ONDA’s stewardship work often takes us to rugged backcountry locations with no cell reception, and the safety of our volunteers is our number one priority.
Stewardship trip difficultly ratings are intended to help potential volunteers understand the challenges of a particular trip and to judge whether they will be able to safely participate in the project. Our scale includes five difficulty levels, with one being the least physically demanding and five being the most physically demanding.
The ratings for each trip are relative to the other trips we host. Duration, elevation, expected weather and temperatures, access to the work site, and the demands of the project work are all taken into account. Our system uses the most demanding aspect(s) of the trip as the benchmark by which the trip is judged. For example, if some aspects of a trip could be described as level 2, while others aspects make it level 3, we would classify it as a level 3. Participants are always encouraged to work at their own pace and take frequent breaks, and there are many opportunities to try a variety of tasks during the course of the project.
Trips that take place within a short walk from the parking area, with light physical demands.
Might involve squatting or bending over, carrying lightweight materials and gripping, tying or cutting organic matter, like sticks, with loppers.
These offerings are accessible to most people, but given the possibility of varying, uneven terrain, they may not be suitable for people who use wheelchairs or walkers.
Trips with work that involves more lifting or bending, longer walks (of a mile or more) over uneven terrain, or more challenging weather conditions.
Participants should have a basic level of fitness and be prepared for some off-trail walking.
Trips that involve work in difficult terrain, with more than 2 miles of hiking required to get to the work site, and anticipated hotter (or colder) weather extremes. Volunteers may be required to use hand tools, bend and kneel for prolonged periods, or hike with materials.
In order to safely participate, volunteers should get regular cardiovascular exercise (walking, hiking, running, biking, etc) and be prepared to hike longer distances on or off trail, carrying their own gear as well as some tools.
Trips with physically demanding work in challenging backcountry terrain, such as steep, rocky slopes, with more than 3 miles of off trail hiking required to access the work site. Volunteers may be required to use hand tools, bend and kneel for prolonged periods, or carry heavy materials.
In order to safely participate, volunteers should get regular cardiovascular exercise (walking, hiking, running, biking, etc) and be prepared to hike longer distances off trail in steep and slippery terrain, carrying their own gear as well as some tools.
Trips with highly strenous work in rugged, backcountry terrain, with more than 5 miles of off-trail hiking required to reach the work site.
Participants need to be proficient in backcountry travel with a high fitness level.
In order to safely participate, volunteers should get regular strenous cardiovascular exercise (hiking, running, biking, etc) and be prepared to hike longer distances off trail in steep terrain, carrying their own gear as well as some tools.
We hope these ratings provide a useful guide for our participants to understand if they will be able to have a safe and enjoyable experience on a given trip.
If you are unfamiliar with ONDA’s stewardship trips and have further questions, please contact Gena Goodman-Campbell, Stewardship Program Director. If you have questions about the difficulty of a specific trip, please contact the trip leader listed at the bottom of the trip description page.