It is that time of year. According to the latest projections from Explore Fall, this weekend will be the peak of fall foliage in Shenandoah National Park. To celebrate, join me on Sunday for two hikes that will visit three different peaks and hopefully deliver some peak experiences. We’ll start by visiting Blackrock and Trayfoot Mountain for a total of …
No family visting you this weekend? No worries!!! Join us THIS SATURDAY as we venture to George Washington National Forest. I told Grant in August that we should co-lead an epic hike, and this is me finally following through lol. I am officially done with midterms and ready to get outside with ODC!! Plan is to hike Big Schloss along …
My dearest NRGE-vember shredlings, **PLEASE REFER TO THE NRGE CLUB EMAIL (sent 10/10) AND READ THIS ENTIRE DESCRIPTION. THEN, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS** This is NOT an actual NRGE adventure. This is the CARPOOL for NRGE. This is how the officers will keep track of drivers and attendees. So make our lives easier and follow instructions, please. DO NOT SIGN UP …
Let’s go for a fun Friday frolic up infamous McAfee Knob. We’ll get an opportunity take in the trail and overhang’s amazing views (and snap an iconic outdoorsy photo if you wish) on a beautiful fall day—with peak foliage to boot 🥾! This hike does involve a challenging uphill climb and is almost 8 miles (but so so worth it). …
On the last weekend before Fall Break, I planned a trip to Humpback, only for the entirety of the Blue Ridge Parkway to be closed. We ended up making a last-minute change and headed to Shenandoah instead, but now, with the parkway reopened in Virginia, I’m back for redemption. There will be no stopping us this time (hopefully). According to …
sunset hike ! sunset hike! I’ve been being eaten alive by miderms so I’m giving myself something to look forward too at the end of the week! SO SO SO willing to add cars & drivers will be prioritized (let’s make friends!) will also be prioritizing people who’ve never been to humpback (cause its a crucial UVA experience) The hike …
Did someone say “Let’s go to Morven on Friday”? I think so. Morven Kitchen Garden is UVA’s project in sustainable agriculture, and it’s a really cool place to spend a nice Friday afternoon! This trip is beginner-friendly, and the volunteer work is mostly small manual labor tasks, like harvesting produce, weeding, etc. Be sure to bring water/snacks and clothes you …
Fall weather brings a few things. Midterms, Halloween, and my personal favorite: apple picking. Join Kali and me for an adventure to Roseland to pick some apples (and potentially pumpkins), and then complete a short hike (roughly 3 miles) in the area. This should be a good trip for beginners, however, the hike may contain a slightly steep incline and …
Put the sun back in your Sunday and join me on a loop hike to Humpback Rocks! As a depressed Patriots fan who needs a distraction from our terrible offense I figured it would be a good idea to take advantage of the promising forecast and head over to the blue ridge parkway. According to AllTrails the hike is 4.2 …
(DRIVERS GET PRIORITY OFF WAITLIST) This is a ~9 mile out & back hike in George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, with around a 2,500 ft elevation gain. there will be several waterfalls and some incredible views at the outlook. The parking lot is around an hour from cville, so drivers will be reimbursed for gas. Difficulty is beginner/intermediate because …
Come hike Old Rag!! It’s a dope hike with awesome views and some rock scrambling to boot. It’ll be an awesome way to spend your Saturday. General timeline: 7AM: Meet at Echols dorm and drive to trailhead 8:30AM: Begin Hike ~11 arrive at top and have lunch and enjoy views ~3 get back to car 4-5pm drop-off back at Echols …
Hi guys!! Saw the weather forecast for Saturday and thought it was too good to not go on a hike, so I thought why not HUMPBACK? If you’ve never been, it’s a little steep on the way up, but not a very long hike to the top and amazing views! And it’s all downhill on the way back! I saw …
Hey everyone, Sulphur Spring Trail is a 5.4 mile out-and-back hike in GW&J National Forest with some fun rock scrambling at the end. Hike Details: – Alltrails Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/strickler-knob-trail?u=i&sh=mugsp7 – Length: 5.4 miles (out and back) – Elevation gain: 984 ft You Should Bring: – Hiking shoes/boots – A hiking backpack or camelbak – Any snacks that you may desire …
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Do you love hiking at a creepy dark time that will not actually be that dark? Then this ohill wander at dusk (pre-dusk?) is for you!! MINDFULNESS. But this time, it’s not just Stevie. I have accomplices, Kate the Great and Ever-so-lovely Evelyn. What we’ll do: 5:30 meet at echols and depart for the Hill of O. 5:45ish: GET TO …
Will you remember the 21st night of September, or the 22nd day!?!?!? Join us to beat the sunday scaries as we search for Moor and his lost utensil! We NEED your help!!! Itinerary: 10:00 – Meet at Echols 10:04 – Leave Echols 10:45 – Arrive at Sugar Hollow 10:50 – Depart (on foot) to find Moor and his fork (within …
Howdy ODC folk!! Matt and I have no classes on Friday and instead of tending to our many responsibilities, we plan on hitting the trails! Elliot’s Knob is a roughly 8.5 mile out-and-back trail with 2,000+ feet of elevation gain. It is definitely not an easy hike but it is super doable so fret not! Here is the AllTrails link: …
Did you know you can sit in the waterfall at Blue Hole!!!! Join me and my bootay at Blue hole this Wednesday afternoon! Blue Hole in the fall always makes me so nostalgic because it was my first hike with ODC, was my first real hike ever, and my first freshwater swim ever!!! (not really much fresh water or hiking …
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 …
My FIRST EVER ODC trip was a trail service trip led by Grace Gray. It’s quite simply in my Outdoors Club blood to work on the trails. We, along with other humans and animals, use trails all the dang time so we have a responsibility to give back to the dirt we walk on. This Friday we’ll be doing trail …
I’m turning 20 tmrw (what?!?!?) and I realized as I was sitting on the lawn today that there is nothing I’d rather do on my bday more than wake up in the pitch black darkness and hike up a mountain with other outdoorsy people to see the sun rise. **I was going to lead this trip on Thursday but it …
Hello outdoorslings!! Tomorrow looks like it’ll be sunny and gorgeous so Parker & I want to embark on a little midday swim! Come join us as we paddle around the reservoir and share fwoc (first week of class?) stories! Also- this is a very beginner friendly trip! If you have never paddle boarded before or even touched water before you …
Have you ever wanted to go down a natural waterfall or visit the Shenandoah National Park? Maybe you just need to touch some grass and escape Charlottesville for the day. Well, we will be doing both of these things this Friday at the Cedar Creek Falls of White Oak Canyon of the Shenandoah National Park. We will be leaving from …
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 …
Owen and I missed Morven this summer and can’t wait to get our hands dirty and touch some plants! Morven Kitchen Garden is UVA’s project in sustainable agriculture, and it’s a really cool place to spend a warm Friday afternoon. This trip is beginner-friendly, and the volunteer work is mostly small manual labor tasks, like harvesting produce, weeding, etc. Be …
Hello fellow ODC members, and welcome back from summer break! And what could be a better start to the semester than enjoying the outdoors while it’s still warm by embarking on a riverside camping trip? I’ll be leading y’all on a trip to a campground near Luray on the South Fork of the Shenandoah, at the end of Riverwater Rd; …
helloooo outdoorslings!! “there is no greater thing in life than to paddleboard at a reservoir on your first day of class. but don’t skip them!” – madeline livingston. It is going to be 90 degrees on Tuesday – ouch! Madeline and I are going to speed run a paddleboard adventure between classes on our lovely sunny FDOC afternoon – because …
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 …
Hellow fellow crunchy sugar hollow lovers, Should we be locked in this week for finals? Yes. Will we be locked in?? No!!! If you would like join us in our not-lock-in-ing (or want a finals study break), come join Eli and I this Thursday on a swimming trip to sugar hollow/blue hole!!! The weather is supposed to be super nice …
what better way to spend LDOC than outside!! it’s gonna be 87 degrees on Tuesday, so let’s go swim! 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 swimming area (10-20 min walk) SWIM plan to …
Looking for a way to celebrate the last day of classes? What better than going for a relaxing hike at Ragged Mountain Reservoir! The hike is about 7 miles and the weather is supposed to be pretty warm, so make sure to bring plenty of water! Itinerary: 2:15 – Leave Echols 2:30 – Arrive at Ragged Mountain 2:30-5:00 – Hike! …
Hello everyone! I was hoping to do a hike this Saturday, specifically a loop around Robertson Mountain. It is about 8.2 miles, and 2431 feet of elevation gain, meaning I would expect a strenuous ascent, but we can take plenty of breaks and take our time going up(and down!). Robertson Mountain is very close to Old Rag, and it can …
Are you prepared for THE BEST, MOST EPIC aquatic experience of the 2023-2024 academic year!!!!!!??????? If you want to destress before the dumpster fire of finals, COME JOIN US. Using our extensive paddle boarding experience, we will be leading lucky trip goers into the wild waters of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Nate has acquired profound knowledge of paddling through multitudes …
Hey y’all!! The school year is almost over and I promised myself I would introduce ODC to the AMAZINGNESS of the Scottsville James River!! Yes, yes there are a lot of “Richmond James” types in the club. Emma and I are here to disprove all that. Scottsville James is not well known by UVA or ODC and in my humble, …
(I can’t fix the formatting for some reason so for a prettier trip description check out this doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bC_fIwu9DgcJPGstAsGOugAxO9xrWd9z0XNXjJ_vETQ/edit?usp=sharing) Hello my friend If you are interested in experiencing intentional living communities but while living your best self-sufficient solar-punk life, you should join us for a day trip to Living Energy Farm! LEF is yet another intentional community in Louisa County …
Who’s looking forward to finals!!! I know I’m not. And I’m looking for anything to delay that thought from settling in. So, how about we do one of the prettiest hikes in Virginia, the Cedar Run Trail. The plan is simple. We’ll park at the Hawksbill Gap Parking lot (usually fills up quickly, so we’ll have to get there early), …
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Feeling overwhelmed with schoolwork? Instead, try feeling overwhelmed by the infinite beauty and complexity of the natural world!! Join me on the 3rd installment of my O’Hill walks, where we go at the slowest pace imaginable because we are taking in, discussing, and marveling at every detail of the woods around us. If you’ve ever been on a hike with …
HELLO HELLO it is spring and that means it is time to get out under the trees and go find the holes where water collects and cautiously dip ourselves into them – there is no better place to do this than Cedar Run, a hike that includes AllTrails points of interest such as “big pool” and “HUGE pool”. Seriously though, …
Jillian and i have a cute break from class Thursday morning and are DYING to get outside this week. Charlottesville Reservoir to Jarman Gap is a 7.5-mile out-and-back trail near Crozet, Virginia. All trails says it’ll about 3.5 hours which means you’ll have plenty of time to make it back to your 3pm. Jillian has a parks pass and I …
Feeling bogged down by modern capitalist society? Is the pressure to conform, get an internship, compete with others, emit CO2, etc. making you feel oh so very sad? Do you wonder if there’s a better way of living for both you AND the planet?? Come join Emi, Ella and Cat as we leave Charlottesville and travel 37 miles east to …
OMG the stars have aligned! I finally have a free weekend, Spring has sprung, and I have a brand new (to me) REI tent that I got from resupply for an incredible steal! All that and my deep yearning for the great outdoors has led to this fantastic trip. Join Hannah and I as we skip our way to the …
Hey Everyone!!! We are super excited to get a morning walk in this week over at Saunders Trail! It’s a very easy hike walking on paths and a boardwalk, and near Monticello about 15 minutes from grounds! Round trip we should be gone about 2 hours and its 4.3 miles (2 out and 2 back), but not much incline. Hope …
greetings ragged ratz! we are pleased to inform you that the new amazing fantastic odc trip leader power pair will be leading a paddleboarding trip to ragged on sunday!!!! the weather will be beautiful and the vibes will be crunchy. nate is a VERY experienced paddleboarder (he can do a backflip on a paddleboard) but i am not so people …
HUMPBACK HOT CHOCOLATE WOOOOOO!!! If anyone is itching to wake up before the sun rises and have a chill morning with some hot chocolate and good vibes, join us for a quick hike to humpback rock Sunday morning! This is the very first trip we are leading, and it is open to all skill levels, so anyone can and should …
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 …
Hello everyone! I was hoping to do a hike this Saturday, specifically a loop around Rapidan Camp. It is about 7.3 miles, and 1354 feet of elevation gain, meaning I would expect somewhat of a strenuous ascent(Moderate Difficulty imo). For those who don’t know, Rapidan Camp is one of the old presidential getaways by President Hoover, one of the Depression …
Hey Everyone, This looks like a good hike! Sulphur Spring Trail is a 5.6 mile out-and-back hike in the James River Face Wilderness Area in the national forest. Hike Details: – Alltrails Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/sulphur-spring-trail?u=i&sh=mugsp7 – Length: 5.6 miles (out and back) – Elevation gain: 1,040 ft WEATHER: It looks like temperatures will be 50-60 degrees when we are hiking, with …
Hello fellow creatures of the world!!! Golly do we have some sliceful news for you all today…ODC shall interweave its sweet caressing path with not once, not twice, nar, THRICE with other groups in town — the highly esteemed Lorax Society, good ol’ environmental sciences group Epsilon Eta, and the one n only Cville Parks n Rec!! I’m super excited …
Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing well, because, Sharks, I have to pitch you something. This gem of a trail is going to be an endurance challenge, but the reward is more than worth it: You get the beautiful, peaceful water along Cedar Run(With swimming holes and a natural water slide, though they will be brrr cold), the …
It’s been a while since I’ve hiked Humpback Rock, so I’m leading a trip there! This is an easy hike (about 1 mile) that ends with a great view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. ***Priority will be given to drivers*** Itinerary: 5:30 am – arrive at Echols 5:45 am – leave for the trailhead 6:15ish – arrive at the trailhead …
Hey everyone! With the lovely Spring weather coming in, I thought I’d plan a hike for this Sunday. This hike follows The Dark Hollow Trail and features a couple of stops along the Appalachian Trail as well, and features numerous waterfalls and a super peaceful walk alongside the river(Plus an abandoned mine, but it’s pretty hard to spot now). It’s …