Invitation

An Invitation to join Narragansett Chapter Trips

Trips are led by volunteers who graciously share their time and experience to provide you opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty and challenge of the outdoors. Without this volunteerism, the club would not exist.

While it's not necessary to be a member of the AMC to participate in activities, joining will put you in touch with more outdoor opportunities. If you are considering joining the AMC, register to come on any of our trips, meet the members and discover if joining the AMC would expand your outdoor experiences.

Leaders want everyone to enjoy their trips. When you register for a trip, the leader will ask questions regarding your experience, skills, fitness, clothing & equipment. The leader is matching you and the intended goals of the trip to achieve a good fit among all the participants. The leaders ask because they want all participants to enjoy the trip. If you are not fit or experienced for an outing, or have inadequate or inappropriate equipment, you and the group may not enjoy the experience. Lack of fitness, experience or equipment may endanger yourself or others.

The fact that the leaders do ask such questions should inspire your confidence that they are working to provide a safe & enjoyable trip for all. Please cooperate by being honest and forthcoming regarding your experience and equipment and as objective as possible about your skills and physical abilities.

Qualified participants are registered on a first come first served basis. Fee, registration and deposit policy are determined by the trip leader. Leaders who provide descriptive materials request that you send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE), if email does not suffice. This simple courtesy saves precious volunteer time and energy.

If you are unable to join an activity, ask the leader for recommendations for more suitable activities or workshops. Leaders will gladly answer any other questions you may have.

Questions asked by new and potential members

Q. Do I need experience to join a trip or activity?
A.Not necessarily, everybody is a beginner at some point. Those activities described as intermediate or advanced may not be the best place to start. Some trips are specifically geared to beginners. When in doubt, we encourage you to contact the leader and discuss your skills and limitations.

Q. How much equipment do I need?
A. For local hiking and walks, usually a comfortable pair of shoes for easy walks and a lightweight pair of hiking shoes for hikes in the woods. On the opposite end of the scale, technical climbing and sea kayaking require a significant investment. Some activities have rentals available to allow you to try an activity (you will need to contact leader beforehand). As in most sports, high end equipment is expensive. But there are reasonable alternatives for cheaper equipment, second hand gear, renting and just making do with what you have. If you have questions contact the activity or trip leader for the specific trip you wish to participate in.

Q. How do I contact leaders?.
A. All our trips and events have leaders or alternates to register with in the Gazette newsletter. All of the activity pages, under "Recreational" and "Environmental" in the top menu, have respective email contacts at the top of the pages. You may also contact leaders and committee members under the "Our Chapter/Contact Us" in the top menu.

Q. Why are the listings incomplete. They do not give information where to meet and sometimes no time to meet.
A. We do not in general offer show-and-go type trips. Our Chapter prefers to have the participants contact the leaders so that leaders can determine if members have the qualifications for that specific trip. More information on that can be found under "Our Chapter/An Invitation" in the top menu.

Q. What if the trip is canceled or rescheduled? How will I will know?
A. In general trip changes will be posted in the online Gazette (in red) if enough advance notice is given of the change. Short term changes will be posted in the "Message Board", or the leader will contact you by email or phone.

Q. I feel that I am well qualified in some sport. How can I help out?
A. The AMC is always looking for volunteers to lead events. Talk with the leader about becoming a volunteer leader. You can make a difference in the quality of our trips by lending your skills to the AMC.

Q. I am not the athletic type but I want to become more involved in outdoor activities. Is there a place for me?
A. Yes, enjoying the outdoors does not mean you have to be an athlete. We have many activities and events that you can participate in. If you have other skills, maybe you would find volunteering for the AMC rewarding.