MITOC Winter School - Jan 2011

MITOC Winter School 2011

January 2011

Do you enjoy being outdoors but don't know what to do when the temperature drops? Do you live for summer but suffer in winter? Are you cooped up from November to March?

Don't hide from the cold--celebrate winter! During IAP, participate in MIT Outing Club's Winter School, where you can have fun learning skills like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and more. Winter School is MITOC's crash course in cold weather activities, beginning January 4th and running through the 30th.

What is Winter School?

Winter School is an annual IAP course presented by the members of MITOC. Its goal is to teach the skills one needs to enjoy outdoor sports in the winter. During the month of January, participants attend lectures every Tuesday and Thursday evening and spend time outdoors during the weekends. Trips are offered at various levels of intensity and include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, orienteering, and mountaineering.

What is the format?

Lectures are held in room 35-225 from 7-9p. They run every Tuesday and Thursday from January 4 until January 27. Lectures are geared toward a variety of skill sets, ranging from the basics of food and clothing to technical topics such ice climbing and backcountry skiing. The second half of winter school will also feature guest lectures from regional wilderness experts.

Outdoor trips are held every Saturday and Sunday from 1/8 through 1/30, and often involve travel to New Hampshire's White Mountains. Gear ranging from ice axes to winter boots is available for rent. A nominal fee is charged per trip, as well as for rental items.

What is required to participate?

There is no pre-registration or immediate action needed. However, all participants are required to attend the first two lectures to be held at 7p on January 4 and 6. No previous winter experience is necessary. Beginners are welcome!

I'm going to miss one of the two mandatory lectures. May I still participate?

Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to the first week lecture attendance rule. Because very important safety information is covered, we require that all participants be present at the lectures on January 4 and 6.

I have done Winter School in the past. May I participate again this year?

Yes, returning students are welcome to come learn more skills. Remember that the first two lectures are mandatory, even if you've attended them before.

To see some of the terrific trips that happened last year, check out the MITOC photo gallery:
First weekend of Winter School
Second weekend
Third weekend
Fourth weekend

Lecture hall location: http://whereis.mit.edu/?mapterms=35-225

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. For now, think snow!

Patrick Allen
Winter School 2011 Organizer
(allenp2 at gmail dot com)

Fall Circus Oct 17-18

MITOC will hold its annual Fall Circus on the weekend of Oct 17-18. There will be hiking, climbing, and maybe paddling and biking for all ability levels. Come enjoy the beautiful fall foliage of New Hampshire's White Mountains.

We'll all drive up to MITOC's Camelot Cabin on Fri Oct 16th and then go on trips on Saturday. We'll have a big BBQ Sat night at the cabin. There will even be more trips on Sunday. More details will be sent to the mitoc@mit.edu list soon...

Spring Circus May 8-10

Keep your calendars marked: MITOC will be holding its annual Spring Circus the weekend of May 8-10 at our cabin in New Hampshire. There will be rock climbing for all abilities at the Rumney climbing area, hiking for all levels throughout the white mountains, and possibly biking and boating too. More information and an electronic signup page will be available soon.

Eric Gilbertson
egilbert@mit.edu
Spring Circus Organizer

MITOC Whitewater Chair Search

After 5 years taking care of the MITOC whitewater program, Greg Wallace will (hopefully) be graduating this spring, which means it's time for somebody else to take over the care and feeding of the whitewater fleet. Officer elections don't normally take place until April, but we hope to find somebody who can be identified ahead of time and brought up to speed prior to the spring paddling season. Specifically we're looking for someone who:

* is really excited about becoming more involved with MITOC.
* likes repairing old-but-good equipment, and replacing old-and-bad equipment with new stuff.
* plans to be around MIT for at least a few more years.
* knows how to use all of the equipment properly, and knows how to make sure others do so as well. It's easy to kill yourself or others with this equipment, so we need to make sure you know what you're doing.
* works or studies at the MIT campus. This is not a strict requirement, although it really helps when dealing with the key office, checking in on the equipment routinely, setting up pool reservations, etc.

This is an elected position, and being the designated successor does not guarantee that you will, in the end, be the new whitewater chair. It should be noted, however, that the election has not been contested in many years.

If you think you fit the bill, contact Greg at wallaceg@mit.edu.

Thanks for a great Winter School!

Winter school 2009 over IAP was a great success. We had over 180 participants the first lecture! That means a lot of MITOC'ers learned how to have fun and be safe in the snow. For pictures, check out the MITOC gallery: http://mitoc.mit.edu/gallery/main.php

Winter School 2009!

Get pumped for Winter School 2009! Over IAP, you'll learn how to enjoy the snow; how to use crampons, snowshoes, ice axes, skis, sleds, and hockeys skates; how to build snow shelters and fires. Then on weekends we'll go up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire to practice your skills on hiking, skiing, and camping trips. Relax by the fire in our nice cozy cabin and meet others who are excited about Winter and the Outdoors. Read more info about logistics, gear to buy, and other stuff here: http://web.mit.edu/mitoc/www/oldcontent/winter/

Mount Marcy - Highest Point in New York

A few brave MITOC'ers hiked Mt Marcy on Nov 10th. Mt Marcy is in the Northern Adirondacks, and at 5,300ft is the highest point New York. This shows that even though it might be sunny and warm in Boston, you can always find snow this time of year in the Mountains! Participate in Winter School 2009!