Fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains
When people ask you where you go to school and you proudly reply, “Virginia Tech,” it is inevitable that they comment on how beautiful the New River Valley is – especially at this time of year. Since 1984, Virginia Tech’s outdoor program, Venture Out, has helped students, faculty, and staff take advantage of the natural beauty of this region by offering fun, safe, educational, and affordable ways to experience the great outdoors.
With numerous trips planned throughout each semester, students can choose from canoeing, bicycling, fly fishing, hiking, and more. “Our most popular activities are caving, horseback riding, backpacking, and kayaking,” says Jason Stancil, Venture Out Manager. “About two-thirds of our trips are day trips and one-third are overnight trips.” The cost for trips ranges from $5 to $100, with the average trip costing $25. Twelve to fifteen is the average number of participants for each trip.
New this semester in Venture Out is the Wednesday night walk. Students meet at 4 p.m. each Wednesday at the Venture Out office in Squires Student Center and carpool to a destination within a 30 mile range. “It’s a great way to break up the work week and get a little healthy exercise between study sessions,” Stancil says.
No experience is required and no equipment is necessary to participate in Venture Out trips. “Most students don’t realize that we are not a club. You don’t have to join and there are no membership fees. We are a recreational service provided through University Unions and Student Activities in the Division of Student Affairs, and as such we are accessible to everyone,” Stancil says. “It is our mission to augment the academic experience and the value of campus life by offering safe outdoor adventures that alleviate stress and enhance social interaction.”
All Venture Out activities are drug, alcohol, and tobacco-free. Venture Out also provides a healthy Spring Break alternative. This year’s destination has not yet been set, but Salida, Colorado, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, is among the spots under consideration. This year’s three-day Fall Break trip is “Backpacking the Triple Crown of Virginia,” with a 36 mile scenic trek around the Catawba Valley that leads participants to breathtaking views from Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee’s Knob, and Tinker Cliffs.
“We specialize in low risk outdoor adventures” says Stancil. “Our first consideration is safety. Our trip leaders go through a rigorous training program that includes wilderness first aid and CPR.” In addition to trips throughout the semester, Venture Out also offers students
a number of clinics in such topics as orienteering, wilderness first aid, rock climbing, back country skills, and “leave no trace” hiking and camping. Venture Out takes advantage of the many government outdoor services in the area by networking with the USDA Forrest Service, the National Park Service, the Department of Natural Resources, and Virginia State Parks.
Venture Out has an extensive supply of quality rental gear at reasonable prices – everything from tents to sleeping bags, backpacks to coolers, stoves to outdoor games. A new addition to the Venture Out equipment is a portable ropes course used for teambuilding exercises. Stancil anticipates this will be popular with fraternities, sororities, and other clubs on campus.
Venture Out is open to all Virginia Tech students, faculty, staff, and university guests, so stop by 116 Squires to see what Venture Out has to offer.
For more information on Venture Out, contact Jason Stancil at 116 Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060; 540- 231- 4476; stancil@vt.edu; http://www.uusa.vt.edu/recreation/ventureOut.php.
University Unions & Student Activities [UUSA], a unit within the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech, complements the academic program by providing a variety of activities, educational opportunities, programs, facilities, and services that enhance student development and enrich the quality of campus life at Virginia Tech. For more information on UUSA activities, visit www.UUSA.vt.edu or email Sandy Broughton at Siemens@vt.edu.
CONTACT:
Sandy Broughton
(540) 231- 3467
siemens@vt.edu