Have you ever wondered how to use all that emergency gear? Do you think it'd be great to know that you can pitch a tent, light a stove, melt water, brew tea, craft a soufflé, etc, in winter conditions? Are you curious about overnight trips, and want a low-stakes opportunity to dial everything in?

We'll do a cute little hike: Welch-Dickey is a short loop (4 miles, 1600') and has one of the highest views/effort ratios in the Whites. We don't even have to get up super-early! We'll find a spot with a gorgeous view carefully chosen to complement our tea (aiming for our proposed lunch spot is near the cairn on the rocky outcropping at 43°55'27.9"N 71°34'36.5"W), ideally windy enough to be interesting. We'll pitch tents, possibly try a wind wall, boil water from snow, hang out on the foam pads, and practice staying warm and comfortable when we stop hiking for an hour or two. Please feel free to bring food that tastes better hot, and some ideas of how to heat it on our stoves!

This hike would typically fall somewhere between Easy and Moderate, but since we'll be trying new techniques and faking some aspects of being above treeline, I'm calling it an honest Moderate.

There will be a mandatory(ish) pre-trip meeting tonight (Thursday) at 18:15 in the second-floor lobby of the student centre (where all the couches are).

Since this got planned late and we may not fill: if signups have closed, you'll have missed the pre-trip meeting, but it might be possible to add you anyway if we can figure out how to get you the gear you need. Don't be shy! Especially if you have a car!