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Central Indiana Wilderness Club
Affordable Adventure Trips Since 1982
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Trip Schedule |
Check this site often for new trips and updates. Prior to signing up, please review our Trip Policy. Details are posted as information becomes available.
January 2008 Trips
Twin Lakes Trail-Winter Backpack Start the New Year with a winter backpack trip in beautiful southern Indiana. In January 2008 we will be going to the Twin Lakes Trail which is a loop trail around Celina and Indian Lakes, located northeast of Tell City. The thirteen mile trail wanders over a few rolling hills. We will pass sandstone bluffs and see the historic Rickenbaugh House. We will travel half of the trail the first day then set up camp near Indian Lake, completing the trail on Sunday. We will meet on the south side of Indy and drive about 2 1/2 hours to the trail head on Saturday morning, returning to Indy on Sunday by 3:00. This is a good trip to test out your gear before your club trips this summer!
Cross-Country Ski, Michigan Make plans to join us for a few days of cross country skiing, snow shoeing, winter hiking and other general outdoor frivolity in Michigan! (The Farmer's Almanac is predicting heavy snows in 2008, so perfect ski conditions are almost guaranteed!) We'll base ourselves out of the Cadillac area (in the Manistee National Forest) with access to several cross-country facilities as well as a couple of downhill ski areas with extensive cross-country systems. We'll depart Indianapolis mid-day Friday for the 6 1/2 hour drive to Cadillac giving us all day Saturday and Sunday, and Monday morning to play in the snow! We'll head back to Indianapolis mid-day Monday arriving late afternoon/early evening. Trip fee includes transportation, three nights' accommodations (in two-bedroom cabins, four people per cabin), three breakfasts, and one dinner. You will be responsible for meals en route Friday and Monday as well as lunches and Saturday night dinner. Bring your own skis or rent (approx. $15/day). Expect daily trail passes to run around $15.
"Canoecopia!" Canoecopia, billed as the "World's Largest Paddling Expo," will be held in Madison Wisconsin, Friday through Sunday, March 7, 8 and 9. See the latest in canoes, kayaks, paddling gear, camping equipment, and clothing. All merchandise is 15% off, and some vendors may have close-outs and other types of sales. It's a great chance to find the best deals on quality paddling equipment. The cost of the show for the weekend is $15. In addition to boats and gear, there are a myriad of guest speakers, presentations and clinics on paddling techniques, trip experiences, tour destinations, and instructional information. The "Who's Who" of paddling folk gather at one place in North America during March, and you don't want to miss it. Just as the end of the cold season is approaching, Canoecopia has everything to float your boat! Check out the program schedule and get more information by going to
www.rutabaga.com/canoecopia. (Rutabaga is the paddling store in Wisconsin that sponsors the event). If you click on the Canoecopia on-line gazette, you can get information on the topics and schedule. Madison is a fun town, and if you're a paddler, we're sure it will be worth your weekend. The CIWC group will leave Friday, March 7th, at approximately 10:00a.m. from the northeast side of Indy. We'll ride up in the club van to Madison (5-6 hours) and check in at the Sheraton Hotel, just across the street from the Alliant Expo Center, site of Canoecopia, and where many of the speakers stay. Three to four people per double room with the possibility of mixed rooms. The best deals at the show are available when the show opens on Friday and on Saturday. Typically there's a paddlers' party on Saturday evening (optional). During the weekend, CIWC participants will be on our own to explore the show or hang out as a group. On Sunday, we'll depart Madison around noon and return to Indy. The cost of the trip covers two nights' hotel and mileage for the club van. The show entrance fee and all meals will be on our own.
Backpack Yellowwood State Forest We will meet on the south side of Indianapolis at 8:00am Saturday for the short trip to Brown County. We will be doing parts of the Y and Z trails, 6 to 7 miles each day. We will find a nice place in the backcountry for a primitive camp site. Supper on Saturday and breakfast Sunday will be provided. This should be a good early start for the backpacking season!!
Backpack Morgan-Monroe State Forest, IN Join us for a spring warm-up backpacking trip on the Low Gap Trail in Morgan-Monroe State Forest. The cold weather will be gone (hopefully), and we will be in for a nice spring overnighter. We will depart from the south side of Indianapolis on Saturday morning, April 12, for the short drive down to Morgan-Monroe State Forest. We will take a leisurely hike into the backcountry with hopefully enough time to explore the woods once camp is set up. We will complete the loop on Sunday morning and head back to Indianapolis by mid-afternoon. The Low Gap Trail is a 10-mile loop that has some pretty challenging terrain, but nothing that is too demanding. This trip would be great for beginning backpackers who want to get a taste of backcountry camping as well as experienced backpackers who want to shake the dust off of their pack and stretch the legs a bit. Cost of the trip will include transportation, dinner on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. You will be responsible for your lunches both days as well as any snacks. A good time is guaranteed.
Backpack Red River Gorge, KY Join us on our club's annual spring excursion to the beautiful Red River Gorge with more sandstone arches than anyplace else in the United States except Utah. We'll drive down late Friday afternoon and set up camp. We'll have Saturday to explore the backcountry including arches like Sky Bridge and Rock Bridge (with a creek running under it). Saturday afternoon, we will backpack up to a camping spot near Indian Stairstep. Dinner on the trail Saturday and Sunday breakfast are included in the fee. We'll head home Sunday after visiting Natural Bridge State Park, arriving in Indianapolis in the late afternoon. Sign up early for this popular trip!
Bicycle/Camp the Katy Trail, MO The Katy Trail is a 225 mile (365 km) bike path stretching across most of the state of Missouri. Over half of it follows Lewis and Clark's path up the Missouri River, where you can ride beneath towering river bluffs while eagles circle overhead. After leaving the river, the trail meanders through peaceful farmland and small-town Americana. We will leave Thursday after work and drive to Clinton, MO for the night, where will we stay in a motel. The drive to Clinton, MO is approximately 470 miles and will take 8 hours. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday we will bicycle towards St. Charles, MO, about 70 miles a day and camp along the trail. We will leave St. Charles on Sunday and drive the 255 miles (four hours) back to Indianapolis. The club van will carry your belongings and camping gear to the next camp, with stops for non-riders at the many antique shops, wineries and sights. Evening euchre is planned. There are many small towns in which to stop and eat. Bring money to purchase your own meals as desired. You can review the trail at www.bikekatytrail.com. The riding surface is packed, crushed limestone with no cars.
Two Day Paddle, Driftwood River, IN The Driftwood is a beautiful clear river with lots of sand bars and skipping rocks. This section of the river flows through a secluded state wildlife preserve and a portion of Camp Atterbury. You will see plenty of wildlife along the way. We will carpool from Indianapolis to Blue's Canoe Liver, www.bluescanoelivery.com, across from the Edinburgh Outlet Mall. There you will be able to rent a canoe or kayak or bring your own boat. We will then be shuttled upstream to Furnas Mill Dam. There we will begin our 8-mile scenic trip back to the livery, where we will camp. After dinner, we can play basketball, volleyball, or just relax. It is primitive camping only. There are modern restrooms and hot showers available. The next day after breakfast, we will head downstream on another beautiful 6-mile section to Lowell Bridge. We will return to camp, pack, and head home. Saturday camp dinner, group camping, canoe and kayak shuttle is included in the cost. For those who will be renting from the outfitter, work with the trip leaders to reserve a canoe or kayak. There will be a surcharge of $26 for a 2-person canoe and $33 for a 1-person kayak. (These are 2007 prices). You will need to bring: lunches, breakfast, PFDs, dry bags, dry clothes, throw ropes, tents, sleeping bags, bed rolls, personal items, etc. If you need any club gear such as a tent or stove, let us know.
Backpack Appalachian Trail, Grayson Highlands, Virginia This section of the Appalachian Trail covers about 32 miles of southwestern Virginia (sections 43-45). Our hike begins in Grayson Highlands State Park near Massie Gap and finishes in Damascus, Virginia, home of "Trail Days" and known as the friendliest town on the AT. We will backpack along a ridge formed by three of Virginia's highest peaks, Mt. Rogers (5729 ft), Whitetop Mountain (5520 ft), and Pine Mountain (5050 ft) and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area including Wilbur Ridge, Stone Mountain and several southern Balds. Expect to see stands of Fraser Firs, red spruce, beech and maple trees with sections of Rhododendrons, flame azaleas, and blueberries. Hiking north to south we will traverse varied terrain and over 3500 feet of elevation change with 4 days and 3 nights on the trail. The trip fee includes transportation, two nights' cabin accommodations, and all meals on the trail.
Backpack Peninsula Trail, Deam Wilderness, IN We will be hiking the Peninsula Trail, a relatively easy 5-mile trek. This trail follows a ridgeline most of the way and goes through a variety of habitats, eventually ending at Lake Monroe. We will hike in on Saturday and then spend the rest of the day relaxing, exploring, swimming, fishing, etc. (feel free to bring your swim suits and fishing poles) at our campsite at the lake. Sunday morning we will hike the 5 miles back out and return to Indy. Transportation to and from the trail, Saturday dinner, and Sunday breakfast will be provided.
Interplanetary Bicycle Ride, Peoria, IL The Peoria, Illinois Lakeview Museum's Community Solar System is a model of the sun and nine planets, where size and distance are represented on the same scale. The Interplanetary Ride is an organized bicycle ride where riders can bike from 17 to 90 miles on Saturday, June 21, and bike 24 miles on Sunday, June 22. The ride includes support vehicle service, maps, well-marked routes, food at each rest stop on the ride, and a pasta dinner Saturday. The $20 registration fee benefits the education programs of the sponsoring groups. Each participant must register for the ride and is responsible for meals. Find out more about the ride and register on-line, www.lakeview-museum.org. Or print out a registration form at http://www.lakeview-museum.org/iplanet/iplanfly.pdf. Registration also includes free admission to the planetarium and museum so we will plan to spend some time there if time allows Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon. We will leave the northwest side of Indianapolis Friday afternoon, June 20. From there we will travel to Peoria and spend Friday and Saturday nights in the Courtyard Peoria, 4 people to a 2-queen bed room. Saturday: Starting times are between 6-9am at Dunlap Community Middle School. From there riders will take either the crushed limestone Rock Island Trail or low traffic roads to Wyoming, IL (Neptune). From Wyoming, all riders will use a low traffic road loop through the Kuiper Comet Belt en route to Kewanee (Pluto). Participants may choose to go as far as any particular planet. Riders doing the 90-mile loop going to Kewanee (Pluto) must leave by 7:30am. Information about the Rock Island Trail can be found at http://gorp.away.com/gorp/publishers/menasha/bik_mid2.htm. Sunday: Assemble at 6:45am at Lakeview Museum, 1125 W. Lake, Peoria. Depart as a group at 7am. Tour the inner solar system from the Sun to Saturn and back. This 24-mile ride takes about 3 hours. Riders will travel through Peoria and East Peoria, stopping at each of the planets in order from the Sun. See the historic Peoria Riverfront, Springdale Cemetery, and historic homes including a Frank Lloyd Wright house (city streets). After the ride Sunday we will head back to Indianapolis either stopping to eat in Peoria or along the way. We should arrive back in Indianapolis by around 5pm.
Backpack Isle Royale National Park Isle Royale's physical isolation and primitive wilderness challenged human use for centuries; ironically today it has become the island's main attraction. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, visitors come to experience this island park through hiking its trails, paddling its inland waterways, exploring its rugged coast, or venturing into the depth of its shipwrecks. Scientists have been studying the interactions of wolves and moose at Isle Royale National Park since 1958. This is the longest continuous predator-prey study in the world. Join this CIWC trip for a backpacking experience that will last for a lifetime. Your leaders will plan for some summer day hiking trips to check out your gear and get your questions answered. We will leave Indy early Friday morning and travel straight through to Minnesota's North Shore and stay in a campground. On Saturday we will catch an early ferry at Grand Portage and arrive at the Windigo ranger station at about 10:30. The weather should be perfect. Our objective is to hike nearly 50 miles in 5 plus days to Rock Harbor near the east end of the Island. During our hike we will tent camp and likely stay in the island's fabulous screened shelters. From the Greenstone Ridge we will look for blueberries while hoping for fantastic views to both Canada and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We will camp on scenic inland lakes and also along the big waters of Superior. After catching another ferry on the sixth day, we will drive to near Duluth and stay in a motel and wind down before heading home on September 5. The trip cost includes van transportation, ferry reservations, backcountry permits, and all dinner and breakfast meals while on the Island. It also includes motel lodging and state park camping. Participants are responsible for meals en route, trail lunches, snacks and incidentals. Because of the (remote) potential for an emergency evacuation, participants are strongly encouraged to have a valid U.S. passport. Thunder Bay, Ontario is the closest major city with a hospital, and the authorities have told us that is where emergency services would likely take someone who needs to be evacuated. These evacuations are extremely rare. Please contact one of the leaders with any questions.
Backpack Appalachian Trail, CT This fall backpacking trip will take us to the Connecticut section of the Appalachian Trail, a 52-mile stretch of trail that crosses through the northwest corner of the state. Although the elevations of the mountains through this area are relatively low, we will have the opportunity to pass by several fine high points with great views of the Housatonic River valley and the Berkshire Mountains to the north. This area was Indian Territory for thousands of years and in fact, the only place where the AT crosses through Native American Indian Reservation land is in Connecticut. We will drive to Harriman State Park in New York on Thursday where we will spend the night in cabins. (Yep, same cabins as our '07 trip). After shuttling to the trailhead about an hour north of Harriman on Friday morning, we hit the trail spending three nights and four days covering a total of 32 miles. We will return to the cabins at Harriman to spend Monday night and then head back to Indy Tuesday. The trip fee includes transportation, two nights' cabin accommodations, breakfast Friday through Monday, and dinner on the trail Friday through Sunday. You will be responsible for meals en route on Thursday and Tuesday, as well as dinner out on Monday evening.
January 12-13, 2008
Cost: $42, Deposit $42
Reservation/Cancellation deadline (full payment required): March 3
February 22-25
Family Rating: Adults Only
Trip Difficulty: Beginner
Cost: $230, Deposit $115
Cancellation Date: February 1, 2008
March 7-9, 2008
Cost for CIWC Members: $156; Non-members: $166
Cancellation Date: February 29, 2008
March 29-30
Family Rating: High School okay with adult
Trip Difficulty: Beginner
Cost: $25, Deposit $25
Cancellation Date: March 15, 2008
April 12-13
Family Rating: Adult
Trip Difficulty: Beginner with a few challenging hills
Cost: $20, Deposit $20
Cancellation Date: April 2, 2008
May 2-4
Trip Difficulty: Beginner
Cost: $73, Deposit $50
Cancellation Date: April 26, 2008
May 15-18
Trip Difficulty: Intermediate
Cost: $142, Deposit $71
Cancellation Date: May 2, 2008
May 17-18
Trip Difficulty: Beginner/ Kids 13 and up with parent or guardian
Cost: $34, Deposit $34
Cancellation Date: May 2, 2008
May 27-June 1
Trip Difficulty: Intermediate
Family Rating: Adults Only
Cost: $164, Deposit $82
Cancellation Date: April 26, 2008
June 7-8
Trip Difficulty: Beginner
Family Rating: Adults Only
Cost: $35.50, Deposit $35.50
Cancellation Date: May 24, 2008
June 20-22
Trip Difficulty: Beginner
Family Rating: Adults Only
Cost: $114, Deposit $57
Cancellation Date: June 1, 2008
August 29-September 5
Trip Difficulty: Intermediate
Family Rating: Adults Only
Cost: $440, Deposit $220
Cancellation Date: August 12, 2008
September 18-23
Trip Difficulty: Intermediate
Family Rating: Adults Only
Cost: $250, Deposit $125
Cancellation Date: August 23, 2008
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URL: http://ciwclub.org |