Gear Rooms and Other Bits | ODC Newsletter 9/18/23

What up gnarnivores,

Impatiently awaiting colder temperatures. Please let me wear a sweater and not die of heat stroke. Also excited for pretty leaves. Hurry up fall!

– Sarah “Honestly Tired of Summer” Dowling

 

 

ANNOUCEMENTS:

A Reminder About Waitlist Etiquette

  • While we’ve had a truly boomin’ semester of bountiful trip leading, we’ve seen some issues with last-minute withdrawals from trips. Many trips have long waitlists and some take a fair amount of time to plan. When you withdraw from a trip less than 24hrs before it starts (depending on the trip) you deny waitlisted adventurers who were available the opportunity to get outside. You can also derail driving plans for a group and deny multiple people the opportunity of adventure.
  • All this being said, we understand that life happens, and last-minute withdrawals will continue to be a reality. However, to minimize their occurrence, please be committed to go on a trip when you join a waitlist. Being on a waitlist for two trips that occur at the same time is not recommended. While trip leaders are obligated to let participants off the waitlist in a timely manner, you must leave the waitlist as soon as possible if your plans change.
  • If you have questions about when a trip will let participants off the waitlist, you can email the trip leader. Their contact information can often be found on their website profile. Please email the officers at outdoors-officers@virginia.edu with any questions about this policy. Thank you for all the amazing trips that have been happening this semester already, let’s keep it up!

9/17 Officer Meeting Notes

  • Here’s the link to the notes from our most recent officer meeting!

Camping App Survey

  • A group of UVA CS students is working on a website that allows people to rate tent campsites based on criteria that campers care about. and they’re currently looking for feedback from people with camping experience!
  • Here’s the link to their Google Form to give your input.

Gear Checkout Policy Changes Reminder

  • Gear checkouts for technical climbing gear beyond shoes, helmets, harnesses, chalk, and belay devices can only be checked out by members who are LEADING TRIPS.
  • Items with *limited* personal checkouts from now on:
    • Rafts (2x per semester)
    • Crash Pads (4x per pad per semester)
  • With this, a reminder: for water sports and mountain bike checkouts, please reach out to the officers at outdoors-officers@virginia.edu! Gear questions and checkouts should go through our email whenever possible.

As Always, BRING BACK YOUR GEAR!

  • Did you borrow something this spring and forget to bring it back? Maybe sometime this summer? Well, here’s your opportunity (and friendly reminder) to return your club gear to a gear room this week or email the officers (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) to schedule a return time.

Gear Requests!

  • From Mitch: “Hello gear gremlins! If you have items of outdoor gear that you would like to see purchased by the club, please fill out the form below!”
  • Google Form OR Microsoft Form

WOOOAAAHHH ODC Member DISCOUNTS?!

  • You read it right! Anyone who is a member of this lovely club can now get 10% off at High Tor Gear Exchange & Endeavor Cycles here in Charlottesville!

Are YOU in the GroupMe?

 

 

GEAR RESOURCES AND POLICY

This Year’s Gear Room Schedule:

Mondays @ 12pm — Max St. Clair (617-780-1129)
Tuesdays @ 3pm — Mitch Lang (804-955-8990)
Wednesdays @ 5pm — Ed Aten (434-326-8868)
Thursdays @ 8:30am — Evelyn Needham (303-944-5484)
Fridays @ 3:15pm — Renee Erickson (703-850-9725)

If none of these times work for you, please email the officers outdoors-officers@virginia.edu at least 24 hours in advance to schedule a separate time to be let into the gear room. Please only do this if you really can’t make the gear room times, not just because you don’t feel like it or didn’t plan ahead.

You can stop by the gear room to check out or return gear and be reimbursed at any of the times listed above! Officers remain at the gear room only for as long as people are checking in/out gear (usually about 20-25 minutes). You may also purchase ODC t-shirts, hoo rags, patches, stickers, and more at the gear room!

MISC. GEAR INFO:

  • Before returning gear, refer to the GEAR CLEANING DOC!
    • If you return damaged, dirty, or incomplete gear, you will jeopardize your ability to check out gear in the future. It is your responsibility to return your gear in the condition you received it.
  • Please refer to our reimbursement policy here.
  • You can check our gear inventory here.
  • Want to check out water sports gear or a mountain bike?
    • Please email the officers at outdoors-officers@virginia.edu. They are stored at separate locations. We ask that you give at least 24 hours notice.
  • Gear is due one week from when it is checked out unless renewed by an officer at a gear room. Keeping gear past its due date is a UVA Honor Offense. Club trips have priority access to gear.

Directions to the Gear Room:

  • Start at Echols Dorm → go right on McCormick → turn right on Alderman Rd → take a left on Leake Drive → walk to the end of the road (there are several buildings and parking on either side) → pass a picnic table on the right → keep going! → walk straight to the first big maintenance building directly ahead → walk behind the building on the left side (if it feels like you maybe shouldn’t be there, you’re in the right place) → walk up the stairs → End: knock on the door!
  • Map to Gear Room

 

 

TRIP RESOURCES AND REMINDERS

Leading Trips:

To become a trip leader, thoroughly read the Trip Leader Manual (resources page of the website) and send the officers an email (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) letting them you know you have done so. They will then activate you on the website! Alternatively, come to a Trip Leader Workshop, lead by the officers several times each semester and posted on the website.

As a reminder, climbing, caving, mountain biking, and whitewater trips have special rules to lead! To learn more about types of trips and to become an approved trip leader for the sports listed above, feel free to contact the club’s Sport Advisors (emails can soon!).

  • Climbing:
    • Melu (alt7yjh@virginia.edu)
    • Abby (als6qm@virginia.edu)
  • Caving
    • Renee (rle6juc@virginia.edu)
    • Aidan (ajw3ttr@virginia.edu)
  • Biking
    • Max Titov (uhg2nv@virginia.edu)
  • Hiking/Backpacking
    • Grace (gag4jaz@virginia.edu)
    • Ed (eba4ksx@virginia.edu)
  • Water Sports
    • Mitch – All (mcl2hxw@virginia.edu)
      Jade – Paddleboarding (jma9x@virginia.edu)
      Marion – Kayaking & Rafting (mtd6tx@virginia.edu)

If you have questions about how to lead trips, refer to the Leading Trips pages under Resources on the club website.

Want to lead a trip for an under-represented group in the outdoors? Lead an Affinity Trip! See the link for details and guidelines.

Absences:

  • Please be aware that if you are joined on a trip, and you do not show up, or you drop out at the last minute, you are depriving another member of a spot on that trip.
  • No-shows and last-minute absences not only hurt trip attendance, but they also make logistics more complicated.
  • If a member is reported for two absences, trip leaders are permitted to take this into account when moving people off wait lists.

Sexual Harassment and Equity Reporting:

  • Outdoors at UVA is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. If you feel you or another have experienced misconduct at the hands of another club member, please report it here. This is including but not limited to misconduct regarding sexuality (including sexual harassment), gender, race, ethnicity, ability, etc.
  • Outdoors at UVA’s Sexual Misconduct policy can be found here. Our policy for harassment and discrimination is here.

 

 

ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK!!!

GAULEY FEST (9/15-17)

Jade and Mitch put together THE most epic trip to the world’s *largest* whitewater festival this weekend! Around 20 shredders made the pilgrimage to West Virginia’s one and only Gauley river, where we rafted, hiked, biked, kayaked, climbed, got mullets, and, most importantly, bobbed for apples and weenies. I personally can’t wait to do it again next year.

  • How to be featured:
    • Each week we’ll feature a different adventure that happened within the previous 7 days. To be featured, send us (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) a couple of pictures of you and your pals adventurin’ and a little blurb about what you did!
    • We’re stoked to see what y’all get up to, but PLEASE (please!) do not take pictures of people without their consent (and don’t submit them to us without their consent).
    • Try and submit pictures as .jpeg files if possible! (not .heic live photos!)

Who will be the next ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK???

 

 

ET CETERA.

Social Media:

FB: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/OutdoorsAtUVA/)

Insta: (https://www.instagram.com/uvaoutdoors/)

GroupMe: (https://groupme.com/join_group/68250538/0HmzE2tL)

 

Peace, Love, & Dirt,

Sarah and the Officers