SOAR with the wheelchairs, hike with the canes

Sierrans Outdoors through Accessible Recreation (SOAR) creates opportunities for people of all abilities to participate in and lead Sierra Club activities. Our hikes are non-competitive and open to anyone with a sense of adventure. Children and families, seniors, new hikers, and people with physical, cognitive, and sensory impairments are all welcome. Some participants are long-time hikers who are recovering from injury, or just want to see things at a different pace. Other participants have permanent disabilities that require scouting hikes with accessibility issues in mind. Most SOAR trips are also accessible by public transit. We often invite naturalists or other interpreters to join our hikes and help us distinguish and enjoy the plants, animals, and natural processes we can observe on even a short journey. Hiking at a slower pace gives us the opportunity to pay closer attention.

SOAR holds about six trips a year. Past trips have included Lafayette Reservoir, Point Pinole Regional Park, Blackies Pasture, and the Hayward Regional Shoreline. To get on our mailing list and find out about all our upcoming hikes, please contact Jonna Papaefthimiou at or (510) 848-0800, ext. 312. Let Jonna know your e-mail (preferred) or postal address. We don't have any outings listed in this Yodeler, but we hope to have one in September.

SOAR is actively seeking new hike leaders and hike assistants. Would you be interested in helping out on a Sierra Club day hike, or even leading one of your own? If you already lead with the Club or another organization, could we help you to make one of your hikes accessible to people with disabilities? Or are you able to share some special knowledge about plants, animals, birds, geology, or local history? If so, please also contact Jonna Papaefthimiou to find out how you can participate with SOAR.