![Conditioning Hiking Series 2024 Conditioning Hiking Series 2024](https://www.mountaineers.org/locations-lodges/seattle-branch/committees/seattle-hiking-backpacking/seattle-hiking-committee/course-templates/conditioning-hiking-series/conditioning-hiking-series-seattle-2024/@@images/1d9e03ca-f845-4e7e-83ef-19d55773b94f.jpeg)
Day Hiking Course
Conditioning Hiking Series
A course for EXPERIENCED hiking enthusiasts who are interested in challenging themselves by working up to long-distance day hikes of 15+ miles with significant elevation gain. We start hiking in April and build on mileage and elevation each month, ending with a graduation hike in September. ***REGISTRATION is by LOTTERY ONLY***PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR LINK to the LOTTERY and FULL COURSE INFO and EXPECTATIONS***
- Sun, Feb 11, 2024 - Fri, Oct 11, 2024
- Committee: Seattle Hiking Committee
- Members: $190.00
- Availability: FULL, 10 on waitlist (120 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
This course is a big commitment, so to learn about what is expected
*** PLEASE READ ON! ***
Lottery-based registration: We anticipate that all spots in the course will be filled through the lottery. To learn more about and to enter the LOTTERY>>>GO HERE!
Participants must be a Mountaineers member with current waiver on file to register for the CHS course. Guest members may enter the lottery and postpone becoming a full-member until the course registration if they wish. (This will not impact your chances in the lottery.) For Mountaineer's Membership questions please email Member Services: info@mountaineers.org
Cost: The course fee is $190.00. Scholarships are available.
Cancellations are subject to the following partial refund schedule. (The $10 club cancellation fee is taken into account in the numbers below).
- Before Apr 1 - $180
- Apr 1-30 - $135
- May 1-31 - $90
- After May 31 - no refund
Overview
CHS IS A SIX MONTH COURSE
The Course kicks off in March and is designed to prepare hikers who are currently experienced at the moderate level for the challenges of strenuous, long-distance day hiking. It is designed to offer welcoming small-group hiking opportunities in which participants can build relationships by hiking with many of the same people over the 6 month season. All hikes are limited to current course participants along with CHS graduates (alumni) from past years. (Current course participants always get priority in hike sign-ups.)
Minimum Qualifications
This course is not meant for beginner hikers. (If you are a novice hiker we suggest you check out the Mountaineers 'GoHike' series here.)
For CHS, you should be capable of a minimum sustained pace of 1.5 miles per hour (think 1h20m up Rattlesnake Ledge trail or 2h40m up the Mt. Si trail). Participants are strongly encouraged to dedicate time outside of the course to increase their strength and endurance and thus make their time on the trail that much more enjoyable. You should be available and committed to go on at least eleven hikes over the course of the summer. You should also be comfortable with group hiking and socializing with your fellow participants.
What to Expect
The 2024 CHS program consists of:
- Mandatory (no exceptions!) Orientation, In-Person, on Sunday, March 10th (9:00am-3:30pm)
- A minimum of two CHS hikes per month building in mileage and elevation gain from April through August (5 months x 2 hikes/month = 10 hikes)
- And one graduation hike in September (= 11 hikes total for the Course)
During orientation, we will cover course guidelines and expectations, how to sign up for hikes, and other basics including the 10 essentials, nutrition for long days on the trail, fitness, etc.
In order to graduate participants are required to earn a Stewardship Credit by completing one day of trail maintenance or other work that falls under the Mountaineers definition of Stewardship (you have the whole season to complete this but we recommend getting it done as early as possible)
We also require a Low Impact Recreation badge- This process is all online and consists of a few videos and a quiz (acquiring this badge needs to be completed by June 1st) .
This course has been historically very popular, so please be ready to put in the time and effort to graduate.
Prior to your first hike in April, you will choose between moderate (CHS-1) or faster (CHS-2) paced hikes. If you are uncertain which "pace group" is best for you, we offer up "Pacing Hikes" in March and our leaders will help you select a pacing group. Once the course begins in April any participant who has trouble keeping up with the group on a CHS-2 hike may be asked to switch to CHS-1.
Where We Hike: Our hike destinations vary greatly depending on our hike leaders preferences along with anticipated conditions (snow, etc). But in general our hikes range from Eastern WA to the Olympics, from Mt. Baker to the Columbia Gorge, and everywhere in between including our 3 fabulous National Parks, along with the Kitsap peninsula, Mount St. Helens, Hwy 2, and the I-90/Snoqualmie Corridor.
We mainly offer hikes on Sat & Sun of every month, but we do try to offer some weekday hikes for those with flexible schedules.
To get an idea of the types of hikes that will be offered and when, you can see the list of hikes that were offered in 2023 by clicking onto the the second tab in this google sheet (the first tab contains overview information and monthly hike specs). It is important to understand that the actual hikes offered and the schedule are finalized on a month-to-month basis dependent on conditions, leader preferences, etc. Each month, participants will be able to sign up for their two hikes for the following month. For example, sign-ups for June hikes will be on Wednesday May 22nd. (Sign-ups are always on Wednesdays, at 9am for CHS-1 hikes and at 1pm for CHS-2 hikes.)
Additional Info: Other popular annual events** (all optional) offered with Seattle CHS include:
- Coast Clean-Up Weekend (with lodging) on the Olympic Coast, April 19-21
- Columbia Gorge Weekend (near Cascade Locks), May 17-20
- Mt. Rainier Campout Weekend, July 18-21, (featuring hikes in and around the park)
- North Cascades Campout Weekend, August 8-11, (depending on conditions this weekend may be switched to the Olympic Peninsula)
**Please note that our optional overnight trips will entail extra lodging and/or campsite costs.
All CHS graduates become eligible to sign up for the ongoing (year to year) CHS Alumni Course.
Badges you will earn:
Course Activity | Date | Availability | Leader |
---|---|---|---|
CHS - Mt. Rainier Campout (optional) | |||
La Wis Wis Campground |
Thu, Jul 18, 2024
Registration closed Jul 16
|
0
participants
2 instructors
|
|
La Wis Wis Campground |
Fri, Jul 19, 2024
Registration closed Jul 17
|
7
participants
0 instructors
|
|
La Wis Wis Campground |
Sat, Jul 20, 2024
Registration closes Jul 18
|
12
participants
0 instructors
|
|
La Wis Wis Campground |
Sun, Jul 21, 2024
Registration closes Jul 19
|
5
participants
2 instructors
|
|
CHS 2 Hike (optional) | |||
Mount Fremont Lookout |
Fri, Jul 19, 2024
Registration closed Jul 17
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Snowgrass Flat & Goat Lake Basin |
Sat, Jul 20, 2024
Registration closes Jul 18
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Norse Peak |
Sat, Jul 20, 2024
Registration closes Jul 18
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Summerland, Panhandle Gap & Indian Bar |
Sat, Jul 20, 2024
Registration closes Jul 18
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Tatoosh Peak |
Sun, Jul 21, 2024
Registration closes Jul 19
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Skyscraper Mountain |
Sun, Jul 21, 2024
Registration closes Jul 19
|
5
participants
1 instructor
|
|
West Fork Foss Lakes |
Fri, Jul 26, 2024
Registration closes Jul 24
|
3
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Thunder Mountain Lakes |
Sat, Jul 27, 2024
Registration closes Jul 25
|
4
participants on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Crystal Mountain Loop |
Sun, Jul 28, 2024
Registration closes Jul 26
|
1
participant on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Ridge & Gravel Lakes |
Sun, Jul 28, 2024
Registration closes Jul 26
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Shoe Lake |
Sat, Aug 3, 2024
Registration closes Aug 16
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Cascade Pass & Sahale Arm |
Sat, Aug 3, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Waptus River |
Sun, Aug 4, 2024
Registration closes Aug 2
|
4
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Grand Valley |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Heather Park-Lake Angeles Loop |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
5
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Royal Basin |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Rachel, Rampart & Lila Lakes |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
3
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Cascade Pass & Sahale Arm |
Sun, Aug 11, 2024
Registration closes Aug 9
|
1
participant
1 instructor
|
|
Benchmark Mountain via West Cady Ridge |
Sat, Aug 17, 2024
Registration closes Aug 15
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Cascade Pass & Sahale Arm |
Sat, Aug 17, 2024
Registration closes Aug 15
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Lower Tuscohatchie Lake |
Sun, Aug 18, 2024
Registration closes Aug 16
|
1
participant
1 instructor
|
|
Surprise Mountain |
Wed, Aug 21, 2024
Registration closes Aug 19
|
1
participant
1 instructor
|
|
Burroughs Mountain |
Wed, Aug 21, 2024
Registration closes Aug 19
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Around Mother Mountain |
Sat, Aug 24, 2024
Registration closes Aug 22
|
1
participant on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Nason Ridge |
Sun, Aug 25, 2024
Registration closes Aug 23
|
2
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Talapus Lake Trail |
Sun, Aug 25, 2024
Registration closes Aug 23
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Indian Bar-Cowlitz Divide |
Wed, Aug 28, 2024
Registration closes Aug 26
|
3
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Kendall Katwalk |
Sat, Aug 31, 2024
Registration closes Aug 29
|
1
participant on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Double Si |
Sat, Aug 31, 2024
Registration closes Aug 29
|
6
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Cispus Pass |
Sun, Sep 1, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Tunnel Creek to Surprise Creek |
Sat, Sep 7, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Snow Lake |
Sun, Sep 8, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Middle Fork Snoqualmie River |
Sun, Sep 8, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Enchantments Traverse |
Thu, Sep 12, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Seven Lakes Basin & High Divide |
Sat, Sep 21, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Gladys Divide |
Sat, Sep 21, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
6
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Wildcat Lakes |
Mon, Sep 23, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
CHS 1 Hike (optional) | |||
Summerland & Panhandle Gap |
Fri, Jul 19, 2024
Registration closed Jul 17
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Dumbbell Lake Loop |
Sat, Jul 20, 2024
Registration closes Jul 18
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Naches Peak Loop |
Sun, Jul 21, 2024
Registration closed Jul 17
|
1
participant on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Cutthroat Pass |
Thu, Jul 25, 2024
Registration closes Jul 23
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Greenwater & Lost Lakes |
Sat, Jul 27, 2024
Registration closes Jul 25
|
0
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Rainbow & Island Lakes |
Sat, Jul 27, 2024
Registration closes Jul 25
|
1
participant
1 instructor
|
|
Goat Lake (Monte Cristo) |
Wed, Jul 31, 2024
Registration closes Jul 29
|
3
participants on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Cispus Pass |
Sun, Aug 4, 2024
Registration closes Aug 2
|
4
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Lake Valhalla |
Thu, Aug 8, 2024
Registration closes Aug 13
|
2
participants on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Obstruction Point Road |
Thu, Aug 8, 2024
Registration closes Aug 6
|
5
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Mount Muller Divide Trail |
Fri, Aug 9, 2024
Registration closes Aug 7
|
6
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Kendall Katwalk |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Grand Ridge (Olympics) |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024
Registration closes Aug 8
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
West Elwha Trail |
Sun, Aug 11, 2024
Registration closes Aug 9
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Gold Creek |
Sun, Aug 11, 2024
Registration closes Aug 9
|
5
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Gothic Basin |
Mon, Aug 12, 2024
Registration closes Aug 10
|
0
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Surprise & Glacier Lakes |
Mon, Aug 12, 2024
Registration closes Aug 10
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Berkeley Park |
Thu, Aug 15, 2024
Registration closes Aug 6
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Cascade Pass & Sahale Arm |
Sun, Aug 18, 2024
Registration closes Aug 16
|
3
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Mount Erie |
Sat, Aug 24, 2024
Registration closes Aug 22
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Scott Paul Trail & Park Butte |
Sun, Aug 25, 2024
Registration closes Aug 20
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Ptarmigan Ridge |
Sun, Sep 1, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Mount Constitution |
Sat, Sep 14, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Surprise Lake & Mountain |
Sat, Sep 21, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
6
participants
1 instructor
|
|
CHS - Just for Fun (optional) | |||
Mount Pilchuck |
Fri, Jul 26, 2024
Registration closed Jun 19
|
5
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Mirror Lake |
Mon, Aug 26, 2024
Registration closes Aug 24
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Turtleback Mountain Preserve |
Sun, Sep 15, 2024
Registration opens Aug 14; Instructor registration open now
|
8
participants
0 instructors
|
|
CHS Campout - Tent Site (optional) | |||
Dungeness Recreation Area |
Thu, Aug 8, 2024 -
Fri, Aug 9, 2024 Registration opens Jul 18; Instructor registration open now
|
19
participants
5 instructors
|
|
Dungeness Recreation Area |
Fri, Aug 9, 2024 -
Sat, Aug 10, 2024 Registration opens Jul 18; Instructor registration open now
|
22
participants
11 instructors
|
|
Dungeness Recreation Area |
Sat, Aug 10, 2024 -
Sun, Aug 11, 2024 Registration opens Jul 18; Instructor registration open now
|
22
participants
11 instructors
|
You must register for this course to see course materials.