Using a topographical map and compass, students will learn how to find their way – in terms of negotiating the terrain, but also in the direction they will take as a team. Success in this adventure dictates cooperation, communication, and problem solving, as the group bushwhacks their way to the summit of the highest point in the state.

Caves are dark and foreboding places. Most people have some amount of trepidation associated with the dark and with small spaces. Yet the cave we explore is welcoming; the spaces are bigger than they appear, and nearly anyone can have success in this adventure. In this way, our caving program can be a tool for successfully facing personal challenges and fears.

Water is life.  By studying fresh water and sampling head water streams, we learn about the interconnectedness of watersheds and the importance of stream health to the entire river network and downstream communities.

Students will plant trees, assist with trail maintenance, or restore riparian areas. Stewardship projects, when coupled with a lesson on forest history and beaver ecology, makes for an interesting conversation regarding human impacts and our role in nature. Stewardship takes many different forms, but always leaves participants feeling more connected to a place, gives them a sense of responsibility, and reinforces the idea that one person can make a difference.

Canoeing is the ultimate pair initiative and a successful team will need more than paddle skills to effectively reach their destination. It is a time where cooperation, communication, patience, encouragement and decision making are integral to the groups success.

There is no better way for students to learn the importance of personal responsibility and adequate self-care than through backpacking. As competence with various skills increases, so does confidence, and what seemed hard at the beginning of the week no longer does at the end.

Participants will rely on the support of their teammates on the ground while they set and achieve tangible goals in the air. A range of climbs will be set up to ensure an appropriate skill level is met for all involved.

Learn about the geologic history of the Appalachians. Hike to the top of Spruce Knob for a bird’s eye view of ancient tectonic activity and current rock layers.

Learn about survival skills, including fire building, shelter construction, and other outdoor-exploration skills through fun games and activities.

Structured activities and debriefs around themes of collaboration, trust, support, & leadership. These activities can influence tone-setting, encourage unlikely leaders to step up, and will help to establish lasting group bonds that students will carry with them into the school year.

Games and activities structured around movement and observation, leading to a blind drum walk.

Explore the night with games, hikes, and discovery activities.

On clear nights, students explore the night sky using the naked eye, binoculars, and our observatory’s telescope. We have access to one of the darkest skies in the east: a real treat for astronomers of any experience level.

S’mores, structured all group reflection activities and games around a campfire.

The lively Shenandoah and Cheat rivers make West Virginia a hot spot for rafting.