Edmonton Outdoor Club - FAQs

1. How much does it cost to join?
2. Do I have to become a member to participate in EOC events?
3. How do I find you when I've never met you before?
4. Can I meet at a different spot than the official carpool location?
5. How is your carpool "per km" amount derived?
6. What if I don't want to sign the EOC waiver?
7. Do you sell/share my information with any third-parties?
8. Why is my age displayed? Isn't that private information?
9. I chose to participate in the Member Network. Why can't I view other members' info?
10. What is your mailing address?
11. Can my children participate?
12. Can I bring my dog?
13. I have an idea for an event that I may or may not want to organize. Who should I contact?
14. Can anyone organize an event?
15. What if I can't attend an event that I'm registered for?
16. How do I volunteer or donate to the club?
17. How do the EOC's difficulty ratings work?
18. What is a Scramble?
19. What is the scope of the EOC events (ie. for risk/difficulty)?
20. Can I be bumped off an event list for any reason?
21. May I attend an event that I'm not registered for?
22. What if I'm not crashing an event but I do run into a club group because I'm out doing the same activity at the same time?
23. Why was someone else from the waiting list taken before me?
24. There is a huge waiting list for the event I want to attend. Should I bother to add my name to the list?
25. What if I have to drop out of an event that I've already paid for?
26. What should I expect if I'm on the waiting list for a paid event?
27. How can I pay for an event?
28. What if I have a complaint about a coordinator or a trip?
29. What if I have a complaint about another member of the club?
30. What does it mean when there's a star or something else by someone's name?
31. My friend/partner is also a member of the club. Can I sign them up for an event?

1. How much does it cost to join?
   It doesn't cost anything to join the Edmonton Outdoor Club and there are no yearly membership fees. We do ask for voluntary donations for many of our free events to help us pay for things like web hosting, first aid supplies, etc.
   
   
2. Do I have to become a member to participate in EOC events?
   No; non-members are welcome to attend as guests of club members, depending on the number of guests allowed overall, and the number of guests allowed per member. Some events allow children as guests, but many are 18+. The "host" member is responsible for bringing waivers for each guest on EVERY event.
   
   
3. How do I find you when I've never met you before?
   If you're new to the club and haven't been out to one of our events before, here are some oh-so-handy tips for how to figure out which of the strangers you see are the ones you're actually looking for:
   - At our social events: A designated spot to loiter will be appointed, and the event coordinator will gather everyone in that spot. When possible, they will wear a yellow EOC baseball cap and/or have an Edmonton Outdoor Club sign nearby.
   - At a carpool or event location: The carpool location will be described in as much detail as possible. Look for a group of people milling around some vehicles, likely toting hiking or other outdoor gear and again, look for the yellow cap.
   
   
4. Can I meet at a different spot than the official carpool location?
   Normally, if you want to meet up and drive together to an event, you must meet at the official carpool location. If you are unable to meet at the carpool location, you will be expected to meet at the starting point (ie. trailhead) for the event. There are a few important reasons for this: first of all, we are a transit-friendly club and have many members who meet at carpool via transit. If some of our drivers are meeting at an alternate location, we likely will not have enough vehicles at carpool to get everyone to the event. Additionally, the time and complication involved with arranging alternate meetings for different people could easily get out of hand if people want to meet at various locations instead of at the carpool. Some coordinators may choose to make exceptions depending on individual circumstances, so please e-mail your event coordinator if you feel it is necessary to meet somewhere else.
   
   Meeting at event: Note that when you meet a group at the event (rather than at carpool) it is your responsibility to find the group, including being fifteen minutes early for departure time (since it is difficult to estimate our exact arrival time when carpooling).
   
   
5. How is your carpool "per km" amount derived?
   Our carpool amount is derived by $0.08/km for maintenance, plus the gas price in Edmonton divided by 9. This is the per km amount, which is multiplied by the total kilometers round-trip to derive the approximate cost for a specific event. At times when the gas prices are changing frequently, the amount is updated once a week or more.
   
   
6. What if I don't want to sign the EOC waiver?
   If you do not understand, agree to, or sign the EOC waiver, you will be unable to participate in EOC events. This is for the club's protection and safety, and we appreciate your hassle-free signature.
   
   
7. Do you sell/share my information with any third-parties?
   We respect the privacy of our members and do not sell or share your information with any third-parties. It is also up to you whether or not you want to share your member information with the other members of the club in the online members area.
   
   
8. Why is my age displayed? Isn't that private information?
   Many members appreciate knowing what type of people may be accompanying them on an event and a group of 20 somethings can be a different experience than a group of 50 somethings. The EOC feels that age specific events are discriminatory; however, members are welcome to choose whether they'd feel comfortable among a group of significantly older or younger participants.  Your birth date is also used to calculate our stats.  If you really don't want to show it, you can choose not to under My Account - Change Preferences.
   
   
9. I chose to participate in the Member Network. Why can't I view other members' info?
   Until you have attended 2+ events with the Edmonton Outdoor Club you will not have access to view the information of other club members. This is a privacy/security measure which ensures that personal information is not made publicly available (ie. all someone would have to do to gain access to the information is sign up for a free club). To protect our members' privacy we have implemented a policy that the information is only made available to participating members.
   
   
10. What is your mailing address?
    We have a mail box where you can send cheques. Cheques should be made out to the Edmonton Outdoor Club, and sent to the address below. Waivers should be brought to your first event rather than mailed in.
    
    Other correspondence can be sent electronically. Please use the Contact Us page. If you do mail something besides a cheque or a waiver, please address it to Edmonton Outdoor Club.
    
    Address:
    7708 181 Street
    Edmonton, AB, T5T 1Z7
    
    
11. Can my children participate?
    Some events may allow for children. You'll need to check the particular event's information online to see if they are permitted.
    
    
12. Can I bring my dog?
    Dogs are permitted on some events. This is at the discretion of the particular event's coordinator and whether the area in which the event occurs permits them.
    
    
13. I have an idea for an event that I may or may not want to organize. Who should I contact?
    Great! We are always looking for new event ideas, whether or not you'd like to organize it. Since we are a club run by the members for the members, we always want to know what exactly you want to do. E-mail the volunteer coordinator, Jason L, at volunteer@edmontonoutdoorclub.com to discuss event ideas.
    
    
14. Can anyone organize an event?
    Currently, all we ask for is that you are a) enthusiastic, b) have some experience organizing/leading, c) have completed the event previously, d) an active member (ie. have been out on at least a couple events with us). See our Coordinator Checklist, and/or e-mail our Volunteer Coordinator, Jason L, at volunteer@edmontonoutdoorclub.com for more information.
    
    
15. What if I can't attend an event that I'm registered for?
    If you are a member, there are a couple of ways you can remove your registration from an event. First, log in to the web site, and then either:
    - Click on the event details and scroll to the bottom for a button to remove yourself
    - Select "My Events" from the left nav and use the section at the bottom to remove yourself
    Non-members must e-mail the event coordinator to get their name taken off the list.
    Note that if you cancel after the registration cut-off, you must contact the event coordinator to let them know. If you simply do not show up for an event, it may impact your participation on future events. Please review our Cancellation Policy for more information.
    
    
16. How do I volunteer or donate to the club?
    It's easy to help out. We keep our web site updated with our current needs on our Volunteer & Donate page. Let us know how you'd like to help, and we'll get you started. Thanks for your interest!!!
    
    
17. How do the EOC's difficulty ratings work?
    The mission of the EOC is to provide events for all skill levels, with the main focus being at a beginner/intermediate skill level. Our events are rated for difficulty with this in mind. Because we are a variety club, and are not hard-core into a specific activity, our events are often rated more difficult than an expert would consider them to be (they are rated for our group, not for the expert, or hard-core community). If you have never participated in an activity before, you should be just fine attending an event that is rated Easy or Easy to Moderate. If your confidence level is higher with an activity, our events rated more difficult than that should still be fine. Make sure that you have an excellent fitness level, and/or extensive experience with an event, before signing up for anything rated Difficult or Advanced. Please see our Difficulty Ratings for detailed information. If you are unsure of your ability to complete event in which you’re interested, please e-mail the event coordinator to discuss before registering.
    
    
18. What is a Scramble?
    - A Scramble is a steep hike, on and off-trail with loose rocks and sloping terrain. Frequent use of hands is required for some sections. There will be some exposure and some route finding and possible rockfall. Helmets are recommended.
    
    
19. What is the scope of the EOC events (ie. for risk/difficulty)?
    Because the EOC is a free, volunteer-run organization, there are certain activities that are beyond the scope of what we're able to offer. The scope of the EOC includes:
    - Hikes, walks, backpacking, camping, canoeing, rafting, scrambles, inline skating
    - Cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, ice skating
    - Special events run through a tour company (caving, dog sledding, trail rides)
    - Social and variety events
    The scope of the EOC does NOT include:
    - Singles events - these are WAY too dangerous (ok, seriously, they're just outside of our scope. The EOC is an "everyone welcome" club that does not discriminate based on marital status)
    - Mountain climbing, rock climbing or ice climbing (unless run through an external organization)
    - Sky diving, hang gliding, paragliding, wind surfing, kite boarding
    Winter activities that take people into avalanche territory require an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, and a basic avalanche awareness course for every participant.
    
    
20. Can I be bumped off an event list for any reason?
    Event sign-ups and waiting lists are always on a first-come, first served basis. It is, however, possible for you to get bumped off an event list in the following circumstances:
    - You are not physically able to complete the event, or are putting yourself (or others) at risk by attempting the event
    - You arrive without the required equipment to complete the event (ie. a helmet for a biking event)
    - The event hasn't got enough drivers, in which case a person willing to take their vehicle may be given precedence on the event over someone who isn't
    - You have more than four no-shows logged on your account (see our cancellation policy for more information)
    - You have been notified previously that you are not welcome on this coordinator’s events (due to past issues).
     
21. May I attend an event that I'm not registered for?
    No, event crashing is against club policy. Please see "Event Crashing" on our Rules page for complete information.
     
22. What if I'm not crashing an event but I do run into a club group because I'm out doing the same activity at the same time?
    Most of our events do take place in public venues that are open to everyone. Please see "Event Crashing" on our Rules page for complete information about what constitutes "crashing" and what does not.
    
    
23. Why was someone else from the waiting list taken before me?
    Occasionally we have a situation in which we haven't got enough drivers to get all event attendees from the carpool location to the event. In these cases, the coordinator may skip down the list and take someone who is willing/able to drive over someone who indicates "Unable to Drive" or "Prefer not to Drive". Note that if you choose "Willing to Drive" or "Definitely Driving", you will be expected to be willing/able to take your vehicle, plus up to three passengers. See Related FAQ for more information about this and other reasons why someone else may be taken first.
    
    
24. There is a huge waiting list for the event I want to attend. Should I bother to add my name to the list? For the most part we try to make every accommodation to get as many people onto an event as want to attend. For hikes or other outdoor activities, the limited numbers are more of a suggestion and some volunteers are willing to add more people to the hike than they initially intended. In some cases, a second group will be added to accommodate a growing waiting list. However, for social events like dinners, paid events or house parties the number of people allowed is not usually flexible. If there is a long waiting list it will depend on the type of event as to whether you will be able to attend. There are almost always last minute drop outs and the volunteer might call you, or they might send out an email to all the wait listers to take an open spot as a first come, first serve basis. Or you might just be out of luck. The best option is to watch your email for any notification from the co-ordinator, or even to call the day of the event to let them know you are still interested. If you do not want to be put on a stand by situation, you have the option to be dropped off the waiting list automatically at a certain number of days before the day of the event. Don't forget that a guaranteed way to get on an event is to co-ordinate one!
    
    
25. What if I have to drop out of an event that I've already paid for? If it is still before the cut-off date, you may fill out the Refund Request Form (on your left nav) to receive a full refund. If the cut-off date has passed, you will receive a refund only if someone takes (and pays for) your spot on the event.
    
    
26. What should I expect if I'm on the waiting list for a paid event? If paid attendees drop out of a paid event after the registration cut-off, the people on the wait list will be contacted. The first person to commit and pay for the spot gets it. Note that this is different from our waiting list "first come first serve" policy for regular events.
    
    
27. How can I pay for an event? You must pay for your events (which require payment) by the cut-off date. Payment must be made to the club Treasurer. See our Payment Info page for more information. Note that if you pay via cheque or money order through the mail, your payment MUST be received by the cut-off date otherwise your registration will be cancelled and your payment returned to you - if you're mailing in a payment, be sure to mail it EARLY.
    
    
28. What if I have a complaint about a coordinator or a trip? Please see our Complaint Policy on our Rules page for information.
    
    
29. What if I have a complaint about another member of the club? Please see our Complaint Policy on our Rules page for information.
    
    
30. What does it mean when there's a star or something else by someone's name? An icon of any kind by a person's name means that they are on our Volunteer Team. The default icon is a star, but volunteers can trade their star in for an icon of their choice.
    
    
31. My friend/partner is also a member of the club. Can I sign them up for an event?
    Yes, but please use the "Agent" feature on our web site to do so. Your friend/partner should use the "Set Up Agents" link on the left nav and enter you as their agent. Then, when you register for an event, indicate that you're bringing a guest. Select your friend/partner from the list at the top - everyone who has designated you as their "Agent" will appear in the list. Please do not sign them up as a regular "Guest" otherwise they will be asked to sign a non-member waiver, the event will not show up in their event history, and so on.