Rock Climbing Guided Adventures

Just like you, the pandemic hasn’t taken it easy on us. After pausing in-person programs on March 13, we had to reduce or suspend hours for our hourly staff. WSU and the CARES Act have helped support finances in our hiatus. We have been developing new procedures in preparation for adjusted programming coming soon! We’ve aimed to stay connected with our community of participants and staff. via social media and email updates.

Now, we’re excited to cautiously enter the next phase with the Adventure Program, opening up in-person adventures starting June 2020. Check out the calendar on our webpage for updated opportunities. We appreciate your patience and support along the way here.

The short answer is “yes.” The best way to fully reduce your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19 is by isolation. All of our public errands today represent some element of risk, and going to the mountains with others is no different. 

To ensure all participants are aware and accepting of this risk, along with completing our typical additional Acknowledgement of Risk / Release of Liability form, all participants will agree to self-screening forms and possible temperature check upon arriving to programs and pre-trip meetings. 

We cannot eliminate risk, but we can take active measures to manage it. Risk management is always at the core of our programming and facilitation. Our current planning and decision-making reflects research and considerations of our current climate.

We are professional risk managers; it is what we do. The wellbeing of our participants and trip leaders is our priority. Just like navigating avalanche hazard or rockfall, COVID-19 has become a player in our guidelines and procedures, and it informs our risk management process. We can do our best to plan and prepare, but we need your help! As a valued member of our adventure party, we expect you to participate in our guidelines in the discussion of risk management. Check out what we can all do:

Before We Meet

Help us minimize as much risk as possible before meeting in person. We encourage you to follow CDC, federal and state guidelines of social distancing, in the weeks preceding your trip.

In the 24-48 hours prior to your trip, you will receive a medical screening call. This will include a standard set of questions provided by the Center of Disease Control (CDC). Based on your response, a recommended action is automatically generated from the CDC. Based on this recommendation, we will give you direction on if it is appropriate to participate or if you will need to reschedule. Trip leaders will also undergo a COVID-19 medical screening call.

We have adjusted our participant cancellation and employee sick leave policies to allow more flexibility, to account for potential exposure to COVID-19. If you cannot participate in your scheduled adventure, due to COVID related circumstances, you’ll have the option to receive a credit for any future adventure with the OP or obtain a full refund.

Our trip leaders are trained to recognize and monitor COVID-19 signs, symptoms, and methods of transmission. 

During Our Adventure

For day trips, participants must travel separately to and from the trailhead. We will discourage carpooling for individuals outside of the same household. When overnight trips begin again (anticipated in July 2020), additional procedures will be outlined for group travel.

Upon meeting, all trip leaders and participants will make their best effort to maintain at least six feet of physical distancing. We recognize this may not be possible in every circumstance. When operating within six feet of others, trip leaders will wear masks. Participants are required to bring a face covering such as a cloth face-mask or buff when near others. As long as you have proper social distance, individuals can temporarily remove their face covering when actively participating in certain activities such as climbing. When appropriate, trip leaders and participants may choose to wear gloves. 

We recommend our participants bring their own gear if you already own appropriate equipment. In some cases, we may need to share gear such as a rope or a participant may need to borrow gear from the OP (organized ahead of time). All gear provided by the OP will undergo cleaning procedures before each outing. Participants are required to bring some form of hand sanitizer and we will be practicing responsible hygiene throughout the day. 

The above list provides examples of our updated policies and procedures but is certainly not an exhaustive list. For overnight trips, for example, cooking, cleaning,  sleep systems, etc have all been considered in updated trip guidelines.

Risk management will be an interactive discussion preceding, throughout and following your adventure. If participants neglect to follow our risk management guidelines, we will be forced to end the experience prematurely. We thank you ahead of time for being a responsible and thoughtful group member.

The ever-developing nature of this pandemic requires us to be adaptable and nimble in our responses. Some things are out of our control and can not be predicted. There may be more changes and adjustments to our calendar as time continues. Our team will reach out if there are any further adjustments to your adventure.

This webpage will stay up to date on program operation. Check our calendar for trip status information. Once you register for a trip, your trip leaders will stay in contact if any updates need to be sent your way. 

As always, you can stay connected with us through social media:

Instagram: @wsuoutdoorprogram

FaceBook: WSU Outdoor Program