Before the Trip
Before the Trip- Ropes and Initiatives - Orientation
Caving is a high adventure sport with many physical and mental challenges. Cavers will explore wild caves and learn to navigate the different natural elements and challenges found in these amazing locations. Hiking, bouldering, rock climbing, and crawling are all skills that cavers need to learn. Caving is also a very gear intensive sport and cavers must learn how to dress and use their gear to stay safe in a cave. Don't worry- we have the equipment, and we will teach you to how to cave!
Before we ever make a trip to a cave, the new cavers and our leaders builds trust, cooperation and teamwork in a series of exercises at a local Ropes & Initiative course. This is our orientation course and when we get more specific with the skills and equipment. We will do an assortment of progressive physical tasks on special equipment involving logs, stumps, ropes or wires/cables. Some require individual stamina while others demand group problem solving skills. Safety is a constant factor. Safety harnesses are used on all high activities. This is also a good opportunity for new cavers to meet other cavers and some of our leaders. That way cavers already have friends and friendly faces when the trip happens.
The ropes and initiatives course emphasizes spotting. Spotting is the act of being ready (generally with your hands up) to catch a person who may be falling, or just to give a boost for help over an obstacle. Most of all, spotting is a way of assuring that you are there if they need you. Knowing someone is there can help give enough confidence to meet any challenge.
During Ropes & Initiatives we will also bring our Lending Library so that new cavers can borrow most of the equipment that is needed for a caving trip. We will also go over the specifics on how the trip works and answer questions. Adult leaders and family members are encouraged to attend to learn what is expected. Ropes & Initiatives is done either at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg or a Place for Girls in Chesapeake.
Caving is a high adventure sport with many physical and mental challenges. Cavers will explore wild caves and learn to navigate the different natural elements and challenges found in these amazing locations. Hiking, bouldering, rock climbing, and crawling are all skills that cavers need to learn. Caving is also a very gear intensive sport and cavers must learn how to dress and use their gear to stay safe in a cave. Don't worry- we have the equipment, and we will teach you to how to cave!
Before we ever make a trip to a cave, the new cavers and our leaders builds trust, cooperation and teamwork in a series of exercises at a local Ropes & Initiative course. This is our orientation course and when we get more specific with the skills and equipment. We will do an assortment of progressive physical tasks on special equipment involving logs, stumps, ropes or wires/cables. Some require individual stamina while others demand group problem solving skills. Safety is a constant factor. Safety harnesses are used on all high activities. This is also a good opportunity for new cavers to meet other cavers and some of our leaders. That way cavers already have friends and friendly faces when the trip happens.
The ropes and initiatives course emphasizes spotting. Spotting is the act of being ready (generally with your hands up) to catch a person who may be falling, or just to give a boost for help over an obstacle. Most of all, spotting is a way of assuring that you are there if they need you. Knowing someone is there can help give enough confidence to meet any challenge.
During Ropes & Initiatives we will also bring our Lending Library so that new cavers can borrow most of the equipment that is needed for a caving trip. We will also go over the specifics on how the trip works and answer questions. Adult leaders and family members are encouraged to attend to learn what is expected. Ropes & Initiatives is done either at Camp Skimino in Williamsburg or a Place for Girls in Chesapeake.
How the Caving Trips Work - Itinerary
Thursday - 4:30 pm Pick up sites are at A Place for Girls 912 Cedar Road, Chesapeake or Camp Skimino, 448 Fenton Mill Road, Williamsburg 23188. Experienced cavers can make arrangements to drive to West Virginia separately.
Cavers need to have all of their gear packed (duffel bags or storage boxes) and ready to load when they get to the pickup site. Cavers will be assigned to cars/vans to travel to West Virginia. Cavers will get wristbands to wear and we will check to make sure that we have all of the Cavers' forms. Expect to be seated in full cars with a lot of gear. We need to leave the pickup site by 5 pm so please be on time.
Our first stop will be around 8:30 pm at the Sheetz in Fishersville (about 10 miles past Afton Mountain). Therefore, Cavers should eat and go to the bathroom before coming to the pickup site. Cavers can get something to eat and drink at Sheetz at their own expense.
We will arrive at the Organ Cave Community Center, Rte 219 and 63, Caldwell, West Virginia around 11 pm- midnight. Our cooks will already be at OCCC and have the facility opened up. Cavers will need to unload their gear to their rooms and then help unload gear and equipment for the weekend. Thursday is a long night so cavers need to be prepared to go to bed late.
CCC is an early 20th century schoolhouse that has been converted to a Community Center. There four large school rooms that we use for sleeping- older girls, younger girls, adult females, adult males. There is a large kitchen and dining room area as well as female and male bathrooms.
Friday and Saturday - up early, check posted list for what group you are in, group leaders and which van. Group leaders meet for coffee before breakfast. Everyone else meets in dining hall for instructions. Breakfast is served around 7:30- 8 am. After breakfast we have announcements and then Caving Groups will break off individually to pack gear to travel to their caves. Everyone needs to pack lunch and snacks for the days so the cooks will put out lunch supplies once breakfast is cleaned up. Caving groups leave OCCC around 9 - 10 am. Caving groups will be at their caves until 2- 4 pm. After caving, caving groups go the car wash to clearn and sterilize gear before going to the showers. Showers are at Greenbrier High School in Lewisburg and are open between 4:30- 6 pm. After showers, caving groups return to OCCC to lay out their gear to dry and enjoy soup and snack until dinner time. Dinner is served around 7-7:30 pm. After dinner we have group activities such as games, skits, or crafts. Lights out are 10-11 pm. Saturday night everyone will help begin to pack up and put away equipment.
Sunday 7 a.m. - wake up and breakfast are early on Sunday. Our goal is to leave OCCC by 9 am. All cavers are expected to help with the final pack up and cleaning. Once we are packed up, the leaders will do the Lost and Found "auction" and then we will have Closing Ceremonies on the front lawn. We will then load the cars and vans and leave for home. Around 11 am we will stop at the Wegmann's in Charlottesville for lunch at each caver's expense. By noon we are back on our way and should reach the pick-up sites between 3- 4 pm.
Cavers need to have all of their gear packed (duffel bags or storage boxes) and ready to load when they get to the pickup site. Cavers will be assigned to cars/vans to travel to West Virginia. Cavers will get wristbands to wear and we will check to make sure that we have all of the Cavers' forms. Expect to be seated in full cars with a lot of gear. We need to leave the pickup site by 5 pm so please be on time.
Our first stop will be around 8:30 pm at the Sheetz in Fishersville (about 10 miles past Afton Mountain). Therefore, Cavers should eat and go to the bathroom before coming to the pickup site. Cavers can get something to eat and drink at Sheetz at their own expense.
We will arrive at the Organ Cave Community Center, Rte 219 and 63, Caldwell, West Virginia around 11 pm- midnight. Our cooks will already be at OCCC and have the facility opened up. Cavers will need to unload their gear to their rooms and then help unload gear and equipment for the weekend. Thursday is a long night so cavers need to be prepared to go to bed late.
CCC is an early 20th century schoolhouse that has been converted to a Community Center. There four large school rooms that we use for sleeping- older girls, younger girls, adult females, adult males. There is a large kitchen and dining room area as well as female and male bathrooms.
Friday and Saturday - up early, check posted list for what group you are in, group leaders and which van. Group leaders meet for coffee before breakfast. Everyone else meets in dining hall for instructions. Breakfast is served around 7:30- 8 am. After breakfast we have announcements and then Caving Groups will break off individually to pack gear to travel to their caves. Everyone needs to pack lunch and snacks for the days so the cooks will put out lunch supplies once breakfast is cleaned up. Caving groups leave OCCC around 9 - 10 am. Caving groups will be at their caves until 2- 4 pm. After caving, caving groups go the car wash to clearn and sterilize gear before going to the showers. Showers are at Greenbrier High School in Lewisburg and are open between 4:30- 6 pm. After showers, caving groups return to OCCC to lay out their gear to dry and enjoy soup and snack until dinner time. Dinner is served around 7-7:30 pm. After dinner we have group activities such as games, skits, or crafts. Lights out are 10-11 pm. Saturday night everyone will help begin to pack up and put away equipment.
Sunday 7 a.m. - wake up and breakfast are early on Sunday. Our goal is to leave OCCC by 9 am. All cavers are expected to help with the final pack up and cleaning. Once we are packed up, the leaders will do the Lost and Found "auction" and then we will have Closing Ceremonies on the front lawn. We will then load the cars and vans and leave for home. Around 11 am we will stop at the Wegmann's in Charlottesville for lunch at each caver's expense. By noon we are back on our way and should reach the pick-up sites between 3- 4 pm.