GARNA Hiking Club 

GARNA’s Hiking Club is a members club that explores and gathers in the beautiful nature of the Arkansas River Valley. Hikes are scheduled for every Friday, June through October, weather permitting. To join the hiking club, become a GARNA member by clicking the ‘membership’ link on the upper right side of the screen and noting in the comments you are interested in joining. Already a member? Reach out to info@garna.org and you’ll be put on the list.

Hike Dates – these will be updated throughout the season.

 

June 19 – Brown’s Creek Falls

July 10 – Waterdog’s Lake

July 24 – Native Lake

July 31 – Ptarmigan Lake

August 7 – North Backbone

August 14 – Rainbow Trail

August 21 – Marshall Pass South

September 11 – TBD

September 18 – Blanks Cabin

October 9 – Davis Meadows

 

Hiking Club Policy for COVID-19

Due to COVID-19 impacts on the GARNA community, GARNA is making changes to its usual hike structure for 2020 to increase participant safety and alleviate some of the fears and uncertainty that our hikers may be experiencing. The health and safety of our participants and hike leaders continues to be GARNA’s top priority. Based on current guidelines and best practices, this policy includes detailed information related to: participant, volunteer, and staff health screenings that include temperature checks; protocols for gathering at the start of hikes, duration and frequency of mask wearing; the availability and use of protective equipment, and hikers responsibility to bring their own equipment.

To ensure the health and safety of staff and program participants, GARNA will implement the following:

i. To reduce the potential for transmission of COVID-19 we have switched to a small group size model of 10 or less hike participants total including hike leaders and sweeps. All hike participants will be asked if they have been practicing safe social distancing techniques and if they have not they will not be able to lead hikes/ participate in hikes for at least 14 days. Participants will also be asked if they have been or been around anyone who was recently sick and if the answer is yes they will not be allowed to partake.

ii. To minimize the chance of transmission, we will not be encouraging carpooling to the hikes. Instead all participants will be instructed to meet at the trail head of the hike.

    • To minimize the chance of transmission, all hikers must bring a face mask with them and wear the mask until the hike starts, and/or anytime they are unable to keep 6 feet between them and another hiker not from their household.

iii. To ensure staff, volunteer, and hiker health on the day of the hike:

    • We will ask participants to do a temperature check on themselves prior to arrival. We will also have a forehead thermometer available on site as a back-up. Will we???
    • Seasonal Allergies – If you are 100% sure that you are experiencing symptoms of seasonal allergies, rather than any other kind of illness, then you will be allowed to attend the hike.

iv. Hikers and leaders will stay 6′ distanced, and will go over trail etiquette regarding passing and being passed by other trail users and how to make room on the trail while having little to no impact regarding trail side vegetation or accidental trail widening.

    • Hikers will be responsible for bringing all of their own gear, snacks, water, and supplies to reduce the risk of transmission of any germs.

Because this is an evolving and dynamic situation, we will continue to update our COVID-19 health policy throughout the summer and a copy of the current policy based on the most up-to-date guidelines and best practices will be participants prior to the start of the hike they have signed up for. GARNA has been safely managing the risks associated with running outdoor programs for more almost 25 years and our organization has proven itself exceptional at creating and operationalizing policies to keep participants and staff healthy and safe. GARNA will be applying this expertise with extra vigilance this coming summer to minimize the potential for the spread of COVID 19.