Mt. Cardigan trip. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Gougelet
Do you find yourself bored watching TV on the weekends? Or wondering how you’re going to fill your time this summer, while you’re stuck in the boring Upper Valley? Well, don’t get too discouraged just yet: you can find the solution to your boredom at the Hanover Outing Club, right at Hanover High School.
Hanover High student Jonathan Gougelet, who has a passion for the outdoors, founded the Hanover Outing Club about a month ago. Interest in the club has been increasing steadily since then, as has the membership of its Facebook group.
Mt. Cardigan trip. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Gougelet
The Outing Club’s mission, according to its mission statement, is “to facilitate and encourage participation in outdoor activities and trips.” Outings, whether they are attended by two people or twenty, are great opportunities to appreciate the natural world. The club’s first trip was a hike up Mt. Cardigan on Sunday, May 1. Members have also canoed down the Ompompanoosuc River and undertaken an early morning hike up Mt. Cube to watch the sun rise at 5:30 a.m.
The current members of the group truly bring the mission statement to life, sharing the common quality of being very welcoming. Members are excited to hear about the outdoor experiences of others as well as to share their own. Their love of the outdoors shows through in any conversation, and they are likely to remind us that, as Eleanor Keats said, “We live in paradise.”
“We forget sometimes,” she continued, “yet there are so many amazing places just in the Upper Valley to take advantage of.”
The club members rave about easy places to go adventuring, such as the Connecticut River, which is great for swimming, kayaking, and canoeing. The Union Village Dam, another close destination, provides swimming holes and trails for mountain biking. If you’re looking for a short and easy hike, Gile Mountain in Norwich always provides beautiful views.
While the members of the Outing Club are happy to go on short outings that only last an afternoon, many are anxious to participate in more rigorous overnight trips. A group of them has organized a ten-day trip to the Adirondacks, which will take place this summer.
Christian Avery takes a trip on the river. Photo courtesy of Jon Gougelet
Trip to Ompompanoosuc. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Gougelet
So, if you feel you’ve exhausted all your usual activities, ask an Outing Club member for an idea for something to do. They will surely jump at the opportunity to help.
