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 …
wake up babe, new Morven volunteering trip just dropped!! now that spring has sprung, i have been YEARNING to do some gardening. if you want to welcome the warmer weather by digging in some dirt and cultivating plants, then this trip is for you! come join me this friday afternoon and we will do some beginner-friendly farm work (and maybe …
Helloooo friendos of the outdoors!!! Is anyone else in the Cville area and wanna do a lil walking / putting / exploring around our nearby trails during these budding early spring days?? If anyone is feeling called to such pursuits tomorrow morn, this is the place for you!!! This will be an inclusive and chill place to gather and hike …
My dearest SPRGE rodentia, **PLEASE REFER TO THE SPRGE CLUB EMAIL (sent 2/27) AND READ THIS ENTIRE DESCRIPTION. THEN, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS** THE FIRST ANNUAL SPRGE – New ODC Mega Trip! This is NOT an actual SPRGE adventure. This is the CARPOOL for SPRGE. This is how the officers will keep track of drivers and attendees. So make our lives …
Hellooooo fellow creatures of da wild outdoor land!!! Is anyone else listening to the birds chirp outside in the tawny light-blue dawn, or peeping the crocus flowers and basking in the late-morn sun, and feeling spring rapidly approaching?? Does that make anyone else feel simultaneously thrilled and so scared to miss the passing seasons as we clitter clakker away at …
I haven’t been on a sunset hike in way too long so I figured this would be great for my first trip as a trip leader! As a Shenandoah Valley native, I can confirm that this short 1.1 mi hike rivals Humpback for the best sunset spot. I do not have a car, so drivers will get priority off the …
In case you didn’t get to meet odc’s blue-blazed section of the Brown Rocky Mountain trail back in December, you’re in luck because we’re going back to do some maintenance this Saturday!! This will be our second trip out to the section, and we’ll be joined by two experienced trail maintainers who will teach us more about pruning, waterbar clearing, …
I was on facetime with my family the other day and they pointed out how GHASTLY I look since I get approximately 35 minutes of outside time per day. Anna and I are both BME majors and are looking to get outside this coming week now that exams are finishing, birds are chirping, and all will be right with the …
Hello everyone! I had an amazing adventure last Sunday, and thought I’d shoot for 2 in a row! This one is definitely quite challenging, coming in at 17.6 miles and 3,156 feet of elevation gain…Quite a lot of mileage, so the elevation gain will probably be diffused throughout, but it’ll definitely be an endurance hike :-0… I have a NP …
**Drivers get priority off the waitlist & gas reimbursement 🙂 Hey y’all It’s sooo hard to fit in the amount of backpacking I want to do when I’ve got this much HW… so… Friday night backpacking! This should be a fun trip. It’ll just be a 5 miles out-and-back type of deal, but we’ll stay at this cool shelter that …
Let’s frolic and make merry at Mary’s Rock! IMO, the best viewpoint in all of Shenandoah National Park, and only a 3.4 mile out-and-back hike! It’ll be 27 degrees at the top and likely quite windy as it’s a 360 degree view, so be sure to pack layers and water. Also, priority goes to drivers (you get reimbursed + a …
Are you ITCHING to get outside in this BEAUTIFUL FEBRUARY WEATHER?????? Come join us for a POST-PARTY shake out hike (soooooo chillllll and greeeattt views) at Sulphur Spring on Saturday February 17th! This is an 8.2 mile loop that AllTrails describes as moderate. Check out the loop HERE: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/petites-gap-sulphur-spring-and-appalachian-trail-loop. PLAN: 1030 meet at echols 12 arrive + HIKE 430/5 …
Hello everyone! I was hoping to do a hike this Sunday, specifically Patterson Ridge Trail. It is relatively short, at about 6 miles, but has 1700 feet of elevation gain, meaning I would expect somewhat of a strenuous ascent(Moderate-Expert Difficulty imo). It’s somewhat of a drive, at about an hour. I have a NP park pass and a vehicle, so …
I don’t know about you guys, but these past two weeks have tested my limits! I’m ready for a break, and so is my partner in crime Anna, so we are going to start our Friday off at Humpback Rock! It’s a classic hike and not too strenuous so everyone is welcome. The schedule is as follows: 5:30 AM – …
Come climb with me at Mustang Boulder this Saturday! This is probably one of the best boulders on the parkway! It has a short, 10-minute approach to a sick boulder with classic lines. Mustang itself has a range of climbs from V2-V10 and the nearby Incredibles Boulder 50ft downhill also has climbs from V3-V7. That means this is a great …
Hi little lads! Recently we have been dying to frolic through the woods and rot in nature. Brilliant Skylar here has stumbled upon this gem of a hike. Its about 4.5 miles with 500 ft of elevation gain. Its going to be mega chill. We will hike along some waterways, cross a stream or two, and lay on a rock …
Hello fellow earth gremlings
no Friday classes? have a discussion that doesn’t count for a grade and you’re allowed to skip as long as you attend office hours? graduated already somehow (you lucky dog)? COME SPEND YOUR FRIDAY WITH ME and SOME OTHER OUTDOORSY FOLK at the Virginia Adventure Educator Conference (VAAEC for short) https://www.vaaec.org/who-is-attending.html this is a rare and wonderful chance to go …
Helloooo ODC & happy spring! As a celebration of melted snow and slightly warmer winter temps, I will be running next Saturday at Riverview Park and would love some company!! I am looking to pace an easy 10 minutes or so, but all paces are welcome:) As always, the trail is an out-and-back totalling 4 miles. We will head out …
Welcome back to this snowy winter wonderland!!! I couldn’t decide which one of these three little things I wanted to lead a trip about, so it’s gonna be all of em!! Here’s the plan: – Meet at Echols at 2:30 this Friday – Meander either up to O’Hill or over to the Dell/Dell Field, depending on the will of the …
We are ALL avid trail users here. We hike, bike, climb, run, bird, forage, explore, connect, etc, etc. You get the point – we use trails a LOT. In all our time on the trails, have you ever stopped to think about who keeps these in such great shape for us to safely enjoy our adventures??? Well now the answer …
Hi y’all Christmas is upon us and there will be nothing but fooding, I need to do some cardio before the winter starts, come join me for a chill 3 mile run at Kemper park, all trial link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/hartman-orchard-and-mountain-trail-loop it will be very chill, you can even walk if you want, I am hoping for a slow pace, chitchatting run …
Hey everyone! I have found a nice (pleasant, if you will) hike for this Sunday! Mount Pleasant via Henry Lanum Trail is a 5.9 mile loop in the national forest with the opportunity of seeing two overlooks. IMPORTANT!! – DRIVERS ARE NEEDED!! – I would like to have another car in addition to mine go on this trip, so please …