Beyond the ability to exhibit good judgment and common sense while performing duties as a leader under stress and pressure, an outdoor adventure program leader should possess technical skills, human relations skills, and philosophical understanding of outdoor programming. Technical skills include knowledge of initiatives/ropes course activities, first aid and other emergency care, expedition planning and organizing, survival techniques, and search and rescue techniques. Human relation skills take in the areas of counseling ability, crisis intervention, interpersonal communication, teaching ability, and assessment of psychological needs. Philosophical understanding covers philosophy of experiential education, leadership responsibilities, safety/risk management, personal and professional philosophy, and personal and professional goals and objectives. These skills could serve as a framework for the evaluation of outdoor leaders and the development of leadership standards badly needed in the field of outdoor adventure education. The evaluation process should distinguish between skills that require objective and subjective judgments and should involve the leader's peers as well as program administrators. A standardized evaluation process for outdoor leaders based upon an industry-wide set of standards and administered by a nationally recognized program would go a long way in lending credibility to the outdoor adventure movement. (JHZ)