WEEKLY ADVENTURES
ThursdaysKAYAK ROLL CLINIC
Come learn the first step to one of the most popular sports in Western North Carolina. Whether you want to start from scratch, just need a few pointers, or want to take your skills to the next level, let our experienced instructors help you in the comfort of an indoor swimming pool. No experience necessary and no need to sign up in advance – just show up!
Cost: Free
Location: Breese Gym
Time: 7:00-9:00pm
*roll clinics start on 8/28, there will not be roll clinics 10/9, 11/27, or 12/4
Wednesdays September 3-24
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON KAYAK TRIP
We’ll be exploring the local whitewater in kayaks on Wednesdays in September. If you have whitewater kayaked before or have attended a roll clinic then come join us for a late afternoon trip. Cost includes transportation and equipment. Sign up any time prior to trip.
Cost: WCU Students ($10) Non Students ($15)
Location: TBD
Time: 3:30-9:00pm
Wednesdays in October
EVENING SKILLS CLINICS
Base Camp Cullowhee is offering skills clinics on Wednesday nights in October for FREE! From Bike Tuning to Fly Fishing there is something for everyone. Keep an eye out for more details to come!
Cost: Free for everyone
Location: BCC
Time: varies with each clinic
MONTHLY ADVENTURES
August 17 & 21
TUBING ON THE TUCK
Nothing beats hitting the river in tubes on a hot summer day. We’ll head out at 5pm so you’ll have all day to finish moving in, go to classes, sleep, or whatever your day calls for and we’ll have you back in time to prepare for the next day’s classes. Bring your shades and your sunscreen and be prepared to relax all your worries away. There’s just enough moving water to get you wet and make for an exciting trip.
Cost: $7.00 FOR ANYONE!
Location: Tuckasegee River, Dillsboro
Time: 5:00pm – 8:30pm
Sign up deadline: the day of the trip at 4pm
August 23
DUCKS ON THE TUCKASEGEE
Base Camp Cullowhee and Dillsboro River Company have teamed up to offer this trip to kick off the year! With the option of one and two man Duckies (small inflatable kayaks) you’ll be assisted by base Camp Cullowhee guides down the Tuckasegee River Gorge. This is a great chance to experience the recreational opportunities that are right in your back yard.
Cost: $15.00 FOR ANYONE!
Location: Tuckasegee River, Dillsboro
Time: 1:00pm- 5:30pm
Sign up deadline: 8/22
August 24, September 7, 14 (Wild Cat free raft trip), October 5, 26:
NANTAHALA WHITEWATER RAFTING
Cool off after a long hot summer! The Nantahala River offers 9 miles of wet and exciting class II and III rapids. Join us for a river experience you’ll never forget. Our trips are guide assisted, which means you may have the opportunity to guide your own raft. No experience necessary and sign up early!
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($22) WCU Students ($25) Non Students ($30)
Location: Nantahala River
Time: 1:00-8:00pm
October 5, 10am: What better way to end homecoming than with a raft trip on the Nantahala. Students bring your Alumni friends, Alumni bring your family, this will be a great trip for all!
October 26, 10am: Is you family coming into town for family weekend? This trip is designed for the whole family (children must be at least 13 years old), so bring your parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters and enjoy the Nantahala before everyone heads home.
Sign up deadline: 5pm the Thursday before the trip
August 30- September 1:
BACKPACKING
Save your gas money and spend your Labor Day weekend backpacking some of the Base Camp staff’s favorite WNC trails. You’ll learn about backcountry camping and cooking, Leave No Trace principals, orienteering basics, map reading, and more on this 3 day trip! Cost will include transportation, instruction, and meals on the trail. Need a backpack or sleeping bag, no worries, we’ve got all the gear you need at no extra cost. No experience necessary, but you should be in good physical condition. Sign up early!
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($50) WCU Student ($55) Non Students ($60)
Locations: TBD
Time: 8:00am Sat. – 6:00pm Sun.
Sign up deadline: 8/27
September 5-7:
WHITEWATER KAYAK CLINIC
This full weekend of kayaking will take you from the pool on Friday to the river
Saturday and Sunday and teach you all the skills you need in between. All the equipment,
instruction, and food is included and you’ll be back home each night to sleep in your own
bed. This is a great clinic for novice to intermediate paddlers.
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($50) WCU Student ($55) Non Students ($60)
Locations: WCU, Cedar Cliff Lake, Tuckaseegee River
Time: 6:00pm Fri. – 5:00pm Sun.
Sign up deadline: 9/3
September 13:
FRENCH BROAD SECTION 9 KAYAKING
If you have been paddling the Nantahala and are ready for a new a different challenge this is the perfect run for you! This trip down the third oldest river in the world will give you the opportunity to paddle a southern classic with class III (IV-) rapids (varies with water levels) like Kayaker’s Ledge and Frank Bells. If you aren’t ready to paddle class III whitewater just yet, Base Camp Cullowhee’s roll clinics, Wednesday afternoon kayaking trips, and weekend kayak clinics are great ways to prepare for this trip.
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($20) WCU Student ($22) Non Students ($27)
Location: French Broad River, NC
Time: 9:00am
Sign up deadline: 9/11
September 20:
OCOEE WHITEWATER RAFTING
If you love whitewater adventure then this is the trip for you. Located in Eastern TN the middle Ocoee provides five miles of almost non-stop class III-IV whitewater. With rapids like Grumpy’s, Broken Nose, Table Saw, and Hell Hole the Ocoee will leave you screaming for more. This trip includes transportation, lunch, and gear. No experience necessary but the Ocoee is a step up form the Nantahala so you should be comfortable with being in whitewater. See you on the river!
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($40) WCU Student ($45) Non Students ($50)
Location: Ocoee River, TN.
Time: 9:00am
Sign up deadline: 9/12
September 21:
WATERFALL DAY HIKE
Western North Carolina boasts some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country and the Base Camp staff would like to share their favorites with you. We’ll spend the day hiking, taking pictures and maybe even a dip. If you have a waterfall that you would like to visit during this trip let us know in advance and maybe we’ll be able to add it to the list!
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($12) WCU Student ($15) Non Students ($20)
Location: Ocoee River, TN.
Time: 9:00am
Sign up deadline: 9/18
September 27-28:
SKYDIVING
What better way to forget about the worries of school and everyday life than to hurl yourself towards the ground from 13,000 ft. at 120 mph! What a rush. We’ll head down Saturday night for college weekend and camp out with schools from the all over the southeast, wake up Sunday morning and jump out of a plane! Sign up WAY in advance, this one will fill quickly. No experience necessary.
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($175) WCU Student ($185) Non-Students ($200)
Location: Chester, SC
Time: 11:00am Sat – 5:00pm Sun.
Sign up deadline: 9/19
October 9-14:
FALL BREAK: BIKING AND CLIMBING
Do something different for Fall Break this year. Base Camp Cullowhee is headed up to beautiful West Virginia to bike the 79 mile Greenbrier River Trail and Rock Climb in the New River Gorge area. The Greenbrier River Trail is part of the West Virginia Rails to Trails initiative and combines great sights with low inclines to make for great ride for experience bikers and new cyclist alike. After we’ve completed the trail we’ll head out for some rock climbing and more camping. This trip is a great way to pack in several adventures into one trip!
Cost: TBD
Locations: West Virginia
Time: 9am Thurs.
Sign up deadline: 10/3
October 18-19:
ROCK CLIMBING
A great introduction to technical rock climbing, this course focuses on climbing technique, belay methods, and some basic anchor building, while climbing routes of variable difficulty. This trip is a great option for everyone interested in climbing; we’ll run the trip based on the skills and wants of the group. Cost includes transportation, instruction, gear, and lunch for each day. Sign up early!
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($40) WCU Student ($44) Non Students ($55)
Locations: Western North Carolina
Time: 8:00am Sat-6:00pm Sun.
Sign up deadline: 10/16
November 1-2:
CAVING
Base Camp Cullowhee is headed to TN for some caving and camping! We’ll see stalagmites, stalactites, flow stone, curtains, and hopefully some bats or other cave critters. Walk, crawl, and roll through giant underground rooms and tight squeezes, all by headlight! This adventure includes transportation, gear, instruction, and meals while camping. No experience necessary and sign up soon. Please plan on bringing money for dinner on the way home.
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($40) WCU Student ($45) Non Students ($55)
Location: TN
Time: 8am Sat. – 7pm Sun.
Sign up deadline: 10/30
November 8-9
NOLS WILDERNESS FIRST AID
If you plan to spend time in the backcountry you need to be prepared. Fast-paced and hands-on, this two-day course taught by instructors from Landmark Learning covers a wide range of wilderness medicine topics for people who travel and work in the outdoors.
Cost: TBD
Location: Base Camp Cullowhee, WCU
Time: 8am-5pm
Sign up deadline: TBD (watch for signs)
November 15-16
WOMEN IN THE WILDERNESS: CAVING AND CAMPING
Calling all ladies!! Bring your friends, your roommates, and your sisters. We’ll take off on Saturday and set up camp as soon as we arrive. We’ll spend the rest of the day playing, doing yoga, cooking up a yummy dinner on the camp stove and of course enjoying tasty s’mores. If you want to learn the basics of camping and caving or just want to enjoy the company this is the trip for you. If you have a cool talent like story telling, playing an instrument, or anything else, bring it along for the rest of us to enjoy. Bring in a friend and sign up at the same time and you’ll each get $5 off your registration fee.
Cost: Wildcat Club Member ($40) WCU Student ($45) Non Students ($50)
Location: TBA
Time: 11:00am Sat. – 5:00pm Sun.
Sign up deadline: 11/13
Winter Break
SKI OUT WEST
Love to ski in Western North Carolina? Ready to hit the big slopes? Join us over winter break as we head to a classic western slope. In years past we’ve skied Winter Park and Steamboat Springs, CO, so this year is sure to be big! This is the perfect way to relax between hectic semesters. Start saving that holiday money and keep an eye out for more details.
Cost: TBA
Location: TBA
Date: TBA, Winter Break
WILD CAT PROGRAM
Base Camp has made it easier and cheaper than ever to be a regular customer. Join the Wild Cat Program and receive cool swag and significant discounts on Base Camp trips and services. This is a perfect program for those who want to go on weekly, even daily outdoor adventures with professional instruction from the Base Camp Cullowhee staff.
Wild Cat Benefits
- Free Wild Cat t-shirt and Sticker
- Discounts on Base Camp Trips
- Free trips for Wild Cats only
- $10 credit for equipment rental
- Keep your paperwork on file (no more filling out new forms for each trip)
$35 per semester / $60 for the year
Fall Semester Free Wild Cat Trip:
Whitewater Rafting on the Nantahala River: September 14
Spring Semester Free Wild Cat Trip:
Night Skiing at Cataloochee: February 7
Register now at Base Camp Cullowhee
TRIP REGISTRATION:
Who can go on trips? Base Camp Cullowhee trips, clinics, and workshops are offered for students, faculty, and staff of WCU and their guest.What do I need to sign up for? Pre-registration is required for all trips except those that happen on a weekly basis (climbing spire, roll clinics, and weekly kayaking). And remember that trips are filled on a first come first serve basis, so sign up early!
How can I pay? You can pay with; Cash, Check, Visa, or MasterCard.What do I have to do to sign up for a trip? There are just a few easy steps:
1. Stop by Base Camp Cullowhee.
2. Pick your trip.
3. Pay for your trip in full.
4. Fill out a packet of forms including a medical information sheet.
*Trip forms can also be found by clicking here.
TEAMBUILDING AND CUSTOM PROGRAMS:
Base Camp Cullowhee offers an array of custom teambuilding activities tailored to specifically meet the needs of your group. Whether it is hour spent getting to know each other through icebreakers, a half day spent on the low element challenge course, or a raft trip on the Nantahala, incorporating teambuilding into your group or organization can dramatically improve the dynamics and productivity of a group. These programs are perfect for any group; academic classes, academic departments, Greek organizations, clubs, dorms, and the list goes on!
Call Base Camp Cullowhee for more details or to set up your custom program. Feel like you know your group pretty well but have an outdoor adventure in mind? We can also set up custom trips!
Experience ADVENTURE in the great outdoors. LEARN new outdoor activities and skills. CHALLENGE yourself to do more than you ever thought was possible. DISCOVER secret getaways. GROW as a person and a leader. CONNECT with other people and friends. EXPLORE your surroundings in wild Western North Carolina.
Our Mission:Base Camp Cullowhee as a part of the Student Affairs Division of Western Carolina University aims to offer the finest comprehensive outdoor recreational & educational programs and rental operation in the Country. We do this by offering students, faculty, and staff opportunities to challenge themselves in an outdoor setting, while promoting environmental ethics and stewardship. More than just a recreation program, we aim to engage and develop the whole student through the medium of outdoor adventure activities.
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