Outing Club spent weekend hiking and camping Lake George

Haley Newman, Contributing Writer

On Saturday April 6 the Outing Club traveled to Lake George. Lake George is a town perched on the edge of the Adirondacks and with many mountains to choose from, it was hard for the Outing Club to decide on a location for their latest hike. However, they finally settled on the Tongue Mountain Range. The group met outside of West College late on Saturday morning, where novice hikers were provided with equipment once they arrived. Despite the gloomy forecast, the group of hikers kept a positive attitude. At 12:30 p.m. the bus departed the College. After traveling for around an hour and a half, the group made it to the base of the mountains.

Despite conditions being less than favorable for the hike, everyone took the proper precautions to stay safe on the journey.

Some stops were clear, but others were covered in ice. A two-mile hike ended up taking about four hours given the conditions of the trails.

After a grueling venture to the top, the hikers were greeted with a breathtaking sunset. However, before they could truly enjoy the view, the group had to pitch their tents and make a fire.

Dinner consisted of rice packs cooked with melted snow over an open fire. Later came the s’mores, stars and sleeping bags.

In the morning many hikers talked of the discomfort of sleeping on the ground, but the sunset made everything worth it. It was cold in the morning, but the morning fire got everyone ready for the long day ahead.

About 10 minutes into the descent, the group leaders decided it would be best to go down the way the group had come instead of going the longer way that had previously been planned. It was the safest route because of the ice.

The outing club provided substantial assistance to those less-experienced hikers. Once the whole group had

made it to the bottom, they were tired and ready for a rest on the ride home. However, since the shorter hike down had prevented the group from viewing the lake, they stopped in the town to see the lake.

When the Outing Club made it back to college safely, the group was grateful for the wonderful weather and company.

Walking outdoors has been shown to provide benefits to those that do it and after completing the trip most of the participants could feel the sense of accomplishment. Despite some parts of the journey being challenging, all of the students made it to the end. Yet again the outing club made the most of the College’s proximity to the Adirondacks.

The Outing Club gives students the opportunity to explore the wider Capital Region and make the most out of Union’s location. They sponsor many events throughout the year, including skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, rock climbing and camping trips with little-to-no cost to students. These trips run for several weekends throughout the term, supplying equipment and expertise and being welcoming to all.