Need to cancel from an upcoming activity?

You’re signed up for an activity this weekend, but something came up. Maybe you got sick, or an old injury lingered longer than you’d expected. Perhaps a last-minute work conflict or a personal commitment has to take precedence. We understand that life happens, but taking a moment to reflect on your decision, and practicing good cancellation etiquette, are essential to our member and volunteer satisfaction.

Before signing up

When you register for an activity, take note of the summary and leader’s notes. Do your goals and expectations match the trip description? If you’re not sure, visit our Activity Overviews pages to help you get oriented. We recommend consulting this guide as you’re searching for a trip. We also have recent trip reports available to help with your decision making.

If you’re thinking about signing-up for a trip that you know might be a stretch - for any reason - contact the trip leader before registering. The leader may be able to give you a tip about how to better prepare and they can help you decide if the trip is an appropriate challenge.

If you need to cancel

The Mountaineers has an official Cancellation Policy, but it’s good practice to consider how a late or last minute cancellation affects both leaders and trip participants. Our trip leaders are volunteers who are donating their personal time to the organization to plan trips and to get outside. They plan these for our members, who are paying annual dues to access our activities, courses, clinics, and seminars. Volunteer leaders have made a commitment to you, and to The Mountaineers’ community by posting this trip - and they hope and expect that you will do the same! You would reasonably expect a leader to let you know if an activity is cancelled, so please do the same and let us know if you’re no longer able to make it.

Can’t reach your leader? Contact Member Services and we’re happy to help you out! 206-521-6001 or info@mountaineers.org.

A note about “No Shows”

The Mountaineers does not have any specific “No Show” policy - activity participants are marked as a “No Show” if they do not provide any advanced notice of their cancellation. While “No Shows” don’t mean that you’ll be blocked from attending future trips, please note that a leader may take a history of “No Shows” into consideration if they’ve required Leader Permission to attend their trip.

Darn the Weather

This discussion wouldn’t be complete without acknowledgement of how weather can change our plans. We are fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest - a beautiful, lush, and green part of the country. And as we all know, this gorgeous landscape is the direct result of rain. Most Mountaineers’ trips take place rain or shine, unless otherwise noted by the leader.

If the forecast for your upcoming trip is looking soggy, consider the positives - less than “ideal” conditions can afford you and your group fewer crowds on the trail, easier parking at the trailhead, and a new perspective on your surroundings. There is something special about experiencing our mountains and coastline enveloped in low clouds and mist. Plus, our weather is always changing - Washington State really is a great example of a place where, if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes! Still not convinced? Read these tips to make hiking in the rain less of a pain! 

Leaders! Want to learn what you can do to help set folks up for success? Check out this blog for tips and tricks to write great activity listings!