Welcome new OCHBC'ers! Get involved with walks, hikes, backpacking trips and events throughout the great OC and beyond. — Suki Reed, President

"Join! Join! Join and discover awesome hikes in your backyard" — Nicole

"My doctor prescribed this group" — Jazmin

"One very fine organization with really cool people" — Verdi

"Always a great group of people who love the outdoors and know how to have a good time and hike" — Laura

"I love OCHBC! It has the best group of people you will ever meet. They are all so kind and friendly" — Marie

"Quality members and organizers" — Don

"Great exercise and tacos" — Marni

"A fun group to be with" — LiliAnn

"I can't think of a better way to meet such a diverse group of people. I'm usually pretty shy when talking to people for the first time, but there is something about hiking with them that makes it easy. It doesn't even bother me if I'm a sweaty mess, everybody is still willing to talk to me." — Larry

"Meet strong hikers, engage in stimulating conversation, have some laughs and enjoy the peace of the wilderness together." — Mitch

"Like Ruth says, it's all about the food. And what an amazing array it was: nirvana inducing blintzes; cherry crepes flambe; chocolate chip and raspberry pancakes; spinach, cheese and everything-else crepes — this hike belongs on the Food Channel! Can't wait 'til next month!" — Edd

OCHBC Best Photos of 2008 Winners!

Best sunset — Afarin, Best lake reflection — Neil, Best Conga line — Ed, Best aerial — Karl, Best playful fun — Faro, Best picnic — Marie, Best landscape — Linda R. , Most original — Marie, Best OCHBC — Shelia, Best nap — Lin, Best sea life — Lin , Best canyon — Eileen, Best wildlife — Linda R., Best group — Bill , Best thistle — Claudia , Best beach chair — Neil , Best mudflat — Steve M. , Best sand dunes — Steve M., Best couple photo — Shelia, Best abstract — Bill L., Best snow — Nat

Mission of OCHBC:

The mission of the OCHBC ( Orange County Hiking and Backpacking Club ) is to get walkers, hikers and backpackers together for the purpose of: (a) learning tips, tricks, and techniques, about walking, hiking and/or backpacking, (b) experiencing weekly conditioning walks and fitness hikes on local and out-of-town trails, and (c) participating in out-of-town and overnight events. OCHBC (Orange County Hiking and Backpacking Club ) offers you the opportunity to meet other local walkers, hikers and backpackers of all skill level. So don't worry if you are new to hiking or if you have not done it in a while; walkers, hikers and backpackers of all speeds and levels are welcomed. (However, this is NOT a beginners group; we recommend that you be able to comfortably walk five (5) miles with hills before joining). Membership is FREE, so click on the SIGN UP button above, then pick a hike, and join us on our next adventure. NOTE: The OCHBC uses the Meetup.com system to manage its Hiking and Backpacking calendar. The OCHBC (Orange County Hiking and Backpacking Club) is a 501(c)3 under the name The Core Campaign (soon to be renamed TrekAmerica).

Who Should Join Orange County Hiking and Backpacking Club:

We welcome hikers, backpackers, and campers of all abilities and experience levels. We encourage both the new and experienced, the young and old, the slow and fast to get off the couch and to take a hike. The OCHBC group works because on any outing you will find someone that matches your fitness level, your hiking speed, and your personality. However, you should be able to walk at least 5 miles comfortably before joining this group. While there is no commitment and certainly no pressure, we do encourage those who join to commit to at least 6 hikes per year; consistency yields both health dividends (one member has lost 60 lbs over the last 6 months) and experience. Always practice the 10 Essentials when you hike.

Who Should Not Join Orange County Hiking and Backpacking Club:

While everybody is welcome, this group may not be for everybody. If you don't like laughing, sweating, pushing yourself, climbing hills, getting dirty, hanging out in the wilderness with the bears, bugs, and snakes, and/or experiencing mild levels of exhaustion at the end of a hike then this group might not be for you. If you are looking for a walking group, if you don't like climbing hills, or if you are not ready to push yourself there are plenty of other highly recommended groups available on the meet-up system. You should be able to walk at least 5 miles with hills comfortably before joining this group.

Simply fill out a profile. Members are screened. Here are a few tips for filling out your profile:

1. Do not include any personal information (ie phone number or e-mail addresses) Our pages are not private, thus, your profile information will be visible to everyone on meetup, including programs designed to capture e-mail addresses for spammers.
2. We frown on using aliases (ie anything but your real name) because it makes it REALLY difficult to get to know you.
3. Your “real” picture is mandatory. The hike organizers need to know what you look like. No one wants to go hiking or backpacking with strangers or weirdos. We assume that if you don't have your visible picture posted in 'bright light' then you might have something to hide.
4. We kindly REQUEST that you fill out each profile question. If you have an incomplete profile (ie unanswered questions or one word answers), your request may be banished by OCHBC powers that be. After all, if you aren't willing to spend the time and put some thought into completing a 2 minute profile, you are probably a MINO (member in name only; aka "not an active member").