Location: Zoom (link provided after registration) Duration: ~90 minutes Audience: Current & aspiring GayOutdoors trip leaders (all experience levels welcome) **Event Description** Great trips don’t just happen — they’re led with intention, care, and community in mind. This Mountain Trips Leadership Development Workshop is designed help members feel confident leading mountain trips by strengthening confidence, decision-making, and people skills — while staying rooted in our shared values of inclusion, safety, stewardship, and pride. Whether you’re an experienced leader or considering leading your first trip, this session will remind you that you are never alone — and that good leadership isn’t about summits or speed, but about people. The workshop will walk through the basics of planning and leading mountain trips, keeping the group together, and creating a fun and supportive atmosphere where everyone feels included. We will provide the Zoom link to members who register via email a couple days before the workshop. Leading a trip is one of the best ways to meet members, share places you enjoy, and help grow the GayOutdoors community. **This is the only time this workshop will be offered in 2026.** **What We’ll Cover** The GayOutdoors Trip Philosophy: Community, inclusion, and safety-first leadership Choosing and Planning an Easy Trip: Picking familiar trails, setting clear expectations and how to post trip on website Starting the Trip: Welcoming everyone, review the plan and safety Leading the Group: Manage pace, keeping the group together and creating a positive experience Risk Awareness: Weather, know when to turn back and make smart decisions When Something Goes Wrong: Stay calm, get help and group support Stewardship and Respect for the Land: Leave no trace and protect the places we enjoy **Why Attend?** Build confidence as a leader Strengthen group management skills Feel supported — before, during, and after trips Help create safe, inclusive, and meaningful outdoor experiences **“You are trusted to make good decisions — and supported when things don’t go perfectly.”**

We will provide the Zoom link to members who register via email a couple days before the workshop.