We are professional risk managers; it is what we do. The wellbeing of our participants and trip leaders is our priority. Just like navigating avalanche hazard or rockfall, COVID-19 has become a player in our guidelines and procedures, and it informs our risk management process. We can do our best to plan and prepare, but we need your help! As a valued member of our adventure party, we expect you to participate in our guidelines in the discussion of risk management. Check out what we can all do:
Before We Meet
Help us minimize as much risk as possible before meeting in person. We encourage you to follow CDC, federal and state guidelines of social distancing, in the weeks preceding your trip.
In the 24-48 hours prior to your trip, you will receive a medical screening call. This will include a standard set of questions provided by the Center of Disease Control (CDC). Based on your response, a recommended action is automatically generated from the CDC. Based on this recommendation, we will give you direction on if it is appropriate to participate or if you will need to reschedule. Trip leaders will also undergo a COVID-19 medical screening call.
We have adjusted our participant cancellation and employee sick leave policies to allow more flexibility, to account for potential exposure to COVID-19. If you cannot participate in your scheduled adventure, due to COVID related circumstances, you’ll have the option to receive a credit for any future adventure with the OP or obtain a full refund.
Our trip leaders are trained to recognize and monitor COVID-19 signs, symptoms, and methods of transmission.
During Our Adventure
For day trips, participants must travel separately to and from the trailhead. We will discourage carpooling for individuals outside of the same household. When overnight trips begin again (anticipated in July 2020), additional procedures will be outlined for group travel.
Upon meeting, all trip leaders and participants will make their best effort to maintain at least six feet of physical distancing. We recognize this may not be possible in every circumstance. When operating within six feet of others, trip leaders will wear masks. Participants are required to bring a face covering such as a cloth face-mask or buff when near others. As long as you have proper social distance, individuals can temporarily remove their face covering when actively participating in certain activities such as climbing. When appropriate, trip leaders and participants may choose to wear gloves.
We recommend our participants bring their own gear if you already own appropriate equipment. In some cases, we may need to share gear such as a rope or a participant may need to borrow gear from the OP (organized ahead of time). All gear provided by the OP will undergo cleaning procedures before each outing. Participants are required to bring some form of hand sanitizer and we will be practicing responsible hygiene throughout the day.
The above list provides examples of our updated policies and procedures but is certainly not an exhaustive list. For overnight trips, for example, cooking, cleaning, sleep systems, etc have all been considered in updated trip guidelines.
Risk management will be an interactive discussion preceding, throughout and following your adventure. If participants neglect to follow our risk management guidelines, we will be forced to end the experience prematurely. We thank you ahead of time for being a responsible and thoughtful group member.
