An Op Ed

With the opening of KHC events today, a few events are now offered by some of our hike leaders. More events will be added, but these are uncertain times and as such, things are different.

Capacity

• With small groups allowed, KHC’s capacity to offer event spaces is halved up front. Events fill up rapidly and only 6 of 238 members can be registered at once.
• With only a few hike leaders active, again the capacity is halved again.
• With carpooling not being organized, a number of locations just become impractical, but those locations are what some of our hike leaders still want to do, so they may choose to do them on their own, or with a few friends only. This reduces the number of events again.
• Many of our hike leaders are older and have been doing the volunteer work for quite a while. With few, if any, new leaders coming forward, our current active leaders have to temper their efforts to provide some balance, particularly during an epidemic.
• Overall, KHC is only able to operate at about 20% of its full capacity.

E. Hennan – Canada 150 Hike

Event Spaces (Practical Notes)

• Hike leaders can pick any day they want to organize an event, on a route of their choice, and have people who want to join them. Since we don’t preschedule events, members won’t know when the events will be posted, nor enabled for registration. When spaces open up, only the diligent will book into open spaces by checking the website often, while knowing their personal schedules. (See Successful Bookings).
• It helps when events listed as Future Draft Events have a statement included that specifies when the event will be enabled for registration.
• Some members are really good at checking and booking so they end up getting more of the available spaces. Do we need to limit the number of events a person can book in a week during this time of limited spaces?
• More event spaces can be created by doubling up with back-to-back events, but this is still dependent on hike leaders stepping forward. We just need more hike leaders.
• Backpacks are, by nature, small group events, and they are set up months in advance. For 2020. most of our events were open for planning ahead/booking in the winter. By March this year, they were all full. We don’t have the ability to add more events without more leaders, although some new opportunities may arise with cancellations and changes in schedule.

A Wide-Range of Hiking Interests

• KHC members have a wide-range of hiking interests from easy hikes on established trails to long demanding hikes in remote areas. Most of the interest of members is in moderate local hikes on established trails.
• Hike leaders are volunteers and they choose hikes they want to do. If they enjoy doing moderate hikes on established trails, that is what they will choose most often. Many of our active leaders, though, have been hiking for many decades and have done all the local moderate trails many, many times, so what they are more interested in are local or regional destinations which are either infrequently done (or new), or are done in a rotation basis (ie once every few years).
• What would work better for all members are more moderate hikes on local trails, but at this time, KHC does not have enough hike leaders to do this.
• Travelling to Regional trail destinations works better with carpooling, but not during an epidemic.

Some Solutions

• More hike leaders are always needed (contact us).
• Network with other KHC members to form small groups for hiking opportunities. This is most easily done by joining KHC events and meeting people.
• Some places to do online networking are the website (comments), our Kamloops Hiking Club (Members Only) Facebook group, or through email and messaging.
• Connect with hike leaders and stay in touch with them. They hike a lot over the whole year and only a very few of their hikes end up as KHC events.
• Make the most of your membership by actively networking with other members in whichever way works best for you!
• Develop a vaccine to help us all out :).

An opinion editorial only, but comments are invited.

D. Smith, Past President, Webmaster, Hike Leader, and lost cause.

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Doug Smith

Retired now, I get into the outdoors most days to hike, paddle, camp, snowshoe, run, walk, or explore. More information can be found at: KamloopsTrails.net.

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