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There are many pre-trip tasks which must be undertaken, and usually these will be the responsibility of the organiser or party leader1. We have listed some of these tasks below. However, this list is not exhaustive; there may be additional tasks your leader or organiser must undertake specific to your activity.
Select the party and/or the route
If you have a specific trip that you want to do, you can select or invite a party based on which people you know will be able to complete the walk. Alternatively, if you have a particular group of people in mind you should choose a walk you know they will like.
Obtain planning information
Obtain relevant maps of the area to help you plan. Also check environmental information such as likely weather, track conditions, snow depth, availability of water, tides, and river levels as appropriate. You should re-check these as close as possible to departure.
Plan the route
Plan the specific route, taking into account factors such as:
- the party's fitness and physical ability
- environmental considerations such as exposed areas, tidal areas, vegetation, etc
- the objective of the walk and people's interests
Organise the party
Organise people into groups of 2-3 for cooking and tentage. Tent and cooking groups do not have to be the same, although it might be easier if they were. At the start of the expedition, ensure that everyone knows the 'walking rules' of the party (which might be, for example, that one blast on a whistle means 'everyone stop', two blasts means 'continue', etc). Appoint a scout to walk at the front of the party and a whip to bring up the rear.
Organise gear
Organise any group equipment, eg: group first aid kit, GPS, etc. Ensure that each tent and cooking group has a tent, a stove, and sufficient pots/pans.
Let someone know
Find and nominate a suitable home contact who will be available during the expedition. Before the walk or at departure, submit a trip intentions plan to the appropriate authorities (ski patrol, park ranger, police, etc). Remember to inform the authorities of your safe return.
1 We refer to the organiser as the person who organises the logistics of getting people with the right skills and equipment to the start of the walk. The party leader is the person who takes charge of the actual expedition. This would preferably be the same person but it could be two different roles.
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