George Washington National Forest Backpacking with Shenandoah College Ambassadors

On Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30th, a group of eleven adventurous Shenandoah University students backpacked through George Washington National Forest and ascended the peak of Big Schloss. This outing offered the chance to participate in rewarding outdoor recreation for our students who have never experienced the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the springtime.

We started out on our journey, many of us strangers and several first-time backpackers, and by the time we reached the top, new friendships were forming and fun memories were already starting to be made. It was a pleasant surprise seeing Christmas come early when we reached the mountain peak and ran into a gentleman dressed in a full Santa Claus suit enjoying the view!

Due to the dry weather, there was no campfire because of a statewide burn ban, but we had no problem making the most of the situation. We utilized the opportunity to demonstrate to participants how to use propane pocket stoves for our just-add-water camp meals, and they were delicious!

After dinner, some people read books by the mountain edge while most of our adventurers got to go geocaching. I loved seeing everyone work together as they combed through the forest looking for the hidden caches. Everyone, experienced and novice backpackers, took a couple of seconds to appreciate the scene before us every time the mountain range came into view out from behind the trees.

In the morning, we woke up in time to watch the sun paint the sky pink and orange as it rose over the mountains before we began our descent. This was the first time some of our participants had gone backpacking or camping, and I am so happy to have contributed to the launching of their journey in experiencing the natural world around us.