What we’re about
Who we are:
US Hiking & Backpacking Club (US-HBC) is an United States based outdoor group led by volunteers. Our mission is to model and contribute to a healthy life-style while leaving an ever-decreasing footprint.
US-HBC was founded in 2015 by, then, Washington, DC resident Jin Zhang, a passionate outdoors lover. In 2021 she created another outdoor club, Budget International Travel & Trek Club (BITTC), to focus on outdoor exploration via international travel, hiking and backpacking while making it affordable to most outdoor enthusiasts.
The US-HBC promotes and supports both local and national hiking, trail maintenance and watershed cleanup organizations and participates in such volunteer endeavors.
WAIVER
Your participation in any club activity resulting in bodily injury and/or death, and personal and public property damage or losses is your sole responsibility. You are responsible for your own safety, preparedness and mental & physical wellbeing. You need to know your trip-related skill level, experience, physical fitness and medical condition. Event hosts may suggest alternative route to you for the benefit of yourself and the group. You are expected to be fully cooperative.
You are solely and fully responsible for any cost or fees accrued to you in case of search, rescue and evacuation involved.
Your attendance on any organized event signifies that you have read and accepted the terms of this liability waiver and absolve the US-HBC of any responsibility.
10 Essentials
(http://hikesafe.com/uploads/PDFs/hike_safe_10_Essentials.pdf).
EVENTS:
We focus on hiking, bike-packing, backpacking, kayak/canoe paddling, touring and other activities.
ACTIVITIES
These are the main activities US-HBC plans to have:.
Class A: Hiking and Backpacking.
Class B: Trip leading related training, skills & certificate classes.
Class C: Canoeing, Kayaking, SUP paddling, Swimming and Sailing.
Class D: Camping.
Class F: Trail maintenance & watershed cleaning voluntary events.
Class G: Sightseeing and traveling.
Class H: Other events hosted by the Club.
Class I: Other events not hosted by US-HBC leaders.
Class J: Other events cross posted by other groups.
Any success of a group depends on the contribution from all the members. We welcome and encourage all our Club members to participant in leadership by self-learning, training, co-leading and leading trips. It's a great personal growth and leadership skill learning opportunity.
EVENT FEES USAGE
“Pay it forward … according to need.”
MEMBERS & MEMBERSHIP
(1) Everyone is welcome to join DC-HBC, free of charge. Members are encouraged to learn, to share and to grow through participating in our events.
(2) Members are expected to follow Hiking Etiquette and "Leave No Trace 7 Principles" while participating in hiking events.
(3) Members should try their best to avoid last minute cancelation or "NO SHOW" to the event they signed up. Unexpected things do happen, please change your RSVP or message the Event Host ASAP.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Everest Base Camp Trek (October 2024)Needs location
Everest Base Camp trek is a "classic" for good reasons. But in addition to what this trek is known for such as the world-class sceneries and Everest, we are organizing a trek that is led by female guides guides and a team of male & female porters to create equity and inclusion in the trekking tourism industry. This trek is open to both men and women and supports the mission of the non-profit human rights organization, The Porter Voice Collective (PVC), which advocates for Workforce Equity for porters in Peru, Nepal & Tanzania.
TRIP DATES: OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 9 (16 DAYS / 15 NIGHTS)
ITINERARY - SUMMARY
(Read the itinerary in full & all trip details VIA THIS WEBSITE LINK)
DAY 1 Arrival in Kathmandu
DAY 2 City Tour & Gear Preparation
DAY 3 Flight to Lukla. Hike to Phakding (8,563 feet / 2,610 meters).
DAY 4 Phakding to Namche Bazaar (11, 290 feet / 3,440 meters)
DAY 5 Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar
DAY 6 Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (12,664 feet / 3,860 meters)
DAY 7 Tengboche to Dingboche (14,469 feet / 4410 meters)
DAY 8 Acclimatization day in Dingboche
DAY 9 Dingboche to Lobuche (16,109 feet / 4,910 meters)
DAY 10 Lobuche to Everest Base Camp to Gorakshep (17,000 feet / 5,182 meters)
DAY 11 Gorakshep to Kala Pattar to Lobuche (17,575 feet / 5,357 meters)
DAY 12 Lobuche to Pangboche (12,894 feet / 3930 meters)
DAY 13 Pangboche to Namche Bazaar (11, 290 feet / 3,440 meters)
DAY 14 Namche Bazaar to Lukla (9,383 feet / 2,860 meters)
DAY 15 Fly to Kathmandu & Farewell Dinner
DAY 16 Fly home.TREK STYLE: This is a STRENUOUS trek. Recent hiking and/or backpacking experience is highly recommended. You will need to prepare for a cardio workout and consult with your doctor before joining the trip given the high altitude reaching up to almost 6000 meters / 20,000 feet. However, this is a supported trek; hence, you only carry a daypack with your essentials (porters are hired to carry your belongings). You will be staying in teahouses each night.
PRICING
Per person for a group of
1 person: $3895
2-12 persons: $2895
Maximum group size: 12INCLUSIONS
3 nights hotel stay in Kathmandu with breakfast
Kathmandu city tour.
Round trip domestic flight (Kathmandu- Lukla- Kathmandu).
Round trip domestic flight for the guide (Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu)
All meals during the trek (breakfast, lunch & dinner)
All teahouse accommodations during the trek.
Farewell dinner in Kathmandu.
Guide and porter salaries.
Guide and porter insurances.
Assistant guide salary & insurance for a bigger group.
National Park entry fee.
First-Aid Kit.
Equipment for staff.
All trekking permit fees.
Land transportation and airport transfers.
Trip informational & preparational meetings prior to your trip departure.EXCLUSIONS
International airfare.
Visa fee.
Laundry and dry cleaning services.
Water, beverages & snacks outside of the itinerary.
Tips for guides and porters.
Internet and phone services.
Travel & medical insurance.
Non-scheduled meals in Kathmandu.
Trekking equipment (available as rentals).
Any other expenses outside of the scheduled itinerary.TO BOOK: Go to this page and click on BOOK NOW. Along with completing the booking form, you will need to send the trip deposit to secure your spot.
Questions? Send me an email at equity@browngaltrekker.com
- Yellowstone National Park - Wildlife Watching AdventureThe National Mall, Washington, DC
Join us on this adventure to explore Yellowstone National Park. Let's spend a week exploring the wildlife that Yellowstone has to offer. The bears will be getting ready for the long winter nap, The wolves are getting excited for cooler weather, and the elks are wrapping up their rut. How many different animals can you find in a week? There is no better place in America to try your luck!
Yellowstone is still my favorite park. I have been going there for 30 years now and know it well. Come let me show you what I have learned over the past 30 years in our very first National Park
Itinerary
Monday Day 1 – Fly into Bozeman MT (BZN). You will be picked up at the airport at 2:00 PM. Once we leave the airport we will make a quick stop at a local grocery so that you can grab any essentials you need. After checking in to our home in Gardiner MT, if we have time we can take a ride into the park as well. After settling in we will go over the week’s events before retiring to our rooms for the evening.Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - We will be hitting my favorite wildlife viewing spots. We will have some early mornings in the park and may stay out until dark. Plan on picnic lunches every day in the park. We will get a couple of smaller hikes in but nothing strenuous. We will also visit many of the park's geothermal features and go over some history as well, but we are mostly going to be focused on the wildlife. So bring your binoculars and cameras for a trip of a lifetime.
Friday Day 5 – Sadly it is time to go home. If the group is up for another early morning we can do one more pass in the park. We will clean up the house and head back to the airport this morning. Please do not book a return flight before 11:30 AM.
Lodging – Local house in Gardiner MT
Check out some of our past trip pictures at Yellowstone National Park - Wildlife Watching Adventure, Mon, Oct 28, 2024, 12:00 PM | Meetup
or View Our Trip Galleries - Get Outside (getoutsidellc.com)Price = $995.00 per person (double occupancy) based on 5 attendees
Inclusions: Guide Service, All Transportation within Montana & Wyoming, Fuel, Park Entries, All lodging, Group spotting scope, & Bear Spray.
Exclusions: Airfare, Food, Drinks, Travel Insurance, Personal Items,Deposits:
50% Down holds your spot =$497.50
45 Days before the trip start date, the balance is due.Once you are ready to book let me know and I will send you a secure link for payment. The link also has additional information for the trip and a pack list.
- ONLINE (self-paced) Wilderness First Aid available ALL DAYS NOW until Oct 31stLink visible for attendees
In your own home, at your own leisure (anytime -- not just the date of this event): now you can learn a ton in the online portion of Disaster + Travel + Wilderness First Aid! COURSE TOPICS VIDEOS are almost exactly as MEDIC SOLO always presents them with the latest on disaster and wilderness medical science. Intermixed at several points we guide you to practice various skills.
Choose one of two ways to learn:
a) Take the self-guided course (no certification) $99.
b) Take the self-guided online course and attend a skills scenarios workshop (one day on-line) and get certified $249 (Early Bird).
Register here: https://solowfa.com/register-online-SOLO-disaster-wilderness-first-aid-course.html
In order to get certified, you will start watching our highly-rated, self-paced videos one month prior to your Skills Scenarios Workshop date and:- Practice skills at home before your Workshop date, send us photographs and our Instructors will provide you with kudos and constructive ideas.
- Pass the multiple-choice quiz and test is what verifies that you're ready for your workshop day with an instructor.
- Attend your online Skills Scenarios Workshop full day with a live instructor and a live human patient. Use a unique software which nearly replicates the in-person learning experience.
- Gain as much to more hands-on learning experience as compared to an in-person course.
- Instructors give individual live feedback to students while you perform hands-on skills in your own home.
- Graduates receive the internationally-renowned SOLO 2-year WFA Certification.
Upcoming online Skills Scenario Workshop dates:
November 17th, 2024
January 25, 2025
March 1, 2025
May 3, 2025
May 31, 2025
and June 14 2025.Sneak peek at the course:
https://www.solowfa.com/online-sample.htmEmail us at courses@solowfa.com with questions.