Looking for Advice on Leading Hiking Groups

Sagittarius

I'm in a recently set up hillwalking club and am involved with Leading the hikes. Now I would be reasonably experienced and would consider my navigation etc to be pretty good. However this is the first time iv ever led groups before and I have to admit its a little bit daunting.

Many of the people coming out hiking with us are quite inexperienced and for some of them its their first time doing something like this, so there's a fair bit of responsibility!

I was just wondering if anyone on here has any experience with leading hikes and could offer any advice or tips? Or maybe you walk with a club and have noticed what the good hike leaders do?

NathanKingerlee

If you previously know the hike reasonably well that should take a bit a pressure off you.

If you start the day with a very clear, simple and direct brief, mainly regarding the day's pace, everyone staying together and you being told of toilet stops, as opposed to people randomly dashing off behind rocks.

Keep constant head counting, although not too obviously as people feel a bit herded otherwise.

Set the day's pace, don't allow the pace be dictated by some of the fitter, more impatient, walkers, who may be chomping at the bit to power on ahead.

Have two assistants, who you meet and brief beforehand; one who will always stay at the back of the group, so no-one can fall behind and get lost. The second can move around the group, discreetly checking people are OK.

Head count at the end of the day!

Better for people to think you're being too bossy and too safety aware, but get everyone back in one piece; than allow yourself to be too relaxed, because you're worried of how you're being percieved, and lose someone.

Good luck

DubOnHoliday

Plus... try to have a qualified first aider, safety first and all that.

DeepSleeper

If you'd like to do a bit of reading, you could look out for a book called 'Mountaincraft and Leadership' by Eric Laingmuir (or Langmuir...) - There is a huge amount of info in it and your are probably capable of navigating etc so much of it will be familiar stuff (though it is a good reference for such things).

There is one chapter however (called 'Thoughts on Party Leadership' in some editions, perhaps something else in new/older versions) and this is different to the other here-is-how-to-use-a-compass type chapters - Instead, it deals with the psychology of the whole thing - what might be going on in your head and in the heads of the group members - what you expect from the day and how that may (or may not) match up to what everyone else expects - how your can take different approaches to leadership, develop your own 'style' through observing how others do it etc etc - what to watch out for (signs of fear etc.) - well worth a read.

You could also consider doing a course - maybe a Walking Group Leader Award?
http://www.mountaineering.ie/trainingandsafety/viewdetails.asp?ID=9

Alun

Definitely an excellent book. As important as the technical side of things is, the whole group dynamic / psychology thing is a very important aspect that I feel is often overlooked.

Sagittarius

Thanks Guys! Some great advice! Nathan I will definitely put all that into practise next time! Its interesting the last thing you said, about not being afraid to appear bossy, I was conscious of that out the last day, but your right.

Ideally I would like to do the WGL or even ML but I'm not sure if id have the money right now. Maybe in the future at some point.

Im actually waiting on mountaincraft and leadership from amazon!!

Alun thats very true what you say, I'm finding the leadership and managing the group side of things to be the hardest. Be interesting to read that chapter on party leadership. I suppose its something that comes with time and experience aswell.

Thanks

hmmm

I like to do as much as possible before the hike to ease the pressure on the day. So that would involve:

- Doing a reccie the week before
- Having the right map & study it
- Do up a route card & make sure not too difficult or too short/long
- Make sure the route is in the GPS & compass is in the rucksack
- Have thought about escape routes if a problem occurs
- Make sure that I have all the gear I will need.

If you've done all that, you won't have the pressure about worrying about navigation on the day and can focus on the other stuff.

On the day:

- I figure out who my experienced, competent people are
- I take the names of anyone I don't know & take a count. With new people I like to have a little chat about their experience and I'll try and gauge their abilities.
- I'll tell people where we were going and how long we expect to be out
- I'll do a discreet gear check. Boots, raincoat, big enough rucksack. On rare occasions I will turn away anyone I think is not properly equipped. Jeans and runners in particular are no-nos.
- Appoint a competent person as rear leader, particularly with big groups. On days with very poor visibility, I'll ask them to wear a reflective jacket or even a headtorch so I can see where the back of my hike is.
- During the day, keep a close eye on new or potentially unfit people.
- Your pace has to be the pace of the slowest person. If someone is too slow and, particularly in Winter, is putting the rest of the group at risk, I might look for one of the more experienced walkers to take them down an escape route.

I don't worry much about the fitter people who zoom on ahead. As far as I'm concerned the organised hike consists of who-over is behind me and the pace I'm going at, if people want to disappear into the distance that's their problem. I make that clear at the start if I think anyone won't get the message, particularly to new people who may feel under pressure by the pace out front. Other leaders take a different attitude to this and insist everyone stays behind them, I can see both sides.

will and away

Walk at the pace of your slowest member! That should be your number one rule.

It can be a good idea to get the fitter people in the group to help the others. Good for teamwork but also is a great way to keep those who can get agitated with the slow pace to feel better about the walk.

Bring some things with you such as a bivvy bag (survival bag) hot drink, spare socks and walking poles. I find I use these items very often as a group leader. If your pack is too heavy don't be afraid to share around the load.

Make sure everyone is dressed appropriately and try to find out any info about the group i.e any people with dodgy knees, ankles, asthma, heart condition etc.
If anyone in the group is embarrassed about telling you about medical issues etc. just let people know that they can tell you about any such relevant info in confidence. It's useful to know these things in the event of any emergency that may arise.


Have fun and please remember to leave no trace.
Keep our mountains as beautiful as you find them.