My prime goal is to maintain the continuity of the Ouachita Mountain Hikers Club for the enjoyment of the present and future members.  Since the interest in hiking and the number of participating hikers seem to be growing, it seems that we need to keep offering enough hiking opportunities and diversity to match that growth.  OMH was started by a few individuals as just a local hiking club and has remained an independent, self-governing local club and not just a local chapter of a larger or national club organization.   OMH does interact with similar clubs and also has a few members from other areas in Arkansas and other states who hike with it from time to time.

As you probably know by now, the 20^th Anniversary of the Ouachita Mountain Hikers Club is coming up on March 16.  Mark your calendars for the club meeting to be held on March 16, starting at 6:00 pm, at the Garland County Library, which will be dedicated to the club’s 20^th Anniversary.

During the past three years that I have been a member of the club, it has become apparent that it has had a significant increase in the number of members participating in the regular weekly Thursday and Saturday hikes.  Having anywhere from ten to twenty, and sometimes even more, hikers at the hikes has become quite common.  When overnight hikes are scheduled, we have also added local hikes for those who do not find it convenient to go on the overnighters.  We also made it possible to add three Saturday-type bonus hikes on the three Thursdays when the bi-monthly meetings are held.  We have switched the trail maintenance days that would have been held on those days to a different day in the same week.  It might also be appropriate at this point to mention that, for the past few years, OMH has become active in adding Ouachita Trail maintenance to its schedule.

Lastly, it is important for prospective and new members to know that the OMH Club is, as the name indicates, a MOUNTAIN HIKING CLUB.  The hikes are usually not only challenging but can also be strenuous. They are much more demanding than just taking a walk for a couple of miles on a flat path.  Hiking boots, enough water, and trail food are absolutely essential.  A sturdy hiking stick is highly recommended.  New and prospective members still need to hike on two Saturday hikes, which are usually about 4 to 6 miles long, to find out if they are fit enough to go on a longer Thursday hike, which can be up to 10 or 12 miles.  But even with that in mind, if you feel that mountain hiking is for you, my motto is still HIKING SHOULD BE FUN.

Once again, I feel we all owe our thanks to the originators and all the participating members who have passed the club onto us for our mountain hiking enjoyment.

Marv Weitzenfeld

President Ouachita Mountain Hikers

[Return to previous page]

Ouachita Mountain Hikers - President's Corner