Conditioning Hiking Series

Please email info@mountaineers.org with registration questions.

You must be a member of The Mountaineers to register for the course. Registration is open during the month of February as follows:

• Feb 1-14: registration for first-time participants only; and
• Feb 15-28: registration for everyone (including former participants and prior graduates). 

Overview: This course is for hiking enthusiasts who are interested in challenging themselves to go on day hikes of 16+ miles.  The Conditioning Hiking Series (CHS) kicks off in March, and is designed to prepare hikers who are currently experienced at the upper easy/moderate level for the challenges of strenuous, long-distance day hiking.  All hikes are limited to participants in the course.

Minimum Qualifications: Although there are no prerequisites for this course, it is NOT for beginning hikers. You must be capable of a minimum sustained pace of 1.5 miles per hour (think 80 minutes up Rattlesnake Ledge Trail or 2 hrs 45 min up Mt Si trail). Participants are strongly encouraged to build physical fitness and spend time outside of the course keeping themselves in shape. You should be available and committed to go on eleven hikes over the course of the summer. You should also enjoy group hiking and socializing with your fellow participants.

What to Expect: The 2018 CHS course consists of a mandatory daytime class on Saturday, March 24 at the Seattle Mountaineers Program Center, a minimum of two CHS hikes per month building in mileage and elevation gain from April through August, and a graduation hike of 16+ miles in September. The class session on March 24 is designed to teach basic information that is needed to prep for longer hikes, and also to go over course guidelines and expectations.  Each participant in the course is also required to do one day of trail maintenance in order to graduate.

Prior to your first hike in April, you will choose a track of moderate (CHS1) or fast (CHS2) paced hikes. If you are uncertain which level is best for you, you may sign  up for a pacing hike on March 25 and our leaders will help you select a pacing group.

Course badges will be awarded to those who complete the March classroom session, ten CHS day hikes (two per month, April-August), one CHS graduation hike in September, and one day of trail maintenance.   

Enrollment Process and Costs: You must be a member of The Mountaineers to register for the course. Registration is open during the month of February as follows:

• Feb 1-14: registration for first-time participants only; and
• Feb 15-28: registration for everyone (including former participants and prior graduates). 

Online or telephone registration only; mail-in registration forms will not be accepted. Enrollment will be limited to 88 participants.  If the number of signups exceeds 88, you will be waitlisted for the course and may receive a slot if someone drops the course prior to our May hikes.

The course fee is $125.00. As with all club hikes, participants are expected to contribute toward carpooling costs if they are riding as a passenger. Our optional overnight trips have extra costs associated with them. We frequently stop for an inexpensive meal or snack following our hikes.