Cheryl Talbert
Hiking is both calming and energizing. It’s a way to connect with nature, and build community with new people. We'd love to help you make 2020 your year to start a lifetime of hiking, with a compatible and fun community of people and low-stress easy hikes at a social pace, in one of the loveliest places in the world to do it!
If you've been dreaming of hiking, but find yourself holding back because of fear of not having the ‘right’ gear or being unprepared or unsafe, out of shape, or too slow, we want to help you put those fears behind you! Join our new GoHike Beginning Hiking Series for stress-free trip and tips for how to prepare and where to go.
In the GoHike: Beginning Hiking Series, we start with basics: preparation, safety, general fitness tips, and knowledge to make hitting the trial less daunting, and then get you out on a series of stress-free hikes with compatible companions and an experienced volunteer leader. We all have one main goal in mind: get outdoors with others who are starting out, at a comfortable, social pace, making this journey together.
We will introduce you to the essentials of hiking, help you set personalized goals month by month during the course, and most of all, connect you with a community of fellow hikers who are looking for low-pressure, fun, beautiful hikes! People of all experience and fitness levels will find a welcoming home with us! Whether you’re brand new to the trail or have been away for a while, this course will meet you where you are, help you find your trail to success, and have fun doing it!
WHO IS GOHIKE FOR?
GoHike is for people who want to start hiking and would like a community and support to make it happen in a fun, low-pressure atmosphere, starting from where they are!
- Beginner hikers – or people who haven’t been out for a long time – and looking for an easy gradual start
- People who are already comfortable hiking but want to find a community of people who are looking for easier more social hikes
- Anyone who wants to hike in a social, mutually supportive atmosphere
- We welcome participants from all backgrounds! As an organization that values equity and inclusion, we highly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, and veterans to participate.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
The GoHike series will start with an informative student orientation session in the evening on March 5, then offer a number of "pacing hikes" (to help you and us determine where you are and what level of hikes and pace we need to offer) through the remainder of March.
Then our team of leaders will offer a number of group hikes each month between mid-April and mid-September, starting with hikes between 2 and 4 miles with little elevation gain, and progressing through the summer with small increases in mileage and gain by month to allow you to expand your range if you choose (staying 'low-pressure', up to a maximum of 8 miles and 2,000 feet of elevation gain with a fun social pace). But we'll also continue to make easier hikes available through the summer for people who may not feel ready or interested to move up.
To graduate from the series, you'll need to complete a simple Low-Impact Recreation video course (to learn how to be a good trail citizen!) and at least 5 hikes through the course of the summer.As the summer goes on, you'll have the opportunity to make strong connections with leaders and fellow students who can become a lifelong community of hiking friends!
This is your time, and we would love to help you make your dreams a reality to get out on the trail and feel great doing it. Check out the GoHike Beginner Hiking Series - registration starts at 8am on Wednesday January 29 - space is limited, so don't miss out!
