On February 25th, seven other students and I were able to explore James Cave located five minutes away from campus. This trip was made possible through the outdoor program here at Radford. Everything was provided to us– a suit, equipment, and transportation. We also had an outstanding trip leader to guide us and ensure we were safe. If you want to step outside your comfort zone and experience nature, then RU Outdoors is the place to look.
I was able to receive some comments from participants of the trip:
It was a very memorable and amazing experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat, and I would 100% recommend it to other students. – Contessa Haas, class of 2026
Our guide was prepared, helpful and very informative! This was my first trip with the Outdoor Rec dept of RU’s fitness center and I’m very pleasantly impressed. It was a challenging and satisfying experience. Very reasonably priced too! I’ve already told several people about it and have signed up for another trip this month. – Sarah Schafer, class of 2023
I had an amazing time while caving. I had the opportunity to meet new people and along the way, I saw some cool structures in the cave. My favorite part while caving would have to be the small break we took on our way back to the surface. It was cool experiencing the true nature of the cave in silence and talking with everyone right before we got up again. I would recommend other students to go on this trip and hopefully, they can have a good experience as I did. I will definitely go on another trip before I graduate. – Kaleb Martin, class of 2024
If you are interested in caving but don’t know what to expect, here are some quick details:
- You’ll be getting down and dirty! We went on a day after rain, so it was more muddy than usual but that was my favorite part.
- You’ll get the chance to see a beautiful waterfall and formations inside the cave.
- Lunch is provided!
- You’ll get to experience total darkness.
- This was very beginner friendly.
- There is lots of crawling and climbing!
I am so glad I decided to go on this trip, and I hope more students become aware of the great opportunities that RU Outdoors provides. If caving doesn’t sound enjoyable to you, there are many more options such as horseback riding, backpacking, canoeing, skydiving, and hiking; to name a few. To find more information and the complete list of activities, visit https://www.radford.edu/content/recreation/home/outdoor-programs.html.