When: November 3-4, 2018
Where: Circleville, West Virginia
Arrive: At the St. Francis parking lot at 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 3, 2018
Return: To St. Francis on Sunday, November 4th in the afternoon.
Via ferratas have been popular for decades in Europe, where over 300 routes are open to the public, but are relatively new to North America. That’s because via ferratas were first built to transport troops in the Dolomite mountain region of Italy. Troops would battle ferociously for mountaintops because of their strategic importance and therefore needed via ferratas to transport troops across the mountains. Built in 2002, the NRocks Via Ferrata was only the second of its kind to be established in the United States and still one of only three on the East Coast. The Via Ferrata at NROCKS is a one-of-a-kind adventure experience, offering a mile of fixed-anchor, professionally-guided rock climbing. During this 4-5 hour climb, you’ll gain 1,085 feet in elevation, cross a suspension bridge that is 150 feet high and 200 feet long, and reach exposed heights of 280 feet. The Via Ferrata is open to all scouts age 13 and up.
For scouts under age 13, or for those who do not want to do the Via Ferrata, then NRocks also has a new 3-4 hour twelve-zip canopy tour. The NRocks North Fork Valley Canopy Tour was the first of its kind in this part of West Virginia and is still the longest, most scenic in the region. It begins with a short practice zip line so that first timers can get the jitters out while they learn the simple techniques that will keep them safely zipping through the trees. With 12 zip lines as long as 680 feet in length, and 80 feet in the air, 3 sky bridges, and a 40 foot rappel, the Canopy Tour is sure to quench your thirst for fun and adventure while also allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the North Fork Valley from your perch high in the trees.
Scouts will arrive at the St. Francis parking lot at 7 a.m. on Saturday, and we are shooting for a mid-morning arrival at NRocks. Scouts should eat breakfast prior to arriving at St. Francis and bring a bagged lunch for Saturday. Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast will be planned and prepared by patrols. Scouts should bring some money for lunch for the return trip to St. Francis on Sunday. The Via Ferrata climbing course will take place at around 1 p.m. on Saturday. Those scouts not doing the Via Ferrata will go on one of several great hikes near the NRocks property on Saturday afternoon. We will be camping on the NRocks property on Saturday night. For those scouts that want to zip line, that activity will occur on Sunday at 9 a.m. We will return to St. Francis after the zip lining and scout service on Sunday.
Please don’t forget to bring sturdy closed-toe shoes. Also, dress in layers so you can make adjustments as you warm up and cool down. In general wear comfy, loose-fitting clothing that does not restrict your movement. Further, Scouts must be prepared for cold weather, and should remember the need for layered, synthetic clothing when they pack. Rain gear and a warm sleeping bag is a must, as well as a change into warm dry clothes (no cotton) for sleeping, extra layers (no cotton) to add on, and extra pairs of dry socks. It will be cold in the evening.
All participants (Adults and scouts) must sign and submit the Release of Liability waiver. The link to the Via Ferrata climbing waiver is: https://www.nrocks.com/pdf/nrocks-via-ferrata-climber-agreement.pdf
The link to the zip line waiver is: https://www.nrocks.com/pdf/nrocks-canopy-tour-participant-agreement.pdf
Copies of the waivers also will be available at meetings prior to the trip. Enjoy.
Registration and payment is due by NOVEMBER 1, 2018
$20 LATE FEE AFTER THIS DATE
Questions? Please contact Mike Ray at 703-757-8364 or at mikeandtamber [at] msn [dot] com
