Posted by By Dylan Friedman, Writer
The Outdoor Club is a brand-new club at New Paltz High School this year! Started by senior Hannah Ettinger and supervised by Mr. Ulrich and Mr. Urrico, the group plans to go on mini-adventures to local nature spots. Here is an interview with Hannah all about the club!
Q: When did you first get the idea for a new club?
Hannah: Back in 10th grade, I met with Mr. Seweryn, and we figured out we both liked climbing. Through talking with friends in the class, I learned that there was no climbing club, which I thought was pretty crazy because of the area we live in. I would think people would be interested in it.
Q: What activities are you planning on doing, and where?
Hannah: The main focus right now is getting out hiking and doing easier-access activities, and hopefully this will get people interested in joining. Actually, next Wednesday, we are planning on going to Bonticou to do our first hike! From there, we might start to include climbing, but since the weather is changing for the winter, it might look more like joining the Gravity Vault (an indoor climbing gym in Poughkeepsie) or doing some other indoor intro to rock climbing activities. I hope that in the spring we will be able to go outside and do a little bit of climbing in the Gunks!
Q: When and how long will the outings be? What transportation will be provided?
Hannah: As far as I know, we will be having weekly hikes right now, normally on Wednesdays after school. Depending on where we go, we will most likely make it back in time for students to take the late bus home. We will take a bus to and from the outings. My hope is that next year or later in the year we could do some further hikes or activities that we could vote on as a group.
Q: How physically taxing will the outings be?
Hannah: I think there will be a range, but most outings should be accessible to the average student. Members will have input on the trips, so we can tailor them to what people are interested in.
Q: Are the outings open to just club members, or can anyone join?
Hannah: Anyone can join! People can definitely bring their friends to upcoming events that look fun. The only requirement is that you need to fill out a permission slip for each outing (located on the bulletin board outside of Mr. Ulrich’s room).
Q: Where is your favorite place in the Shawangunks?
Hannah: I really like Sam’s Point, but I don’t go there that often. It’s really pretty to hike there in the winter. Other than that, I like Lake Awosting! I love biking to it and then hanging out at the little rock beach and swimming.
This new club is still accepting new members, so stop by Mr. Ulrich’s room for more information or grab a permission slip from his bulletin board to prepare for their next outing!
The Maroon 