As Washington and Lee students headed back to class for spring term, members of the Outing Club and W&L community brought their climbing gear and appetites for a special barbecue on April 27.

Hosted at the Outing Club Barn, the welcome-back party featured an open climbing wall and slack-lining for students to spend time outdoors and enjoy the spring weather.

In addition to the party, the club sponsored several other activities open to the W&L community during the first few weeks of spring term, including river rafting, a climb at Goshen, kayaking on the James River and a slack-line clinic.

These trips are made possible through the efforts of Outing Club’s administrative assistant, Emily Price, who helps create and plan trips and converts students’ ideas for outdoor excursions into a reality.

“The Outing Club loves to draw people out to the barn to utilize the awesome bouldering wall and to take advantage of the equipment we have to offer,” Price said. “Getting people outside is our goal, where students can relax and be themselves and not have to feel like there is pressure to one thing or the other.”

Members of the Outing Club echoed that sentiment, partaking in trips throughout parts of Virginia and participating in the plethora of activities available outdoors.

“I went on a full moon hike this year, and even though it was cloudy, there was a beautiful mist, and it was definitely one of my favorite trips,” said Rowan Farrell, ’18, who is an Outing Club member and student employee.

Aside from the trips, some students participate in the club in order to form new friendships and view the scheduled activities as a way to explore parts of Lexington and the various trails and formations Virginia features.

“It’s a great way to introduce yourself to everything the area has to offer and to meet fabulous people,” Farrell said.

The barbecue and welcome-back party aimed to combine both of these goals, offering both activities for climbing and a bonfire to socialize with friends.

With the current success of Outing Club’s events and the increasing participation of students in the sponsored trips, Price and other members hope to attract more students to the array of sports available, most notably climbing.

“The most popular events have been the Via Ferrata, rafting, hiking and climbing,” Price said. “Climbing has taken off, and we are trying to get more people involved with the Crux climbing team on campus to get more people excited about this awesome sport.”

Coupling these activities with the opportunity to connect with additional members of the community, the club provides an outlet for those looking to become more active while interacting with people sharing common interests.

“If we can host a great party that offers BBQ and get students outside in this beautiful community then that is what we will do,” Price said.