2002 SCHEDULE

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If you would like to receive detailed information on any of our trips or programs, e-mail us at Info@wildsideadventures.com and we will send to you via e-mail or snail mail.

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK WINTER WONDERLAND
Winter Hiking
February 15-18

You've spent the day hiking on some of the finest trails in Shenandoah National Park (located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia) - where the views are unobstructed by the summer foliage, the streams are laced with ice, and the air is clear and fresh.  You've also learned that nature in winter is not as dull and lifeless as it seems (thanks to Wildside Adventure's naturalist).  Now you are snug and warm in a cozy cabin surrounded by your companions during this amazing experience.  Now that you have this image in your mind and a feeling of serenity, it's time to take action and join Wildside Adventures for this 3 night, 4 day trip.   Price:  $175.   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

BACKPACKING BASICS
Workshop
February 22-24
March 15-17

This workshop is designed for the woman who is ready to spread her wings and live self-sufficiently on the trail.  Everything you need to know to get a pack on your back and out on the trail will be covered:  What gear you need and where to buy it (inexpensively), how to carry the least amount of weight AND still be prepared, how to plan trips, first-aid and safety, hands-on practice using gear and equipment, food and nutrition, reading maps, etc.   PLUS, we will work in some time to hike in the beautiful Shenandoah National Park.   This 2 night, 2 day workshop will be held at Pocosin Cabin (it's primitive) in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  You can put what you learn from this workshop into practice with a 2 night, 3 day weekend backpacking trip (which are offered in April and May).  Cost for the workshop is:  $95.00

WAKE-UP FROM WINTER
Hiking/Painting/Reading/Conversation
March 1-3

Come out of your winter cocoon and join us at the Doyle River Cabin for this mixed bag weekend.  Bring your boots, a book, your favorite art supplies, camera, female friends you've been neglecting, etc.  We will be in a picturesque valley with views of beautiful Cedar Mountain and its spectacular sunsets.   Trails with rushing waterfalls are nearby.  There will be deer and other wildlife stirring about while awaiting the arrival of spring.   Price:  $95   Difficulty Rating:  So easy going we can't describe it!

MICHAUX STATE FOREST
Hiking
March 8-10

The month of March gives us the promise of spring even though old man winter may not want to say farewell quite yet.  On this 2 night, 2 day hiking trip, we may see a little of both.  What better way to experience those early buds or late snowflakes than from a cabin nestled in Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania?  We will spend the weekend hiking on the 2,168 mile Appalachian Trail, exploring the many side trails of South Mountain and enjoying whatever Mother Nature gives us.  At night we will return to our primitive home with a wood fire to warm us and something hot to drink.   Price:   $120   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

FOOTHILLS TRAIL
Backpacking
March 21-24

Waterfalls and eagles and bears, oh my! Yes, the Foothills Trail of South Carolina has it all – along with spectacular scenery and solitude. This 3 night, 4 day trip will cover 40 miles and take us to two of the highest waterfalls in the eastern U.S. We will also pass flowering mountains, pristine lakes and quiet glades. The area also contains one of the most abundant black bear populations known in the southeast, and adult bald eagles are present year-round near Lake Jocassee which we will pass on our trek.   Price:  $175.00   Difficulty Rating:   Moderate-Challenging.

PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST
Backpacking
April 6-7

Can anything match the heady sensation of walking through carpets of wildflowers? The air will fill with the fragrance, and the earth with the colors, of bluets, trout lilies, foamflower and Carolina silverbells. Along with this we will pass twin waterfalls, dangle our feet in a swimming hole, and breathe in the clean spring air – while surrounded by spectacular views and massive rock outcroppings. This trek in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina is made to order for the child in all of us!  Wildside Adventures will be your guide for this 20 mile, 1 night, 2 day backpacking trip.    Price:  $95    Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

ORIENTEERING WORKSHOP
Map & Compass
April 13 (registration deadline - 4/6)
June 29 (registration deadline - 6/22)

Learn to use a map and compass to navigate in the woods, on the trails and off the trails.  We will cover basic techniques and practice by doing several exercises.  Learn how to make your own simple map - then test your skills with a treasure hunt!  Topographic map of the area will be provided - bring your own compass if you have one as well as suitable footwear (hiking boots), water, lunch and snacks.  Price:  $25   Difficulty Rating:  Beginner

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK WATERFALL SOJOURN
Backpacking
April 19-21

Spring - the awakening of nature that has been dormant over the long winter.   Everything is alive and the waterfalls in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park are no exception.  Join Wildside Adventures for this 2 night, 3 day backpack trip through White Oak Canyon with more falls per mile than any other stream in the park (the second highest at 86 feet!)  We will follow cascades as they spill down narrow gorges and be serenaded by them until they reach their destination of Cedar Falls.  So many trails and so many falls - 3 days may not be enough time!  Price:  $125.00   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate-Challenging

APPALACHIAN TRAIL
Backpacking
April 26-28

McAfee's Knob - a large anvil-shaped rock that juts out into space, is the most spectacular view in the Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail.  This 2 night, 3 day beginning backpacking trip will take you there as well as along Tinker Cliffs - a 1/2 mile long rock-walk that overlooks the Catawba Valley, some of the most beautiful mountain country in the state.  And you will see it from the point of view of eagles and hawks!  Don't miss this trip and one of the best photo opportunities on the A.T.   Price:  $125.00    Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST
Backpacking
May 3-5

As though we have stepped into a chapter of Lord Of The Rings - we will trek through forests full of high and thick canopies of trees that create a "cathedral-like" atmosphere, mosses and ferns of every variety, small waterfalls and cascades and boulder strewn pools along the Middle Fork River.  On this 2 night, 3 day trip through the Cranberry Wilderness of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia we will experience all this plus wide easy trails.  Truly an ideal hike as well as a magical experience!  Price: $125.00   Difficulty Rating: Moderate

MT. ROGERS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
Backpacking
May 13-18

This 60 mile hike will take you to the two highest peaks in Virginia - Mt. Rogers (5,729 feet in elevation) and Whitetop Mountain (5,520 feet), both along the Appalachian Trail.  The summit of these mountains are just two of the attractions on this 5 night, 6 day trip.  Wild ponies will literally walk with us through rolling meadows studded with huge cliffs of 500 million year-old volcanic rock as we trek through Grayson Highlands State Park.  After 37 miles of hiking on the A.T., we will join the Iron Mountain Trail.  Luxuriant forests that follow the mountain crest, and superb views, will highlight the 18 miles of this section, and we will rejoin the A.T. for a final 6 miles to complete our trip.   Price:  $235.00   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate-Challenging

APPALACHIAN TRAIL - NEW ENGLAND
Backpacking
June 9-15

Hiking in New England conjures up images of spruce forests, white birch and scenic ponds.  This 6 nite, 7 day trip on the 2,168 mile Appalachian Trail will bring those images alive as well as include magnificent views from "The Cobbles"  (outcroppings of marble that overlook the Hoosic River Valley).  The highlight of this 75 mile trek will be summitting 3,491 foot Mt. Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts.  The views from the stone tower at the summit will provide a panorama of the Green, Catskill, and Taconic Mountain Ranges and has inspired literary giants from Thoreau to Hawthorne.   Price:   $285.00   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate-Challenging

ROLLIN' ON THE RIVER
Biking/Whitewater Rafting
June 15-16

This weekend, Wildside Adventures women will be Rollin' On the River - actually, we will be rolling on two rivers!  This 1 night, 2 day trip will find us biking along the C & O Canal, a national historical park which follows the Potomac River.  We will then trade our bicycles in for rafts and check out the whitewater of the Shenandoah River as it tumbles into the Potomac River, carving a spectacular water course through the Blue Ridge Mountains.   Price:  $140.00   Difficulty Rating:   Easy

JOHN MUIR TRAIL
BIG SOUTH FORK NATIONAL RIVER & RECREATION AREA
Backpacking
June 22-25

John Muir became famous wandering the Sierras in California, but the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee and Kentucky were the first mountains he explored.  Located in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation area, this "eastern" John Muir Trail may be the BEST backpack in the Southeast!  This 3 night, 4 day trip will cover 40 miles and lead us by monumental sandstone cliffs, beguiling forests so green and dense they appear to swallow light, rock spires and rock shelters, waterfalls, pioneer homesites, and tumbling streams.  Nature at its best in every turn of the trail.   This national historic trail commemorates the 1867 journey through this plateau country by the noted conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club.   Price:  $165.00   Difficulty Rating:   Moderate

APPALACHIAN TRAIL/THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Backpacking/Volunteer Work
June 30-July 6

An opportunity to meet and work hands-on with the incredible people who devote their lives to the wellness of our planet!  We will start this 6 night, 7 day trip with a 2 night backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail and two of its side trails in central Virginia.  We will then join up with The VirginiaChapter of The Nature Conservancy and lend a hand at Fortune's Cove Preserve in Nelson County.   The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.  The next 4 nights and 5 days we will assist in maintaining an existing trail in this 800-acre preserve.  Fortune's Cove contains a unique collection of rocky outcrops and grassy glades, a rare natural community of grasses and lichens on west-facing slopes.  Our time spent working on the trail will allow the opportunity to learn about this new preserve and its jewels.  Join us for this unique opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature and help to preserve it.   Price:   $90.00   Difficulty Rating:  Backpacking - Moderate, Volunteer Work - Labor of love

"INDIANA JOAN" AND THE RUINS OF OLD RAG MOUNTAIN
Orienteering
July 6-7

This 1 night, 2 day trip will give you a feel for what it's like to search through ancient civilizations:  The ruins (18 cabins to be exact) and other hidden wonders of Old Rag Mountain located in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  After establishing a primitive camp, we will use map and compass and bushwhack along abandoned roads and invisible overland routes looking for "lost treasures" such as rarely seen waterfalls, desolate cabin sites, a unique mini canyon with its own waterfall, forgotten cemeteries, and the wreckage of an airplane.   This is an excellent trip for improving your orienteering skills.   Price:   $115   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

BIG SOUTH FORK NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA
Base Camp
July 14-20

Every once in awhile we all need a break from schedules. On this 6 night, 7 day backpacking Base Camp trip, we will leave the itinerary to the whim of the moment. The Big South Fork in Tennessee has 300 miles of trails to explore, and the geological features make it one of the most interesting areas for outdoor recreation in the eastern United States. On day 2 of our trip we will establish a Base Camp along scenic Laurel Creek in one of the more isolated and engaging sections of the park. During the next 4 days you set the pace, the area to hike in (or area to do nothing in!) From our base camp the numerous rock shelters, waterfalls, natural sandstone arches, and outstanding views are ours to hike through, relax with a good book, take a swim……whatever the group decides, we will do. Make your vacation what you want it to be – Wildside Adventures will come along to carry the maps and guidebook.    Price:  $275.00   Difficulty Rating:   Moderate

MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST
Backpacking
July 26-28

Waterfalls cascading into clear pools, high meadows offering incredible views, fast flowing mountain streams, summer wildflowers and a multitude of wildlife (including beaver ponds) - all this makes up all you could ask for from a backpacking trip!  This 2 night, 3 day trip in The Seneca Creek Backcountry of Monongahela National Forest will provide us with 25 miles of spectacular hiking along the ridges in West Virginia.   Price: $125.00  Difficulty Rating: Moderate

PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST
Backpacking/Rock Climbing Instruction
August 2-4

The Davidson River Valley in Pisgah National Forest is a masterpiece!  The River snakes it's way through some of the most beautiful mountain scenery, and the Valley contains some of the best waterfalls in North Carolina.  This 2 night, 3 day backpacking trip will cover approximately 20 miles and will include a day of basic rock climbing instruction from Granite Arches Climbing and Guide Service (www.granitearches.com).  Their Take Me Climbing instruction is designed to give you a taste of vertical adventure.  Their focus is on the experience of climbing and instruction is kept to a minimum.  (We will have a sample of climbing - not a day full of lectures.)  Our climbing will take place on Cedar Rock, one of three granite massifs in the area that are reputed to be among the oldest exposed rocks on the planet.   Price:  $210   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate-Challenging.   Photo courtesy of ) Granite Arches

MULTI-ADVENTURE TRIP
Backpacking/Biking/Canoeing
August 17-30

This might possibly be the most exciting and adventurous 2 week outdoor vacation you will ever have!  We will kick it off by lacing up our boots for a 5 night, 6 day backpacking trip on th 2,168 mile Appalachian Trail through Pennsylvania and Maryland.   We will then trade boots for bike, and ride along the Potomac River on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O) Towpath from Cumberland, MD to Washington, DC.  Not just a day bike ride, but we will complete the entire 184 mile route over 5 nights and 6 days.  Finally (if that isn't enough!) we'll give our legs a rest and spend 2 days canoeing.  Along the way we will have time to swim, take a walk through Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, view the abundant waterfowl along the river, and, most importantly, you will experience all of this with women who share the same passion and love for time spent in the outdoors.  If your vacation time will not allow you to join us for the full two weeks, or you love to bike but aren't too crazy about hiking, then we will be happy to have you take part in whichever adventure you prefer (contact us for prices on partial trips).   Price:  $675.00   Difficulty Rating:  *Backpacking - Moderate (Averaging 9 miles per day),   Biking - Moderate (the towpath is completely level and daily rides average 35 miles per day),    Canoeing - Slow and easy!

JAMES RIVER WILDERNESS BASIN
Canoeing/Rock Climbing/Hiking
September 13-15

If you are one of those women who likes to put as much adventure into a weekend as is humanly possible, then this Wildside adventure is just what you are searching for!  Canoeing down the James River of Virginia will be our mode of transportation on this 2 night, 3 day trip.  Along the way we will run Class III rapids and spend an afternoon near Balcony Falls learning the basics of rock climbing.  Also, there will be hiking in this beautiful wilderness basin area, and we will still have some time for a refreshing dip in the river next to our campsites.  This weekend is ideal to learn new skills or improve the ones you already have.   Price:  $280   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

EXPEDITION INSPIRATION FUND FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
APPALACHIAN TRAIL-TENNESSEE
Backpacking
September 15-21

Melody will be leading this hike to raise awareness and money to benefit breast cancer research. Expedition Inspiration’s active adventures are structured to empower and promote the health and well-being of all who participate while increasing the amount of funding available for breast cancer research.  Although Expedition Inspiration was conceived as a tribute to the courage and determination of breast cancer survivors and to the memories of the thousands of women whose lives were cut short by the disease, ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE.

Hiking trails and picturesque mountains are synonymous in Tennessee, and this 50 mile section on the 2,168 mile Appalachian Trail will prove that notion true.   Not only will this trek cross five mountains above 5,400 feet in elevation, three of these peaks are "balds".  Although the Southern Appalachians have no treeline, there are many bald mountains, the origins of which remain a mystery to scientists.  These balds offer breathtaking 360 degree views, which provide a feeling of hiking in an endless meadow. Laurel Fork Gorge, laced with lush rhododendron, descends to Laurel Falls, for a well deserved swim in its crystal clear waters.  This is backpacking adventure at its best.  It offers the more experienced hiker a chance to practice their skills, yet offers the novice outdoor enthusiast the opportunity to learn the basics of backpacking.

Please contact Expedition Inspiration for more information on this trip or for a listing of their other active adventures:

Expedition Inspiration
www.expeditioninspiration.org
(208) 726-6456
ei@expeditioninspiration.org
P.O. Box 4289
Ketchum, ID 83340

BIG SOUTH FORK NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA
Backpacking
September 27-29

A world as primitive as the one traveled by our ancient ancestors awaits us on this 2 night, 3 day trip in the Kentucky portion of the Big South Fork Recreation Area.   Yahoo Falls drops 113 feet from a massive rock shelter into its own amphitheater of sight and sound.  We will also make our way past an 80-foot stone arch that will leave us dwarfed in its shadow and marveled by its scope.  Add to these the wonders of Princess Falls, Lick Creek Falls, numerous rock shelters and natural sandstone arches, and you will witness 22 miles of a land as old as time and sublime in its endurance.    Price:  $130   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY, PENNSYLVANIA
Backpacking/Birds of prey fall migration
October 4-6

The 2,168 mile Appalachian Trail passes through a corridor adjacent to the eastern boundary of one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world - Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.  On this 23 mile, 2 night, 3 day backpacking trip we will combine incredible views from the ridges of Pennsylvania with witnessing one of the most spectacular bird migrations in the country.  Our second day on the trail we will spend the afternoon at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary where some 30,000 birds of prey and waterfowl will pass through over the course of the migration period (August-December).   Don't forget your field glasses!   Price:  $140.00    Difficulty Rating:  Moderate

APPALACHIAN TRAIL/NANTAHALA RIVER
Backpacking/Kayak Instruction
October 13-18

Mountains and rivers - perfect together!  combine the two on this 5 night, 6 day adventure and you've got the ingredients for an outdoor adventure to remember.  No, you don't have to carry a kayak - it will be waiting for you at the Nantahala River.  Before we get to the river, however, we will backpack three nights over North Carolina's magnificent "Bald" mountains where we will have spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.  Nantahala Outdoor Center (www.noc.com) will provide a day of personalized kayaking instruction on the Nantahala River so we can give your legs a rest before completing our backpacking trip.   Price:  $315.00   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate-Challenging    Photo courtesy of ) NOC

GREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL
Biking
October 25-27

What better way to welcome spring than with a bike ride on the Greenbrier River Trail.    This 80 mile converted railroad bed winds its way through small picturesque towns as it follows the Greenbrier River.  The Allegheny Mountains serve as a breathtaking backdrop for this 2 night, 3 day trip in eastern West Virginia.  Oil up your chain, pump up your tires, and let's ride!  Price:  $190.00    Difficulty Rating:  Easy

LONG DISTANCE HIKING
Workshop
November 1-3

This workshop is designed for the beginner or experienced backpacker who dreams of a long distance hike - be it 100 miles or all 2,168 miles of the Appalachian Trail.  Backpacking skills required for a long distance hike will be discussed and demonstrated.  Everything will be covered from purchasing gear to planning maildrops.  PLUS, we will work in some time to hike in beautiful Michaux State Forest.  This 2 night, 2 day workshop will be held at Anna Michener Cabin (it is primitive) near the Appalachian Trail in Michaux State Forest, Pennsylvania.   Price:  $95

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK WATERFALL WONDER
Backpacking
November 8-10

Join us on this waterfall extravaganza of a 2 night, 3 day backpack trip in Shenandoah National Park.  White Oak Canyon has more falls per mile than any other stream in the park . . . and the second highest at 86 feet!  We will follow cascades as they spill down narrow gorges and will be serenaded by their white noise until they reach their destination of Cedar Falls.  With the approach of winter, the forest opens up and offers us incredible views which are missed during the summer months.  So many trails and so many falls - 3 days may not be enough time!  Price:  $125   Difficulty Rating:  Moderate-Challenging

Note:  2003 Schedule will be available late November!

Please Note:  Wildside Adventure trips and programs are updated on a continual basis.  If you don't see the kind of trip you're looking for, we'll be happy to set one up for you or your group!  Call us for rates and information.