Ready to get out of your comfort zone? Try this!

Have you been feeling the need to shake things up recently? Perfect! The Mountain State offers some of the best outdoor adventures in the country. Start your journey toward becoming an expert rock climber, stand up paddleboarder, kayaker, skier and snowboarder with the proper fundamentals taught by professionals who have a passion for adventure.

Rock Climbing

Start your rock climbing experience at NROCKS Outdoor Adventures in Circleville. NROCKS offers a wide array of top rope programs perfect for all skill levels. Their instructors strive to teach relevant rock climbing skills and maximize you rock climbing time for an amazing experience.

For those a little more daring, try the Via Ferrata at NROCKS for yourself. Translated to “by way of iron” in Italian, the Via Ferrata is a permanently installed system of steel rungs and cables that allows climbers to climb up and over two towering rock fins. Climbers must be at least 13 years of age to do this and must be in good physical condition. NROCKS suggests that If you have an intense fear of heights this is probably not the activity for you.

What should you bring? NROCKS suggests that you bring water, a snack or lunch, personal medications if needed, camera/GoPro, extra clothing such as a light rain jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen and Chapstick.

What should you expect? If you sign up for half of a day, your session will last four hours and a full day session lasts eight hours. The Via Ferrata can take anywhere from 3.5 to 5 hours to climb depending on group size and availability. Be ready to use all your muscles as top roping involves using both your legs and arms to push and pull your way up a rock face as well as a comfortable hike ½ mile to and from the activity location.

What should you wear? NROCKS recommends dressing in layers so that you can make adjustments as you warm up and cool down. Any comfy, loose-fitting clothing that doesn’t restrict your movement should work and don’t worry about shoes as NROCKS will provide you with proper climbing shoes for the day.

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Have you always wanted to try stand up paddleboarding? Visit the Appalachian Boarding Company in Scott Depot where they teach an intro to stand up paddleboarding class for beginners. They also offer stand up paddleboard yoga classes for those looking to find their Zen, as well as paddleboard, wetsuit, kayak paddles, waterproof dry bag, rash guard and roof rack pads and straps rentals. This is the perfect place to begin your stand up paddleboard passion.

What should you expect? Appalachian Boarding Company starts each SUP lesson with a quick warm up of SUP terminologies and demonstrate the proper board carries to put into the water. Then they preview the “4 W’s” wind, water, weather, waves and how to launch safely before standing up. Next, they’ll help you find the sweet spot for standing up and engaging the paddle with proper strokes and maneuvers. Lastly, they’ll go over safety and demonstrate rescues on the water to that you can be on your way to stand up paddleboarding on your own.

Kayaking

Head to ACE Adventure Resort or Adventures on the Gorge to start your journey toward becoming a kayaking pro. They offer kayak lake tours, clinics and recreation kayak instruction courses. For beginners, try a recreational kayak instruction course at ACE. This course takes place on the crystal-clear waters of Summersville Lake and focuses on basic paddling strokes, boat control, entry and exit, rescues and paddler safety. These resorts aim to increase your skills and confidence, so you are comfortable exploring your hometown waterways. At Adventures on the Gorge, learn to kayak by paddling, exiting and rolling the boat. Or, if you’re more advanced, you can learn to try your skills on the bigger whitewater!

What should you bring? They recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen, old sneakers, sunglasses and a change in clothes, as you will probably get wet!

Skiing and Snowboarding

Snowshoe Mountain Resort is the perfect place for first time skiers and snowboarders. They offer terrain-based learning lessons, group ski and snowboard lessons for kids, mountain ski and snowboard clinic, private ski and snowboard lessons, pre-ski school for kids, ski and snowboard camps as well as an adaptive winter sports program.

What should you wear? Snowshoe recommends wearing thin thermal base layers, heavier mid layers, and outer layers specifically designed for show. Wear one pair of socks that are not cotton and water proof gloves, and goggles are an important necessity.

What should you expect? You will dehydrate and fatigue easier at higher altitudes so its important that you eat and hydrate during your entire trip. Lastly, remember that practice makes perfect and it takes people multiple lessons to get the hang of it. So, get out there and have some fun!

Which fun activity are you planning on trying?

This post was last updated on March 17, 2022