The Outing Club

The W&L Outing Club offers students, faculty, and staff a variety of outdoor activities and classes. W&L students lead most of the activities, which include backpacking, fly fishing, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, caving, skiing, and outdoor cooking. Trips vary in length from day hikes to ten-day trips held during February and Spring break. Equipment and trip planning resources are available to all Outing Club members who want to do their own trips.

W&L Outing Club Membership

Membership to the W&L Outing Club entitles you to access our indoor climbing facility, access our bike shop, participate in all day trips,overnight trips, outdoor classes, and allows you to check out any outdoor equipment (SUP’s, kayaks, bikes, packs, tents and more), without further cost. Trip sign-ups and equipment are limited so all sign-ups and rentals will be taken on a first-come first-served basis. 

Where We Are

Want to get to the Outing Club to checkout equipment, a bike or climb the rockwall? Go to 159 West Denny Circle, right next to the Tennis Center and the Baseball Field. 

The Outing Club meeting room is located on Campus Level of the Elrod Commons, room 114.The Outing Club House is located at 203 East Washington St. in Davidson Park.We can be reached by phone at (540) 458-4066 or by e-mail at outing@wlu.edu.

Outing Club Merchandise

  • Outing Club Membership – $40 (for 4 years Undergraduate Students or 3 years Law Students)
  • Outing Club Guidebook – $15
  • Wildflowers of W&L poster – $12
  • Nalgene water bottle with OC Logo – $15
  • Crazy Creek Chair with OC Logo – $45
  • Outing Club patch – $5

Outing Club Hours

Sunday (Oct 5)
closed
Monday (Oct 6)
3:00-5:00pm
Tuesday (Oct 7)
closed
Wednesday (Oct 8)
closed
Thursday (Oct 9)
closed
Friday (Oct 10)
3:00-5:00pm
Saturday (Oct 11)
closed

Climbing Wall Hours

Sunday (Oct 5)
3:00-7:00pm
Monday (Oct 6)
5:00-7:00pm
Tuesday (Oct 7)
3:00-5:00pm
Wednesday (Oct 8)
5:00-7:00pm
Thursday (Oct 9)
3:00-5:00pm
Friday (Oct 10)
5:00-7:00pm
Saturday (Oct 11)
closed

OC Events

Oct 09 - Oct 11 - All Day

Reading Days Backpacking in Grayson Highlands

Join us on a three-day intermediate backpacking trip in the beautiful Grayson Highlands State Park. Enjoy stunning

Oct 09 - Oct 11 - All Day

Top Rope Climbing Instructor Course

The cost of this trip is $375. Additional funding may be availabe through Crux climbing club. The PCIA Single Pit

Oct 10 - Oct 11 - All Day

Beginner Surfing in the Outer Banks

This trip costs $170, charged to your student account on the day of the trip. Spend your reading days with the ou

Oct 10 - Oct 11 - All Day

Ziplining and Whitewater Rafting on the Lower Gauley

Come join the outing club on an epic weekend of ziplining, camping, and whitewater! Zipline through the New River G

Oct 11 - Oct 12 - All Day

Apple Orchard Falls Overnight -- App Adventure Lite

Miss those first-weekend vibes? Come experience (or re-experience) App Adventure. We’ll hit Apple Orchard Falls for

Oct 12 - All Day

Whitewater Rafting on the Upper Gauley

The Upper Gauley River is the epitome of whitewater excitement! Consistently ranked as one of the top five rivers t

Oct 12 - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The Experience Exchange Meeting

The Experience Exchange – W&L’s outdoors and sustainability magazine – is growing fast and looking for new team

Oct 14 - 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Red Tag Belay Clinic Pt. 1

Learn how to lead climb and belay, and all the skills you need to get your red tag! The ability to sport climb (in

Oct 16 - 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Red Tag Belay Clinic Pt. 2

Learn how to lead climb and belay, and all the skills you need to get your red tag! The ability to sport climb (in

Oct 17 - Oct 19 - All Day

Triple Crown Backpacking Trip

Have you wanted to see the Virginia Blue Ridge like never before? Join Grace and Mac on a 26 mile weekend backpacki

Oct 19 - 5:30 am - 8:30 pm

Upper Gauley Whitewater Rafting

The Upper Gauley River is the epitome of whitewater excitement! Consistently ranked as one of the top five rivers t

Oct 19 - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The Experience Exchange Meeting

The Experience Exchange – W&L’s outdoors and sustainability magazine – is growing fast and looking for new team

Oct 26 - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The Experience Exchange Meeting

The Experience Exchange – W&L’s outdoors and sustainability magazine – is growing fast and looking for new team

Oct 30 - 2:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Horseback Riding

Saddle up for a beginner- friendly horseback riding trip in Hot Springs, Va! We’ll leave from the OC Pavillion at 2

Oct 31 - 2:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Halloween Caving at Island Ford

No Friday afternoon plans? COme get in the spirit of Halloween with the OC at Island Ford Cave! This is a beginner

Adventures Aplenty

Many students’ first adventure with the Outing Club happens during their first week on campus ⁠— on the Appalachian Adventure trip during Leading Edge.

Appalachian Adventure, which takes students on a four-night hike of the Appalachian Trail, is the most popular Leading Edge trip at W&L.

In the Great Outdoors

The surrounding area provides a scenic playground for hikers, cyclists, climbers, paddlers and fly fishers — and the Outing Club does it all all.

Adventures


Meet Gaby White ’27

White has embraced several leadership opportunities at W&L.

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Tackling the Bucket List

Students in the Outing Club’s new pilot Spring Term program had the chance to step outside their comfort zones one more time before Commencement.

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What the Mountain Gives You

Chris Paudel ’28 set out to challenge himself — and cultural stereotypes — through a mountaineering expedition in his home country of Nepal.

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Poetry in Motion

Aby Joyner ’28 believes in the power of photography and poetry, publishing two books, with another in progress.

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Meet Elizabeth Barr ’27

Barr’s love of nature led her to a biology major and getting her scuba certification with the Outing Club.

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‘To Be Where Your Feet Are’

The Kendrick Award, established in memory of Bryant Kendrick ’67, encourages W&L students to experience the natural world.

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Legacy of Outdoor Exploration

The Matelich Endowment enhances Outing Club experiences.

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Celebrating Spring: Outing Club’s Top Five Hikes

Spring Term and Alumni Weekend reunions are the perfect times to experience the outdoors that hug Washington and Lee.

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Meet Emma Scott ‘26

Scott’s passion for the environment carries over from the classroom to opportunities on campus and beyond.

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Meet Sydney Fleming ’27

The first-year student says the Outing Club and W&L’s proximity to great hiking and kayaking spots were a big draw.

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Meet a Colleague: Peter Grajzl

Peter Grajzl is the John F. Hendon Professor of Economics.

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Meet a Colleague: Mauricio Betancourt

Mauricio Betancourt is an assistant professor of environmental studies.

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