Accessibility & Safety
Accessibility
Most of our meets take place in public parks. Some of these parks, such as North Park, are very disability friendly, with paved walkways, nearby parking lots, and full restrooms. We try to meet in an area like this every other month.
However, other meets, such as McConnell’s Mill, require hiking over sometimes steep ground and only have portable toilets as restrooms.
We will always make it clear whether an event is considered accessible or not. We consider a location accessible if it has flat walkways such as paved sidewalks, little walking from the parking lot to the meeting spot, and on-site, indoor restrooms with running water.
If you have any disability that requires accommodation that is not addressed by these standards, please let a moderator know.
Safety
All outdoor locations have some danger to them. All attendees should be aware and exercise caution for the following:
Heights - Pennsylvania has many steep, rocky areas that have resulted in death or injury from falls. Please exercise extreme caution around cliffs, especially cliffs that are over ten feet high. It is very easy to slip on loose rocks!
Do not ever throw anything off of a cliff. You could cause serious injury or death to anyone below. Be mindful of rock falls if you are near the bottom of one.
Holes - the only two injuries at our events were from unseen holes. Use caution when stepping off trail or in any area covered by leaves!
Water - Water can be extremely dangerous. There are rapids, deep pools, and extremely swift currents in areas like the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, where McConnell’s Mill and Hell’s Hollow are located.
Water can hide slippery surfaces. If running water is more than a foot and a half deep, or the bottom cannot be seen due to bubbles/currents, please do not enter it.
Still water can be home to venomous snakes.
Watch your step—it’s very possible to accidentally step on a creature like a salamander. In some areas, fishing lines/hooks are littered about which can cause a very unpleasant injury.
Animals - Pennsylvania has several varieties of venomous snakes. They are non aggressive and provide little risk to humans, however, use caution especially when stepping off trail.
Black bears do inhabit some of the parks we visit, but it is extremely unlikely that we will run into them on these well-traveled trails during the day. Still, it doesn’t hurt to know what to do!
Deer are everywhere. Please do not approach them. They are wild animals. You are not a Disney princess, even if you are dressed like one. Let them do their deery thing.
Many hikers bring their dogs with them to the park. Always ask before approaching to pet and ignore any dogs in service vests (they're working!) unless the owner says otherwise.
Our greatest concern is ticks—please wear bug spray even in accessible parks like North Park. There are a lot of myths about tick removal, here are the CDC recommendations.
Plants - Poison ivy is the biggest concern, but it is not the only poisonous plant in Western PA. Giant hogweed, poison oak, Virginia creeper and wild parsnip are all native to our area.
Heat - It’s highly recommended that you bring a water bottle as well as a snack if a meet is anticipated to go over an hour.
Sunburn is also very common, so please be sure to wear appropriate sunscreen and reapply when recommended.
Traffic - Use crosswalks where available even if it's a bit further. Do not take pictures in the road. While it is very unlikely we will be near any, do not under any circumstances pose on railroad tracks. It is illegal for very good reason.