FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Outings
You do not need to be a member of either the Sierra Club or the Hundred Peaks Section to participate in outings. All that is required is that you agree to follow standard Sierra Club policies that are designed to ensure a safe and successful outing. This includes signing the standard liability waiver. For more information see the Outings Page on the website Hundred Peaks Section Scheduled Outings.
The best way to know if the outing is right for you is to contact the leader by email with a description of your recent experience. If possible, include some information about your comfortable hiking speed. The Hundred Peaks Section strives to provide a wide range of outings at different difficulty levels. The leader will set expectations by proving mileage, elevation gain, description of the terrain and a pace descriptor in the outing announcement.
Once the leader has agreed to your participation, you will be sent an email with instructions including when and where to meet. There may be multiple meeting points so that carpools can be set up. Carpools must be set up by individuals. The club does not take responsibility for carpooling.
Once at the trailhead, instructions will be provided about what to expect on the hike and how the hike will be conducted. It is important that you follow the instructions provided by the leader.
The leader will generally keep the group together providing breaks as needed. It is important to address any issues you have with the leaders so they can make appropriate adjustments to ensure a safe and successful outing. Leaders are highly trained and capable of addressing most any issue that will arise on an outing.
Hundred Peaks Section outings cover everything from easy hikes on dirt roads to low level mountaineer trips that may require special gear, such as helmets. Leaders will make decisions as necessary to reduce the risk of the outing while maximizing the probably of success for the group.
It is very simple. The leader will provide basic instructions in an email provided before the hike. Each participant must sign a waiver and submit a medical form. While on the outing, follow the directions provided by the leaders (such as staying behind the leader in front and the trail sweep in the back). Most importantly, have a good time, support others in the group. This will help the outing achieve a successful outcome.
It is preferable that you stay with the group for the duration of the outing. There are circumstances where the leader may feel that signing out a participant is warranted but this should be the exception rather than the rule. Leaders are trained to assess the situation and to make a call that is right for both the individual requesting to sign out and the rest of the group.
Hundred Peaks Section Membership
Becoming a member is a small way to provide support for the leaders and activities that you take advantage of. On a personal level, membership provides the following benefits:
- Qualify for achievement awards such as 100 Peaks, 200 Peaks, and list completion emblems. Your awards will be listed among some of the legends of climbing in Southern California. The first Hundred Peaks Emblem was awarded to Weldon Heald in 1946. These awards have a long history that predates current internet awards such as the Six Pack of Peaks. You must be an active member of the Hundred Peaks Section for the previous six months to qualify for an award.
- Sierra Club membership is a prerequisite for obtaining a rating to lead trips in the Sierra Club. It is customary to be a member of the Sierra Club section that you lead trip for. Therefore, it is preferred that you be a Hundred Peaks Section member if you are leading trips for the Hundred Peaks Section.
- Have your voice heard regarding the direction of the section by voting in elections for the management committee and/or running for an elected position. There are also appointed positions that often need to be filled.
You do not need to be a member to participate in outings, but you are encouraged to join.
There are three requirements to becoming a member:
- Be a member of the Sierra Club (the Hundred Peaks Section is part of the Sierra Club).
- Climb at least 25 peaks on the current Hundred Peaks Section list Hundred Peaks Section Peak List
- Subscribe to the section newsletter, “The Lookout” (see FAQ below).
There is a detailed description of this process on the membership page (link to new membership page).
If in doubt, contact the Membership Chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com.
The best way to ensure your membership remains current is to maintain an active subscription to the newsletter. Your expiration date will be displayed near the top of the newsletter email. If in doubt, contact the Membership Chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com.
Yes! There is an option available to all members who reside in the same household with no age limit. This does not apply to family members who live at a different address. With a household membership you only need to pay for the member designated as primary. Be sure you specify the names of all household members. Household members must also meet the three requirements for membership. The Sierra Club also has a household membership.
As mentioned above, you need to be a member of the Sierra Club to be a member of the Hundred Peaks Section. You must maintain Sierra Club membership to remain a member in good standing. To become a member, or to renew you membership, go to Join Today. Become a champion. (sierraclub.org).
A good way to start out with the section is to subscribe to the newsletter. This way you will receive important section information while you work on satisfying the 25 peaks requirement. We will record you as a subscriber and encourage your effort to reach full membership.
Newsletter, “The Lookout”
Subscribe to “The Lookout” using the following link (add link). Contact the Membership Chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com if you have questions or need help.
subscription has expired. You will see a message on top of your Lookout email that indicates that your subscription is expired.
It is at the discretion of the membership chair to send reminders. There is no policy to do so. Keep in mind that all labor used to manage the section is voluntary. Renewing promptly will avoid the need for the membership chair to send reminders, which must be created manually.
Renew your subscription using the following link (add link). Contact the membership chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com if you have questions or need help.
What happens to my membership status if my subscription expires?
You will generally be given a grace period to renew your subscription. While you may continue to receive additional issues of “The Lookout”, your membership will be marked as expired. Keep in mind that you must be an active member for the six months prior to submitting for an award.
You do not need to be a member of either the Sierra Club or the Hundred Peaks Section to subscribe to the newsletter, though subscribing will place you in subscriber status on our roster. Subscribing is a good way to keep track of activities of interest in the Hundred Peaks Section.
Personal Information
Personal information changes are best made by emailing the membership chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com. This is especially important for email addresses since that is how we send out the newsletter, section announcements and election information. Contact the membership chair if you believe that we may have an old or incorrect email (for example, if you have not received your email for the Lookout for over two months).
Awards/Emblems
Hundred Peaks Section emblems are awards to recognize the achievements of Hundred Peaks Section members. The bylaws specify that you must be an active member for the six months prior to making your emblem request.
You can apply for emblem by sending your list of peaks to the membership chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com. For some emblems a link to peakbagger.com will suffice and is preferred but not required. Ensure that the list is in a format that can be viewed using standard software. Please indicate the peak name and completion date for the emblem. Optionally, you can provide a summit photo which will be added to the website. Contact the Membership Chair at hundredpeaksmembership@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.
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