UKC

Hi guys,

I finally decided to go for my ML. I have lots of doubts (why is MT so unclear about this qualification!?) but the first one is about the DLOG.

In the box Style I have few options:

Equals: Group of friends? a democratic walk?

Leader/Supervisor: I am the official leader? Or if I am leading a group of friends I should use "Leader" as well?

Solo: This is the only one clear!

Group Member: That is kind of the opposite to Solo! Does this mean as part of an organised Group with a Leader that is not me?

Assistant Leader: Assisting an ML I guess? Or any Leader?

If I am leading a group of friends on the hills I would feel tempted to tick Equals, Leader and Group Member, hehe, but unfortunately this is a drop down list

Cheers!

You've answered your own questions by the look of it

When I was aspiring towards becoming an ml I recorded days when I planned the day and was responsible for decision making as leader.

People often struggle with how to use dlog, but really its not that complicated. Trainers and assesors use it as a tool to get a picture of where you are at, in addition to what they see on the day. If you need clarification on how to log something, send MT an email, they are really friendly and will get back to you within a reasonable time.

If I was to give one tip on using dlog, it would be to use it as a self reflection tool, rather than just facts and figures. Record things that went wrong or differently to how you expected and how that might change your approach in the future.

Best of luck.

I thought they were pretty clear! 

Leader - you are taking all responsibility for arranging, planning, decisions on the hill (whether to turn back etc). This can potentially include you taking your kids, friends etc if you are the responsible person and leading them. 

Asst Leader - someone else is taking the main decisions, and is there for you to approach for help, but you are still taking some of the responsibility for leading the group. 

Equals - you and a mate decide to go up e.g. North Ridge of Tryfan. Nobody needs to do much arranging or route planning. Neither of you is in charge, and decisions are made between you. 

Solo - pretty obvious

Group member - you are with a group, someone else is the leader and you have no responsibilities. 

Thanks guys!

I was quite sure about this but then I read in the Hill and Moorland Leader Award handbook that if you are the leader it is not a QMD, because you are not stretching yourself O.O

"Days spent leading groups or acting as an assistant leader, while valuable experience, do not count as quality days (and should be logged separately). [..] It will similarly be the case that whilst working as a group leader you will normally be operating well within your own ‘comfort zone’ and not extending your personal abilities."

http://www.mountain-training.org/Content/Uploaded/Downloads/MLT/5bac610d-23...

My friends, and the epics that I dragged them to, may disagree on that one, hehe, for that reason I got confused and I tough that maybe "Leader" was when I was walking a group in category of official "Leader", like paid or volunteering Group Leader.

Whether or not something is a QMD is a different question. Group member and Assistant leader days aren't really QMD because someone else is making decisions. Solo, Equals and Leader could be, depending on the circumstances. I think the quoted paragraph is particularly aimed at people working with inexperienced or mixed groups. If you solo CMD arete for your first time onto Ben Nevis & back to North Face carpark in thick mist, it's definitely a QMD. It doesn't stop being a QMD if you lead a couple of less experienced mates on the same trip! 

At the end of the day, if you think it was a QMD (satisfying some or all of the criteria for a QMD) log it as one, but aim to have a lot more QMDs than the minimum number, so that it doesn't matter if your assessor disagrees about some of them. 

I wouldn't stress too much about it. Log what you consider to be QMDs.

On your training there will be a lot of chat about it and it will all be put in to complex.

Any decent provider would be happy to look at your dlog before you book on to or a course (including me!)