Knowing When to Turn Back: Decision Points and Group Decision-Making
By the ACC Safety Committee
Knowing when to turn back and saying “no” on a trip, whether during planning, choosing participants, or making decisions in the moment, is never easy. This applies to leaders, coordinators, and participants alike. Sometimes it is the safest choice, especially when hazards are increasing, your gut is telling you something is off, or you are not physically or mentally prepared.
Last year, the ACC Safety Committee received reports of climbers becoming benighted on a multipitch route and of skiers triggering avalanches. In each case, factors such as mismatched abilities, peer pressure, groupthink, poor communication, inadequate planning, and summit fever played a role. Establishing clear decision points and practicing strong group decision-making can be the difference between a dangerous, uncomfortable outcome in the backcountry and a safe, well-managed day.
As you prepare for your next adventure, here are some points that can help your group make safer, more thoughtful decisions:
1. A pre‑trip meeting
Before heading out, hold a pre-trip meeting with participants. Use this time to set expectations—are you moving fast and light, or enjoying a more relaxed pace? What’s the objective, and is the whole group aligned on it? One of the most important topics to address is ensuring everyone feels comfortable saying “no” within the group.
2. Assess your skills, it’s time to shed your ego
This requires honest self-reflection from everyone involved. It’s important to recognize when you may not have the fitness, technical ability, or mental readiness needed for the objective. If that’s the case, have an open conversation with the group. Together, you can adjust plans or navigate the tougher discussion about whether certain participants should join. Clear, two-way communication between leaders and participants is essential, as is transparency about each person’s skills and experience
At the start of the trip, identify the key decision points and outline the plan for each one: under what conditions you’ll continue, and what triggers a change of course or a turnaround. Establishing this clarity early keeps everyone aligned and supports confident, safe decision making as conditions evolve.
3. Situational awareness: always reassess
Conditions shift quickly. Weather changes, terrain deteriorates, and group energy levels rise or fall. Sometimes things even go better than expected, and the group may want to expand the objective to the day by adding a summit or trying a harder route. When these changes occur, remember that the assumptions you started with may no longer apply.
Maintaining situational awareness is critical. Continuously reassess the factors that shape your decisions: weather, terrain, group dynamics, fitness, gut feeling, and the overall vibe of the group. As new information comes in, re‑evaluate whether the plan still makes sense.
Most importantly, feel empowered to say “no” if your personal safety margin begins to shrink. Continue only while it remains reasonable and safe. One misaligned factor, environmental or human, can be enough to change the direction of the day.
4. Communicate
As a participant, speak up when your skills don’t align with what the objective requires. Stay alert to changing conditions and share what you notice with the group so it can be reassessed. If something doesn’t make sense, ask! There truly is no such thing as a stupid question.
Everyone, from participants to trip leaders, shares responsibility for staying safe in the mountains. Keep evaluating the situation as it changes, and don’t hesitate to say “no” when something doesn’t feel right. A “no” doesn’t always end a trip, but sometimes it’s the decision that ensures you can return for many more adventures.
Here’s a helpful, non‑exhaustive checklist you can use to decide when it’s time to pause, reassess your situation, or turn back.
- I’m not feeling physically or mentally ready.
- My skills don’t match the terrain or objective.
- Weather or conditions are getting worse.
- Someone in the group is struggling or uncomfortable.
- Time, daylight, or safety margin is shrinking.
- Group pressure is affecting decisions.
- My gut says something isn’t right.
Get Involved
If you have an idea for future bulletins please contact [email protected]. You can help the club’s safety culture by reporting incidents and near misses using our reporting form. If ACC members would like support on safety issues in trip planning, please reach out and we would be happy to talk it through with you!
