About us
Central Virginia Trailblazers was established in 2011 as an activity based hiking and outdoor adventure group in Richmond, Virginia. At the time, there were few if any active groups in the area that welcomed hikers and adventure lovers of all experience levels. Over the years, we have brought together over 3,000 like-minded individuals throughout Greater Richmond and beyond who have taken part in over 1,000 adventures.
Our activities reflect the diversity of our members. The hikes on our calendar range from casual, beginner-level strolls through local parks and neighborhoods to strenuous overnight backpacking trips in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition to hiking, other popular activities include car camping, kayaking, recreational biking, and social gatherings. Most activities and trips are within an hour or two of Richmond, but we often travel beyond Virginiaās borders for multi-day trips to other states.
A tremendous amount of planning and coordination is required to make these events happen. We are extremely fortunate to have an exceptional group of volunteer organizers (āAdventure Specialistsā), all of whom donate their time, effort, talent, and experience to make these amazing trips possible. Their loyalty and dedication is one of the key reasons that CVT stands out from other groups.
Upcoming events
10
House Mountain (2850', 9 miles)
Oilville Park and Ride, 2273 Oilville Road (Rt 617), Maidens, VA, USThe House Mountain hike near Lexington Virginia is really two out-and-back hikes in one. Big House Mountain,
with great views to the west from Goat Point Overlook, and Little House Mountain, with its spectacular views of
the Shenandoah Valley to the northeast. Goat Point was named for a local goat that would look for handouts from
hikers around 2011. Unfortunately the goat has not been seen in several years, but the climb to the overlook on
Big House Mountain is definitely worth the effort.
Let's go see some leaves and suffer through some massive elevation together š
We will be stopping after the hike for some festive Autumn food and beverages.HIKE DETAILS
Difficulty: strenuous
Hike Distance: 9 miles
Elevation Change: 2600'
Hike Pace: moderate
Terrain: dirt trail, rocky
Trail Info:
https://myhikes.org/hu_maps/house-mountain-hike/Map.pdf
Dogs Allowed: Yes
What to bring: Bring a daypack with plenty of water, snacks/lunch, insect repellant, sunscreen, ID, and basic first aid supplies.
Carpool fee for this hike: $15 per person assuming a full car load.
Cancellation: If weather becomes an issue, organizer will comment on this event page. Please check comments prior to heading out for any changes or cancellations.6 attendees
Hawksbill Summit extended loop- Day Hike 8.0 miles
Location not specified yetShenandoahās highest peak. The viewing platform on top of Hawksbill offers a magnificent 360-degree panoramic view of the Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Virginia Piedmont.
Will start and end from Fisher's Gap via AT, loop around Hawksbill in the middle.
Maybe peak leaf colors?
Pace will be closer to 1.5-2.5 mph as necessary.
No meeting at the trailhead.I will match the groupās pace to that of the slowest hiker.
8 miles @ 2.0 mph = 4.0 hours of hike time.Typically we combine these hikes with OPTIONAL visits to local wineries for tastings and bon vivanterie.
tentative plan: https://www.patchbrewingco.com/HIKE DETAILS
Meeting at carpool location at 8 AM.
No meeting at the trailhead.
Coordination does not work.Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous BRING YOUR HIKING POLES
Hike Distance: 8.0 miles
Elevation Change: +2000 / -2000
Hike Pace: Moderate 1.5 - 2.5 mph
Terrain: mountainous with a steep climb to the peak
More info:
Trail Map: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/Hawksbill_RoadTrail.pdfRecommended hiking gear: (Broken in hiking shoes/boots; backpack with water, snacks, rain gear, sunscreen, insect repellent, basic first aid kit)
Organizer will Provide: very basic first aid and send out additional hike details and carpool location the day before via email. (Check your notification settings)
Dogs Allowed: yes
Bring a snack or lunch for the trail - we will stop and eat/rest in a nice spot. It is typical to contribute $$ to driver to defray the cost of gas prices.
Cancellation: If weather becomes an issue, please check your email or contact the "Adventure Specialist" for this event.
Max Group Size: 20
GENERAL DETAILS
RSVPS close Saturday Oct 24th (day before) the event. This provides time for organizer to organize, settle things, and notify all of group plans. Organizer will send a DM Saturday with the carpool location (west end of Richmond VA). Please check your Meetup Site settings so that you get emails from event organizers.
If you cannot sign up it most likely means that event is full, or you + number of guests exceeds max amount, or RSVPs are closed.
Send me a direct email from Meetup if you have any questions (my profile page has that option):
https://www.meetup.com/central-virginia-trailblazers/members/27493742/
Steve
20 attendees
Halloween Lights hike- West of the Boulevard (3-4 miles)
Fire and Hops Pizza, 1 N Belmont Ave, Richmond, VA, USThe season is in full swing! Let's check out the creative Halloween displays west of the Boulevard. We'll visit the most festive Halloween homes. Optional food/beer post hike at
Fire and Hops Pizza Co. We'll start a little later so that it is dark for the hike and lights.
Distance: 3-4 miles
Terrain: pavement
Elevation gain: +-100
Pace: moderate
Dogs allowed: yes
Bring or wear: water and a snack, broken in boots or shoes
Check event page comments for any weather related updates or changes.
Please remember to change your RSVP as soon as you know you will not be attending. This gives those on the waitlist a chance to get bumped up with enough notice to plan accordingly.20 attendees
Past events
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