Great thoughts, Bill. One way that I've made my life easier as a trip leader is to not lead beginner trips, but rather multi-day trips with some descriptive text that tends to scare off those that aren't prepared and in decent shape --- to include a lot of pre-signup expectation setting stuff. Doesn't eliminate all problems, but it greatly reduces them.

My hat's off to those that choose to lead beginner trips --- we really need those type of trip leaders, and I guiltily feel that I ought to step up and do one or two next year just to do my share. Maybe!