Hiking Trip Planning Committees
The class splits into committees (route, weather, gear, safety and logistics) to plan a real day hike and present the plan to the group. It builds independence, cooperation and risk management for outdoor activities.
How to play
- Spend 3 minutes presenting the goal: a one-day hike near school, with a real date and trailhead.
- Form 5 committees of 5 and give each its task sheet: route (distance, elevation gain, timeline), weather (forecast and backup plan), gear (personal and group), safety (first-aid kit, phones, bail-out points) and logistics (transportation, water, permits).
- Committees work for 12 minutes with the map and phones to check forecasts and trail data, filling in their sheet.
- Each committee has 2 minutes to present its decisions; the others may ask one checking question.
- Together, complete the final trip plan on the whiteboard and spot contradictions, like a timeline that doesn't fit the available daylight.
- Close with 3 minutes naming the safety decision students consider most important and why.
Rules
- Each committee must back its decisions with map data or reliable sources.
- The plan must always include a backup if the weather changes.
- Every committee member speaks during the presentation.
Variations
Easier
Provide a pre-selected trail and have committees just complete their sheets.
Standard
Committees choose and plan the full route, including a backup plan.
Harder
Halfway through, introduce a curveball (storm warning, injured student) that forces a re-plan.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the route committee must assess trail accessibility for the whole group.
- Shyness or autism: assign a specific role within the committee, such as note-taker or timekeeper.
- Advanced students: have them calculate hiking times based on elevation and build the route profile.
Learning goals
- Plan an outdoor activity accounting for all its factors.
- Assess risks and propose prevention measures and alternatives.
- Cooperate in committees and make well-justified group decisions.
Equipment for a class of 25
- topographic maps: 5
- task sheets: 5
- smartphones: 5
Teacher tip
If the hike is actually going to happen, engagement skyrockets; use the final sheet as the trip plan. Build task sheets with specific blanks to avoid vague answers.
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