970’s, Angeles Chapter outings folks saw a need to standardize training and safety management for its hugely popular - and growing - outings program. The result was a first in the Sierra Club: a Leadership Training Committee (LTC), to train candidates, and a Safety Committee to develop policies, grant ratings to leaders and investigate incidents.
Hiking England's South West Coast Path
June 5-17, 2017 | 13 days | South West Coast Path National Trail in England: Section One | Price: $2,900 to $3,100
Leader: Deirdre Butler, (303) 823-8649, deirdrebutler2@gmail.com
Hike the first 100-plus miles of England’s South West Coast Path National Trail, a remarkable ramble that covers 630 miles of stunning coastal scenery. Discover the beauty and hidden treasures on this 13-day adventure that passes passes through a number of nature reserves and heritage coasts, five designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve as well as one national park. Participants can expect to hike 5 to 12 miles each day with no more than 2,300 feet in elevation gain. Stay in lodgings each night, with a hot shower and snugly bed at each day's end.
Activity level
Moderately strenuous (this is an O-rated trip). Good for travelers passionate about hiking, wildlife and coastal exploration. A portion of the trip price supports Angeles Chapter Sierra Club.
Reserve this trip by contacting leader Deirdre Butler by email at deirdrebutler2@gmail.com or call (303) 823-8649. Co-leader is Kath Giel, sierrakath@gmail.com, (415) 720-4430
Price
$2,900 per person for Sierra Club members; $3,100 per person for non-members. Includes lodging, all ground transportation, most meals, luggage transfers, gratuities, hikes and more. International airfare is extra.
Good for anyone passionate about trekking and hiking in a stunning coastal setting.
Trip Highlights
The South West Coast Path National Trail represents 630 miles of stunning coastal scenery around the South West peninsula of England. With its origins dating back to the 1800s as a coastguard patrol route to deter smuggling, today the path is England’s longest national trail. Read more about the trail.
- Described by Lonely Planet as “walking at its most diverse, most spectacular and most delicious,” this award-winning trail is one of the world’s greatest walks and is regularly used to provide backdrop to TV and film productions.
- This trip is the first in a series of six, with the goal of covering all 630 miles. You change accommodations just once during this trip.
Meet the leader
Deirdre Butler grew up hiking and horseback riding in Dartmoor National Park in southern England. Before taking early retirement, she worked in the medical industry and traveled extensively throughout Asia and the Far East. Deirdre has been involved with Sierra Club in various leadership roles since 2001 and first became involved with the Sierra Club outings program through leading local trips in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
She trained as a national outings leader in 2008 and has staffed trips for the International, Rocky Mountain, Midwest and Knapsack subcommittees of Sierra Club. She also is a Wilderness First Responder certified by the Wilderness Medicine Institute. A keen supporter of wildlife, Deirdre takes delight in sharing her knowledge of wildlife rehabilitation and field observations with trip participants. When not hiking, Deirdre barters her labor for organic veggies on a local CSA farm and enjoys spending time at home with her husband looking after their chickens, cats and dog.
Deirdre believes that outings leadership with Sierra Club is an honor and a privilege. One of the first comments she shares with her trip participants is that her primary goal is to keep everyone safe and have fun! For Deirdre, leading trips and helping participants achieve personal goals, visit places they never would have done by themselves (like climbing Kilimanjaro!) brings a huge sense of satisfaction and really fulfills Sierra Club's mission to explore and enjoy the planet.
Deirdre feels blessed to have found her vocation in leading Sierra Club trips, each of which extends her circle of close friends and adopted family. Another thing she says at the start of each trip: "We might start this trip as strangers, albeit with a common passion for nature, but we will end this trip as a family through our shared experiences." Deirdre was recognized in 2016 by Sierra Club National Outings Committee as a top leader of the year.
Photos: On the South West Coast Path National Trail in England, looking back toward Ulfred Point. Credit: Jaap Gaasenbeek (top)
One of the villages along the path, Clovelly Harbour. Credit: Seraina Meier of Switzerland (middle photo)
Photo courtesy of Deirdre Butler (bottom photo)
