RELEASE OF LIABILITY, WAIVER OF ALL POSSIBLE CLAIMS
AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK
By signing this you are waiving your legal rights and you give up the right to sue.
Please Read Carefully
By signing this form, you are assuming both physical and legal 2. AVALANCHES. Avalanches can frequently occur in
risks and potential implications for yourself and/or your family mountain terrain. Natural forces including steepness of
should you be injured or killed while participating in a True North slopes, snow depth, instability of the snow-pack or changing
Hostelling Association and/or Hostel Outdoor Group, hereinafter weather conditions may cause avalanches. Avalanches may
referred to as the “Association”, activity. also be caused by the actions of participants or other groups.
Losses can occur from the actions of participants, or from the
I desire to participate in the activities (which may include, but not failure for any reason, of the, “Association”, or its volunteers
limited to mountaineering, hiking, skiing, snow shoeing, cycling, to predict whether the terrain is safe for travel or skiing or
canoeing, walking, scrambling back country skiing, and climbing) where an avalanche may or may not occur.
sponsored by the “Association”. I understand that in order for the
“Association’ to accept my application to participate in an activity, I 3. ROCKFALL. Participants can be overcome by a rockfall or
must agree to be bound by this Release, Waiver and Assumption of rock falling at any time, without warning.
Risk.
4. WEATHER. Weather conditions may be extreme and can
I am aware the members of the ‘Association” acting as trip change rapidly without warning. Participants may be
coordinators of the activities, are not professional leaders, guides, exposed to such things as exposure, heat exhaustion and
or licensed first aid attendants. I am aware they may not have frostbite and other situations.
competed an outdoor leadership course or have first aid, (including
wilderness) training or experience and are not responsible for my
safety or that of the children I bring while participating in any 5. EQUIPMENT FAILURE. Equipment used as an aid or safety
activity. measure while hiking, climbing or skiing (including but not
limited to hardware or ropes) may fail or break.
I am aware that other participants with me in the activities are not
responsible for my safety or that of the children that I bring. 6. WILDLIFE. There may be risks associated with wildlife,
which can be present in the area in which you will be
I am aware that there are serious dangers and risks inherent in travelling, including but not limited to bears, cougars, moose,
travel to and in the mountains and other remote places, including elk, ticks and snakes.
but not limited to the following:
7. TRANSPORTATION. You may be travelling to and from
1. MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. The mountainous areas used for your activity designation with a volunteer driver.
activities sponsored or organized by the “Association” have
steep slopes, which in their natural state have many dangerous This Release of Liability, Waiver of All Possible Claims and
obstacles and hazards, which may be hidden or covered by Assumption of Risk, applies to all activities that I participate in,
snow and ice in winter, or grass and foliage in summer. Some of offered by the “Association” whether occurring in the near or
these obstacles and hazards include loose rocks, glacier distant future. This form has to be signed once a year and may
crevasses, ice and snow cornices, tree ells, tree stumps, creeks, not be brought to my attention each time I participate in the
rocks and boulders, forest deadfalls, holes and depressions activities of the “Association” in order to be in effect and does not
below the snow or ground surface, volcanic activity, water have to be signed for each and every activity for which I may
quality, and varying and different conditions. These mountainous participate.
areas also have dangerous man-made obstacles and hazards
that may include logging and other roads, steep road banks and The “Association” will not permit me to participate in any activities
washouts, fences and other structures. The mountainous areas unless I SIGN this Release of Liability, Waiver of All Possible
used for activities sponsored by the “Association” may not have Claims and Assumption of Risk. The “Association” will not
been climbed, travelled or skied previously, and are not regularly permit me to bring any guest or child on any activities unless the
patrolled or examined. Because of forested areas, wild-rigged guest or parent, or legal guardian of the child signs the
terrain and/or weather, participants may become lost or appropriate Release of Liability, Waiver of All Possible Claims
separated from the coordinator and/or companions. and Assumption of Risk.
Communication in this mountain terrain is always difficult and, in
the event of an accident, rescue and medical treatment may not This Release of Liability, Waiver of All Possible Claims and
be available. Assumption of Risk shall be governed by the laws of the
Province of Alberta. In consideration of being permitted to
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participate in Activities organized or sponsored by the my heirs, executors, administration and assigns to sue the
“Association” I acknowledge and agree as follows: “Association” its staff, volunteers or Directors for loss or
damage arising from my death, if the physical injury to my
The “Association”, its members, officers, employees, agents and person or property or my death was caused by or contributed
contractors and each of them are not responsible for any loss or to by the negligence of the “Association” its staff, volunteers or
damage sustained by me including loss or damage caused by injury Directors.
to my person or property or by my death howsoever caused and
notwithstanding that some may have been caused by or contributed I am of the full age of 18 years. I am aware of the nature and
to by the negligence of the “Association”. effect of this Release of Liability, Waiver of All Possible
Claims and Assumption of Risk.
I agree to relieve the “Association” of all liability for all loss or Initial ________
damage arising out of any cause whatsoever including the
negligence of the Association. I hereby exempt the “Association” I acknowledge that I have been given the opportunity and have
from the legal consequences that would otherwise flow from their been encouraged to seek independent legal advice prior to
negligence. signing this agreement.
Initial ________
I hereby release, waive and discharge the “Association” from
all liability to myself, my heirs, executors, administrators and I acknowledge, accept and agree to allow the Association to
assigns for all loss or damage and any claims or demands for provide access to the Trip Coordinators of information confirming
such loss or damage on account of injury to my person or that this waiver has been signed.
property or by my death whether caused by the negligence of Initial ________
the “Association” or otherwise. I am aware in order to
participate in activities organized or sponsored by the I am executing this release and waiver of liability agreement freely
“Association”, I hereby give up my right to sue the and voluntarily without any compulsion on the part of the
“Association” or its staff, volunteers or Directors in the event I “Association”.
sustain loss or damage caused by injury to my person or Initial ________
property, and the right of myself personally and on behalf of
I acknowledge having read this entire agreement at least 24 hours prior to signing it. Initial ________
Signed this __________ day of ____________________, 200_____
_______________________________________________________
Hostelling International Membership Number
_______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
Name of Participant (Please Print) Signature of Participant
***THIS FORM MUST BE SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF A WITNESS***
_______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
Name of Witness (Please Print) Signature of Witness
IF PARTICIPANT IS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE:
_______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
Name of Guardian (Please Print) Signature of Guardian
WHEN SIGNED, THIS FORM IS VALID UNTIL NOVEMBER 1ST, 2007
PLEASE NOTE: This information is being collected for the purpose of establishing whether you are a member or not. If you are
NOT a member and fill in your address information below, we trust you are consenting to us forwarding you a membership
information package.
Are you a member of Hostelling International? Ì Yes Ì No
If not would you like a membership information package sent to you? Ì Yes Ì No
If yes could you please give us your mailing address? _______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Your email address: ____________________________________________________
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