The Halton Outdoor Club

Trip Leaders Handbook Suggestions, guidelines and examples to help you organize a trip for club members.

With thanks to Bonnie Quinn and Patti Blair

Spring 2018

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Trip Leader Handbook

Table of ContentsPlanning a 2-7 Day Bus Trip - (XC skiing / Hiking)...................................................................................................3

I. Research ...................................................................................................................................................3

II. Budget, Contracts, Cancellation Policy.....................................................................................................5

III. Scouting: .................................................................................................................................................7

IV. Communication .....................................................................................................................................8

V. One Month before trip:...........................................................................................................................8

VI. A few days prior to the trip.....................................................................................................................9

VII. While on the trip.................................................................................................................................10

VIII. After the Trip......................................................................................................................................10

***NOTE TO SELF***...........................................................................................................................................11

APPENDIX A..........................................................................................................................................................12

Compensation for Trip Leader.........................................................................................................................12

Scouting Cost..............................................................................................................................................12

Trip Leader Subsidy....................................................................................................................................12

APPENDIX B..........................................................................................................................................................13

Budget ............................................................................................................................................................13

Example # 1 Hiking Trip.............................................................................................................................13

Example #2 Ski Trip.....................................................................................................................................14

APPENDIX C..........................................................................................................................................................16

Trip Information Sheet ...................................................................................................................................16

Example #1 Hiking Trip...............................................................................................................................16

Example #2 Ski Trip.....................................................................................................................................18

APPENDIX D .........................................................................................................................................................20

Itinerary...........................................................................................................................................................20

Sample Ski Trip...........................................................................................................................................20

Sample Update Note............................................................................................................................................21

Email Note to Participants (a few weeks before the trip)...........................................................................21

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Planning a 2-7 Day Bus Trip - (XC skiing / Hiking)

I. Research

1. Start by letting the club manager and the appropriate activity director know that you are interested in leading a trip and indicate the activities, location, and dates that you are considering. Do this well ahead of time and before you start investing time and energy. It is important that the club ensure you that there are no potential conflicts or problems. The lead time required for planning this type of trip isanywhere from a year to 6 months.

2. Research potential areas for your trip. Use the internet to determine the suitability of an area for the activities you plan to offer. Look at the network of trails/parks/resorts that are available and evaluate the area based on:

Adequate number of trails with adequate distances for the duration of your trip

Suitable terrain that offers possibilities for various levels of experience, ability, fitness

Accessibility of the area by a coach bus

Suitable accommodation nearby

Amenities and other points of interest (as required)

3. Research Activity: At each trail network/park/resort that you plan to visit, find out the following information:

Determine group trail fees - mid week /weekend – adults/seniors - rentals. Do they offer a free trailfee for the leader?

Ensure there are no conflicts or problems with bringing the group on the specific date you plan to come

Determine if there is place to eat lunch, store gear, washrooms, purchase food, as well as other amenities such as maps, waxing area, retail outlet etc.

Record the name of the person with whom to speak and their contact number or email for future communication and get directions; full address; phone number

Find out how to get updated trail conditions if necessary

Determine best locations for bus parking

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Determine safety procedures, emergency phone numbers to call within the area/resort you are visiting

4. Research accommodation. It is most useful to call a hotel and start by asking to speak with a person in charge of group sales. Record their name and phone number.

Look for hotels that can accommodate at least 40 people (20 – 22 rooms, or more if you plan a bigger trip). It is critical that a great percentage of the rooms have two beds (two twins or two queens), however a few can have king beds (for couples). It is also easiest if the rooms are all the same in terms price and size. For this reason we often use larger hotels such as Comfort Inn, Best Western, and Holiday Inn etc.

Ask about availability for the dates of your trip.

Ask about group pricing. In discussing price, make sure to include taxes and ask about a free room for the bus driver and /or leader. (Bus drivers are often given a free room for a group this size). (Most hotels do not include gratuities on room cleaning as this is discretionary and paid by the guests on an individual basis). Also inquire about pricing for a singles accommodation. Usually this is the same price as for a double but it is worth asking if they have a different rate. They may have to get back to you on group pricing. (Eventually, once you decide on the hotel, they will send out a contract that stipulates price, payment schedule and cancellation policies. See section on Contracts).

There must be a restaurant or eating area that serves a full hot breakfast. It is OK if it is buffet stylebut it is important that the breakfast be substantial and offer some form of eggs, fruit, yogurt, cereal, toast etc. Check with the hotel regarding breakfast times. We often start breakfasts at 7:30 but the timing will be up to you.

Ask whether the rooms have a mini fridge. This is very useful as people need to keep beverages and lunch food cold. If there is no fridge, more trips to the grocery store may be required or you may make provisions for people to bring small coolers.

Ask whether the hotel offers a dinner. If so, that is a bonus but if not other arrangements must be made for dinners at a restaurant in the area.

It is helpful if the hotel is located within walking distance of grocery stores, LCBO, other restaurantsand shopping.

Sauna, pool, whirl pool, gym are always a bonus

5. Research Meals.

If you are having group dinners at the hotel or at a local restaurant, you will need to discuss menu options, pricing, seating arrangements and dietary restrictions.

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If you are booking a group meal at a local restaurant, inquire about availability for your group on the date you wish to book. Be sure to let them know the size of the group. It is important to ask them if they can accommodate a group this size in a reasonably timely manner.

The final pricing for each group meal needs to include taxes and gratuities; however alcoholic beverages (or other exclusions as determined by the restaurant) will be paid by participants on an individual basis.

Determine the method of payment for a group meal. Our preference is to pay by club cheque.

If there is a dinner where participants are going to a restaurant on their own (not a group meal), it useful to research what options are available and provide a list of options so that participants can book on their own or organize amongst themselves, where to go. If a meal is going to be paid separately by the participant, this needs to be communicated in the trip write up.

6. Research Transportation

Once you have a hotel booked, you will need to arrange the bus. The club manager typically does this by sending out requests for a quote from various bus companies for your trip dates. The club manager will send you the quotes and recommend which one to use.

Let the club manager know if you plan to use the 407 as this must be booked ahead of time and there is an extra fee

Estimate driving times to your various destinations as best you can in order to put together an itinerary (this can also be done later)

II. Budget, Contracts, Cancellation Policy

1. Contracts: The hotel will require a signed contract. The club manager looks after signing and payment of these contracts. Ask the hotel to send a copy of the contract to the club manager and to you, explaining that the club manager looks after the actual payment. Prior to signing or making payment, it is important for the trip leader to review the contract to ensure it concurs with all the details you agreed on earlier, such as dates, number of rooms, pricing, menus, meal pricing, bus driver accommodations etc. Never assume the hotel has got it right as often they do not. Check and double check. Review the payment schedule and make a note of the dates that various payments are due. Some hotels do not require any payment ahead of time while others require an initial deposit and interim payments prior to the trip date. Review the hotel cancellation policy closely and work with the club manager to determine if it feasible, given the club’s registration process. Cancellation policies can sometimes be negotiated if necessary.

2. Club Cancellation Policy: The club has to decide at what point participants will not be refunded should they have to cancel out of a trip. It cannot be assumed that a replacement will be found. The cancellation policy will depend on when payments have to be made for various parts of the trip. In

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most cases the club cancellation policy for each trip will be determined by the cancellation policy stipulated on the hotel contract. Be sure to collaborate with the club manager on this; she is your best resource. For assistance in writing up the cancellation policy for your trip, it is best to refer to a cancellation policy as seen on a previous trip write up. See cancellation on Appendix C: Sample Trip Write UP

3 Budget: Do this once you have completed the research. Remember to budget conservatively because we can always refund people any extra money after the trip is finished if we have overcharged. Budgeting is not always exact and there is a certain amount of guesswork involved. See Appendix B for examples of a budget.

Determine the ideal number of people that you would like to participate on your trip. This number should be over 35 and fewer than 55 as this is the range that works for the bus and other shared costs. You may want to limit a hiking trip to about 40 in order that hiking groups are not too large. Ski trips can more easily accommodate 50 participants.

It is prudent to base your budget on fewer people than you think will participate. This way you are less likely to end up in the hole if your trip does not fill. You can even create a budget for 35 peopleand another for 45 and perhaps choose a final price that is somewhere in between.

Accommodation and meals at the hotel: Be sure to ask for a final price: rooms with taxes included;meals with tax and gratuity. Remember that most rooms will be based on double occupancy. A separate amount needs to be calculated for single occupancy participants. Have the hotel verify inwriting, the final price for both meals and accommodations. Contracts usually never contain final pricing. This is critical because staff on check out frequently make errors. If you have the final amount confirmed in writing, no one can disagree with the final price.

Group meals: sometimes a group meal must be organized that is not at the hotel. Ensure that the meal pricing includes the meal, taxes and gratuity.

Bus Cost: taxes in

Bus driver tip: $2.00 per day per person (or as determined by the club)

Trail or Park Fees: taxes in

Any other planned group expenses, such as a cruise, guided tour, museum etc.

Contingency Fee: depending on the overall trip cost a small amount such as $10 or $20 per person is added to the budget to cover incidental or unexpected expenses.

Leader subsidy: one leader does not pay for the trip so this amount is shared by participants. See details on Appendix A

Guiding Fees: on hiking trips it is often necessary to have others assisting with leading hikes. A maximum amount of $100 per day can be budgeted for this cost, up to a total maximum of $1000.00 per trip. See details on Appendix A

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Scouting Fee: if you scout this trip ahead of time there will be expenses involved. In order to lessen the financial burden on the trip leader, some of these expenses may be incorporated into the trip cost and shared among participants. See Appendix A for more details

Add up all expenses to come up with a ‘per person’ trip cost and then round the amount up to the nearest dollar or $5.

Before publishing the final pricing, have the club manager, activity director and club treasurer check your budget

III. Scouting:

Especially if you are planning a hiking trip or if this is a completely new trip that has not been done before, it is advised that you take a few days and scout the area ahead of time. There is no replacement for experiencing the area first hand. The feasibility of doing a scouting trip will depend on how far away your destination is and on how much time you have. Many club trips have been led very successfully without scouting but as a new leader, you will likely feel more comfortable if you scout first. It is also helpful and more enjoyable to scout a trip if you have someone to accompany you who can help with directions and assist you in scouting the hiking/skiing trails. The scouting trip will usually take place after most initial research has taken place and aftera hotel has been booked. If it is done too far in advance there may be unexpected changes due to seasonal conditions or it can be too hard to remember details. A notebook is very useful. This scouting trip will cost money and compensation for the leader/s for scouting should be included in the budget so that at least some of the cost is distributed amongst the participants. See Appendix A for details on this.

Your scouting trip involves:

driving to the area you plan to visit; mapping/planning/timing your bus route; washroom stops;accessibility for the bus at drop off and pick ups

hiking or skiing the trails (If this is a hiking trip, you will also hike the actual routes as much as possible for the various hikes you plan to offer).

staying at the hotel you plan to use and meeting the staff; review breakfast and meal arrangements, etc

eating at a restaurant/s where you plan to book a group meal.

Determining where and when you will stop to purchase food for lunches, LCBO etc.

visiting tourist bureaus or other sites you might like to visit to pick up brochures, maps, or promotional material that might be useful for participants

checking the area for possible alternative activities if the weather interferes with hiking or skiing

estimating the times for driving, hiking, skiing, meals etc. so that you can plan a fairly accurate itinerary

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IV. Communication

Once your trip has been booked and you have a budget, the next step is to let the membership know about your trip and get people to sign up.

1. Write a Trip Information Sheet giving all the pertinent details of your trip such as dates, costs, exclusions, registration opening date, activities, cancellation policy etc. This letter is what members will read in order to decide if they want to go on your trip. Don’t be afraid to ‘sell’ it. Before sending it to the membership, send a copy to the club manager and to the activity director for them to check. See Appendix C for an example of a Trip Information sheet.

2. Send a copy of the Trip Information Sheet to our proof reader (who will then forward it to our Newsletter Editor). This should be done in conjunction with the deadlines that are set in place for the Newsletter submissions. The club manager can help you with these dates. Sometimes the dates do not coincide very well and it may be that your Trip Information Sheet goes into the newsletter after it has appeared in the Updater and on the Website. That is OK.

3. Send a copy of the Trip Information Sheet to the Communications Director and fill out an “Events Calendar Request Form”. This is found on the Member’s page on our website. This form provides the Communications Director with the information that is required for putting your trip information onto the Events Calendar, allowing members to register.

4. Send a copy of the Trip Information Sheet to the person who produces the Updater and make sure this person also knows the date that registration opens. Prior to registration opening, an Updater should besent out to announce the new trip and the date that registration will open. A link to the Trip Information Sheet should be included in the Updater but you need to co-ordinate with the Communications Director as the link can only happen once the trip is posted on the website. What this means is that the trip will appear on the Website and the Updater at about the same time.

At this point you can relax for a bit while people sign up etc. One thing to keep an eye on is your contract for the hotel. They often require an interim payment and this can easily be missed as it can happen quite far in advance of the trip. The hotel does not always notify you when payments are due so both you and the club manager need to keep an eye on this. The club has actually lost rooms in a hotel because a payment date was missed.

V. One Month before trip:

1. Phone trails/park/ski resorts to:

review exact dates of visit,

confirm pricing

ask about trail closures, changes, how to get trail conditions

ask for copies of trail maps - probably online.

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confirm directions from hotel.

confirm method of payment: do they want trail fees paid by business cheque or by credit card?

Review and confirm emergency procedures and emergency phone numbers.

2. Hotel:

Once the trip is full, the club manager will make up a rooming list based on preferences stated by participants on the on-line registration form. Often the hotel contract stipulates a specific date that they wish to receive a rooming list. Work with the club manager to ensure this gets sent to thehotel by the requested date. Keep a copy of the rooming list for yourself.

Confirm dates and payments and how/when final payment will happen i.e. club cheque

Determine check in procedures. Ask the hotel if they can they have keys ready prior to your arrival.Ask to have keys in an envelope with room numbers and the names of occupants written on the outside. This makes distribution MUCH easier. It is also easiest to distribute these on the bus, before unloading

Confirm menus for meals; details of people’s food allergies; seating arrangement; times of meals.

Confirm final payment by club cheque. Find out how the hotel wants to arrange for people to pay any individual costs such as pay TV, long distance charges, alcoholic beverages etc.

3. Make an itinerary for bus driver that includes departure and pick up times, departure and pick up locations, parking situations at trails/parks/resorts.

4. Make a list of possible alternative activities in case the weather doesn’t hold up. Find out about opening and closing times, availability for your group, equipment required, record phone numbers and contact information etc.

5. Send out an info letter to all participants with full itinerary and final instructions. This can be done through our website by sending the letter in an e-mail to the club manager who can then forward it to all participants. See Appendix D for a sample of an info letter with itinerary. Bonnie can assist with this letter if you wish, using past letters as a template.

VI. A few days prior to the trip

1. The Black Bag: The club manager puts together a black bag with all kinds of useful stuff in it such as required cheques (already signed), a few blank cheques, some cash, extra copies of important documents, lists, maps, etc. The club manager will go over the black bag with you.

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2. Decide if you would like to send your trip members a final reminder by e-mail including information such as your cell phone number, reminder of departure time and location, what to wear and what to bring on the first day.

3. It is useful to make a list of various announcements you will need to make on the bus on the first day asit is hard to remember everything.

4. You will likely be checking the weather to see what’s in store in the area you will be visiting. Decide if you need to make any adjustments to your itinerary or have alternate plans in place.

5. Put important phone numbers into your cell phone such as the hotel, contacts for your activity locations, assistant leaders etc.

VII. While on the trip

1. Put the bus driver’s phone number into your phone

2. Make sure to communicate important info to your trip members as you go. Think ahead to the next time you will all be together and make any announcements that are required prior to that time. It is useful to have a sheet of paper with a list of announcements that need to be made as you go. Breakfast is often a useful time to make announcements as long as the group knows what time your announcements will be happening.

3. Keep the bus driver in the communication loop. It is natural to focus on the group but don’t forget to keep the bus driver informed as well! This is why the bus driver itinerary is useful, especially if there is only one of you. If you have help, one person can focus on the group while the other assists the driver, as required.

4. When arriving at a new location to hike or ski, give clear instructions to the group on trail conditions, terrain, safety measures, pick up time and location and any other pertinent information.

5. Be one step ahead: Determine if you need to call a day ahead to any of your contacts to remind them of your arrival or to ask questions etc.

6. Read your group and the situation. For example, don’t be afraid to alter your trip plans slightly if the group is tired or if they need more/less free time or if perhaps they need more/less activity or if they perhaps need to sleep in for an extra half hour one morning etc.

7. Check in with the front desk at the hotel prior to departure, making sure everything is paid and that there are no outstanding issues.

8. Make sure to have cheques ready as required. When making payments be sure to fill out the cheque stub as well as the cheque (we keep the cheques stubs as proof of payments details) and keep any receipts. Keep all financials in a special place in the black bag

9. Be sure to give the driver tip on the last day.

VIII. After the Trip

Remove any of your own contents from the black bag and return the bag to Bonnie. Make sure to leave the cheque stubs, receipts and any financial information in the bag for the manager and treasurer.

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Make some quick notes in your own files to summarize the trip, especially noting things that worked really well and things that you might change next time.

The club manager and the treasurer will eventually review all the trip finances and determine if members will get a refund.

***NOTE TO SELF***By this time in your reading of this document, you are thinking “No way I am doing this”. Remember that this happens over the course of several months or an entire year. We recommend working with another person so that there are two of you. (The club will only provide a free trip to one leader but you could arrange to split the compensation). Also, the Club Manager and your activity director will help you every step of the way and so really there are several people working together.

During and after the trip, you will realize that trip planning is creative and very rewarding. You will thoroughly enjoy the challenge and the experience of leading a group that will be so very appreciative of your efforts.

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APPENDIX A

Compensation for Trip Leader

Scouting Cost

• For driving and gas the club will provide compensation at $.40 (40 cents) per km.

• For accommodation the club will provide compensation for one night in the hotel that is being used for the trip. Typically the hotel cost includes breakfast.

• The club does not include compensation for other meals

Trip Leader Subsidy

• One trip leader will be fully subsidized for the full cost of the trip

• An amount of $100 per day may be budgeted for any day that it is required to have a second guide in order to lead a group activity such as a hike.

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APPENDIX B

Budget

Example # 1 Hiking Trip

Collingwood Hiking TripBased on 25 registrants

Expense Details COST Single Double

Comfort Inn 2 nights

135.60 per night w tax breakfast incl

$271.20 $135.60

Driver Tip $2 per person per day (3 days)

$6.00 $6.00

One group dinner 45.00 w tax and tip included

$45.00 $45.00

Contingency fee $20.00 $20.00

Bus Driver Room will be comped if 16 rooms booked

$0.00 $0.00

Trail Fees Bruce Trail - no entry fees

$0.00 $0.00

Sub Total I (indiv costs)

$342.20 $206.60

Bus rental Coach Canada (taxesin)

3220.5 div. by 25 $128.82 $128.82

scouting cost 560 km (.40/km) 1 night hotel w tax;

224+150.00 = 374 $15.00 $15.00

Trip Leader Subsidy**

$349 (375 - 26) div by 25

649 div by 25 $14.00 $14.00

Guiding Fee $100 per day for 3 days = $300

300 div 25 $12.00 $12.00

Sub Total S (shared costs)

$169.82 $169.82

Individual + Shared Costs

$512.02 $376.42

TOTAL TRIP COST $510.00 $375.00

Remember that for a double room, the cost of the room per night is split in half which is why the cost per person for 2 nights is half the cost that it is for a single. We typically only get one or two people registering for asingle room as it is much more expensive.

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This was a conservative budget as we in fact had 40 people on this trip.

All of our hiking was on the Bruce Trail and there were no park or entry fees.

Normally the contingency fee for this trip would have been $10 but we were not certain whether the bus driverroom was going to be given a free room by the hotel.

Example #2 Ski Trip

Haliburton Ski Trip February 16-18 2018 Budget based on 40 or 30 participants

Item Details Cost DOUBLEbased on 40for 2 nights

SINGLEbased on 40for 2 nights

DOUBLEbased on 30

SINGLEbased on 30for 2 nights

Driver Tip $2 x 40 people x 4 days

$2 per person per day

$6.00 $6.00 $6.00 $6.00

Hotel Pine Stone (109 + tax) per night

123.17 double occupancy

$123.17 $246.34 $123.17 $123.17

Breakfast x 2 18 + tax & grat

23.39 per meal (x2)

$46.78 $46.78 $46.78 $46.78

Dinner Pinestone x 2 50 + tax & grat

50.00 per meal (x2)

$100.00 $100.00 $100.00 $100.00

Ski Pass Haliburton for 1 day 13 per day (discount) 13

$13.00 $13.00 $13.00 $13.00

Ski Pass Kawartha for one day 15 per day $16.00 $16.00 $16.00 $16.00

Ski Pass Pinestone for 1 day 15 per day $15.00 $15.00 $15.00 $15.00

Contingency $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00

Sub Total - Indiv Costs $329.95 $453.12 $329.95 $329.95

Bus rental 2700 + tax 3051 divided by 40

$76.28 $76.28 $101.70 $101.70

Trip Leader Cost 1 leader @ 406

(329.95 + 76.28)

$10.16 $10.16 $13.54 $13.53

Driver Room free @ 40 guests

$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Scouting Cost N/A $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Guiding Fee N/A $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

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Item Details Cost DOUBLEbased on 40for 2 nights

SINGLEbased on 40for 2 nights

DOUBLEbased on 30

SINGLEbased on 30for 2 nights

Sub Total - Shared Costs $86.44 $86.44 $115.21 $115.23

$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Individual + Shared Costs $416.39 $539.56 $445.16 $568.35

Total Cost per Person $420.00 $540.00 $445.00 $570.00

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APPENDIX C

Trip Information Sheet

Example #1 Hiking Trip

Collingwood – Bruce Trail Hiking Trip

May 5 – 7, 2017

By Jim and Patti Blair

Here is a brand new trip thatwill take hikers to some ofthe Bruce Trail’s mostbeautiful trails at one of themost beautiful times of theyear! Collingwood is onlyabout 2 hours by bus, soyou’ll spend lots more timehiking than driving!

Itinerary: We leave Burlington at 8:30 a.m. from our usual location at 777 Walker’s Line. We will travel by coach bus up to the Collingwood area, stopping to hike the Dufferin Hi- Lands on route in Boyne Valley Provincial Park or in the Pine River Valley. The second day we will hike the lovely Pretty River Valley Provincial Park, a short distance outside Collingwood. The shorter hike on this day will likely allow an early drop off back in Collingwood for those wanting to cruise the town. On the third day we will explore the Bruce Trail and the unique Metcalfe Crevice in the Kolapore region which will also include a stop at the famous Ravenna Country Market. The bus will return to Burlington before 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Hikes: A long and medium option will be offered on all hikes. There is still scouting to be done by the trip leaders to determine exact routes; however we will be aiming to offer long hikes of approximately 13 -15 kms and medium hikes of approximately 8 – 10 kms. These distances may vary depending on the terrain, the availability of pick up and drop off points and on our timing. We will be taking advantage of the beautiful “escarpment” landscape in this region, meaning the terrain will indeed be varied and sometimes challenging. We will hike in hardwood bush, open meadows, river lowlands, scenic lookouts and we will experience some ups and downs. Hikers should be prepared with waterproof and supportive hiking boots, hiking poles and should be able to carry a daypack with ample water and food for a day hike.

Here is an inspirational quote that describes the Pretty River Provincial Park Area:

Pretty River Valley has it all. It is stunning in all four seasons. Each time I explore this beautiful piece of the Bruce Trail my gratitude increases. Knowing I can walk amongst the creeks, ponds and melt water channels, that I can take in beautiful views from the heights of the Escarpment - it fills me with delight and a youthful energy. I encourage you to visit this special place. You will not be disappointed.

– Hart Fisher

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Our accommodation: We will stay in Collingwood at the newly renovated Comfort Inn. It is located just outside the downtown area and is close to grocery stores, restaurants, bars and Tim Horton’s. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool, fitness room, and free Wifi. Rooms are not equipped with a mini fridge but this will be addressed later.

Trip Cost: The trip cost is a very reasonable $375 for double occupancy and $510 for single occupancy.

The Trip Package Includes:

transportation by luxury coach

two nights’ accommodation

two breakfast buffets with hot and cold options

one dinner at a local establishment, taxes and tip included (drinks and desserts may be extra)

taxes and gratuities, except gratuity for room cleaning

guided hikes everyday

Not included in the trip package:

one dinner (a list of local options will be provided, most within walking distance)

snacks and lunch food for on the trail

Registration: You will register by logging in to our website and going to the Calendar and Schedules page. You will pay for the trip in full on-line, through PayPal (no deposit required). NOTE: It will take our tech team some time to get this trip up on to the website as a template must be created (future trips will be easier). Our goal is to have this trip available for on-line registration by Feb 20th. If you are reading this article prior to that date, then you may have to wait until Feb 20, to register.

Cancellation Policy: You may cancel up to April 1st and only be charged a $25.00 processing fee. You will be refunded through PayPal by club administrators. After April 1st you will be responsible for any costs that the club has incurred on your behalf. This could include transportation, accommodation, meals, leader subsidy etc. If you cancel out of double occupancy you will also be charged for the cost difference for your roommate.

In Summary:

We are excited to offer a trip that highlights a section of the Bruce Trail that the club has not hiked in recent memory. We hope you are excited to join us.

Jim and Patti Blair

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Trip Information Sheet

Example #2 Ski Trip

Haliburton Highlands X-C Ski Trip

February 16 -18, 2018

Jim and Patti Blair

The last time we offered this trip it began with great promise. However the weather gods had their own agenda and washed us out of our last two days of skiing. Well, we’d like to re-visit Haliburton with the intention of skiing at least some of the trails we missed. Because Haliburton is just a few hours north east of Burlington we can maximize skiing and minimize driving time.

Skiing Destinations: The Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trail Association maintains a series of trail systems, providing enjoyment for skiers of all levels. We plan to revisit the trails we loved such as Glebe Park and Moosewoods. We will also take advantage of the ski and snowshoe trails right outside our door at Pinestone Lodge. The Leslie Frost Centre, about a 45 minute drive from Pinestone, offers some excellent ‘classic only’ skiing and snowshoeing in a more remote setting. With 42 km of ski trails and 10 km of snowshoe trails, we will easily fill a day at the Kawartha Nordic Centre north of Peterborough. Time will not allow everyone to ski everything but there are great options.

http://www.skihaliburton.com/ http://www.kawarthanordic.ca/

Itinerary: This mid-winter getaway departs on the morning of Friday Feb.16. We will ski on Friday afternoon (at a location to be determined) and travel to the Pinestone Resort just outside of the town of Haliburton. On Saturday we will work out an action packed day, taking advantage of the fact that several trails are in close proximity to each other. It is possible that we will offer activities in more than one location on this day. For example one group might be dropped off at the Glebe trails while another travels to the Leslie frost Centre to ski and/or snowshoe. On Sunday morning we will pack up and head to the Kawartha Nordic Centre to ski for the day before driving back to Burlington. More details will follow but as we have learned, the itinerary may change due to weather and snow conditions.

Snowshoeing: This trip offers excellent snowshoeing but it may be limited in some places. There are trails right on the Pinestone property and there is a short snowshoe trail located very close to the Glebe Ski Trails. There are ample snowshoe trails at the Leslie Frost Centre and Kawartha Nordic Centre.

Accommodation: The Pinestone Resort is located on Highway #21, just outside of the town of Haliburton. It is in a scenic rural setting that backs onto a golf course, trails, and a pond (ice rink). The groomed

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trails mean that there is a ski in/out option right at the resort! Pinestone has an indoor saltwater pool, a fitness centre, a spa (massages not included in the trip cost), the “Highlanders Bar”, as well as a full dining room. Rooms are equipped with free wireless internet, a coffee maker and a mini fridge allowing you to purchase lunchfood to take with you on daily outings.

http://www.pinestone-resort.com/

Cost: The cost of the trip is $420 for double occupancy and $540 for single. The trip cost includes returntransportation by coach, transportation to ski areas, accommodation for two nights, two breakfasts and two dinners at the resort, ski passes for three days of skiing/snowshoeing and most taxes and gratuities. Excluded from the cost are lunches, snacks, room gratuities, and items of a personal nature.

To book: Please register and pay for the trip on-line: www.haltonoutdoorclub.ca We can take a maximum of 50 people and so do not delay registration. Registration opens on Sept. 10, 2017.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel prior to Nov 15, you will receive a full refund, minus a $25 per person processing fee. After that date, you will be responsible for the processing fee as well as any costs the clubincurs on your behalf. This could include costs for meals, accommodation, transportation, driver tip, etc. If you cancel out of a double rooming arrangement it may result in you having to pay the difference to a single rate if no substitute can be found.

Please contact Jim and Patti Blair if you require further information: skiing@halton outdoorclub.ca

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APPENDIX D

Itinerary

Sample Ski Trip

Ski Haliburton Itinerary 2018Please note that this itinerary is subject to change

due to snow conditions, driving conditions or weather.

Friday Feb 16

8:30 - Depart Burlington 777 Walkers Line, for Pinestone Resort 9:45 - Pit stop in Newmarket Walmart / McDonalds, buy supplies: (45 minutes)10:30 – proceed to Pinestone12:15 - Arrive Pinestone – Lunch and Info Meeting in Minden East room Afternoon – Ski / Snowshoe Pinestone trails / Check in 4:45 – depart for Haliburton for groceries etc. returning at 5:45 6:45- dinner and announcements8:30 - free time

Saturday Feb 17Morning: (GROUP 1 at Moosewoods in morning and Glebe in afternoon) (GROUP 2 at Leslie Frost all day)

7:30 – 8:30 – Breakfast and announcements9:15 – everyone on bus - leave for Ski Trails at Moosewoods9:30 – arrive Moosewoods to drop off GROUP 1 skiers (9:30 - 12:00 – GROUP 1 - ski at Moosewoods)9:40 – bus continues on to Leslie Frost Centre to drop off GROUP 2 skiers and snowshoers (10 :15 to 3:00 - GROUP 2 – Ski, snowshoe, lunch at Leslie Frost Centre)Afternoon:12:00 - bus picks up GROUP 1 skiers at Moosewoods and drives to Centre for the Arts for lunch and afternoon activities at Glebe Trails

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12:15 - 1:00 - GROUP 1 lunch at Centre for the Arts 1:00 – 3:45 - GROUP 1 options: a) Ski Glebe Park Trails b) Snowshoe Glebe Trails/ Museum Trail c) visit Haliburton Museum d) view outdoor art sculptures

3:00 - bus pick up for GROUP 2 at Leslie Frost3:45 – bus pick up for GROUP 1 at Glebe4 :00 – bus drives everyone to town for LCBO and lunch supplies5:00 – arrive back at Pinestone; 6:45 - dinner8:30 - free time

Sunday Feb 18

7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast and Announcements 8:30 – 9:00 final packing 9:00 - bus loads Fairway people 9:15 – bus loads people at Main Building9:20– bus departs for Kawartha Nordic Ski Club 10:30 – arrive Kawartha Nordic Trails to ski and snowshoe12:00 – 2:00 - bus available or can eat packed lunch in lodge **no food service**4:00 – bus departs for Burlington6:45 – bus arrives Burlington, 777 Walkers Line

Sample Update Note

Email Note to Participants (a few weeks before the trip)

Hello Hikers,

Jim and Patti would like to give you a little update regarding our Collingwood hiking trip which is fast approaching.

As stated, we will depart Burlington at 8:30 a.m. on Friday May 5 from our usual location at 777 Walker’s Line. After a brief pit stop in Orangeville we will start hiking in the Boyne River Provincial Park near Shelburne by 10:30 or 11:00 and have lunch on the trail. Be sure to pack a lunch for the first day. We will finish hiking by 3:30

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- 4:00 pm to arrive in Collingwood before 5:00. Our dinner on Friday will be a meal together at the Georgian Bay Hotel at 6:30. This is the meal that is included with your trip cost.

On Saturday morning we will allow time for some morning shopping to buy lunch food and the bus will depart at 9:30 for the Pretty River Valley Provincial Park. We will hike most of the day on Saturday and return to the hotel in plenty of time to get rested and cleaned up. The dinner on Saturday evening will not be a group meal but we will offer suggestions for several local restaurants that are close by. This meal is not included in your trip cost.

On Sunday we will again depart by 9:30 and drive to the Kolapore area west of Collingwood where we will again have lunch on the trail. We plan to finish around 3:00 and then hit the Ravenna Country Market before the bus heads back to arrive in Burlington for 5:30 or 6:00.

A few notes: We were not able to negotiate rooms with a mini fridge which is why we are making sure you have time to shop for lunch food before we head out for the day. However, there should be enough room on the bus if you want to pack some food or drink items in a soft cooler that could stay cool for a day or two. There are grocery stores very close to the Comfort Inn where we are staying.

We have not yet scouted the exact hiking routes as we are waiting for trails to dry out. However as stated in the initial trip write–up, we do know that the hiking will involve some challenging terrain. This is “escarpment” country so please be prepared for some hills. As it is early spring, sections of trails may be muddy and wet. Mosquitoes and black flies should not yet be an issue, but bug repellent and long sleeves help guard against ticks. In early May we could encounter everything from an early warm spell to snow flurries (it happened last year) so be prepared with all the clothing options.

Some Essentials to Bring:

Supportive, comfortable, waterproof hiking boots with good treads

Socks that fit well and are wool or synthetic (quick drying). No cotton socks please!

Hiking poles (one or two)

Rainwear: jacket with a hood AND rain pants

Day pack large enough to carry raingear, extra clothing, lunch snacks and water

Water bottle (two would be good)

Hiking clothing that is quick drying, breathable, loose and comfortable. Dress in layers. NO cotton please!

Lunch for the first day

Sun Screen and Sun Hat

Tuque

Gloves or mitts

Bathing suit: The hotel has a heated indoor pool and fitness room.

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Required medication

Some zip locks or plastic containers for packing lunches might be useful

The rest is up to you...camera, phone, GPS, etc etc

We are really looking forward to some beautiful spring hiking with you. Questions? pblair24@cogeco.ca

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