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 …
Hey lovely people! So I am utterly obsessed with Lowmoor and would like to go back this weekend! But, I want to explore some new, more tricky areas therefore I will be doing the first ever intermediate trip to Lowmoor! This will also be my very first solo lead trip so I am going to be a little pickier about …
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 …
.jpg){kind=small}
what is uppppppp fellow reservoir enthusiasts??!? are you ready to go on a super awesome hike led by a (potentially under qualified but still cool) first year? if so, keep reading – the plan is super simple: 8:30 – leave Echols 8:45 – arrive at the Res 9:00-12:00 – hike and stop for lunch/snacks along the way! 12:30ishhh – arrive …
**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 …
I love Ragged Mountain Reservoir. I also love going on jogs and then stretching for a nice long while after, but I rarely take the time to do that. On this trail run I am very purposefully building that time in by planning to do some yoga afterwards!! We can run around for a bit, then when we’re feeling nice …
This April (8th), coming to skies in a state near you, watch the sun goddamn disappear in the middle of the day! Want to see every animal freak out and feel the temperature drop ten degrees while watching the Sun’s magnetic field blazes above you for three minutes? Then join us as drive up to — well, we’ll get to …
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 …
Have you wanted to go caving but you don’t like small spaces, difficult climbs, complete darkness, and/or thought caving looked lowkey really scary? But you have always wanted to at least try it out? Well do we have the cave for you! Lowmoor was a giant iron mine from 1875-1898 and there is an actual cave in the mine. We …
Hey yall cool people! I miss my good old friend Floyd (a really cool giant stalagmite that is known as Floyd Collin’s ghost) so I want to head deep into Paxtons to stop by and hang out with him again. But I also want to try to make it to a room known as the Christmas room to see some …
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. Â 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 have not led a humpback hike yet and I’m ready for some hiking, so let’s hike Humpback Rock! This is a classic hike and ends with a great view overlooking the blue ridge mountains. Priority will be given to people who have not hiked Humpback yet. The plan: 5:30 am – leave from Echols 6:00 – arrive at the …
Last month I led a trip where we did sit-spots and other fun stuff, but my favorite part was just walking mindfully through the woods and pointing out cool things we saw along the trail. So this trip is gonna be that!! The plan is this: – Meet at Echols at 2:30 next Friday – Make our way up to …
Who’s ready for the first birding trip of the year!! If you like watching birds or just want to spend some peaceful time outdoors, join this trip! We will be heading to Ivy Creek to look at some birds and try to ID what they are. Last time, the highest species count was 13. Let’s see if we can find …
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 …
This is day 6 of me leading a trip every single day of the week! We’re going to go on a chill beginner trip to the always-classic Crossroads Cave! The plan is to go look at some gorgeous gypsum flowers, experiencing a good variety of climbs and some mild crawls along the way. If we have time, we’ll also stop …
I decided to do a kinda silly thing this week where I lead a trip every single day! This is day 4, and we’ll be doing a midweek sunset-watching, stargazing hangout at Ragged Reservoir! This is a great way to spend some time getting to know other club members and enjoy being outside! I will be using waitlist randomization for …
I decided to do a kinda silly thing this week where I lead a trip every single day! We’re finishing off strong with a relaxed day hike at Spy Rock, which has some spectacular views. The hike is about 6.5 miles. We’ll be taking it slow, so no worries if you don’t have any experience hiking! If you just joined …
I decided to do a kinda silly thing where I lead a trip every day this week! This is day 3, where we’ll be doing a chill morning hike around some of the ohill trails. This is just meant to be a relaxed way to get to know some people and enjoy the sunshine! I will be prioritizing taking first …
I decided to do a kinda silly thing this week where I lead a trip every single day! This is day 2 and we’re kicking the school week off with a classic sunrise hike at humpback! We’ll be taking it slow, so no worries if you don’t have any experience hiking! If you just joined the Outdoors Club or you …
I decided to do a kinda silly thing this week where I lead a trip every single day! We’re starting off strong with a relaxed day hike at Spy Rock, which has some spectacular views. The hike is about 6.5miles. We’ll be taking it slow, so no worries if you don’t have any experience hiking! If you just joined the …
This Saturday 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 both sections, featuring the enormous main rooms of the mined …
Haven’t seen a lot of trail runs posted in the last year or so – we gotta bring that back. What’s not to love about a good mountain run? I put the level as ADV? cause I’m really not a particularly advanced trail runner. I tend to find myself walking up much anything more than a slight incline. But, at …
We’re going to Turk Mountain to bully the sun until it hides from us! This should be a quick trip, just a 45 minute drive each way and a 2.4 mile out-and-back hike, with some time spent on the summit to watch the sunset, so everyone should be back in time for any evening plans you might have. Some things …
Are you looking for an awesome adventure over Spring Break? Maybe you didn’t get on Moab, maybe you’re looking for something cheaper and more local? Maybe you’ve been backpacking a time or two and want to expand your backpacking experience? OH BOY, do I have the trip for you. *Plz read the whole trip description (I know its long) before …
Helloooo fellow frolickers and outdoors enthusiasts!!! We’ve only been in school for a couple of weeks…so no one has homework yet (right?!?), also screw homework. We couldn’t think of a better way to spend our Sunday than in the BEAUTIFUL outdoors!!! Join us, two VERY qualified first years, on our FIRST trip-leading experience ever *whoop whoop* This will be a …
What better way to finish this weekend than waking up before the sun and hiking for 4.2 miles? The plan is simple: meet at Echols Corner, drive for about 30 minutes and hike for about 45. The sunrise is at 7:16 am (according to Google), so we should have a 30 minute buffer in case we need extra time. If …
Hey all you outdoor lovers! We are heading back to the amazing Paxtons cave and we are gonna go so speedy to try to make it to some cool sections. Some of the names of these really cool cave places include: Anthodite Galleries, Clambake Alley, Worm Garden, Guano Ecstasy, Guano Agony, and many more fun places to explore. But the …
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 …
*This is an intermediate trip, due to the difficulty of some of the climbs and the presence of some sketchier sections. We strongly suggest that you have been on at least one caving trip before.* Marshall’s cave is known for some gorgeous formations and neat features. I haven’t been very deep in at all, so I’m hoping to explore more! …
With the abnormally warm weather on Friday, I wanted to get my hands dirty and touch some plants!! Morven Kitchen Garden is UVA’s wonderful project in sustainable agriculture. Every time I volunteer here I have such an amazing time. We’ll show up, work in the garden, and (hopefully) get to take home a bit of fresh produce! This trip is …
Hey outdoorsy people! So I’m jealous that I missed the opportunity to explore this cave last weekend, soooooo we are going back!! If you have never been caving before and worried about the difficulty, Island Ford Cave is a really great place for beginners so I totally recommend stepping outside your comfort zone and sign up! BUT if you are …
Hey y’all! I want to go backpacking, but I also have shit (homework) to do this weekend. Solution: the world’s shortest backpacking trip. We’ll only be hiking 2 miles in/out to Maupin Field Shelter on the AT, so this not much hiking, mostly just going to sleep outside. There’s nothing spectacular about the place, but this is a good beginning …
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 …
Are you looking for an outdoor activity to get moving again post Disco Cowboy Party? Look no further! This will be a very chill and relaxed caving trip to a cave known for it’s simplicity and beginner-friendliness. It still has some cool features though, such as the spectacular entrance (which is clearly visible from highway 64). This is a great …
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 …
Hey outdoor lovers! Welcome back from break! I hope you all are excited to try some new adventures in the new year! So why not kick off the semester with caving! Paxtons is one of my favorite caves as it has lots of wildlife, belly crawls, vertical climbs, and maze like passages. If you have never been caving this is …
HEY FELLOW FINALS WEEK SUFFERERS – Please join my best friend, Christie, and I on a soul searching HUMPBACK ROCKS classic sunrise hike!!!! If you too are in the mood to wake up a little too early, to have a little too much fun, and procrastinate studying for your finals a little too much, come along as we meander our …
ello friends I would love if you join me for a 4.6 mile hike in the snp this friday
Ever since I went on Lila’s forest contemplation trip last fall, I’ve been yearning to lead my own. I’ve also been hearing a lot about sit spotting recently and am taking it as a sign that it’s time to go back!! Sit spotting is a chance to sit by yourself in nature and become in turn with where you are …
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 …
It is final weeks but I wonder… WHY NO CLIMBING Let’s go to Smokehole Canyon. I NEED TO CLIMB THE CUDDLE PUDDLE THIS TIME. We will leave Echols at 9am cause it is winter who wants to get up earlier than 8, climb for most of the day and head out around until dark or when we are too tired …
Cave prom!!!! Basically we go to an absolute mud pit of a cave (Glade Cave) wearing the fanciest clothes we can find from the local thrift store. In the spring JMU had everyone in tuxes or floor length dresses & I aspire beat JMU’s level. Note: I will be using waitlist randomization for this trip!! The first 5 people that …
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 …
Hello outdoorsy souls, If you guessed the backpacking season was over, guess again. If you guessed that no one would be willing to trade studying in the dark hellish armpit that is Clem with two days immersed in the beauty of nature, guess again. Because guess what? Claire and I are about to do JUST THAT and you should join …
Hello outdoorsy souls, If you guessed the backpacking season was over, guess again. If you guessed that no one would trade studying in the dark hellish armpit that is Clem with two days immersed in the beauty of nature, guess again. Because guess what? Claire and I are about to do JUST THAT and you should join us!! We are …
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 …