Summer is almost here and you may meet people who don’t know how outdoorsy you are and how you are a member of OUTDOORS CLUB at UVA. They may not know how you dance barefoot at a place called the Shrack or how you press flowers in the gardens or how you can roll a kayak. If your sticker-covered nalgene …
Have you felt it too? That springtime magic in the air? Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming, and all is right with the world. Or it would be if you didn’t have 5 bajillion things to do before the end of the year and finals lurking on the horizon 😞📚 But I entreat you to pause, take a deep breath, …
Have you felt it too? That springtime magic in the air? Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming, and all is right with the world. Or it would be if you didn’t have 5 bajillion things to do before the end of the year and finals lurking on the horizon😞📚 But I entreat you to pause, take a deep breath, and …
Do you really want to learn how to forage but don’t know how? Me too. Luckily, Virginia State Parks have a ton of cool outdoors programming that they offer year-round, including a free, guided foraging outing at Powhatan State Park this upcoming Friday (April 4th)! We’ll be joining a ranger (and maybe some friendly strangers who also want to learn …
Last year we went to the Virginia Adventure Education Conference (VAAEC for short) and it was epic (knot tying, aerial silks, one arm tent-building, track identification and MORE). We’re going to do it again and bring a big ODC crew so maybe just maybe we can win the team challenge this year. The VAAEC is a rare and wonderful chance …
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: YOU must be off the waitlist for the Creekathon main trip to join Months ago I spent some time harvesting yucca (from a secret spot on grounds), boiling it, and stripping its outer layer. Now I have luscious yucca fibers that I want to share with yall on the best day of the year: CREEKATHON. Come make a bracelet, …
No experience necessary! Every year, the Fairfield Foundation of Gloucester, Virginia hosts archaeology open to the public during the Urbanna Oyster Festival. This year, the digging will be in the backyard of the Gressitt House (c. 1740) searching for foundations of outbuildings, or structures that could predate the house! Urbanna was founded in 1680 on the southern side of the …
DISCLAIMER: This is a trip for NRGE so please sign up for the main carpool (https://outdoorsatuva.org/adventure/nrge-2024-main-carpool/) and pay the trip fee after you have been let onto this trip! YOU CANNOT GO IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE MAIN TRIP Have you ever wanted to pursue a professional career as a stuntman but are afraid of the fastlife and heights? …
DISCLAIMER: YOU MUST BE GOING TO CREEKATHON TO SIGN UP FOR THIS TRIP!!! (aka sign up for the main trip first) Paint rocks with me at creekathon!! I HAVE THE SUPPLIES. YOU HAVE THE ARTISTIC VISION. LETS GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! schedule: We’ll meet at the pavilion at 5:30 or mayhaps a bit earlier. I’ll call out to the pavilion– “hey anyone whose …
Hi guys!! Are you looking around at the gorgeous fall foliage and thinking “man I wish I could frolic in an apple orchard right now?” If so, come join Kate and Evelyn on Saturday afternoon as we skip through the apple orchard!!! The weather is supposed to be beautiful and sunny and Chiles has picturesque mountain views AND ice cream …
Hello beautiful people, Do you have a discussion class on Friday that you don’t feel like going to? Or, have you been stuck inside in lectures all week and want to end your 3rd week this semester with a BANG? Or, do you have a PASSION for hammocks (I won’t judge)? If so, come join me at Ragged to have …
THIS IS COMPLEMENTARY TO THE GAULEY FEST MAIN TRIP YOU WILL NOT GET OFF THIS WAITLIST UNLESS YOU ARE ON THE WAITLIST FOR BOTH HIKERS! This trip contains not 0, not 1, not 1.5 but 2 whole hikes and also ✨a show✨. We will venture down to the legendary Pillow Rock rapids to watch all manner of whitewater celebration and …
Have you ever seen a cedar run? I have for the past 3 years at the beginning of the year. But tomorrow YOU get to experience it for the first time! We are venturing out to Cedar Run Trail which has multiple swimming holes about a mile or so up the trail. It’s a short but steep hike and well …
Trail magic! Trail magic! Trail magic! BY THIS TRIP I WILL BE A UVA GRADUATE … so COME CELEBRATE by giving out yummy food to the Appalachian Trail hiking “bubble” “Trail magic” generally refers to unexpected acts of kindness/support towards hikers, but often it’s in the form of food. We plan on bringing some fresh fruit and other food. The …
Hi friends! As finals come to a close and those pesky papers need finishing, what better way to be a tad productive (and a tad unproductive) than eat some snacks and commiserate with friends in a Pavilion garden? The garden behind Pavilion IX is my second-favorite garden, but one where I spend many a lunch and study session. Join me …
Hello wonderful people, Do you have a discussion class this Friday that you don’t feel like going to? Or, do you want a reason to escape studying for your exams? Or, do you have a PASSION for hammocks (we won’t judge)? If so, come join me and Susannah at Ragged to have a hammock party!! Chillin in hammies, an incredible …
Greggles and graggles, fellow lurkers of the outdoors!!! Do you ever feel filled with an urge to skip and scurry down a trail? Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a runner, but were put off by everyone aggressively discussing their lactate thresholds and post-run-chocolate-milk recipes? Or maybe you’ve been runnin the second you popped out of the womb (or before??) …
WELCOME BACK ODC FRIENDS! For those that don’t know, I graduate UVA in May..and have FINALLY started to think about my future. In doing so, I keep coming back to conversations I’ve had with peers and other odc shredders. The ODC community and its members truly inspire and excite me, and have been a HUGE resource in my post-grad contemplations. …
Feeling like a poopy indoor kid going into finals? Feeling the need for some bucolic frollicking? Well, you should probably come out with Ed and I to James Monroe’s Highland Rustic Trails! This is a small trail system just 20 minutes out of town, where we plan to spend about an hour and half exploring. When we decide it’s time …
Shredders, senders, and aspiring desert sand frolickers, welcome to the last week of fall classes. Your reward: the glorious emergence of the most LEGENDARY, only ONCE an earth revolution, GNAR JOURNEY. We begin preparing now to rise from east coast hibernation and mass migrate to the land of canyons, red rocks, ultimate gritty-ness and cryptobiotic crust: MOAB, UTAH. Approximately 44 …
I somehow haven’t made it to the farmers market yet this semester, so come join me this saturday! This is a great way to kickstart a chill saturday, and we can all fill up on some yummerz foods and drinks and maybe even get some fresh produce! Also, LET’S BIKE THERE. **the club has a few commuter bikes if people …
College slog got you down? Do you find yourself longing for the days of frolicking around the playground, rubbing leaves, galloping, playing pretend, etc.?? Do you looooove feeling the earth beneath you? Even hugging a tree? If so, come on out to the first of hopefully many ODC recess trips! The plan is for this to be a chill space …
We’ve been getting into acro yoga lately and have been really surprised by how fun and accessible it is. For those who aren’t familiar with acro, it’s a form of partner yoga that emphasizes trust in each other, often with poses that involve stretching, communicating, and elevating/being elevated above the ground. The poses can range from simple and easy to …
Are YOU a chaser of sunrises but ALSO a chaser of SLEEP???? Well GOOD NEWS!!! Turns out there’s also a SUNSET???? come join us this Wednesday evening for some sunset viewing, conversation having, and coexisting atop Cville’s infamous Humpback rocks. Humpback rocks is a rather steep hike but is only about one mile each way. ALL are welcome on …
There are few things better than a delicious meal in the backcountry. But when backpacking, it can be hard to make the meal of your dreams come to life. Do you shell out $12 for Mountain House Bologñese? Roll a raw summer sausage into a tortilla with a few dollops of peanut butter? Cold soak a top ramen package? These …
A mere 15 minutes from here, there lies a wonderful rope over the Rivanna River. This Sunday, while the water is still warm and the weather is warmer, we shall endeavor to swing from this blessed rope and relish in the river’s cool embrace. I’ve never swung from a rope before, but I think it will be fun. This rope …
Oh my gosh!!!! Could it really be true????? Could it be time for the bi-annual CREEAKTHON?!?!??!?!?! That’s right shredlings, it’s time for you to GET CREEK’D!!!!!! They say you never forget your first Creekathon and it is so true: getting creek’d is unlike anything you’ve ever done before. The formula is simple: you, us, a pavilion, and a walnut. But …
it’s gonna be 80 degrees on Friday so let’s FIND SOME WATER TO SUBMERGE OURSELVES IN!!! AKA the Rivanna River! The plan is to drive to Riverview park and find a spot to swim in, possibly the rope swing??? THE PLAN: leave from echols @2pm drive to spot (15 minute drive) walk to spot (10-20 min walk) SWIMMY SWIM/ROPE SWING??? …
Whats up my nature admirers, this upcoming fall I am planning on doing a lot of observatory drawing of foliage because its one of my favorite things to do! Drawing nature is such an amazing mindful experience and teaches you how to ~really~ look and see. If you’re hoping to hone your sketching skillz or just take a break to …
take 2 bc the first one was posted for the wrong day XD I haven’t made it up to O’Hill yet, so I’m planning to take a nice chill walk up around on my way to the bonfire on Thursday (8/31). Alsoooo I will bring a set of binoculars and a Tree Finder so that we can look try to …
greetings 🙂 I haven’t made it up to O’Hill yet, so I’m planning to take a nice chill walk up around on my way to the bonfire on Friday. Alsoooo I will bring a set of binoculars and a Tree Finder so that we can look try to identify (or at least better appreciate) trees and birds along the way. …
HELLLOOO everybody nn welcome back!111!! this trip is my feeler for who doesn’t have class on Wednesdays … so that we can all conspire to do dope shit every week. Its super duper hot so I wanna go chill in some water: Blue Hole. I’ve never actually swam here but it’s very deep and a popular place near cville!!! To …
SOOO I (extremely last minute) found out about the Night Sky Festival in Shenandoah… and somehow secured a campsite at Big Meadows (don’t ask me how)… so WHO WANTS TO GO???!! The festival runs from Friday-Sunday and is a series of events/activities going on at various locations in the park. Most of the events are at Big Meadows, and then …
So, Outdoors Club may not be the only organization on grounds… I know! I was pleasantly surprised too. Presenting… SOR, Sigma Omicron Rho, our Queer & Allied Gender-Inclusive Social Fraternity at UVA. We are teaming up to bring you a laid-back, languid afternoon on Blackrock, a beautiful Shenandoah summit that is the site of some serious SOR-lore (you’re going to …
Greetings fellow earthlings!! Calling all stressed students (or non-stressed students) for a sunny Sunday sitting in one of our lovely sgardens (the “s” is silent)! Join Evelyn and Ivy as we unwind and sunbathe in a garden of our choosing (our favorites are gardens 1 and 7). The forecast for Sunday is looking soooo nice and warm and we want …
hey hey folks! our most dearest friends Eliza and Marion are organizing and hosting a super amazing art show called Close to Home. It’s an art exhibition inspired by environmental sustainability!!! If you like art, going to High Tor (a used gear exchange store) and biking around Cville: this is the most ideal trip ever that could exist! Come hang …
The Living Earth School is hosting a recruitment/interest day for ODC members! What is the Living Earth School??? LES is an amazing Cville organization that provides outdoor educational programs to local kids during the school year and over the summer. Have any interest in outdoor education? This trip is FOR YOU! Going to LES camps as a kid was absolutely …
sooo the time has come for me to lead my first solo-led trip!!! nnn what better way than a sunrise hike
MOAB, UTAH 2023 We’ve got an extra special gift for all of you this last day of class: without a doubt the most legendary adventure of the year. ALL ABOARD THE GNAR TRAIN May we all blossom from this fake wintry East Coast of ours and emerge as sun children in the soft red sands of the Utah desert. There …
What’s the best fried chicken chain? Charlottesville is well known for its range of fried chicken offerings, and thanks to Nash equilibriums (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotelling%27s_law), they just so happen to all be next to each other on one long strip. On this trip, we will bike to seven fried chicken fast food restaurants, and order a tenders, sandwich, and fries at each …
WOOHOO READING DAY. It has been a couple weeks since I’ve been hiking, and I’ve yet to summit Old Rag. I’m a big fan of rock scrambles, and now that the leaves have fallen, we should have great visibility through the trees. And the best part is, we don’t have to buy tickets anymore (until spring)! We’ll be hiking the …
It’s finals season and I need an overnight escape in the woods. Enter the Gittin’ Pickled Cabin, a beautiful getaway 0.6 miles east of the AT. Mcafee’s Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker cliffs trailheads just minutes away with a car. This is definitely glamping- the cabin has bunk beds, potable drinking water, a fire pit, toilet, hot water with a …
I haven’t been hiking in a couple weeks, so this weekend I will be taking a much needed trek into Shenandoah to knock out two hikes I’ve been wanting to try out. We will leave Saturday morning for Hawksbill Summit first. It is the highest peak in Shenandoah, and should take about 1 1/2 hours to complete. We’ll be going …
Real moment: it took me a long time to get comfortable with myself and my body. When I was a student, I remember cherishing my time in solitude outdoors in part because it was one of the few environments where I could exist in a disembodied way, escaping the perceptions of individuals and the judgements of society. While I believe …
Hi Everyone, When was the last time you sat still by yourself in the forest and just focused on whats going on around you? Even if you spend a lot of time in the outdoors, you’re probably leaving many small details unnoticed as you bike, paddle, or dash through the world. If this fact torments you as it torments me, …
Hello! I love Halloween. I also love hiking. I have also never hiked Dragon’s Tooth. So I am combining all of the above. Dragon’s Tooth is said to be pretty rocky and there are some areas with rock scrambles, so I might not recommend if you have a crippling fear of heights. It is rated as hard, but with the …
The number of leaves on the ground has increased greatly, which means the ones on the trees are decreasing. Yike. Soon, we will not be able to use those leaves as a means of identifying our friends (the trees), so we’ve got to get out and get to know them asap! This identification/appreciation themed meander through the OHill roads & …
So, You want to go BASE Jumping, Eh? Well, Unfortunately the paperwork elves over at UVA’s Risk Management Department will not let anyone currently enrolled as a student go BASE-jumping, and I have no desire to hurl myself off of a multi-ton steel structure to prove Sir Issac Newton right. Instead, let’s watch a couple of other people decide to …
Calling all lovers of knobby tires: Charlie’s back! Come join us for a 1.5 day exploration of Carvin’s Cove plus grilling+camping: Carvin’s Cove is a big trail network near Roanoke, filled with challenging climbs and thrilling descents, from rocky, rooty, technical stretches to built-up flow trails. We could write more but all you really need to know is that there’s …