West Virginia Backpacking & Canoeing

Baltimore Cheasapeake Bay Outward Bound
Baltimore, MD, United States

Course Format: Classroom | E-learning | Virtual Class | Online | On-site | Blended | Self-paced

Course Description:

'' From misty mountain mornings to the sound of water cascading down mountain streams, wild and wonderful West Virginia is sure to exceed your expectations. This new Outward Bound course area teems with world-famous whitewater rivers, challenging hiking terrain, a huge trail system, vast parklands and one of the most extensive wilderness areas in this part of the country.
Backpacking is the best mode of travel to enjoy the wonders of the Mountain State. Pass through dense hemlock forests and take in mountain vistas that rise
up as far as the eye can see. Experience the beauty and excitement of a canoeing adventure, as you guide your canoe over a wild West Virginia river, and see the country¡¯s most mountainous state from the best perspective ¨C right in the middle of it all.

Learn the paddle strokes, river ¡°reading¡± and rescue techniques necessary to navigate this wild and scenic area, home to an incredible array of wildlife. Hike through the lush green forests and rolling mountains.

BACKPACKING
Backpacking for your course will be in Monongahela National Forest which contains over 700 miles of these trails, and in Canaan Valley in the north part of the state. This course area is rugged and seems to take you back to a time before modern civilization made its big mark on our land.

Your course will meet at the airport in Morgantown where you will take a shuttle to begin your expedition in one of the three following areas.

1) Hiking in the Monongahela National Forest will allow you to explore many diverse ecosystems. High mountain ridges, often with grassy highlands, allow you to see endless ridges as far as the eye can see. Deep valleys filled with dense rhododendron, the state flower whose bushes can grow over 10 feet tall, work their way past waterfall laden streams. Pictures cannot capture the magical experience of moving quietly through a region that seems untouched by the outside world. Travel through this area may take you through Otter Creek Wilderness area.

2) Canaan Valley, to the north and west of Davis, is a high grass land area with its fair share of swamp land. This unique area of shrub bushes, small pines, and abundant blueberries, contains few trails but loads of opportunities for off trail travel. Here you will learn how to use a map and compass to find your way to mountain peaks and forest lakes seemingly hidden in this remote region.

3) South of both of these areas lies the Spruce Knob/Seneca Rocks area. target="blank">Spruce Knob is the highest mountain in West Virginia at a height of 4861 feet. If your group reaches this summit you will be rewarded by one of the most spectacular views you will ever see in your lifetime. Seneca Rocks is one of the best-known landmarks in West Virginia. The rocks are a magnificent formation rising nearly 900 feet above the North Fork River. In the area around the base you will find streams, small lakes, and eventually venture through remote farm land. At every turn in this region you will be greeted by ever increasingly remarkable sights. Travel through this area may take you through theLaurel Fork Wilderness area.

CANOEING
You will find the south branch of the Potomac River and the river valley it wanders through an exciting learning addition to your course. Once you learn how to paddle a canoe and travel safely down river, you will work with your group to cover nearly 100 miles, one stroke of the paddle at a time. On the river you may see beaver, deer, and lots of birds including the bald eagle who nest near the mountain tops.

The Expedition

You don¡¯t need to have previous canoeing or backpacking experience. We will teach you everything you need to know to travel comfortably -¡ª how to pack appropriately, set up tents, carry a backpack, paddle whitewater, and navigate using a map and compass. During your course you will be travelling expedition-style in 2- person canoes or with a pack on your back. ¡°Expedition-style¡± means that you will leave base camp on the first or second day of your course and not return to it until the end of the course. You will travel with all the food and equipment you need to conduct your expedition: stoves, tents, food, etc. Your group might occasionally sleep at the same campsite twice, but generally you will be moving to a new campsite every night as you hike and paddle along your expedition route. This means no showers, no telephones, no television, or any other modern luxuries that you may be accustomed to. You should come to your course emotionally prepared for, and excited about, devoting all of your time and energy to your expedition, your group, and your Outward Bound experience.

The instructors¡¯ goal is to teach you the skills you need to become self-sufficient on the water and in the mountains. The instructors will spend the early days of the course helping you master wilderness expedition skills, coaching you as you learn. As you grow more competent and confident with your skills, the instructors will ask that you take more responsibility for the leadership of the expedition. Neither guides nor counselors, the instructors are teachers and mentors whose goal it is to train you to travel independently in the backcountry.

Student Independence

There will be times on this course when you will not be directly supervised by instructors. This will include time around camp cooking or setting up tarps, sleeping, and solo. Students under 18 will sleep in single-sex tarps or tents (2-4 people per tent), but all other aspects of the expedition will be conducted in co-ed groups. Outward Bound has found that a degree of independence is an effective educational tool and we expect that all students come to this course with a willingness to learn skills and practice them without instructor supervision, either alone or with other group members.

Weather, Remoteness, and Other Challenges

Wilderness travel is demanding. Canoeing includes numerous challenges, such as paddling into headwinds, portaging (carrying the 87lb. canoe on your shoulders), poling (propelling yourself upstream), and lining (guiding your canoe through unrunnable rapids). Moving between watershed involves a considerable amount of portaging and upstream travel, which can often be exhausting. Backpacking can be even more rigorous. Your internal frame pack will weigh between 40 and 60 pounds and you will be hiking up and down steep, rocky trails, through spruce trees so thick you will feel like you¡¯re swimming, or across fields criss-crossed with ¡°blowdowns¡± (dead trees lying on the ground). Past students and instructors agree that arriving physically fit will enhance your experience and ability to do well on the course and ultimately allow you to take full advantage of the expedition.

Weather is quite varied in West Virginia. Summer days tend to be very hot and humid so bring plenty of sunscreen. However, the temperatures in the mountains and on the river can drop significantly at night. So, make sure you have plenty of layers for those clear star gazing evenings in camp.

Many students ask ¡°What do we do when it rains?¡± The answer is that we put on our rain jackets and keep moving. Lightning storms are frequent during July and August and are cause for us to stay put until the storm passes, but afterwards we continue to paddle or hiking. Sometimes strong winds cause us delays in the canoeing expedition, so we have to make up time paddling in the early morning or into the evening, when the winds have died down. We rarely take layover days due to inclement weather, so be prepared to push on even when it seems nasty outside.

You will be traveling in a remote area. Your instructional team will know the location of the nearest phones for each expedition area. Medical evacuations may take up to a day.

A consistent theme in our instruction is identifying and managing t ...''

Phone:410-448-1721

School Address:

1900 Eagle Drive - Leakin Park
Baltimore, MD 21207
United States
410-448-1721
baltimore@hurricaneisland.org

Jobs & Resumes: Baltimore
Houses & Roommates: Baltimore

OceanBound Bermuda Schooner Voyage
OceanBound Schooner & Pulling Boat Sailing
Puerto Rico Sea Kayaking
West Virginia Backpacking & White Water Rafting
Caribbean Winter Semester
Europe Tall Ship Sailing & Mountaineering Fall Semester
Florida Adolescent Instructor Practicum
Maine Wilderness Educator Course
Maine Woods High School Summer Semester
Italian Dolomites Hiking & Climbing - Alumni
Maine Coast & Western Maine Canoeing & Sailing
Maine Coast & Western Maine Sailing & Backpacking

Notice: The course description on this page was captured from the Internet as historical reference or submitted by visitors. It was archived statically and not updated from day to day.
 

Facts: This website holds more than 300,000 training course records worldwide, with hundreds of new postings daily. All services in this website are free!