Outdoor experience levels do not matter. We have students with no experience, to occasional weekend hikers, to warriors of the wilderness. You will leave prepared to help yourself and others while on any adventure, with knowledge and confidence that may benefit you in daily frontcountry life in surprising ways.

Our fantastic instructors will show you the ropes, and your fellow Adventuresses will always be supportive! We do recommend that you be accustomed to exercising and you should be comfortable in outdoor climate conditions, but if all of our adventure activities are new to you, then you’ll be the ultimate Adventuress!

Gear

Have your own? Bring it! Don’t have your own, or want to try something new before you buy it? Use ours!

Meals

Start each day with a hearty, homemade breakfast, and choose from a range of options for a packed lunch to enjoy while on your adventures. Back at the lodge, enjoy a homemade dinner with dessert around the campfire (from classic s’mores to Mountain Shepherd’s famous dutch oven peach cobbler).

Overnight Accommodations

We camp during backpacking excursions, and while at Mountain Shepherd, there is always the option to sleep in a tent or hammock near the lodge instead of in one of our cozy bunkrooms. Choose your own adventure!

Your adventure begins and ends at the Mountain Shepherd Lodge in Catawba, VA.

Day 1 (Monday): Plan to arrive promptly in Catawba by 9:30 am EST on Monday. If you prefer to arrive the evening before, you can stay at the lodge. $50 includes a bunk and breakfast. $25 for each additional person in your group. Group, semi-private and private rooms are available. Contact us for reservations. Payment due before you leave.

Day 5 (Friday): We’ll wrap up the adventure around lunchtime. Plan to depart after 1 pm. The nearest airport is Roanoke (ROA), which is approximately a 30 minute drive time.

Transportation will be provided to off-property adventures, and personal vehicles will stay safely parked at Mountain Shepherd Adventure School.

Easy to Moderate

Every adventure is suitable for beginners – we’ll show you the ropes – and still exciting for avid Adventuresses! We recommend that you come to Camp feeling relatively fit and ready for day-after-day of outdoor activity.

• Camp Clothing and Footwear:
  • 3 pairs of comfortable, outdoor-appropriate shorts (not too short, not too tight)
  • 5 short-sleeved t-shirts (non-cotton, quick-dry fabric is ideal for outdoors)
  • 1-2 long-sleeved t-shirts
  • 1-2 pairs of jeans or long pants (not yoga pants, leggings, or sweatpants)
  • 1 sweatshirt, light sweater, or fleece jacket
  • 7 pairs of underwear (5 days + extra)
  • 2-3 sports bras
  • 7 pairs of socks (5 days + extra)
  • 2 sets of pajamas – 1 lightweight set, 1 warmer set
  • Rain jacket with taped seams – “Waterproof ”
  • 1 pair of comfortable, broken-in, closed-toe shoes (in addition to river shoes)
  • No sandals or flip flops; lace-up athletic sneakers or hiking boots are preferred over shoes like Vans, Keds, Converse, Toms, and other slip-ons.
• Personal toiletries and medications.
• Water bottles/hydration bladders (32 oz is ideal)
• Flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries

• For Water-Based Activities:
  • 1-2 pairs of quick-dry shorts or board-shorts (not too short, not too tight)
  • 1-2 lightweight, quick-dry shirts for sun protection
  • 1-2 swimsuits (one-piece or two-piece, comfortable, “function over fashion”)
  • Sun hat or baseball cap, sunglasses
  • 1 pair of old sneakers or closed-toe sandals (KEEN brand-style) *in addition to pair above
  • 1 lightweight towel – microfiber or quick-dry camp towels are great!
• For Caving:
  • Old pair of jeans or heavy duty pants (yoga pants, leggings or sweat pants are not good substitutes)
  • Old Sweatshirt
  • Old tennis shoes