Standing Rules of the Ski Touring Section  Loma Prieta Chapter Sierra Club

The following have been enacted by the membership as general polices of the Loma Prieta Chapter (Sierra Club) Ski Touring Section (the Section, or STS).  As such they constitute the Standing Rules of the Section (Article IX of the By Laws).

Meetings

Monthly meetings should be held the first Monday of each month, November through May.  In addition, there will be a meeting on the first Monday of October to plan the following season ' s activities and to review leadership training and requirements.  The STS Chair may change these regular meeting dates as necessary.  

Section Dues

Membership dues are $15 per year if a printed copy of the TRACK newsletter is desired and $5 per year for an electronic copy.  Dues are payable to the Treasurer at any time.

Membership

Sierra Club members interested in joining STS can do so by sending a check for annual Section Dues (payable to "Ski Touring Section") to the Section Treasurer.  Name, address, telephone number, and proof of Sierra Club membership must be included. 

Proof of Sierra Club membership may be one of the following:

1. A copy of your current Sierra Club membership card

2. A copy of both sides of the canceled check you sent to join Sierra Club

3. The page of the current Loma Prietan with your mailing label

4. A recent mailing label and cover from Sierra Magazine

Duties of Officers

Nothing here precludes delegation of authority by an officer to other members who will carry out the work (in fact such delegation is encouraged); but the officer remains responsible for ensuring the work is accomplished within the time frame allowed.

Chair:

1. Receive and process requests for information about the STS.

2. Attend (or appoint a substitute to attend) meetings required by the Chapter Executive Committee.

3. Appoint members of the Outings Committee including the Outings Committee Chair, the Nominating Committee and other committees as needed.

4. Call and conduct meetings.

5. Arrange for meeting rooms and programs.

6. Send meeting announcements to TRACK editor and STS Webmaster.

7. Act as Section representative when necessary.

8. Forward information on meeting program and other matters needing publication to the Secretary (newsletter editor) 2 weeks prior to each meeting.

9. Enforce Section By Laws and Standing Rules.

Vice Chair:

1. Vice Chair maintains of the Outings Leaders list. Update the list with current information about the leaders, their qualification level and medical training records. Tracks trips and participants completed during the season. The list is passed from one Vice Chair to the next to maintain continuity of the list. A copy of the list should be sent to the chair of Outings committee after each update.

2. Maintain outings schedule.  

     a. Contact leaders no later than mid-September to get preliminary input on planned outings for the upcoming ski season and to remind them of the STS outings planning meeting scheduled in early October.

     b. Chair the October outings planning meeting and prepare preliminary outings schedule by early October.

     c. Verify that leaders who propose outings to backcountry ski huts have made plans to submit appropriate reservation requests.

     d. After the preliminary outings proposals have been acquired and consolidated, review the outings proposals and leader qualifications with the full outings committee.

     e. Prior to each month ' s TRACK publication, send a notice to all outings leaders to confirm their outings and verify details such as contact information.  The TRACK editor should be copied on these communications so that any replies and updates can be included in the upcoming edition of TRACK.  Send updated outings announcements to the TRACK editor for publication.

3. Publicity

     a. Submit current activities schedule to TRACK editor approximately one week prior to each Track input deadline.

      b. Submit articles or other materials as needed to Loma Prietan, SCREE, or other publications.

4. General.

     a. Substitute for the Chair when necessary.

      b. Review next two months of outings schedule at each Section meeting.

      c. Review recently completed outings at each Section meeting.

Secretary and TRACK newsletter editor:

1. Receive and process requests for information about the STS.

2. TRACK Newsletter.

      a. Gather material

         1) Program for next meeting from the Chair.

        2) Current activities schedule from the Vice-Chair.

        3) Outing reports from leaders.

        4) Committee reports from committee leaders.

     b. Type and edit.

     c. Duplicate or otherwise reproduce.

     d. Secure mailing labels from the Treasurer.

      e. Mail TRACK approximately one week before meetings.

     f. Submit an expense invoice to Treasurer for reimbursable expenses.

      g. Post an electronic version of TRACK to those members who requested it.

3. Conduct correspondence with:

      a. Sierra Club and its various components

     b. Program speakers.

     c. Members.

     d. Local ski shops.

4. Take minutes of all decisions made at meetings; transcribe and summarize in newsletter.

5. Maintain current versions of By Laws and Standing Rules; duplicate and distribute to new officers upon their election.

6. Notify Chapter office after election of new officers.

7. Publish or otherwise distribute information to members as needed.

8. Maintain STS web site or name a STS Webmaster and delegate the maintenance of the STS web site to the STS Webmaster.

Treasurer:

1. Receive and record dues and subscriptions for newsletter as appropriate.

2. Maintain section membership roster.

3. Manage all financial matters of the Section and submit financial reports as required.

4. Reimburse officers and leaders for allowable expenses.

5. Receive and record donations to the Section.

6. Provide the Secretary with address labels for each issue of TRACK

7. Collect and archive rosters, sign-in/waiver forms, and financial reports from outing leaders.

Committee Functions

Outings Committee:

1. Oversee outings program.

2. Ensure that outing leaders are matched to their outings in experience and judgment, and are qualified to lead STS outings by verifying the outings leader qualifications as specified elsewhere in this document.

3. Encourage seminars, programs, and individual study to promote growth of outings leadership skills.

4. Identify and encourage potential new outings leaders.

5. Authorize reimbursement for allowable leader training.

6. Coordinate all of the above with Vice-Chair.

Nominating Committee:

1. Search out the best-qualified candidates for Section Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.

2. Nominating candidates willing to serve at the March annual meeting.

3.  Notify TRACK editor of the names of the candidates in time for publication in the March edition of TRACK.

Conservation Committee:

1. Investigate and report on conservation issues assigned by the Section.

2. Investigate and report on other conservation issues of potential interest to Section members.

3. Recommend positions on conservation issues for adoption by the Section.

Outings

A. Definitions

STS sponsors outings at several different skill levels.  The skill level rating of a specific outing is determined jointly by the Outing Leader and the Outings Committee according to the following criteria:

Beginner

Aimed at cross-country skiers developing basic skills. The leader frequently provides some kind of instruction. Distances are typically 1 to 2 miles on gentle terrain.

Advanced Beginner

Aimed at skiers in good condition who have learned the basics of diagonal stride on the flats and easy hills. Distances are typically 2 to 5 miles over rolling terrain.

Intermediate

Aimed at skiers comfortable with uphill and downhill skiing, including traverses of steep sections. An intermediate skier has had instruction, has skied several times, and has developed enough skill and confidence to snowplow and step turn to control downhill speed. Intermediate trips include overnight visits to some backcountry ski huts, where carrying a moderate pack is required. 3 to 10 miles.

Advanced Intermediate

Aimed at skiers with intermediate skills but with greater endurance and who have developed skills for coping with poor weather or snow conditions, winter navigation, and snow-camping. 10-15 miles per day.

Advanced

Aimed at skiers who can cover 10-30 miles in one day, ascend high mountains using climbing skins, and descend with linked telemark or parallel turns. The advanced skier must be in good physical condition, be able to acclimatize to altitude readily, and have a working knowledge of map and compass, avalanche hazards, and winter survival.

Provisional Leadership

The term “Provisionally Lead” means to lead the trip, be listed as leader in the trip write-up, screen participants, and in all other respects from the participants’ point of view be the leader with a fully qualified leader (the Mentor Outings Leader) to observe, evaluate, mentor as necessary or useful, and, if the Provisional Leader proves not to be able to carry out the duties of leading the trip, take over leading the trip.  The STS Outings Committee will determine when someone is qualified to Provisionally Lead.

B. Leadership

1.  STS outings leaders are volunteers, not professional guides or ski instructors.  In addition to organizing trip logistics, outings leaders share their enthusiasm and knowledge of cross-country skiing with trip participants.  STS members interested in becoming leaders should contact the STS Outings Committee Chair.

2.  The leader of a Beginning or Advanced Beginning skill level STS outing must fulfill the following requirements:

     a. Be a paid-up member of the Sierra Club.

     b. Be a paid-up member of the Loma Prieta Chapter Ski Touring Section.

      c. Be at least 18 years of age.

     d. Have successfully completed the Basic Outings Leader Training (OLT 101) or comparable training.  Training must be repeated at least every four years.  This requirement is effective June 1, 2006 .

     e.  Have successfully completed American Red Cross Standard First Aid, 8 hour  Basic Wilderness First Aid (BWFA 8 hr), or Medic First Aid training or a higher level of first aid training.

      f. Have outing participant skills appropriate for the activities of the outing towards the advanced end of the scale.

      g. Possess the leadership qualities, experience and good judgment required to lead STS outings as determined by the Outings Committee.

      h. Have been a Provisional Leader on at least one outing at the skill level the applicant wishes to lead outings and have received a positive evaluation by the Mentor Outings Leader.

      i. Meet any special requirements below for "overnight" outings.

3.  Leaders of Intermediate or any outing that includes an overnight stay away from cars, shall fulfill the following requirements in addition to the requirements listed above for Beginning and Advanced Beginning outings:

     a. Have successfully completed 16 hour Wilderness First Aid (WFA) training or higher, such as Wilderness First Responder training.

      b. Have successfully completed the Outings Leader Training 201 (OLT 201) Workshop or comparable training.  Training must be repeated at least every four years.  This requirement is effective one year after the Sierra Club Outdoor Activities Governance Committee has posted the relevant materials and teaching plans on the web.

      c. Have been a Provisional Leader on at least one outing at the Intermediate skill level that included an overnight stay away from cars and have received a positive evaluation by the Mentor Outings Leader. 

     d. Have received approval to lead outings at the Intermediate skill level from the Outings Committee. 

4.  Leaders of Advanced Intermediate or Advanced outings shall fulfill the following requirements in addition to the requirements listed above for Beginning, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate outings:

      a. Have completed Level 1 Avalanche training and maintain proficiency as determined by the Outings Committee.

      b. Have been a Provisional Leader on at least one outing at the Advanced Intermediate, or Advanced skill level that included an overnight stay away from cars and have received a positive evaluation by the Mentor Outings Leader. 

      c. Have received approval to lead outings at Advanced Intermediate or Advanced skill level from the Outings Committee.

5. Each leader is responsible for appropriate screening of outing applicants, including review of the applicant ' s physical and medical condition, and skiing ability, experience and equipment.

It is recommended that outing participants fill out and sign a Sierra Club Outings Medical Form (henceforth, the Medical Form).  Outings leaders may require a Medical Form for some trips.  It is up to the outing leader to specify whether a physician signature or other information on the Medical Form is required.

If an outings leader requires medical information from an outing participant then that information must be kept confidential.  Information such as that included in the Medical Form must only be seen by the outing leaders and medical personnel.  If an outings leader requires the Medical Form from an outing participant, then the Medical Form will be retained by the outing leader until the trip is over. After the trip, the Medical Form will be destroyed by the outings leader within 30 days or returned to the participant unless there is an medical incident.  If an outings leader requires the Medical Form from an outing participant and the participant chooses not to go on an outing, then the Medical Form will be destroyed immediately. 

Participants are encouraged to carry a copy of the Medical Form on their person during outings whether required or not.

6. Each outings leader must deliver the following items to the Treasurer within one month of the end of the outing:

      a.  A list of the names of all participants of the outing. 

     b.  A signed and dated original liability waiver form for each outing participant (the version of the form is specified by the Sierra Club).

     c.  The summary income/expense described under "Finances."

C. Leader Training:

1. At the discretion of the Outings Committee, persons considered to be currently qualified outing leaders may be initially exempted from the requirement to take OLT101, OLT 201, avalanche, or comparable training.  However, such persons must meet all the other requirements of the STS Standing Rules, including the first aid training requirements.  Further, such persons must take appropriate training within four years and maintain proficiency every four years thereafter.

2. The course cost for first aid, OLT101, OLT 201, avalanche, or comparable training will be reimbursed to outings leaders who have led a minimum of three outings over the past three years.  Proof of successful completion of the training is required for reimbursement.  Reimbursement is available only for the class fee (not travel, lodging, or food expenses) and is limited to $75 for first aid classes.  Reimbursement for avalanche training must be pre-approved by the Outings Committee.

3. Training requirements for leaders will be reviewed annually at the October trip planning meeting.

D. Finances

1. Per Sierra Club rules, outing leaders are not allowed to receive compensation or collect more than the cost of their outings, unless the outing is specifically listed as a ' fund raising ' outing.  Any funds collected above the costs should be returned to the participants or, by their consensus, to another branch of the Club or another organization.

2. Per Sierra Club rules, all outing deposits and reimbursements are supposed to be handled by the section treasurer.  The STS has chosen to allow the outing leaders to handle the finances for their outings. 

3. Either during or after an outing, the leader shall give a short income/expense report to those on the outing to show how the money was spent and that there was no profit made or compensation to the outing leader.  The leader shall also send a copy or email a copy of this short income/expense report to the section Treasurer.

4.  Section dues will be waived for outing leaders provided that the leader leads one outing per year for the section.  The outing must be listed in TRACK as an official STS outing.

STS Financial Guidelines

1. Annual guidelines for income and expenditures include:

     a. Income will be derived primarily from STS dues and hard copy newsletter subscriptions.

     b. $100 expense per regular meeting for a room and program (coordinated by the Chair)

      c. $10 expense per year per subscriber for hard copy mailings of TRACK (Secretary)

2. The Treasurer will prepare an annual budget for member approval at the Annual Meeting.  The budget will be based on the guidelines above and will include specific amounts for expected income and expenses for the following 12 months April through March.  A small contingency (or reserve) allocation in the budget would be appropriate to cover supplies or minor expenses that are not itemized.

3. The Treasurer is automatically authorized to reimburse expenditures that are consistent with the budget.

4. Expenses outside the budget require approval by the STS membership.

Amendment and Publication

The recommended process for amending the STS Standing Rules is as follows:

1.   Discuss proposed changes in a variety of ways such as at a general meeting, by writing articles for TRACK, via email, or during an officers and/or leaders meeting.

2.  Publish a draft of the proposed changes in TRACK at least a month before the expected vote.

Once the STS Standing Rules have been amended, corresponding information on the STS web site and in TRACK should be updated as quickly as possible.  If STS policy statements published elsewhere conflict with these Standing Rules, then the Standing Rules take precedence.

Lastest update March 2006.

Prior updates - May 2001