Outings List

Outings currently offered by the Dallas Sierra Club

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Scroll down the page for Sierra Singles, Young Sierrans, and Non-Sierra Club outings.

NOV 25-30 (WED-MON) 2009 BUS TRIP TO BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK IN TEXAS The Dallas Sierra Club Thanksgiving Holiday tradition continues with our annual bus trip to Big Bend. There will be a variety of hikes that will visit different parts of this very scenic National Park. If you've never been to Big Bend National Park, you owe it to yourself to discover this unique part of Texas. If you've been before, come on back and explore another area! Our chartered sleeper bus leaves Dallas around dinner time Wednesday and returns early morning on Monday. Some backpacking experience is required. Complete trip details are available now at www.dallassierraclub.org/outings. Contact: Arthur Kuehne 214-608-3210(C)

DEC 5 (SAT) CHISHOLM CLEANUP CREW Get into the holiday spirit by donating a Saturday morning to helping clean up the Chisholm Trail, one of the Metroplex's most popular Hike and Bike Trails. We plan to lend a hand to Plano Parks and Recreation to help pick up trash and remove leaves and debris left behind on the 5.44 mile paved trail by autumn storms. No special skills required. Contact the leader (preferably by email) to get on the work crew list and to receive rendezvous information. This outing is for adults 18 years and older. Sierra Singles and Young Sierrans welcome to join in the fun. Coordinator: Teresa Wilkin 214-693-1503(H)  NEW

DEC 6 (SUN) SUNDAY LUNCHEON BUFFET Sustainable Sunday Lunch every first Sunday at Papaya Garden, 1201 W.Airport Frwy #100, 817 684-9378, Euless on the corner of Airport Fwy (Hwy 183) and Industrial (FM157). Thai, plant-based, and all-you-can-eat buffet is served from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Larger restaurant means more room for families and other groups. Ask for Sierra Club table at the door. Organizer: Terry Jensen 972 251-1532(W)

DEC 12 (SAT) WHITE ROCK LAKE CLEANUP. Walk and talk while helping to pick up trash and recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM at the Love of the Lake office on the Northeast corner of Garland Rd. and Buckner Blvd. Look for a crowd of people drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. provided. Our area includes one of the wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. The lake and your karma will thank you. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash 214-824-0244(H)

DEC 12 (SAT) DAY HIKE ON THE NORTH SHORE OF GRAPEVINE LAKE Hike five to six miles on a dirt trail along the north shore of Grapevine Lake. No reservations required, just show up. Please, no pets. Take water and snacks. Also, take spare shoes for after the hike in case the trail is muddy. Meet at 9:00am at Rockledge Park in Grapevine at the parking lot near the restrooms at the northern part of the park. Note that the City of Grapevine is now charging $5 per car to enter the park. After the hike, you may join us for lunch. Directions: From Hwy 121, exit at Bass Pro Road and go west. Turn left (southwest) on Hwy 26 toward Grapevine. Drive about ¼ mile to Fairway Drive and turn right (north). Continue to drive across the dam and past the spillway. Turn left on the first driveway after the spillway to Rockledge Park. At the park, veer right to Park Rd. Three, and drive to the north parking lot. Leader: Marcos Jorge 972-394-2546(H)

JAN 3 (SUN) SUNDAY LUNCHEON BUFFET Sustainable Sunday Lunch every first Sunday at Papaya Garden, 1201 W.Airport Frwy #100, 817 684-9378, Euless on the corner of Airport Fwy (Hwy 183) and Industrial (FM157). Thai, plant-based, and all-you-can-eat buffet is served from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Larger restaurant means more room for families and other groups. Ask for Sierra Club table at the door. Organizer: Terry Jensen 972 251-1532(W)  NEW

JAN 23 (SAT) SATURDAY MORNING RIDE AT WHITE ROCK LAKE Let's ride around White Rock Lake. Meet at 9:30 AM at the Stone Tables near Lake Highlands Drive and Buckner Blvd. This will be a leisurely trip of 9 miles in about 1-1/2 hours. Any bike and any body is welcome. The trip will be canceled if it is raining at White Rock Lake. Optional brunch afterwards. Leader: Mark Adams 972-658-1281(C)  NEW

FEB 6 (SAT) 2ND ANNUAL SUPER WEEKEND 10K DAYHIKE Hike 10K (6 miles) on the Lake Ray Roberts Greenbelt Corridor. This is an easy trail running along side the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. No reservations required, just show up. Please,no pets. Bring water and a snack. Meet at 9:00 AM at the Hwy 380 Trailhead Park. Admission to the park is $5.00 per person or free with a Texas State Parks Pass. There will be an optional lunch afterwards. The Park is on US Hwy 380 2.1 miles west of Hwy 377 or 2.8 miles east of Loop 288 in Denton. Hwy 380 can be reached from Central Expwy,Preston Rd., or the Tollway. Bring extra shoes in case the trail is muddy. The trip will be canceled if it is raining at the trailhead. Leader: Mark Adams 972-658-1281(C)  NEW

FEB 13 (SAT) BEGINNER BACKPACKING CLASS. Aimed at beginners, this class is an ideal way to learn about backpacking. Topics include: wilderness ethics, outdoor clothing, boots, backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, cookware, food, and preparing for a trip. Instructors are experienced Dallas Sierra Club leaders. There will be time for questions and a hands-on look at outdoor gear. Lunch of backpacking food is included. You will also have the opportunity to learn about, and sign up for, several beginner backpacking trips. The fee is $20 for Sierra Club members and $30 for non-members (cash or check) You can sign up to be a Sierra Club member at the class. No reservations are necessary, just show up. The class will be held at REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, TX 75244 (north side of LBJ between Welch and Midway). The class will start at 10:30 AM and end at about 5:00 PM. Leader: Laura Kimberly 972-307-8364(H)

FEB 18-22 (THU-MON) BUS TRIP TO TAOS, NM Come play in the snow! Mark your calendars now so you can plan on joining us for this annual trip to enjoy the winter beauty of northern New Mexico. We'll leave Dallas on our sleeper bus around dinner time on Feb. 18 and return early morning on the 22nd. The trip is very economical and offers hotel w/ hot tub or backpacking/yurt accommodations, several activity options including alpine snowshoeing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing, guided outdoor photography session around Taos and Taos Pueblo, and time to just relax and enjoy the shops, food and beauty of this scenic and historical town. Activity ratings range from easy to moderately strenuous. Trip includes transportation to/from Taos, Taos Ski Valley and trailheads. Save the date now - complete write up with trip details, options, costs and reservations will be provided here in early December. Bus trip leader: Liz Wheelan 214-368-2306(H)

FEB 20-21 (SAT-SUN) WINTER IN ARKANSAS BEGINNER BACKPACKING TRIP We'll do a moderately-easy backpack of about 6-1/2 miles over 2 days along one of the most scenic backpacking trails in Southwest Arkansas. Because the trail follows the valley of the Little Missouri River there is minimal elevation change, but do be prepared for a couple of wet stream crossings. Drive up Friday night and return Sunday. We'll meet Saturday morning at Albert Pike Campground. This hike is suitable for graduates of the Sierra Club Beginner Backpacking Class. This is a beautiful time of year on the trail with no crowds and great views during leaf-off. The weather could be nice but come prepared for cold wet conditions. Leader: Mark Adams 972-658-1281(H)  NEW

MAY 28-JUN 1 (FRI-TUE) BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT BUS TRIP Celebrate Memorial Day weekend by joining us as our sleeper bus takes us to this scenic area west of Santa Fe, New Mexico. There will be a variety of hikes tailored to allow backpackers of all skill levels to explore and enjoy this great area. Special adventures will include learning about Native American history and exploring their ruins in this unique area. Complete trip details and reservation information will be posted here in March. Contact: Liz Wheelan 214-368-2306(H)

JUN 30-JUL 6 (WED-TUE) FOURTH OF JULY BUS TRIP TO PECOS WILDERNESS IN NEW MEXICO. This trip to the Pecos Wilderness east of Santa Fe, New Mexico is for backpackers who want to escape the heat of Dallas. This mountain range has numerous peaks, streams, lakes, waterfalls, and wild flowers. There will be five trips available rated from moderate to strenuous. Each trip will be created to provide an interesting and challenging experience for each skill level. Five days on the trail will allow us extra time to get used to the altitude and allow us to explore more of this very scenic area. Complete trip details and reservation information will be posted here a few months before the trip date. Bus trip leader: Mark Stein  NEW

SEP 2-7 (THU-TUE) LABOR DAY BUS TRIP TO WEMINUCHE WILDERNESS IN COLORADO Escape the Texas heat this Labor Day weekend and join us for our trip to the cool Colorado mountains of the Weminuche Wilderness. This trip has mountains, lakes, streams, and valleys. Trips will range from car camping with day hikes to backpacking with strenuous long hikes. The Weminuche Wilderness offers a great diversity and all the miles you want to hike. It is a hidden jewel and one of our most popular trips. Summiting the Rio Grande Pyramid and the Window are highlights on two of the trips. You can see photos of the area here. This trip leaves early evening on the 2rd and returns early morning of the 7th. Some experience similar to your trip activity is required. Complete trip details and reservation information will be posted here a few months before the trip date. Contact: Liz Wheelan 214-368-2306(H)  NEW

NOV 24-29 (WED-MON) BUS TRIP TO BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK IN TEXAS The Dallas Sierra Club Thanksgiving Holiday tradition continues with our annual bus trip to Big Bend. There will be a variety of hikes that will visit different parts of this very scenic National Park. If you've never been to Big Bend National Park, you owe it to yourself to discover this unique part of Texas. If you've been before, come on back and explore another area! Our chartered sleeper bus leaves Dallas around dinner time Wednesday and returns early morning on Monday. Some backpacking experience is required. Complete trip details and reservation information will be posted here a few months before the trip date. Contact: Liz Wheelan 214-368-2306(H)

sierra singles outings

NOV 22 (SUN) SINGLES HOUSE CONCERT & POTLUCK, 6:00 PM, RSVP'S NEEDED. John William Davis returns for an unprecedented 4th visit and brings his new wife Becky, an accomplished keyboard player and vocalist. They’ll be doing John’s original material as well as some that will surprise you. John is amazing on all counts: songwriter, singer, guitar player, and quirky, fun guy. Imagine the lyrical intensity of Shakespeare and Bob Dylan, the earthy sound of Tom Waits, and the wry humor of Randy Newman. A mighty fine guitar player too and add in Becky’s skills and who knows what we’ll get. His web site is www.losttribedreams.com. PREPAYMENT is needed to reserve your seat. Send a check, $15 per seat, payable to JOHN WILLIAM DAVIS, and mail to Paul Heller, 13806 Wooded Creek Dr, Farmers Branch TX 75244. Enclose a note with the name(s), phone numbers, and email addresses of those for whom you are reserving seats. All money goes to the artists. I'll confirm by email with directions and other details. Come to share food and fellowship with other singles in an easygoing social atmosphere with a great performance, up close and personal. Contact: Paul Heller 972-620-1703(H)  NEW

DEC 7 (MON) MONTHLY SIERRA SINGLES DINNER, 6:30 PM This month our regular Sierra Singles casual dinner is at Mumtaz, 216 W Campbell Rd, Richardson TX 75080, Phone: 214-575-2100. This is on the north side of Campbell just west of Central Expressway. They have a bar. The buffet of Indian food is only $5.99 on Mondays and it includes vegetarian choices. For our monthly dinners no RSVP needed, just show up and pay your own individual check. See www.mumtazrestaurant.com for map and additional details. Contact: Ginger Bradley 469-223-7902(C) and Paul Heller 972-620-1703(H)  NEW

young sierrans outings

DEC 3 (THU) YOUNG SIERRANS HH/DINNER - BLUE MESA GRILL - ADDISON Please join us for a Happy Hour/Dinner at the Blue Mesa Grill on Thursday, December 3rd! $4 HH specials all night; live acoustic music by local artist beginning at 8p. Arrive anytime after 6:00p for happy hour; dinner at 7:00p. Please RSVP by noon on 12/3 to the Pingg invitation or the youngsierrans@dallassierraclub.org email address so we have a rough estimate for seating. All 20s/30s welcome; you don’t have to be a Young Sierran or Sierra Club member to attend. **Address: 5100 Beltline Rd., Addison, 75240 - (972) 934-0165 ** Contact: Candace Weinberg  NEW

DEC 5 (SAT) GUIDED TOUR/LUNCH - MCCOMMAS BLUFF LANDFILL - DALLAS Please join us for a unique opportunity to tour the McCommas Bluff Landfill in Dallas. The City of Dallas landfill is the largest in the state (15th largest in the nation). The facility manager will cover a wide range of topics, including, CoD landfill and recycling operations, procedures, costs/revenues and general info; the bioreactor technology (methane gas harnessing for resale) utilized at the facility; waste mgmt industry insight. Optional lunch follows the tour. (1)Participation is limited to 25, please RSVP! (2)Tour Time: 10am. (3)Carpool option from the Old Monk (on Henderson). More info: http://youngsierrans.wordpress.com/category/events/educational/ Contact: Peter Wilson  NEW

DEC 12 (SAT) YOUNG SIERRANS 2009 HOLIDAY PARTY - NEAR DOWNTOWN DALLAS Please join us for our 2nd Annual Young Sierrans Holiday Party! We will have games, music and good times for all! SAVE THE DATE! Location: *TBD* Time: 6:30p-?? Details: BYOB and bring a dish to share - local/organic ingredients encouraged! More info to come! All 20s/30s welcome; you don’t have to be a Young Sierran or Sierra Club member to attend. Please RSVP by 12/11. Contact: Peter Wilson  NEW

DEC 22 (TUE) YOUNG SIERRANS HH/DINNER - *TBD* - DALLAS Please join us for a Happy Hour/Dinner at *TBD* on Tuesday, December 22nd! Arrive anytime after 6:00p for happy hour; dinner at 7:00p. Please RSVP by noon on 12/22 to the Pingg invitation or the youngsierrans@dallassierraclub.org email address so we have a rough estimate for seating. All 20s/30s welcome; you don’t have to be a Young Sierran or Sierra Club member to attend. **Address: ** Contact: Candace Weinberg  NEW

JAN 7 (THU) YOUNG SIERRANS HH/DINNER - *TBD* - ADDISON/DALLAS Please join us for a Happy Hour/Dinner at *TBD* on Thursday, January 7th! Arrive anytime after 6:00p for happy hour; dinner at 7:00p. Please RSVP by noon on 1/7 to the Pingg invitation or the youngsierrans@dallassierraclub.org email address so we have a rough estimate for seating. All 20s/30s welcome; you don’t have to be a Young Sierran or Sierra Club member to attend. **Address: ** Contact: Candace Weinberg  NEW