by Grzldvt » Fri Jul 10, 2015 2:20 am
Going to be very brutal here, as the inexperience, IMO is putting a group of 14 in serious jeopardy with an inexperienced leader.
If I was taking a group of newbies I would do the trip myself first along with the experienced, to look at the pitfalls, know the exact itinerary/campsites we were doing and set expectations on the issues they may run into. Use the experienced to buddy up with the newbies to help them out.
To take a group of 14 in an area you have no clue about, has the potential for some serious issues, and quite frankly in a litigious state as CA is, law suits.
Your trip is more than feasible in 5 days, but having to ask, really has me questioning your abilities as a leader of a group that large.
I have come across a group this size with a leader that has never been in the area, and I can tell you if they had a gun, they would have used it, and the leader would have been reported as simply a news article on a lost hiker. Most asked us to lead them out and abandon their trip. The leader had no clue, and could not explain to them the next steps in their trip. That had the entire group up in arms, and most were newbies to backpacking. While we were sympathetic to their cause we had timelines we had to meet and could not really help them.
If you cannot detail every step of the way for newbies, you should not be out there. First timers think this is a simple walk in the local park. Carrying 40 lbs of gear, setting up camp, breaking up camp cooking meals is foreign to them. Add on the mileage, where I can tell you many will not be in shape to cover the miles because newbies always overestimate their abilities, you are ripe for some major issues.
While Lyell is flat, the final climb to Vogelsang is a definite uphill battle, it is at altitude and for the uninitiated, you will be battling altitude sickness. Dealing with that for, as a guess 7+ people, are you prepared to handle it, do you know what to do to alleviate it? Then what do you do if most of the campsites are taken and YOU have to find places for 14 people. Don't make that happen and you will have a lynch mob on your hands.
What do you do if someone gets injured, or is physically beyond their boundaries and has to bail in mid trip?
I could go on and on, and yes you can go on other forums and get the answers you want, but you have to ask yourself is Grzldvt, spewing crap or is his experiences in leading groups something I should pay attention to?
Wont even go into the REI drill as I know intimately how the stores work and how the help is divided up. I have listened in on the parking lot instructions for REI trips and just shake my head - No way are these people going to enjoy it or have a clue what hey are in for.
Steve