Summer outings

Upcoming outings

Go to the calendar

The calendar of activities is available and updated every week on the French version of this site.

General information

From Easter until the November, the SCIG organizes hikes and other outings (cycling, rafting, via ferrata…) on Saturdays or Sundays and / or weekends, as well as longer outings (Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Jeûne Genevois). In general, these outings are held in the mountains and are guided by volunteer outing leaders. The summer program is available by signing up to the newsletter (signing up: on the Home page, lower right corner), or by looking up the program on the french version of this page (click above, on the red link). A more detailed description of each outing is made available a week or two before the outing. In particular, information is then provided regarding the place and time of departure, and the exact cost of each excursion.

Each outing is organized under the responsibility of an outing leader, who acts in a voluntary, unpaid capacity. He/she has the right to cancel the excursion, change its date, modify its itinerary (as long as the level of difficulty remains unchanged), and exclude persons from participating who are ill-equipped or in inadequate physical shape.

Levels of difficulty of the outings

The outings are designated as “F = easy”, “M = moderate”, “D = difficult” or “D+ = very difficult”. An “easy” hike generally requires less than 4 hours of walking, a vertical gain or loss of less than 500 meters, and/or a length of less than 15km on the flat. A “moderate” hike lasts from 4 to 6 hours, has a vertical gain and loss of 500 to 1000 meters, and may include a few slightly airy passages. A “difficult” hike lasts more than 6 hours, has a vertical gain and loss of over 1000 meters, and may require some rock scrambling. A “very difficult” hike either entails some experience in alpinism (often on glaciers with a guide) or rock-climbing, or involves a very substantial time duration and effort in terms of vertical gain and loss.

For most outings, the sign-up is by email; for some outings, it is at the Centre Sportif de Varembé, 46, avenue Giuseppe-Motta, on Thursdays between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (to know how to sign up, please read the instructions on the flyer). The leader of the outing can limit the number of participants (in such instances, Club members have preference over non-members). At the start of the excursion, moreover, the leader may refuse to accept a person who is not already signed-up.

5 CHF per outing day for members of the Club and 15 CHF per outing day for non-members. The membership lasts from June 1st to May 31 of the next year (sign up and payment for membership on the “Home” page)

Cost

The cost for each excursion listed in this brochure is approximate. It includes the daily charge, transportation and, when applicable, accommodations and some meals. The exact cost will be provided at sign-up time. Payment may be asked of participants at the sign-up time, except for certain travel costs (see below). In cases where payments have been made in advance and an excursion is cancelled, the persons concerned will be reimbursed in full. If the outing takes place, signed-up persons who do not show up will not be reimbursed for the daily charge and any cancellation costs. The surcharge of 10 CHF for non-members will be fully reimbursed.

Transportation

By public transport or private vehicles. In cases of travel by car, drivers are compensated on the basis of 0.20 CHF per km/passenger. Each passenger settles this sum directly with his/her driver at the time of departure on the outing. In cases of travel by public transport, the excursion leader may request participants to purchase their tickets themselves, or may purchase a group ticket, in which case the amount of the ticket may be included in the amount to be paid by participants at the time of signing-up.

For 185 CHF you may purchase half-price travel on the whole CFF railway network of Switzerland, as well as reductions on most cogwheel railways, funiculars and cable cars. The pass is automatically renewed for 165 CHF after one year, if you do not cancel it.
See: https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/railpasses/half-fare-travelcard.html

Minimum equipment required for hikes

For day hikes: backpack, good hiking boots (no sneakers), clothing adapted to mountain or high mountain, hat, gloves, sunglasses, sun cream, picnic, water bottle, local currency. Weather conditions and temperatures can change suddenly on mountains, even in the summer!!!
For excursions of two or more days: the same as above, plus clothes to change into, slippers or light shoes, flashlight, toiletries, and, if desired, sleeping bag or sheets.
For excursions outside of Switzerland, bring your passport and visa.
The excursion leader always brings a small medical kit.

Rules to comply with in order to participate in an outing

• Be in the physical shape required by the nature of the outing;
• Come with the necessary equipment;
• Respect the natural fauna and flora;
• Do not leave waste on the path, carry it out instead;
• During the outing, stay grouped together between the outing leader and the assistant, and keep visual contact with other participants;

• Carry insurance against accidents and mountain rescue (see below);
• In the case of drivers, be covered by civil responsibility insurance, in particular with respect to fellow passengers.

Accident and rescue insurance

It is the personal responsibility of each participant to carry insurance against accidents and mountain rescue, in particular helicopter rescue operations. Check with your employer to see if you are properly insured.
The REGA (Garde Aérienne Suisse de Sauvetage) provides coverage for helicopter rescue and repatriation (35 CHF annually, tel. 0844 834 844). There are other similar personal insurance schemes, in particular Air-Glaciers (Tel. +41 27 329 1415.)

Membership fee

50 CHF for the season, for all summer and winter activities. The membership lasts from June 1st to May 31 of the next year (sign up and payment for membership on the “Home” page).

Winter activities

From December to mid-April, the Club organizes downhill skiing and instruction, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. If you are interested in the program, please sign up to the newsletter (on the Home page, bottom right corner).

Contact for additional information

For additional information, participants may wish to contact the SCIG Summer outings coordinator Bill Larson by email at GenevaOutings@scig.ch