Calgary Outdoor Club - Rules

1. CLUB REPRESENTATIVE'S AUTHORITY
   Members and guests (Participants) must recognize the authority of the trip coordinator(s)/organizer(s)/officer(s) (Club Representatives) and follow any additional rules they set up for Calgary Outdoor Club (Club) events/outings/activities (Event) - especially if the additional rules involve your safety. Events can be cancelled or modified at the discretion of the Club Representative (for lack of interest, inclement weather or having a personal conflict with the Event). The COC will attempt to replace a Club Representative on an Event should they be unable to attend and inform the Club in a timely manner. Club Representatives have the authority to:
   1. Remove or reject any person from participation if they are not in condition for the Event. This is a safety issue and also helps assure the enjoyment of the other Participants.
   2. Manage the group by adjusting the pace of the Event to meet everyone's needs. Participants are expected to expected to commit to the entire Event and stay together on the trip to/from as well as during the Event.
   3. Terminate the event if there is an emergency and/or injury or let someone help the injured back to transportation or medics. The volunteer will be required to be familiar with the way back.
   4. Report violations of Rules and Safety Policy to the Club Executive. Violations may result in a warning and/or suspension of membership privileges.
   5. Ban any member from attending their events for any reason. See banning for complete information. Bans which are considered to be for reasons relevant to future club events (ie. rule infractions, safety infractions) may be noted on the member's account to advise other club volunteers. See notations for complete information.
   
   
2. BEHAVIOR
   Remember that you are representing the COC while participating in any COC event! Please conduct yourself in such a way as not to detract from the enjoyment of others, including other Participants (at all times). You may be removed or excluded from the Event should your behaviour warrant such an action.
   
   All members are required to follow our Rules and Safety Policy at all times while participating in COC events. We also encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines.
    
3. CANCELLATION POLICY
   
   The Calgary Outdoor Club Cancellation Policy has been designed out of consideration for event attendees and coordinators, to ensure that we avoid the following as often as possible:
   - Event "no shows" who prevent members on the waiting list from attending an event.
   - Event coordinators and attendees being left to waste time waiting for those "no shows".
   - Unnecessary last-minute drop-outs which result in people from the waiting list not being able to get onto the event.
   
   Policy:
   • To cancel out of an event after the registration cut-off, you cannot delete your own registration from the web site. You must phone the coordinator and follow up with an e-mail to confirm.
   • If you cancel out of an event after the registration cut-off date, you must phone the event coordinator at least 2 hours in advance of that carpool/meeting time. If you don't, you may be recorded as a "no show" at the coordinator's discretion.
   • If you are more than ten minutes late for a carpool or meeting place, you may be recorded as a "no show" at the coordinator's discretion. If you are uncertain as to where you're supposed to meet, make sure you ask the coordinator for clarification prior to the day of the event.
   • If a person has two or more "no shows" in a year, their spot on future events cannot be guaranteed. The event coordinator may, at their discretion, move that person from the sign up list to the bottom of the event waiting list.
   • If a person has two or more "no shows" in a year, and they put themselves on the waiting list for an event, other members on the waiting list may be added to the event first at the discretion of the event coordinator.
   • If a person has five or more "no shows" in a year, they will receive a warning e-mail and may be removed from the club at the discretion of the club officers.
   • Event attendees are responsible for having a valid e-mail address and for checking their e-mail prior to an event.
   • Event coordinators will attempt to send out a reminder e-mail within 24 to 48 hours of the carpool/meeting time; HOWEVER, it is the responsibility of each attendee to be aware of their events and abide by the cancellation policy.
   • Be careful with the waiting list and do not use the "Never Delete Me" option if you are not going to be able to check your e-mail or the web site to see if you got on the event. You are responsible for knowing if you have been moved from the waiting list to an event. To be on the safe side, go with the "Delete me 2 days before" option, or log on to the web site and remove your waiting list spots after the time when you won't be checking your internet again.
   • Members who create a "new" account to avoid the consequences of no-shows on their existing account will have those no-shows transferred forward to the new account and may have their membership suspended for a period of time.
   
   This policy is not designed to punish people, but only to be fair to all concerned parties. To that end, event coordinators may be convinced to reverse a "no show" flag if they are contacted within a reasonable period of time after the event and made aware of extenuating circumstances. This will be up to the discretion of the coordinator and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
   
   As well, exceptions may be made to this standard cancellation policy for any event. If there are exceptions to the policy, they will be stated as part of the event details. Make sure you read the event details carefully.
   
   No-shows recorded on a member account remain on that account for 365 days and then are automatically deleted.
   
   Cancelling out of a Paid Event: Before the cut-off date, you may fill out the Refund Request Form to receive a full refund. After the cut-off date, you will only receive a refund if someone takes (and pays for) your spot on the event. Please contact the event coordinator, and Treasurer to see if you are eligible for a refund.
   
   
4. COMPLAINT POLICY
   
   • Complaint about a Coordinator/Event:
     All event coordinators are volunteers. You are welcome to take part in their activities, but you do so at your own risk. Only written complaints against an event coordinator will be considered. Complaints about an event, or about the volunteer abilities of the coordinator, should be addressed to the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@calgaryoutdoorclub.com and CC'd to our "Issues Corner" at complaint@calgaryoutdoorclub.com. The focus of the complaint policy is on improvement rather than discipline.
   • Complaint about another Volunteer:
     Complaints about another volunteer (ie. from the Officers and Administrators side of the Volunteer Team), in regards to their ability to perform their volunteer duties, should be sent to our "Issues Corner" at complaint@calgaryoutdoorclub.com.
   • Complaint about another Club Member (including volunteers if the complaint is not directly related to their ability to perform their volunteer duties):
     The club strongly encourages members to deal with issues directly. If you are unable or unwilling to deal directly with the person (or persons) involved, please follow these guidelines:
     1. Complaints must be sent to our "Issues Corner" at complaint@calgaryoutdoorclub.com. Please include date(s), time(s), event(s), behavior(s), what your reactions/responses were, and any corroborating evidence (ie. e-mails) or witnesses.
     2. Complaints absolutely must come first-hand by the victim. No second- or third-hand information will be acted on or considered unless it is in corroboration with the original complaint.
     3. Complaints must be serious. Harrassment (sexual or otherwise), violence, illegal activities, dangerous driving, etc are valid complaints. Talking non-stop during carpool is not.
     4. Complaints must be specific. Vague accusations of being "creepy" or "annoying" are not valid complaints. In the event of vague complaints, the club may choose to hold off action until more evidence is produced, or the perpetrator acts inappropriately again.
     5. Complaints must stem from club activities. Actions of members interacting outside of club events, or who interact with members on an event without being signed up for that event themselves will not be reprimanded through the club.
     6. Complaints must be timely. You must contact the club executive within 48 hours of the event to make your complaint.
     Please Note:
     1. Although the club executive will be discreet (ie. will not disclose your identity), they cannot guarantee anonymity because when communicating the nature of the complaint to the perpetrator, it may be possible for them to deduce who the complaint originated with.
     2. The club will not serve as a mediator for personal disputes.
     3. The club may choose not provide details on how the situation is handled, only that a warning was sent, etc.
     4. In the event of a first complaint against someone, they will likely receive a warning (unless the situation is very extreme). In the case that the club receives multiple complaints against the same person, they may be removed from the club.
     5. In the event of retaliation (ie. an attack via e-mail or phone) resulting from the complaint, the perpetrator may be suspended/expelled without question.
     6. If the club executive, or issues corner team, takes official action with regards to a complaint (for example, warnings issued, suspensions from the club), the action will be noted on the member's account to advise other club volunteers. See notations for complete information.
     
      
5. LOSS OF CLUB MEMBERSHIP
   There are some cases in which membership with the Calgary Outdoor Club may be revoked or suspended:
   1. If a single complaint of enough severity is brought against an individual
   2. If multiple, lesser complaints are brought against an individual
   3. If an individual has five or more "no shows" on their account (see our "Cancellation Policy" on this page for complete information).
   4. Event Crashing (see below)
   5. If an individual is banned from three or more of our volunteers' events. We are a 100% volunteer-run club and as such our volunteers are within their rights to ban anyone from attending events that they coordinate if that individual is taking away from their own enjoyment of events.
   6. Violation of COC "Anti-Spam" policy - see below.
   
   If your membership is revoked you must not attempt to re-join the club or attend events under a different name or as the guest of another member. If your membership is suspended you must not attend any club events until the time of the suspension expires.
   
   
6. EVENT CRASHING POLICY
   Event Crashing means attending (or attempting to attend) a club event that you are not registered for. Showing up at a club event, meeting spot, or carpool location with the intention or hope of attending without being on the official sign-up list (or having prior clearance from the event coordinator) is against club policy. Our event sizes are restricted for a number of reasons, and it is not fair to the event coordinator to show up and ask to attend (putting them, and the group, in an awkward position), nor to any members who may still be on the waiting list who would have liked to attend.
   
   Of course, many of our events take place in public venues, accessible to anyone. If you happen to be in the same place as one of our events, this in itself does not constitute crashing, however, integrating into the event group and participating as a member of the group does. If you are simply participating in the same activity at the same place/time as a group, be sure to participate on your own rather than attempt to integrate with the club group.
   
   Crashing a club event will result in a warning from the club executive, and a second incident may result in a three-month suspension of your club membership.
   
   
7. MEMBER CONTACT INFORMATION - ANTI-SPAM POLICY
   Contact information provided by members is solely intended for individual communication and may not be used by a member for mass emails, solicitation, direction to any other website or copied to any other mass email address list. Members wishing to share relevant information may post on our Calendar (participating members see "Calendar Posting" on your left nav under "Events") or Forum (participating members see "Forum" on your left nav under "Resources"). Or, consider purchasing a Banner Ad on our site. Any misuse of contact information by a member will result in a warning, and possibly a suspension or permanent loss of club membership.
   
   
8. ALCOHOL
   The COC encourages responsible drinking. Some Events may allow for the purchase and/or consumption of alcohol. We simply ask that you do not overdo it. By consuming alcohol, you give permission to allow Club Representatives to find alternative ways to transport you home/get you to the remainder of the Event or exclude you from the remainder of the Event.
   
   
9. DOGS
   Dogs are permitted on SOME Events. This is at the discretion of the Club Representative and whether the area in which the Event occurs permits them. Please see a specific Event’s details to see if dogs are permitted. You must also register your dog on an Event that permits them so that the trip coordinator is prepared as far as carpool, etc. Your dog will need to be on leash at all times, except in Calgary's designated off-leash areas, and must be able to get along with other dogs which may be attending the event. When attending any COC event, including those in off-leash areas, owners are required to have on-hand a proper physical (not electronic) leash to restrain the dog in case it becomes necessary for some reason.
   Hiking With Your Dog: All the Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks as well as the provincial parks in our vicinity (including the Kananaskis Country parks) allow dogs in the backcountry with the stipulation that they be physically restrained the entire time. COC Policy is to follow the rules or laws of the area that we are in at all times, and the COC and its Volunteers are not responsible for mishaps (or fines) that occur on an event due to the behavior of dogs (or their owners) who attend our events.
   Carpooling With Your Dog: Dog owners must be able/willing to transport their own dog to the event, and in the case where a willing driver is not available, the dog and owner will be turned away. Dog owners must pay an extra (full) portion of the carpool amount in the event that their dog prevents a person from using a spot in a vehicle (ie. because the dog is using the spot, or because packs/equipment must use a spot because the dog is using the area that would normally hold it). If a dog is small enough to comfortably ride at its owner's feet or on their lap, the extra payment for carpool does not apply.
   
   
10. CHILDREN
    Children are permitted on SOME Events. This is at the discretion of the Club Representative. Please see a specific Event's details to see if children are permitted.
    
    Carpooling with Children: Please read the following carefully if you have signed up for an event that allows children and you would like to participate in the event's carpool.
    
    
    1. Carpooling with Children under the age of 8:
       Recent legislation states that all children under the age of eight must travel in a car seat. For events where children are welcome and there is a carpool, parents will be responsible for transporting their own children under the age of 8. While there are age and height requirements that may allow younger children to ride with seatbelts only, the COC will not allow children under the age of 8 to participate in the carpool without a car seat.
       
       Since the driver is responsible for properly installation of a car seat, participants with children requiring car seats will not be permitted to install their car seats in another member's car.
       
       How do I calculate the carpool amount?
       When transporting other members, the child would be counted as a passenger and the carpool amount would be divided by the total number of passengers in the car. example: Dad, 3 year old and 2 COC Members (4 passengers total).
       Total Estimated carpool amount: $20.
       Estimated carpool amount per person: $20/4 passengers = $5/person
       
       
    2. Carpooling with Children 8 years old and up:
       Children 8 years old and up may participate in event carpools. Although there are age and height requirements that may allow younger children to ride with seatbelts only, the COC will only allow children 8 and older - with their parents - to participate in the carpool without a car seat.
       
       How do I calculate the carpool amount?
       When transporting other members, the child would be counted as a passenger and the carpool amount would be divided by the total number of passengers in the car. example: Dad, 3 year old and 2 COC Members (4 passengers total).
       Total Estimated carpool amount: $20.
       Estimated carpool amount per person: $20/4 passengers = $5/person
    
    
    
11. PHOTOGRAPHY
    All Participants are encouraged to document the Event; however we stress you take extra measures to protect your equipment from undergoing damage. Also note that, during the Event, Club Representatives may be taking photos for use on the web site, in newsletters or other promotional materials. By participating in a Club Event, you are granting the Club permission to reuse these photos of you in such a manner.
    
    
12. LEAVE NO TRACE
    When participating in an Adventure Sport, we ask that you leave a clean trail and unlittered camp. We encourage you to clean up after others that have come before you, as much as you can. This allows others to enjoy the trail and camp, as you did.
    1. Stay on the trail. Do not create shortcuts. Shortcuts can cause erosion and damages the trail and trail environment. (Report any fallen trees or misuse of the trails to the club President, the club executive).
    2. Carry out all litter. Leave the campsite and trail cleaner than you found it. If there is preexisting litter, please dispose or take with you as much as you can.
    3. Do not remove and take with you pieces of nature that you may encounter on the trail. Club Representatives may ask you to surrender such items and/or return them to where you found them.
    4. Protect water sources. Do not use soap in streams/lakes. Wash yourself, utensils, and clothes away from all water sources.
    5. Bury human waste. Where privies are not available, dig a "cathole" at least 6 inches deep and cover afterward. You should be at least 100 yards from any water source or camping area. Do not leave toilet paper above ground.
    6. Sterilize all drinking water. Treat water with iodine tablets, filter or boil before consuming.
    7. Take care with food. Animals frequent camp/picnic areas. If staying overnight, hang food at least 10 feet above ground and away from the trunk of the tree. Leaving food in your automobile is fine, if possible. Also, never leave smelly products (like toothpaste) in your tent.
    8. Be careful with fires. Use campstoves for cooking. Use only downed wood for campfires and keep them small. Never leave a fire unattended and always extinguish them with water. Some areas have fire bans along the trail, so be sure to check before starting a fire.
    
    
13. FIRST AID
    Event Attendees are responsible for their own First Aid care and are encouraged to carry a first aid kit, and have first aid training.
    
    
14. WILDLIFE
    Treat wildlife with respect. Always observe from a safe distance. The COC does not encourage or condone approaching wild animals or attempting to feed them.
    
    
15. FIREARMS/WEAPONS
    Firearms/weapons are prohibited on all Events.