Update: Activity Standards

CMC has taken on the initiative to create activity standards as a valuable resource for the Club. The activity standards are being developed to give all Groups across the State a shared understanding of our activities, the technical terms related to them, and the leader expectations we want to uphold. Their purpose is to provide Trip Leaders with clarity and confidence, helping them understand their qualifications to safely lead an activity. These standards are not intended to hold anyone back or make it more difficult to lead, but rather to support consistency and safety across the Club. 

Activity standards are not a new concept. Technical Climbing School, Backpacking School and the Bike Section have had standards for Technical Leaders for some time now. Our sister organization, the Mountaineers, has an extensive bank of standards, used for a similar purpose. Our intent is to not reinvent the wheel, rather build off the foundations that already exist and create consistent formatting across the Club. 

The first rounds of activity standard review was a multi-step workflow, including initial drafting, group discussion and revision, and a final approval phase. This process allowed for iterative feedback and updates based on group input. State council reviewed the activity standards and provided input.

Questions remain around accountability and follow up after the standards have been published. Group-level review and self-governance will determine eligibility based on experience and adherence to documented procedures. If any new badges or leader qualifications are made, it will be possible for Groups to grandfather existing trip leaders under the new standards.

You can find the published Activity Standards completed in the Fall of 2025 and early 2026 below: 

• Scrambling Activity Standard
• Backcountry Skiing Activity Standard
• Snowshoeing Activity Standard
• Nordic Skiing Activity Standard

Our next round of Activity standards will include: 

• Biking
• Backpacking
• Urban Walking  
• Conservation

If anyone is interested in being involved in the volunteer committee to create and review the standards, please contact Adult Programs (ashley@cmc.org & graham@cmc.org)