We are going to two caves in one day! New Trout Cave is an old saltpeter mine from the Civil War and very, very dusty (we will provide masks, or you can bring your own). Hamilton Cave is a maze cave. This is a beginner/intermediate trip, which means you are not required to have gone caving before. However, you should …
Do you want a rock-solid relationship? Something that will last through the ups and (deep dark) downs? Boy do I have the answer. Come with us this fine Valentine’s day on a lovely trip underground. This cave is very beginner-friendly. We’ll be on two feet for most of the time, the crawls are spacious, and the climbs are easy. As …
We are going to Crossroads, a maze cave, where we are going to head towards the back of the cave in an attempt to explore new parts of the cave and hopefully find Small Man’s Squeeze. This is an intermediate trip, which means you HAVE to have gone on a beginner trip before. Although there’s plenty of room in some …
ok soooo lets try this again…. Since the last trip went up in flames (or in snow?) lets try it again! If you were originally on the other trip, you get priority on this one! Here’s the prior trip description: Brrr its cold out. You would think I am used to the cold coming from Colorado. Surprise, I am not. …
Brrr its cold out. You would think I am used to the cold coming from Colorado. Surprise, I am not. So, to thoroughly enjoy the outdoors lets go to a sauna! Caves remain at a constant temperature year-round, so the cave is going to feel WARMER than the outside temp! Paxtons is a great first-time cave trip! If you have …
Hey y’all! Time for my favorite caving trip of the year! Cavesgiving! Every year, we bring thanksgiving food into a cave to go crazy. We’re going to Low moor this year, which has a particularly good spot for sitting and eating! It’s generally a potluck-like situation, so I will be bringing turkey, and we welcome any and all thanksgiving-related food. …
We’re heading to Lowmoor Mine and Cave for an epic cave photography adventure! Originally an iron mine (1875–1898), Lowmoor later connected with a natural cave system, creating a massive underground network with 60-foot-wide passageways and ceilings up to 80 feet high. It’s one of the most beautiful caves we visit, featuring everything from striking formations to cave pearls—plus plenty of …
Paxton’s is a wonderful place full of amazing things. This trip, we are delving into the depths to explore and see some of the things Paxton’s has to offer. If you’ve been wanting to cave and haven’t gotten a chance yet, need a break from midterms, or just want to do something outdoorsy out of the cold, this is the …
Have you been caving before? Have you thought to yourself, ‘I need to have more of this in my life’? Are you interested in leading trips to any cave that suits your fancy? This is the trip for you. We are going to Paxton’s, a maze cave, where we are going to practice navigating, flagging, and leading trips. This is …
Are you going to be in Charlottesville over fall break? Do you still want to do something adventurous? Have you wanted to go caving but just haven’t pulled the trigger? If any or all of these apply, look no further than this trip! We are going to a frequent cave, Paxton’s, featuring stunning formations, lots of wildlife, and so much …
Hey y’all! Doing a vertical training workshop for VAR, but also for anyone interested in learning vertical caving and/or canyoneering! I only have two sets, so instead of staying the whole 3 hours, put in the questions a preferred 30 minutes you would like to come to learn! You do not need prior experience, but I will prioritize people who …
Hey yall! Since there is SUCH demand for caving (yesyesyes join the underground gremlin cult hehehehe), I wanted to start including ODC folks in community caving events as well. This weekend is VAR, a super fun caving event where all Virginia cavers get together and cave (and other shenanigans ofc)! It is SO fun, and we get to experience more …
NRGE is here! And with that comes the traditional NRGE caving trip! Now, depending on whether we get approved for the cave, we might do a HUGE cave called Boarhole that has a super cute cat that greets you at the entrance, or a super crawly (but fun) cave called Bone with hella bats and amazing features. Both are beginner-friendly …
Heyooooo so fall is upon us and I want to sneak into our one water cave before it gets too chilly! This is a great beginner cave with massive passages, no difficult climbing or crawling and YOU CAN SWIM UNDERGROUND! You must be able to swim to join this trip! We don’t do any intense swimming but it is needed …
hey yall! here is another intro to caving trip! crossroads is a beautiful maze like cave with incredible formations, lots of friendly critters, and some fun intro technical climbing and crawling. This is a great first caving trip BUT I do recommend having some prior climbing or rock scrambling (like Old Rag) skills. If you don’t have this but still …
hey hey hey yall im finally back! and I am DESPERATE to get underground! AND all yall new members need to JOIN ME!!! Anyways…. we are kicking off the year with a SUPER UBER REALLY EASY CAVE! Absolutely NO prior experience necessary. The cave is very short, mostly walkable, with very minimal super-easy rock scrambling and some crawls (none are …
CAVE PROM! CAVE PROM! CAVE PROM! The most epic, fun, and easy cave trip out there! 4th years, your time has come to an end, and I know some of you have NEVER caved! That means you will leave your time at UVA and ODC without setting foot underground. As your lovely caving advisor, I must prevent that from happening. …
*** FIRST PRIORITY TO MOAB CAVERS*** *** SECOND PRIORITY TO MOAB MEMBERS WHO WANTED TO CAVE*** *** THIRD PRIORITY TO EVERYONE ELSE :)*** ***DRIVER GETS PRIORITY OFF THE WAITLIST*** So, a tornado stopped us from caving (sigh), but I WILL NOT let that stop us from caving in the legit BEST PLACE IN THE COUNTRY TO CAVE!! So we will …
Howdy folks! This Sunday we will be journeying into the renowned Crossroads Cave, and beginners are welcome! Crossroads is a wonderful place whose passages permit a healthy blend of walking, crawling, and climbing. And like in every good cave, its rocks, mud, and darkness often combine in aesthetically pleasing ways. Known as a maze cave, Crossroads has tons of interconnected …
So I love Lowmoor so much that the beginner trip was not enough. I want to dive into the depths of Lowmoor and explore places we have never been such as Phil’s Dungeon, Peppermint Parkway, and Sandstone Alley. IKR sounds so epic. So I want to be in absolutely no rush and spend a lot of time just chillin’ in …
Ahhh Bone-Norman. The definition of Type 2 fun. Do you want to spend like 10 hours in a cave? Do you want to do what sounds like a heinous crawl? Do you want to get really dusty and then really wet? Do you want to be so sore you can’t get out of bed the next day? Yes? You are …
Ooh this time I’m leading TWO trips while I’m back in Virginia?!?!?! We will be going to Lowmoor mine/cave! Lowmoor is super fascinating because it was an iron mine from 1875-1898, but now is abandoned. The front part of the cave is the mine, but it transitions to being natural cave passage in the back. We will get to explore …
Hiiii Cville Friends!!! Old alumni back in town because there aren’t any cool caves near Philadelphia. Floyd Collins died 100 years ago as of January 30, and I want to go honor him by visiting his ghost! *disclaimer: he did not die in the cave we are visiting.* Anyways Paxton’s is a great beginner/intermediate cave. Feel free to come along …
**WAITLIST: The first four people to sign up get on then the last four spots are randomized*** What another collab? This time with Virginia Tech’s caving club! We will spend a weekend exploring the Hokiebird’s territory and going to caves NEVER BEFORE EXPLORED by UVA caving!!! We will vibe with some epic cavers, trade cool cave stories, do some vibey …
**WAITLIST: The first four people to sign up get on then the last four spots are randomized*** Do you like swimming? Do you like caving? Wanna see a cave like no other? Wanna meet some RAD people from JMU? Hit that funky button and join this EPIC trip!!! Every year we collaborate with the JMU caving club and visit Lockridge, …
****I WILL BE DOING THE LOTTERY METHOD TO GET OFF THE WAITLIST (aka its just randomized)**** I may increase the amount of people to attend but I won’t know until like mid March. Do you thrive underground? Do you sit in class dreaming about bats and salamanders? Do you wanna push your limits and see how much caving you truly …
Let’s go to the land down under! Oh wait no I just came from there…. I am SO happy to be back from Aussie land and I am desperate to unlock my inner gremlin and explore down under….ground! PLUS Island Ford ALWAYS has cute little hibernating bats that are face-level throughout this cave. Plus I miss Gus the cavefish that …
“You thought we was done for the semester, but think again! Once more, we goin’ underground—this time to Marshall’s. This ain’t no place for weaklings; the climbs be tough, and the traverses ain’t easy, so intermediate and advanced cavers ONLY! (Cave gang cave gang) Trust me, this cave’s got some proper epic adventures waitin’. I’ll leave it at that, no …
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Attention all mud lovers!!!! Come join me, Jack, and Josh for the most whimsical caving trip of the semester!! If you’re unaware, cave prom is a trip to Glade Cave (aka mud cave) but you wear the fanciest outfit the thrift store can provide. The plan is to stop at Goodwill on the way to Glade to find your perfect …
One of my favorite caving trips was last year’s Cavesgiving, so we’re bringing it back! Come join me, Josh, and Jack this Sunday at Low Moor cave! Low Moor is an old iron mine with a natural cave inside. There are massive rooms in the cave that will be perfect for our Thanksgiving feast. We shall provide some Thanksgiving goodies, …
DISCLAIMER: This is a SUNDAY trip for NRGE so you need to ALREADY be signed up for a Saturday trip and the main carpool (https://outdoorsatuva.org/adventure/nrge-2024-main-carpool/) YOU CANNOT GO IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE MAIN TRIP + A SATURDAY TRIP! We’ve got a special cave in sight on the way back from NRGE that you won’t want to miss. Join …
Come join us this Saturday as we brave the frigid waters of Lockridge Aqua! This cave features an entrance which requires you to be almost totally submerged in water. It’s pretty cold so we’ll be bringing wetsuits for everyone. Once you’re past the entrance though, it really opens up, and you can stay mostly dry. We’ll be able to walk …
Join us this Saturday underground! This is an intermediate trip, so we’re expecting you to have prior experience caving (at least a trip). Crossroads is a maze cave with a lot of different avenues to explore, so you never know what you might stumble into (even some cake? that’d be crazy, wouldn’t see that coming…) Schedule: 9:00am – Leave Echols …
Bummed you can’t make it to Gauley Fest? Well, cry no longer, and join us this Saturday underground at Paxton’s cave. This is an extensive maze cave with many different routes to explore and rock formations to see. This is an intermediate trip, so we’re expecting you to have already been on at least one caving trip. Schedule: 10:00am – …
Come join us this Sunday for a beginner-friendly caving trip to start the semester off strong! Island Ford is a cute little cave with a huge entrance and it’s perfect for beginners! Just make sure you’re comfortable with rock scrambles and cave monsters. Schedule: 10:00am – Leave Echols 12:00am – Arrive at cave and go over safety/conservation information 12:30am – …
Y’all thought I wouldn’t be leading caving trips cause I graduated and moved to a different state….you thought wrong lol! Truly though, the caves in Pennsylvania are not nearly as cool as Virginia so I’m returning for one day only (!!) to get my underground fix. (Also, that’s why we’re doing this so late in the day, I’m driving in …
OMG my first caving trip as an alumni???? Freaky…… anyways come cave with me at lockridge!! In Lockridge cave, you get to feel like you’re going on an epic adventure in a giant ancient sewer. Also, the entrance to the cave is partially underwater, adding an intense element to an otherwise beginner friendly cave. We will be spending a lot …
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I want to go to Paxton’s one last time before I graduate as it is one of my favorite caves of all time. Come join me as we hit up some classic Paxton’s spots! This trip will be beginner friendly. There are some trickier climbs and crawls, but they can be worked around or skipped if necessary. Schedule: 10:00am – …
The very first caving trip I ever led was to New River Cave and it….did not go particularly well. Now, two years and over 50 trips later, I want redemption! New River Cave is a very interesting cave system, with massive slanted passageways trailing into an underground river that we can follow to a big waterfall. The water is generally …
Attention all mud lovers!!!! Come join me, Allie, and Renee for the caving trip of the semester!! If you’re unaware, cave prom is a trip to Glade Cave (aka mud cave) but you wear the fanciest outfit the thrift store can provide. The plan is to stop at Goodwill on the way to Glade to find your perfect prom outfit …
Guess what’s creeping up faster than a startled bat in a cave? The end of the year! And you know what that means… say goodbye to ODC caving for now. But fear not, it’s time to dust off our headlamps and descend into the abyss of my all-time favorite cave! But wait, hold onto your helmets because this isn’t just …
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This past weekend I crossed my 100 hours in a cave with ODC! To celebrate, I want to start a new tradition known as Caving Extravaganza! This will be one of the most advanced trips of the year not due to difficulty of the caves but we will be caving for around 8 hours! That being said I will be …
Do you like swimming? Do you like caving? Do you like building sandcastles? Do you wanna reawaken your inner child? It is finally Lockridge time!! And one of our fabulous cavers, Laurel, thought of the immaculate idea of building sandcastles on this little bit of sand in the cave. We will also have some time to explore and go in …
I am finally back to leading actual cave trips! I want to kick off my unification with caving by kvelling in Kee Cave. What is this unique word you might ask? It means to ” to feel or express joy or triumph” which is how caving makes me feel! So come kvell with me at Kee! For the most part …
Hey hey hey is that a new cave I see? It is indeed!!! ODC was able to explore this cave last year with JMU but I missed the trip sooooo I’m gonna go myself! This is a super chill easy cave but since I am solo leading I am reserving a spot for one experienced caver (hence why the trip …
Hey y’all I am back at it again with the double or nothing caving weekends! But I am in the mood for a very chill and relaxing trip. So I decided it was time for our annual Nap in a Cave! This will be the most chill caving trip yet! Have you been wanting to go caving but worried about …
Got no friday classes? Or even better, got friday classes but wanna skip em? Then come w me to my hometown for some chill caving! and afterwards we can wash off in the shenandoah and get burgers n ice cream from a place called Spelunkers. We’re going to front royal caverns, but these “caverns” aren’t what they sound like. This …
We’re going to go caving at Boarhole cave! This is a big cave with lots of walking passage, some mud slopes, and cool features. I’ve also posted this trip to the Charlottesville Grotto (aka the Charlottesville cave club) so we’ll have some awesome members of the local caving community outside of UVA joining us! If you’re going to SPRGE, you …
Howdy! Me and Rory have been dying to check out Lowmoor Cave since we heard stories of its massive rooms and built-in parking lot (that’s right, we park INSIDE the cave). This should be a relatively chill cave with wide rooms as part of it used to be a mine, so if you’ve been nervous about doing tight squeezes, this …
Hey hey hey! Have you been seeing caving on trip of the week and are thinking to yourself, “hey that looks hella fun maybe I should give caving a try!” well guess what. Do we have the trip for you! Lillie and I will be taking a group of beginners into the depths of Crossroads! This is a super beginner …