Clubs on Campus: What is Lafayette Outdoor’s Society up to?

The snow might keep most of us locked away in our dorms, but it doesn’t deter the Outdoors Society. “We still hike. We went out last weekend to the Delaware water gap,” Outdoors Society President Derek Vill ‘14 said. “We also went ice skating last Saturday.” Each week, the Outdoors Society executive board gets together to plan an event. 

Often, the club will organize two trips per weekend, from hiking or climbing to mountain biking or camping. 

“We did an overnight backpacking trip in September, on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap,” Vill said. “We [hiked] around ten miles of the Appalachian Trail. Everyone loved it.” 

Vill and the other members of the Outdoors Society are passionate about sharing their love of the outdoors with those who have not been exposed to camping, hiking, or biking. “It’s cool that we can offer that to people,” Vill said. 

Vill mentioned that although the group has many experienced outdoorsmen, there are activities for all levels of difficulty. “We do have a group of people who want to get into, or haven’t been exposed to [outdoor activities]. One girl just saw her first deer when we were [hiking].”

In addition to weekly outings, the club usually schedules one camping trip per semester. This semester, they are looking forward to the possibility of a spring break trip. 

“We were talking about maybe to heading down south to West Virginia or Kentucky. There’s good climbing and hiking there,” Vill said. “It’s gorgeous and mountainous.”

When the club isn’t active outside, they hang out together and watch movies, like 127 Hours. 

The club as a whole is characterized by casual involvement and inclusivity. Most weekdays, you can find them scaling the rock wall in Kirby Gym. 

“We always love meeting new people,” Vill said.