Getting Someone Interested & Involved In Hiking??

[magikwalt]

Over my many years I have gotten people interested and involved in multiple activities. Most of the time it was for my own greedy reason. When you are doing it with family its not a "waste of time" or "time away from us" or any of a string of such responses.

Some of the things I have learned over the years follow:

Make it beautiful. (not the picnic tables above the museum)
Make it sure they are successful the first time out. (miss this and its over)
End it on a positive note (completed Skyline don't push for the full C2C)
Make sure they can tell others about it. (Skyline - 10 miles & 8,000ft up)
Make the day about them. (Forget your pace and monitor theirs)
Create a post event event that celebrates the day. (A meal or frapachino)
Pictures, pictures, pictures. Use only the ones they like!
Slowly let them get to know any of the crazy friends you have!!!

These are some of the goals I shoot for. How about any of the rest of you. What methods do you use? What are your thoughts when trying to get someone interested?

[tinaballina]

Well, as you all know i brought my brother-in-law along for round 2 of b2b and he is still talking to me. Possibly wants to come back too, imagine that one...lol

[AlanK]

Walt -- You may have gotten the wrong message. I thought we were discouraging people form doing Skyline because it is too crowded.

OK, just kidding.

When I started taking my son on hikes I simply tried to kick his a**. All it did was make him want more. Now he has been kicking mine for years.

OK, partly kidding (the second part is certainly true).

Actually, your method is great.

[magikwalt]

Hi Allen,

I know that getting my butt kicked feeling. We have a niece-in-law that is eager to do the trail but I already know I'm going hear her footsteps and easy breathing the whole way. Heck, she'll probably be like some of those other Titans on this board and not even bother to break a sweat.

These are the easy ones to hook. The problem I am addressing is trying to get someone interested in doing what, from their perspective, is impossible and not fun.

Walt

[Blooty]

I've also noticed that MOST people think of hiking as what several people on this board (myself included) consider a short stroll....so those aforementioned strategies sound like good ones to me.

I think it also helps if they have a particular goal in mind to aim for, such as HST, PCT, backpacking trek, a particular summit...then they will take it more seriously (hopefully). If they don't think of it as fun, I am not so sure you will be able to change their mindset.

The last person I tried to get interested in hiking has gotten altitude sickness - twice now. This person is in great shape, so I can't attribute it to donuts, poor exercise habits and such. It wasn't easy convincing him that we had to stop and turn around.

Good luck!

[magikwalt]

I hadn't even thought about AMS Blooty. Thank you for the reminder. I want to take Jean up backpacking in the Sierras this spring.

Here in the local Desert area I like to make their first goal Murrary Peak. It doesn't take that much commitment to do it and its something they can readily point to and say "I hiked to there." The top of it really stands out locally, is a challenge for someone starting out and at 2200ft of elevation failure isn't likely.

[zippetydude]

Walt: Excellent tips! I need to keep those thoughts ever in my mind if I'm going to make this a fun thing for Ivette and I to do together.

Incidentally, you might want to add: No bugs. Especially if you're taking your beautiful wife out in the Sierras. I am so used to the beautiful bug-free Tuolumne area that I forgot how much I hate bugs. We probably told you when we were up in Yosemite with you two that we went to Mammoth the year before. Beautiful area, but with biting flies and mosquitoes. It reminded me how bugs can spoil an otherwise fun outing. Worth seeing, but we'll stay in Tuolumne and drive over (or run over!) and come back to the bug free zone at the end of the day from now on.

z

[AlanK]

Remember that every newbie is different.

When my son was 9, he suddenly wanted to go on what he called "real hikes." Our first such outing was Mt. Lukens (4 miles each way, 3200'). After an hour of walking he said he was tired. I asked him if he wanted to stop. "Maybe in 15 minutes." At that point, he put his hands on his knees and counted to 10. Then he was ready to go. There was never any stopping him. No matter how hard the hike, all he could talk about on the way down was what we would do next.

We took a friend of his on a couple of outings. We went easy on him but he did well and had a great time. But after a few hikes he announced that it was too much work and he was going to stick to his skateboard.

[Stellar Jay]

I've taken a handful of people on their first hike, and I have a designated hill for this. It's Stonewall Peak in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. It has several very important elements:

- the payoff: the summit view is excellent and includes Lake Cuyamaca
- it's away from any city noise
- it's easy: 800 feet and 2 miles one way

And yes definitely, take pics and let them determine the pace. One person I took on a harder hike because I knew he could handle it, and this one had a summit register. It's great for a first timer to be able to leave their mark on the mountain.

[magikwalt]

Thank you Stellar Jay. I think we all missed the "payoff" and register items. Great additions to the list. I agree about having a trail you are very familiar with to take people on. It means that in the first 20 minutes I can assess how long it is going to take them to finish.