1. SELECT AN OUTINGS DESTINATION AND SCHEDULE THE OUTING

• Choose a destination for the outing.  Consult the “Outings Ideas” and “Scouting Reports” pages for possible destinations.
• Select a date for the Outing and clear it with your agency.
• Get the Chair’s approval for the Outings.

2. GET ASSISTANCE

• If you have an assistant leader, involve him|her in all scouting and planning! Remember, your assistant(s) must be qualified and informed enough to lead the outing in your absence.
• As volunteers sign up for the outing, delegate tasks such as bringing extra water, a camera(s), and other supplies.

3. SELECT AND SCOUT THE DESTINATION

• Plan the outing! Get trail maps. New York New Jersey Trail Conference is a good source  – count on at least a week between order and receipt.
• Consider the likely age of participants in planning an age-appropriate outings.
• Create a Safety Plan Worksheet for the outing (available in Word or pdf).  Determine what access is available for emergency medical services.  If 911 services are not available, provide phone numbers for emergency services and location of nearest hospital.
• Create driving directions for agency and ICO volunteers.
• Determine whether you will be
  
  
  1. renting a van (use Courier Car Rental;  see rental policies below),
     
  2. using an agency or school vehicle(s) or bus (you will have to check with the agency for availability), or
     
  3. using personal cars, which is not recommended!  If personal cars are used to transport ICO volunteers, the volunteers going in the car should be responsible for making their own arrangements; the leader should make no assignments.

4. WORK OUT THE LOGISTICS

• Plan an itinerary for the outing.  Establish the route, specifically which trails you will use.  However, be prepared to extend or shorten your course, based on how your participants are doing. 
• Determine if you need a permit for the outing that you are taking.  If so, file the permit application.
• Set a limit on group size and determine transportation needs for all participants.
• Discuss transportation with the agency. Use agency vehicles for the kids whenever possible.  If you are using agency vehicles or buses provided by the agency, have them reserve transportation now.
  
• If you are renting, make a reservation with Courier Car Rental now. In the summer, Courier Car Rental usually runs out of vans for the weekend by Wednesday the week before, so reserve early.  Remember, it is simple to cancel a reservation, but difficult to get the vehicle you need with no reservation.
• Notify the ranger or other authority of the date, location, and group size, if traveling in an area where ranger coverage is available.
• Plan for games and environmental education. Peruse the national ICO games page, which includes links to environmental education sites.
  
• If you are using a livery service, e.g., for equestrian or canoe/kayak trips, make appropriate arrangements now.
• Determine if you will need a concessionaire agreement, e.g,. if the vendor is providing a guide during your outing. See the national SC concessionaire requirements and file the proper forms.
  
• Be flexible! Construct a rough timeline, but have alternate ideas for possible changes in weather, interest levels, and unforeseen events.

5. GEAR and GRUB

• Plan snacks and meals for the outing.
• Decide what equipment to bring (e.g., extra ponchos).

6. PUBLICIZE and COMMUNICATE!

• Update the Calendar with outing details and a fun, inviting trip description. If it is necessary to cancel the outing, Update the Calendar to mark it as canceled and add a reason for the cancellation.
• Advertise the outing to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
• Provide a briefing email to all adult participants, including the who, what, when, and where of the outing.
• Set a pre-trip meeting date, time, and location with the agency.  Invite volunteers who have signed up, but remind them that it is not required.  However, the Assistant Leader should be present.
  
• Provide the agency with a flier to be used to publicize the outings to the kids and their parents. Be sure to describe the outing's destination, departure time, and return time.
• Email Permission Forms (available here in English and Spanish) to the agency. Emphasize that they must be completed and signed before the outing.  Kids without permission forms will not be permitted on the outing.
  
• Confirm the maximum number of kids who can attend prior to the pre-trip meeting.
• Confirm drivers and transportation arrangements with the agency.
• Recruit volunteer helpers for activities such as equipment, food, photography and newsletter article, and games.

7. CONDUCT THE PRE-TRIP MEETING

• Make sure that everyone has the previously described trip flier.
• Describe the outing! Explain what is planned and mention some highlights.
• Emphasize what to wear, what (not) to bring, and set the ground rules for the outing.
• Collect Permission Forms and ensure that all signatures are present. Don't forget to review medical histories.

8. CONDUCT THE OUTING

Be safe! Have fun! Take along your Day of Hike Checklist.

• Collect permission slips, have adult participants sign the sign-in/waiver form, and have non-ICO adult guests complete and sign the Code of Ethics.
• Make sure that any participant who might require medication has his|her medication!
• Make sure you have the following.
  1. Safety Plan Worksheet (available in word and pdf)
  2. Permission Forms (available in English and Spanish), which must be completed for all kids
  3. Code of Ethics for all non-ICO adult guests
  4. Safe Driving Tips  
  5. Trailhead Talk 
  6. First Aid Kit.  Be familiar with Sierra Club First Aid Policies, National ICO Water Safety Guidelines, if applicable, and National ICO Policies.  You should review these policies periodically to keep up with changes.
  7. Information (e.g. trail guide) for the outing destination.
  8. Map (e.g. topographic) of the outing destination with copies for your volunteers
  9. Permits, passes, and/or tickets (if any).
  10. Driving directions with copies for drivers.
  11. Game/Activity materials (if any)
  12. Other basic essentials including compass, flashlight (with spare batteries & bulbs), extra food & water, extra clothing, pocket knife, sunglasses & sunscreen, fire starter & matches.
• At the trail head,
  1. use a "Getting to Know You" game,
  2. present the trail head talk,
  3. assign lead and sweep, and
  4. perform regular head counts.
• At the end of the outing have a closing circle.

9. THANK AND DEBRIEF WITH VOLUNTEERS

Spend some moments after the outing with your volunteers to thank them for their help during the day/weekend, ask them for feedback, and talk about the outing in terms of what went well and what could be done better the next time. Alternatively, email your volunteers within a day of the outing to thank them and ask for feedback. Don't forget to ask for photos!

10. COMPLETE OUTING DOCUMENTATION

• Complete the NYC ICO Trip Report and, if expenses were incurred, the NYC ICO Expense Report.  [Links to be added]
• Mail the Trip and Expense Reports with Receipts, to Ted Bloch. 10 Bouton St., South Salem, NY 10590.
• Have someone write a brief report and email it to the webmaster or post a draft online.  Have someone email two or three good photos to the webmaster or upload the photos to the site to be included in the article.
• Upload selected photos taken during the outing to the Meetup website.

11. RETURN EQUIPMENT AND FOOD

Return NYC ICO equipment to the storage facility.  If you have extra food that is not perishable, keep it and use it on the next trip. If it is perishable, offer it to the parents of the kids and let them take it home.

Guidelines for Renting a Vehicle

• Rent only for authorized ICO business (meetings and outings).

• Sign the rental agreement as follows: "Sierra Club/Driver’s Name".

• Purchase the collision damage waiver offered by the rental car company (Collision Damage Waiver [CDW] or Loss Damage Waiver [LDW]).

• Purchase all the supplemental liability insurance from the rental agency.

• Make reservation based on vehicle pick-up time.

• You must be at least 25 years old to rent a vehicle.

• Drivers and leaders should make the reservation themselves for smaller vehicles.