Adventure Weekend in Red RIver Gorge, KY

Hiking, underground kayak, via ferrata, rocking climbing! Please read EVERYTHING, and scroll to the bottom for additional sign-up instructions.

Kick off spring with a 3 day weekend of adventure! Red River Gorge is an adventure oasis in eastern Kentucky. For rock climbers, the area boasts more than 4,000 climbing routes with more being added. There are also many miles of hiking trails in the Daniel Boone National Forest and adjacent state parks. There are also opportunities to go paddling on parts of the Red River, and to participate in other activities like zip-lining and ORV-ing.

For this particular weekend, member Jeff McWilliams has lined up some of his favorite activities. All activities are optional. For the paid activities, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REGISTERING SEPARATELY FOR THE KAYAK AND/OR VIA FERRATA BEFORE SPOTS RUN OUT. Spots are also limited on the led hikes and climbs due to Leave No Trace considerations.

** Your RSVP fee goes to support the Solar Outdoors club. Camping, the paddle underground, and via ferrata fees must be paid separately, by you, when you register or when you arrive.

Itinerary:

Thursday, March 26th

• Drive to Red River Gorge, KY. Arrive late, set up tents at Land of the Arches campground.

Friday, March 27th

• 8:00am pack a lunch and make breakfast! We'll be spending the day in the northern part of the gorge, away from most of the restaurants and gas stations.
• 9:00am - drive to Copperas Falls TH and Hike to Copperas Falls. A 3 mile round trip hike with little elevation change, but be prepared for potentially wet creek crossings.
• 11:00am - drive to Gladie Discovery Center so that newcomers can gather information about the area for future trips. Also a good bathroom stop.
• 12:00pm - Hike to Raven Rock. A 4 mile round trip hike with 650 feet elevation gain to the top. The lower trail may be muddy in places, but the upper trail is smooth and easy going. When you reach the top, you’ll encounter a tree covered plateau with expansive views of Red River Gorge in all directions. Parking is limited. We may have to spot cars.
• 2:00pm - Bonus hike to Grays Arch. A 4 mile round trip hike with 850ft total elevation gain. Parking is less than 5 minutes from Raven Rock parking. Doing this hike will be completely dependent on group interest.
• Dinner - probably at Miguel’s Pizza.

Saturday, March 28th

• 9:30am-10:30am - Paddle Under Ground, a 1 hour underground kayaking experience. $65.00 / person and you must register yourself.
• 12:30pm - 6:30pm. Via Ferrata at Southeast Mountain Guides. $130.00/person and you must RSVP to the separate Meetup event at https://www.meetup.com/solar-outdoors/events/312639239 This is a great experience for anyone of reasonable fitness. You do not need to be a rock climber to do this, although people with climbing experience will be at an advantage.
  7:00pm - 9:00pm - Dinner TBD. There are multiple restaurants nearby including Hops, The Hungry Hiker, Red Point BBQ, La Cabana, and Thatcher BBQ. We'll pick one ahead of time and make reservations if needed.

Sunday, March 29th

• 9:00am - rock climbing. This will be limited to a small group due to the limited space at rock climbing crags and Leave No Trace considerations. You need to have your own rock climbing harness, shoes, and a helmet at minimum. Experience climbing in a rock climbing gym is recommended. Even easy routes outdoors can be challenging. Talk to Jeff for more info if you are interested.
• 9:00am - independent hike For those not going rock climbing, feel free to lead yourself on another hike nearby. Natural Bridge State Park is close by, and a good loop is to start at the Trailhead Parking Lot right off of Natural Bridge Rd, cross the foot bridge, follow the “Original Trail” up to Natural Bridge, continue to Lover’s Leap, and then go down either Devil’s Gulch or Needle’s Eye before finding your way back to the parking lot. Trail map here Not interested in more hiking? There are SUP and Kayak rentals at Mill Creek Lake, or you can check out Kayak the Red and arrange to go kayaking.
• Early afternoon - lunch and then drive back to Metro Detroit.

ADDITIONAL SIGN UP INSTRUCTIONS

1. If you want to do the Gorge Underground paddle, follow the links and register for the correct date & time slot. Select the Classic Kayak Tour. 1 hour. $65.00 each. I don't control the quotas. Read each web site's requirements in terms of clothing, equipment, fitness, etc. You can also call them at 859-407-5844. For the Via Ferrata, RSVP to the separate Meetup or Venmo me the registration amount.
2. Go to the master sign-up sheet and visit the tabs for the activities being led by me. Put each individual's name down for activities you'd like to participate in. For the gorge underground paddle and the via ferrata, put down your name AFTER you've made your paid reservation. The master signup sheet helps me keep track of who's doing what.
3. RSVP here LAST. Participation really isn't limited by the headcount here, but more by the quotas for each activity. Also, feel free to Venmo or Paypal me instead of RSVPing here. It will save you money.

Don't want to camp at Land of the Arches? There are other lodging opportunities nearby and you can still join the group for activities. Natural Bridge State Park has RV camping and a hotel-like lodge. "Bedrock RRG" is a cool hostel-like lodging with private rooms but shared public spaces. There are numerous cabin rentals on AirBNB and VRBO.

COST: $10.00 directly or $15.00 via Meetup. Save fees by sending me money via PayPal or Venmo.

Please Note: Club membership is required to participate in our activities and workshops posted on our Meetup site. Annual dues are $15 for individuals. Select this link to become a member https://form.jotform.com/251014794107149.

Camping is $8.00 per person, per night. You pay when you arrive at the campground by visiting a QR Code. They also have cash envelopes. Each tent is expected to have a "tag" indicating you've paid. The cost covers camping and the use of the showers, etc.

Questions: email jeff.mcwilliams@gmail.com or see me at an upcoming meeting. PH 248-321-1987