Alright, so some of you have heard me mention this in the past – it’s time to finally give it a go. We’re taking 3 teams of 3 people out to Old Rag for a multi-cache weekend event. If you have not heard of Geo-caching before it can be thought of as treasure hunting. The catch being everything is done …
Announcements
Backpacking: Mcafee Knob, Tinker Cliffs, Dragon’s Tooth
McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs have some of the best views on the Appalachian Trail. This section of the AT will give us amazing 360 degree views of forested valleys near Roanoke, just turning green with the first signs of spring. Come enjoy the views with fellow outdoorsy-folk, learn some basic backcountry cooking, and scramble around on the rocky outcrops …
Spring Backpacking in Cumberland Island, Ga
If you missed the boat on Cancun, but you’re still looking to go somewhere warm for Spring Break, this trip’s for you: come to Cumberland Island National Park! Cumberland Island is on the southern coast of Georgia. This island boasts over 50 miles of hiking trails, as well as many designated backcountry camp sites. The island has several scenic hiking …
Raft the Rio Grande
Come get ya some majestic desert beauty this spring break. Some guarenteed sunshine, too. Big Bend is a large and magnificent but little known corner of the national parks landscape. The park is named for a huge curve in the Rio Grande river, which flows from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, forming the Texas-Mexico border for hundreds of miles. …
Hot Chocolate! and Stove Workshop!
Want to learn how to use our kickass MSR Whisperlite backpacking stoves without singing your eyebrows off??? Want to share hot chocolate on a cold evening with fellow outdoors-folk??? Then come to my house on Tuesday evening for a short lesson on how to use the club stoves! We’ll be making hot chocolate once we figure out how to light …
Trip Leader Workshop 2
Want to learn how to lead trips or how to lead better trips? We will be going over all the basics of trip leading in the club, reimbursements, trip descriptions, basic logistics and info, activities, etc. Also, we will go over several common problems and go over how not to lead trips (mostly by examining all of the situations Ive …
Snowshoe Campout!
We will be driving up to Snowshoe Mountain this Saturday morning, leaving at 6:30 a.m. in order to get there by the opening of the lifts. Saturday night we will be camping out in either: a) The Greenbriar River Trail Trail-Head in Cass, WV or b) The backyard of one of the cabins in Cass (piggy-backing off of Landon’s trip) …
Spring Break- Canoes, Gators, and the Everglades
Saturday: Leave Charlottesville, Saturday at 5 am—drive around 10 hrs to campsite, that I will be finding soon Sunday: Depart at 7 AM for Flamingo Ranger station (closes at 4:30)- camp at Flamingo Ranger station for the evening and shower for the week! Monday: Commence canoeing, Trip will depend on campsite availability and we have many options for choosing routes …
Camping/Stargazing/Sunset&Rise/Backpacking-Ish
Cold Mountain and Mount Pleasant form a easy to moderate figure 8 hike about an hour south of C-ville. We’ll meet at 9:30am Saturday and start the trip by hiking the Cold Mountain loop (5.8miles) as a day hike. When we get back to the parking lot we’ll grab our packs from the car and hike about 3 miles to …
New River Kayaking, Canoeing, Fishing, and Camping Trip!
For reading days, I’m planning a canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and camping trip on a few sections of the river south of the Gorge. This water ranges from flat water to Class III, so you should definitely have some experience on whitewater if you’re going to sign up for this trip. Below is our itinerary: Friday night: camp at Glade Creek …
Quartzite Climbing: Beginner to Advanced
This trip is for all levels of climbers, 5.6-5.12+. If you know how to belay you are welcome to join. If you never climbed quartzite, I recommend it. Interesting features…. Pilot Mt is in N-Carolina about 3 hours and half driving from Charlottesville. We climb Sat, camp Sat night and climb Sun. from rockclimbing.com: ‘The sports routes start in the …
Pre-Raft Backpacking Overnight in Wv
Are you signed up for the rafting trip during fall break? Would you like to go for a backpacking overnight the Saturday before we raft? Then this trip is for you! We’ll be heading out relatively early Saturday morning. A specific destination is yet TBD, but we will be setting up camp in West Virginia, probably either in Monongahela National …
Advanced Kayaking: Gauley River
This adventure is appropriate for class IV+ kayakers. We will paddle the middle section of the Gauley River at least once Saturday morning and at least once Sunday morning, perhaps running the lower Gauley as well on Sunday. We will camp Friday and Saturday nights. Please come prepared (clothes and sleeping gear), and feel free to ask me if you …
Gauley Fest: Kayaking and Outdoors Dream Come True
The Gauley Festival (known as “the paddling world’s biggest party”) is the largest river festival in the world, and it’s coming up this weekend. Located only 3.5 hours from Charlottesville, this is really a can’t miss opportunity. The jist of the festival is kayak (or climb) during the day, hangout with other fun outdoors-oriented people during the evening, and camp …
Surf the Thanksgiving Break in Costa Rica!
We’re trading in our turkey dinners for casados, the national Costa Rican traditional meal of rice and beans (known as gallo pinto), salad, picadillo, and chicken breast. We’ll be upgrading our cranberry sauce to tropical fruit. But the most exciting part of this trip is obviously not the cuisine. We’re going surfing! We’ll be driving to Northern VA on the …
Whitewater Rafting: Upper/Lower Gauley
This year we have both Monday and Tuesday off for “Reading Days”… make the best of them by rafting the Upper AND Lower Gualey! This is going to be incredible! The Gualey River is located in West Virginia. Here’s what a former officer (Marc) had to say about it: “The upper Gauley is a world class white water mecca, and …
26th Annual Aldha Gathering
Update! This year’s schedule of events has been released. For a description of what events will be happening at this year’s ALDHA Gathering, please see: http://www.aldha.org/newsletr/07prog.pdf Has the thought of thru-hiking one of the country’s long trails ever crossed your mind? If so, join us at ‘The Gathering,’ an annual event held by ALDHA, the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association. …
Beginner Camping and Service Project
Picture this: You’re on a backpacking trip and the rain has soaked through your pack and gotten the paper you wanted to use to start a fire all wet. You’ve strayed off of the trail and can’t find your way back to it because you’ve never really used a compass before, and you have no idea what all of those …
Intermediate+ Climbing at the Lake
To join this trip you should be able to climb 5.9+ outdoors. This time we are NOT going to the Orange Oswald area. The area will be most likely Long Wall (5.9+ to 5.12-) and DC Memorial Boulder (5.12+). We leave here Sat 7:00 and come back Sunday at about midnight. If the trip fills up quick please sign up …
Intermediate+ Climbing at the Lake
To join this trip you should be able to climb 5.9+ outdoors. This time we are NOT going to the Orange Oswald area. The area will be most likely Long Wall (5.9+ to 5.12-) and DC Memorial Boulder (5.12+). We leave here Sat 7:00 and come back Sunday at about midnight. If the trip fills up quick please sign up …
Intermediate+ Climbing at the Lake
To join this trip you should be able to climb 5.9+ outdoors. This time we are NOT going to the Orange Oswald area. The area will be most likely Long Wall (5.9+ to 5.12-) and DC Memorial Boulder (5.12+). We leave here Sat 7:00 and come back Sunday at about midnight. If the trip fills up quick please sign up …
Intermediate+/Advanced Climbing
To join this trip you should be able to climb at least 5.10 outdoors. Leave here Sat noon. Climb at Snake Buttress, home to infamous Discombobulated and Legacy. Then start early Sunday (about 7 AM). Go to the Beauty Mountain (Super Mario and the Brain area), on Sunday and leave there at about 5pm. If the trip is full when …
Beginner+ to Advanced Rock Climbing
The plan is simple: Leave here Sat noon. Climb at a relatively easy area (Tattoo most likely) for about two hours Sat afternoon. Then start early Sunday (about 7 AM). Go to a moderate-hard area (Beauty Mountain) on Sunday and leave there at about 5pm. There are a few 5.8s at the Tattoo and one 5.9 at the Beauty plus …
Intermediate/Advanced Climbing
The forecasters predict no rain for Sunday. But since it is going to be hot, I plan to climb at Kaymoor in the shadow side of the New River Gorge.fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun….. To join you should be solid at 5.9, outdoors. Please ask me if you had questions. We leave Sat. evening (bring dinner or eat prior to leaving, please) and come …
Intermediate+/Advanced Climbing
This weekends special is Endless Wall. To join you should be solid at 5.9, outdoors. Please ask me if you had questions. We leave Friday evening (bring dinner or eat prior to leaving, please) and come back Sat. night. now the forecsat is not so good. I may need to cancel the trip if it doesn’t get better. I will …
Intermediate+/Advanced Climbing at the New River Gorge
This weekends special is Kaymoor. To join you should climb 5.10, outdoors.Please ask me if you had questions. There aren’t easier bolted routes there except Fligt of the Gumbie (a long 5.9+ almost a 10- with a V3 boulder start). We leave Sat evening (bring dinner or eat prior to leaving, please) and come back Sunday night. club provides: climbing …
Dolly Sods Hiking/Camping/Backpacking for the Memorial Weekend
Dolly Sods is one of the most spectacular places nearby. If your school is over and your summer is still not started, lets do it from 3 days, 2 nights backpacking in Dolly Sods Wilderness. The place has more than 25 miles of trials from easy/moderate to ‘painful’. Our hiking plans will be settled on the group strength and wishes. …
Tent Workshop with Free Food!
Have you ever wondered how to pitch a tent, pack it, clean it, find a good location for it….? This workshop is recommneded if you intend to do backpacking, lead club trips, borrow club tents or to buy your own tent. We will quickly go over tents and differences like 2/3/4..people, symmetric/unsymmetric, light tents/ 3 season/ 4 season/ expedition tents …
Stove Workshop and Barbeque!
If you don’t know how to use a WhisperLite camp stove, here’s your chance to learn! We’ll head out to Walnut Creek and practice our stove-lighting skills. Once we have that mastered, we’ll cook up some delicious goodies that we’ll serve at the BBQ. Yeah for cookouts!
New River Gorgathon
TRIP CANCELLED, sorry
Sport Climbing Workshop
Want to learn how sport climb? We’ll head out to Summersville Lake early on Sunday and get a head start on the rest of the climbers. There are plenty of 5.7s, 5.8s, and 5.9s to work on leading. We’ll go over the basics of lead belaying, how to place quickdraws, clip the rope, fall, repell, and clean. This trip is …
Backpacking at Three Ridges (3 Times the Fun!)
Lots of scenic views to be had on this 13.1 mile circuit in the gorgeous three ridges wilderness. We’ll hike in a couple miles friday evening and sleep at the Maupin Field Shelter. Saturday’s hike will be spent atop the ridges for 6 miles with some moderate elevation changes. We can have lunch at Chimney Rocks after about 4 miles. …
Oceanside Camping with Wild Ponies
Join the Outdoors club for one of the best camping experiences you will ever have. We will be heading to the Assateague Island National Seashore http://www.nps.gov/asis/planyourvisit/marylandcamping.htm where the wild ponies roam! We’ll head out early Saturday morning and return on Monday. We will be picking up some firewood on our way into the park, so that we can cook our …
Trip Leader Workshop
At this workshop, we’ll talk about how to lead different types of trips, what to do about gear, how to handle trip expenses, what types of trips are allowed, and how to set trips up online. As an incentive to lead, we’ll reimburse your dues after leading four adventures. I’ve only reserved the room for an hour, so that’s the …
Slacklining on the Lawn
Come out to The Lawn this Sunday at 2pm to try your hand at slacklining. This is a great sport started by rock climbers, in principle similar to tightrope walking. Instead of a rope, 1 inch tubular webbing is used, and the rope bends and sways under your weight. Not only is it fun, but it’s a great way to …
Intermediate-/Advanced Climbing at the Lake
The trip is for 5.8/5.99 climbers (first come first serve as usual). So, for those who practiced all the winter squeezing those ugly plastic holds, lets get out for some sunshine. The weather looks good for the weekend. I would like to go to the Summersville lake. the water level should be low enough that we check out some of …
Snowshoeing and Winter Camping in Dolly Sods
Gen is helping me lead this trip (and providing his back country culinary expertise as well). This is an adventure to the Dolly Sods Wilderness area in West Virginia, ~3.5hrs from C’ville. We’ll be snowshoeing, backpacking, and camping. You don’t need any snowshoeing experience – it’s easy to learn. But, you should have some backpacking and camping experience to come …
Alpine Rock Climbing
The level of this adventure is “frozen intermediate”. the weekend looks perfect for some fun. it is supposed to be uncomfortable but not too cold. we leave Sat morning, climb the west side with boots (sturdy boots). bivy at the top of seneca at the night. leave our gear up there and rappel down to the East side Sunday early …
Intro to Mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest
**Aarash is the real leader of this trip** – I’ll just be organizing some of the logistics. We’ll fly from Washington, DC to Portland, OR together and spend 5 days there (~2 days are for traveling). We’ll first camp low on a glacier to learn and practice alpine camping and climbing techniques for ~3 days. Some of the techniques will …
Trip Leader Workshop 3!
I’ve heard from several of you that you can’t come to the Thursday workshop, so here’s another chance! We’ll learn about trip-leading from 5-6ish, and we’ll finish in plenty of time to attend the Monday Night Gathering at Newcomb. At this workshop, we’ll talk about how to lead different types of trips, what to do about gear, how to handle …
Trip Leader Workshop!
Everyone is encouraged to lead trips, and it’s easier than you think! At this workshop, we’ll talk about how to lead different types of trips, what to do about gear, how to handle trip expenses, what types of trips are allowed, and how to set trips up online. As an incentive to lead, we’ll reimburse your dues after leading four …
Workshop – Leave No Trace
If you go on day hikes, backpacking trips, outdoor climbing trips or any other trips in the wilderness then you should familiarize yourself with Leave No Trace (LNT) techniques. If you lead trips this is especially important so that you can pass on the proper etiquette for backcountry living. I will cover why LNT is important, the basic principles behind …
Workshop – Ultralight Backpacking
Want to impress your friends by going on a multi-day backpacking trip carrying only [what looks like] a daypack? At this workshop I’ll teach you how to reduce your base weight to 7 or 8 lbs! This is the weight of your pack (including the pack) with everything but food, water and fuel. It’s the ultimate survivalist kit. In you’re …
Workshop – Stovemaking
Some of the best stoves in life are free. Come to the workshop and I’ll teach you how to make your very own ultralight backpacking stove from two aluminum cans! Usually weighing less than 1 oz, alcohol stoves are the top choice among ultralight backpackers and long-distance hikers. At the workshop I will teach you how to make a stove …
Trail Maintenance Weekend and Camping
Up for a weekend of trail maintenance and good eats? I hope so. My mom’s trail club could use some strapping college lads and lasses like us to help them do some maintenance on Saturday, October 21. They are responsible for a 10-mile stretch of the AT from Tye River to Reed’s Gap. Tasks range from the easy to the …
Backpacking: Tinker Cliffs and Mcafee Knob
Located near Roanoke, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs are two beautiful Blue Ridge Venues for some of the best views in Virginia! We will be hiking along the AT and staying in shelters. Be ready for some hardcore uphills to earn those majestic views I mentioned! We will hike about 2 miles Friday night by headlamp to Catawba Mountain Shelter, …
Fall Break Paddling Weekend (Dates Are Flexible)
For those of you brave enough to take a long car ride with me, I will offer you the best padding weekend of your life. I’m going home for fall break and want to take some good paddlers with me to hit up some rivers local to my home – Asheville, NC. I want to take some sweet movie footage, …
Outerbanks Beach Trip: Reading Holiday
In honor of the changing seasons and the coming of the delightful brisk fall air–I propose a camping trip to the outerbanks (an awesome area on the atlantic ocean, if you’ve never been) of North Carolina for some fresh ocean air and quality outdoor time in the fine company of fellow outdoors club members and a bountiful array of fall …
Aldha Gathering
Has the thought of thru-hiking one of the country’s long trails ever crossed your mind? If so, I’d suggest joining us at ‘The Gathering,’ an annual event held by ALDHA, the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association. This is a great opportunity to learn about long distance hiking and get a glimpse of what life is like on the trail. We’ll …
Trip Leader Workshop!
Everyone is encouraged to lead trips, and it’s easier than you think! At this workshop, we’ll talk about how to lead different types of trips, what to do about gear, how to handle trip expenses, what types of trips are allowed, and how to set trips up online. As an incentive to lead, we’ll reimburse your dues after leading four …