Virginia Wilderness Survival 101 & Hiking The Triple Crown

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Find your bold on this Wilderness Survival Training & Hiking in Virginia weekend workshop for women only! Slay the most iconic summits on the Appalachian Trail—Dragon’s Tooth, Tinker Cliffs, McAfee Knob (known as Virginia’s Triple Crown)—as you earn your survival skills badge in Catawba, Virginia. Between hikes, learn basic hands-on wilderness survival training skills from emergency bug-hunting to fire-building in the rain.

HIKING IN VIRGINIA

First, kick off your adventure on Thursday with arriving to our lodge in the woods in the late afternoon. Your feet won’t be settled for long! Throughout the weekend, you’ll be completing the follow hikes, which all add up to the Triple Crown!

DRAGON’S TOOTH HIKE

Gear up to tick off the first jewel in the crown: Dragon’s Tooth. It’s the shortest of the three hikes, but the most exciting. Scramble up rocks and via ferrata-type ladders to reach the summit and the huge monolith stretching to the sky on the summit. Feel daring? Climb up the monolith for 360 degree views of the valley below and all the bragging rights.

TINKER CLIFFS HIKE

The next morning, embark on your hike with the most elevation gain: Tinker Cliffs. It’s a beautiful hike, taking you across a field where you’ll be able to stare way up to our goal. Trek through the “Green Tunnel” with a gnarly steep section. Then, connect with the Appalachian Trail to reach the summit. Then you get to kick back, break out that sandwich, and bask in the view of the next day’s summit: McAfee Knob.

MCAFEE KNOB HIKE

Saturday evening, we’ll hit a mall walker’s stride as we jump on the trail to catch one of the best sunsets. The hustle up the mountain is totally worth the burning quads as you rest your hiker booty and kick your legs off the edge of the world on McAfee Knob. There’s a reason why it’s one of the most photographed spots on the Appalachian Trail. (And, one of our favorites!)

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS TRAINING

On Saturday morning, we’ll take a short hike to our outdoor classroom. Here, we’ll spend the day learning and practicing wilderness survival skills. You’ll want to grab a notebook and a pen to scratch down some notes. Throughout the day, learn a variety of knots, how to construct a few types of wilderness shelters, how to start and feed a fire even in the rain, and which bugs are the tastiest for eating! 🦗 Yes, it is completely hands-on. You will be building fires and shelters all with a supportive group of like-minded, fun women.

BACKCOUNTRY PERSONAL SELF PROTECTION

On your final day in wilderness paradise, learn hands on Backcountry Personal Self Protection. During this hands-on course, gain these necessary survival skills:

• break free from a stranger’s hold
• recognize the signs of threatening behavior
• learn to use objects you carry in your day pack as a weapon

You’ll be able to practice in a supportive environment with a “Red-Man Suit” while learning a proper palm strike, finger fan, knee jab, knee strike, and blocking moves. KA-POW!!! We’ll say goodbye Sunday afternoon, after refueling our bodies during one last delicious lunch at our Mountain Lodge.

BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN LODGE IN CATAWBA, VIRGINIA

Each night, rest your head at a beautiful lodge nestled in Catawba, Virginia. It lies at the base of the mountains surrounded by woods without another trace of humanity in sight. Call it home for a few days, with freedom to stretch your legs on the lawn soaking up the sun after hiking, sharing stories around a campfire, or knocking back a few beers in the communal area. And, food! Your dinners and breakfasts will be home-cooked goodness served up on a plate! (Don’t worry! Bugs are optional and not on the menu!)

It’s a wonderfully wild weekend with a small group of women hiking in Virginia along the Appalachian Trail and learning wilderness survival tactics. Over the course of a long weekend you’ll quickly grow close with your posse of Explorer Chicks as you hike the trails and share memories of summits. Join us to experience this small-group women’s only hiking weekend yourself!

See the website for full itinerary, details and to book.
https://explorerchick.com/adventures/virginia-hiking-survival-101/
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