Packrafting the Shenandoah
This past weekend a group of Mason outdoor adventurers enjoyed a tough multi sport trip hiking and paddling an 18 mile loop along the Shenandoah River. The trip started with loading up the packrafts and necessary boating and camping gear into overnight backpacks. Day One found the group hiking up to, across, and then down the Massanutten Ridge 9 miles to their campsite. A quick mile of hiking in the morning brought us to the river where we switched from backpacking mode to paddling mode and paddled and floated the 8 miles back to our van. The highlight of the paddle being the Class II Compton’s Rapid.
Start of the hike
On the Ridge
What a view. The river in the lower left is what we paddled on Day 2.
Soles fell off, so we taped them back on.
Late dinner and a small fire
The last few steps of backpacking
Our put-in
Finally on the water
April Rock Climbing
An intrepid group of Mason climbers snuck in a day of climbing before the rain came this past Sunday.
Looking at the Great Falls of the Potomac
Arslan happy to be at the top
Going up
Working on the moves
Scoping out the next move
In order to climb, first you’ve got to be safe.
Walking to the crag
Compton Peak
Despite the colder weather and lingering snow a group of Mason students got out and enjoyed hiking along the Appalachian trail to the summit of Compton Peak in Shenandoah National Park.
Not Abbey Road. Skyline Drive
Nearing the summit
Heading up
All smiles
Panoramic views
Duncan Knob Hike
Now that Spring Break is over it’s time to revisit our last trip before break. A group of Mason students headed out to the Massanutten Range to hike to the top of Duncan Knob. Spectacular views from the scree field on the Knob were their reward for the 10 mile round trip hike.
Heading up the Massanutten Trail to the ridge
View from Jawbone Gap Overlook looking towards Duncan Knob
Heading down the fire road from the Massanutten Trail
Heading up the scree near the summit of Duncan Knob
Another shot from the fire road
Pausing for a water break on the way up to Duncan Knob
In the scree
So meta. Looking down the Massanutten Range towards Strickler Knob
View to the southeast from near the summit of Duncan Knob. The farms in the valley are in Luray, VA. The distant skyline are the mountains of Shenandoah National Park
AT Hike
On the Saturday of Presidents’ Weekend a group of Mason students went for a hike on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. The plan was to do a roughly ten mile hike between Hawksbill, the park’s highest point, and Stony Man Mountain. The trip had to be cut short due to an incoming snowstorm. Upon arriving at the park the group was informed that the road would be closing at noon, cutting their hike short by several hours. The group made the most of their shortened time by hiking to the summit of Hawksbill before exiting the park and making a side trip to Shenandoah River Park.
Snow juuuuuuuust starting to stick
Summit of Hawksbill, the highest point in the park
The group as the snow starts to fly
Another summit shot
Most of the group on the summit
Reflecting on the view
Always fun
Wet Day On The Billy Goat
This past Saturday nine members of the Mason Nation braved the rain to enjoy a lovely, though wet, hike on the Billy Goat Trail along the Potomac. The rain couldn’t keep them from enjoying the beauty that the Mather Gorge has to offer.
What rain?
Heading to checkout the falls
Great Blue Heron hunting in the C&O Canal. Check our Instagram for a video of him catching a (small) fish
We LOVE this stuff
Tread carefully
Adventure crew (minus Jessie)
A soggy section of trail
Panorama of the beautiful Mather Gorge on a gray day
National Mall Bike Tour
Despite the chilly weather, a group of Mason students got up early on Sunday to enjoy a ranger-led bike tour of the National Mall.
Early in the morning, we met the rangers near the Jefferson Memorial and looped around the mall stopping at many sites including the FDR Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument! The tour was informal and included lots of history of the mall, the monuments, and the monumental folks behind them.
Did you know that there are small casters on the back legs of the chair that FDR is sitting in at his memorial?
Neither did we! You can see this easily-missed hidden detail by peeking behind the bronze statue.
Biking towards the Washington Monument
Listening to Ranger Bethany at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
Nice view of the Lincoln Memorial while getting some history from the Rangers
Nice view of the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial
Group shot with George Mason