April – June 2017 Schedule VENTURE OUTDOORS TRAILHEAD Everyone Belongs Outdoors! Board of Directors Did You Know… Alice Johnston, Board Chair Venture Outdoors is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization. We believe everyone Amanda Beamon, Vice Chair deserves the chance to experience how incredibly fun the outdoors can be, so we provide Darlene Schiller, Co-Secretary the gear, guidance and inspiration to make outdoor recreation part of people’s lives. Robert J. Standish, Co-Secretary Drew Lessard, Treasurer We believe everyone belongs outdoors! Todd Owens, Past Chair Abby Corbin Dennis Henderson David Hunt Support Venture Outdoors and Save with a Yearly Membership Lindsay Patross Go to ventureoutdoors.org/join-us or call 412.255.0564 x.224 to become a New or Marty Silverman Geoff Tolley Renewing Venture Outdoors Member. W. Jesse Ward Your Support Helps Venture Outdoors: David Wolf Membership Levels Student / Senior – $15 • Fund the outings and events that Staff Individual – $25 get you and your family outdoors year-round Joey–Linn Ulrich, Executive Director Dual – $35 Family – $50 • Enable underserved children to PROGRAM DEPARTMENT Trailblazer – $75 learn more about nature and the Lora Woodward, Director environment while developing Paddler – $100 Liz Fager, Community Program Manager outdoor recreation skills Jim Smith, Equipment and Facilities Manager Ranger – $125 Lora Hutelmyer, Youth Program Manager Steward – $250 • Turn volunteers into accomplished Jake Very, Custom Program Coordinator trip leaders while enhancing their Trustee – $500 Billy Dixon, Program Administrator leadership skills and safety training Ken Sikora, Head Trip Leader Specialist Pathfinder – $1,000 KAYAK PITTSBURGH Benefits to You Include: Vanessa Bashur, Director • Discounts on outings, Kayak Pittsburgh Mike Adams, Equipment and Training rentals and season passes Specialist • Shopping savings at Eddie Bauer DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS and Gander Mountain Donna L. Bour, Director • Free Members Only outings and Kathi Radock, Membership and Volunteer events Manager Jessica Wiegand, Communications and • Free Banff tickets and kayak rental Media Coordinator vouchers at the $250 and higher Jayme Penner, Membership and levels Special Projects Coordinator ADMINISTRATION Memberships are tax-deductible. Sherry Buckham, Operations Coordinator Thank you for your continued support! Trip Leader Council Larry Castner Dave Conti Nanci Goldberg Joel Johnston Venture Outdoors would like Nancy Latimer to thank the following Beth Marchal participants and volunteers Henry Schumacher who generously provided VENTURE Sheila Stagnitta photographs for this issue Orville Steininger of Trailhead. OUTDOORS Christen Stroh Vania Arthur Sami Caun Grace Eggleston Nanci Goldberg Contributor Choice #1529517 Suni Lynn Lee Mary Lynn Marsico Esther Wayne 2 VENTUREOUTDOORS.ORG Levels of Difficulty Table of Contents Membership p. 2 Family p. 5 Rock Climbing and Caving p. 13 This terminology is general. Please refer Levels of Difficulty p. 3 Fly Fishing p. 5 Paddling p. 14 to program description for specifics. The Kayaking p. 14 activity information is accurate at the How to Sign Up p. 3 Hiking p. 6 Stand Up Paddle Boarding p. 15 time of printing. Occasionally, an activity’s Backpackiing p. 4 Specialty Hikes p. 11 information is altered before its start Biking p. 4 Leadership p. 12 date. You will receive the most recent information when you register. RELAXED • Short distances at a slow pace • Generally flat terrain, well defined trails How to Sign Up • No prior activity experience is necessary • Perfect start for beginners To register for any outing, please visit the Activities Calendar at ventureoutdoors. • Not too physically challenging org or call 412.255.0564, ext 0. EASY • Short distances at a slow pace • Relatively flat terrain, well defined trails, may involve some hills • No prior activity experience is necessary • Perfect start for beginners FREE Members Only Outings • Not too physically challenging Registration for these outings opens on the first business day of every month. MODERATE • Varying distances at a steady pace • Varying terrain, fairly established trails • Some prior experience in the activity is CULTURAL DISTRICT GEOCACHING SKYLINE PADDLE required Join Venture Outdoor trip leaders for a fun Join us for a two-hour paddle offering • Physically challenging, only for those in intro to the world of geocaching in the different vantage points of our city’s good physical condition Cultural District. We will learn the basics spectacular skyline. We will paddle at a of using a GPS (Global Positioning System) steady-pace and instructors will be on ADVANCED device to navigate between waypoints hand to give paddling tips. Previous • Fast-paced over a short distance or throughout downtown. As the GPS unit paddling experience is required. steady-paced over a long distance communicates with satellites, it will guide June 19 • Varying terrain, may include off-trail us to various waypoints where we’ll learn Kayak Pittsburgh – North Shore sections, rough spots, unexpected the history of the area. We will provide GPS obstacles units to share and teach you how to use. 6:30 - 8:30 PM • Prior experience in the activity is required April 27 • Physically challenging, only for those in Downtown Pittsburgh good physical condition 6 - 8 PM STRENUOUS Thanks for finding ways to • Fast-paced over a short distance or URBAN BIKE TOUR include our kids. It is SO fast-paced over a long distance Pittsburgh has bike trails along all three appreciated, maybe more than • Difficult errain,t will include off-trail rivers--really! But it takes a knowledge- you know. I want to raise my sections, rough spots and unexpected able guide to connect them smoothly. You“ obstacles can expect a great 10-12-mile tour of the kid to love the outdoors, and • Prior experience in the activity is required city and its riverfronts with plenty of through Venture Outdoors and interesting stops along the way via the • Only for those in excellent physical Kayak Pittsburgh, you are Three Rivers Heritage Trail. condition. Most physically challenging helping me do this. May 23 FAMILY FRIENDLY Three Rivers Heritage Trail • These activities are geared toward the whole family and offer discounts for 6:30 - 8:30 PM children under 18; some restrictions apply. A parent or legal guardian must ” sign an assumption of risk form for a participant under 18 years of age. DOG FRIENDLY • Bring your best friend along on the trip. These activities are great for both you and your dog. • The number of dogs allowed on an activity is limited AND those dogs must be registered with participants. Dogs must have licenses and up-to-date shots. VENTUREOUTDOORS.ORG 3 GAP BIKE AND LUNCH BACKPACKING Explore the Great Allegheny Passage with us! We will pedal a total of 30 miles out and back along the GAP. After the ride, we’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant in Boston, PA. BACKPACKING INTRO Dust off your backpacking gear as we June 25 experience the beauty of Raccoon Creek State 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM Park. We will review the basics and lead us on Great Allegheny Passage a backpacking loop hike and tent camping Non-member: $29 overnight. We’ll cover 4-5 miles the first day Member: $22 over moderate terrain with stops at historic landmarks within the park. Later we’ll build a campfire, eat dinner, relax, and then let the FOUNTAINS OF PITTSBURGH RIDE story-telling begin. On the second day, we will On this urban ride, our route takes us from backpack 6-7 miles to the park office, the North Shore’s cascading waterfall near completing the loop. This is a great first-time PNC Park to the waterfalls of Downtown backpacking trip. Cost covers guides and Pittsburgh and the South Side Works. We’ll do campsite fee. Bring your own backpacking 3 hours of easy pedaling on riverfront trails gear and food. Minimum age is 16. and some downtown streets. June 10 June 18 10 AM - 4 PM 10 AM - 1 PM Raccoon Creek State Park Downtown Pittsburgh Non-member: $27 Non-member: $18 Member: $20 SATURDAY BIKE AND LUNCH Member: $12 Tour the City’s riverfront trails on this easy 15-mile pedal with a midway stop on the Southside for lunch. We’ll take in the sights of BIKING spring while showing you how to connect the Bike rentals are not available for these downtown bike trails. outings unless otherwise noted. June 3 10 AM - 4 PM Three Rivers Heritage Trail RIVERFRONT TRAIL RIDE Non-member: $29 Pittsburgh has bike trails along all three of its Member: $22 rivers! Our knowledgeable guides will show you how to connect the trails smoothly on this 12-15 mile ride. Expect a great tour of the city MODERATE and its riverfronts with plenty of interesting SATURDAY RIDE ON THE TRAIL: PANHANDLE TRAIL stops along the way. Southwestern PA has many bike trails to GREAT ALLEGHENY PASSAGE RIDES May 7 explore. We will pedal 20 to 30 miles out and 10 AM - 4 PM back along the Panhandle Trail. This paved Ever want to bike the whole Great Three Rivers Heritage Trail and crushed-limestone trail occupies an Allegheny Passage but don’t have the abandoned railroad corridor known as the Non-member: $15 time? Join us on this advanced series and “Panhandle Route” and is known have many complete the trail! We’ll cover 30 – 60 Member: $10 species of trees and wildflowers. Pack a lunch miles on each ride, with a lunch stop to be eaten trailside. along the way. Bring your own lunch, COAL AND COKE TRAIL BIKE RIDE May 13 lunch is not included in the activity fee. Bike rentals are not available. Explore the Coal and Coke Trail with us! This 10 AM - 4 PM 10 to 15-mile ride will make its way along Jacobs Creek and past old coke ovens. We’ll Panhandle Trail May 27 stop along the way to learn the history of the Non-member: $18 June 10 area, and about Jacobs Creek Watershed.