Explore, enjoy and protect the planet Home    Politics & Elections    Current Campaigns    Outings & Events    Get Involved    Donate    

Sign up for News & Alerts
Donate to the Sierra Club North Star Chapter

Outings FAQ

photo: canoeing with Jake Henning 

Do I Have to Be a Member?

You don't have to be a Sierra Club member to participate! We support your desire to be a member, though. If you want to become one, just click here.

 

How Much Do Outings Cost?

Outings are generally free. There are sometimes costs for parking at state and local parks, but the Sierra Club does not charge for trip leadership. Occasionally, we’ll go camping for a weekend or head up to a lodge. Trip leaders determine the costs and will let you know in advance.

All participants are invited to contribute to Sierra Club outings, especially if they enjoy and value the experience. Contributions will go to help cover costs incurred by the Sierra Club for the outings program.

 

How Do Sierra Club Outings Work?

Just show up with adequate food, water, and clothing. Your trip leader will describe what you need in the Outings listing. Field guides, snacks, and humor are welcome.

All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. If you would like to read the liability waiver before you chose to participate on an outing, contact Vicki Munson at (612) 659-9124 for a printed version.

Children under 18 are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult.

Unless otherwise noted, reservations are appreciated but not required. Most day trips require no advance reservation and are almost never canceled, rain or shine.

 

Can I Bring My Dog?

Outings listings will usually tell you whether pets are allowed. If you’re not sure, please contact the outings leader.

 

When And Where Do Outings Meet?

Outings listings will tell you where to meet. Often we meet at the Sierra Club Office at 2327 East Franklin in Minneapolis.  It is customary that participants make informal carpooling arrangements at the meeting location for the outing. The Sierra Club does not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assumes no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among the participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel. Sierra Club outings officially begin at the trailhead. Passengers are asked to pay a reasonable car pool fee to the drivers for gas and the use of their car.

 

How Much Experience Do I Need?

To aid you in selecting outings that fit your experience and fitness levels, Sierra Club outings are rated in three categories:  Easy, Moderate and Strenuous. These are defined below. If you are interested in an outing but unsure if you can manage it, feel free to email or call the outing leader to express your concerns and request additional information.

 

  • Easy: Little or no experience required. The trip poses few or only occasional physical challenges.
  • Moderate: Some experience with the outing activity is required. The trip offers physical challenges. Having a habit of moderate regular exercise will prepare you for this outing.
  • Strenuous: Only those experienced with the outing activity should participate. There will be considerable physical challenges. Very good physical condition is required, as are strong decision-making skills and the ability to adapt to changing terrain.

 

What are OWLS?

OWLS are Older, Wiser, Livelier Sierrans. For more than a decade, a group of retirement-age members of the Sierra Club have been getting together each month for weekday outings and occasional overnight trips. We hike, canoe, swim, ski, and snowshoe in season, but at a gentler pace than the usual Sierra outings, and with distance options geared to our varying physical abilities. Outings may include nature study or volunteer conservation activity, with a bag lunch, potluck, or restaurant meal for added sociability. See our web page for more information.

 

What is the Inner City Outings program?

Inner City Outings (ICO) is a community outreach program of the Sierra Club that provides inner city youth (primarily ages 9-15) with day and overnight trips into Minnesota's natural areas. Most outings will have 9-12 youth and 3-4 adult volunteers for day trips (hiking, biking, skiing, etc) or overnight camping trips. MNICO picks an activity each month and then leads trips with a different youth agency each week of that month. Volunteers can be valuable mentors for curious kids who have sometimes never taken a walk in the woods. Contact the North Star Chapter at 651.659.9124, minnesotaico@yahoo.com, or visit www.mn-ico.org for more information about volunteering.

 

Are There Other Trips?

There are hundreds of Sierra Club Trips offered each year, around the world and around the country. Explore and enjoy some of this country's most remote and scenic places with Sierra Club leaders.

 

How Do I Get An Outings Update?

The North Star Chapter sends out eOutings, our monthly outings newsletter, to thousands of people throughout the state. To sign up, please email outings@northstar.sierraclub.org.

 

Can I Be An Outings Leader?

If you enjoy the outdoors, believe in the work that the Sierra Club is doing, and would like to share your interests with others, please consider becoming an outings leader. We're all volunteers, and you can lead as many or as few trips as fit into your schedule. For more information, please email outings@northstar.sierraclub.org.

 

Outings Scrapbook

If you've been on one of our outings, send us your stories and pictures and we'll put them up here!