Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion ReConn Form

When I was a girl scout (soooo many years ago) my Leader (the best Girl Scout Leader EVER in the whole wide world, my Momma) taught us to always let someone know where you'll be hiking. She also always had us make foil imprints of the shoes we'd be wearing while hiking.

25 years later.... I STILL make foil imprints of my hiking shoes (and those of my kids...) and leave a detailed itinerary with someone at home (as a Boy Scout Leader each parent gets a copy before I leave with their boys on any trip), with the rangers where I am, and on the dashboard of my vehicle at the trailhead (I also leave the foil imprints in my car at the trailhead). This information includes who, where, what, when, how, emergency contact information and when I expect to be back. If I'm on a multiday trip and my itinerary changes I always let the person at home know. (I realize on a back country multiday that changes to an itin. can't exactly be shared with the "outside" world so I try not to make changes).

I also include in the copy I leave with my at home point of contact a detailed driving itinerary so that they know what roads I'm taking to where. If there are changes in this a call gets made home.

Not that I'm saying that the form isn't a good idea, I'll probably use the template myself from now on... however.. I'm just saying that people should be doing this already without having a form.

My two cents worth! Be safe out there my friends!