People can gain a lot from their outdoor experiences. Just thirty minutes of exercise a day enhances creativity, improves mental health, boosts memory, and improves concentration. There are endless pros to why you should play outside, both academically and physically.
Dion Carroll, an avid photographer and filmmaker started with his interest in kayaking. He wanted to capture his best moments of going down the river. He’d then go home and self-learn how to edit his videos and photographs.
Carroll, recent Oak Hill High School graduate and extreme kayaker, said “Kayaking has affected my everyday life in a positive manner. It opens doors that lead to unexpected opportunities, whether that relates to an occupational setting, traveling somewhere, or other extracurricular hobbies and interests.”
Living in the “Coolest Small Town” with a large rafting and kayaking scene is phenomenal. There are lots of opportunities for adventure. The New River offers fun rapids for any skill set. While going down the New River, it’s hard to not notice the scenic views- old structures from the pioneers of coal mining and the dense wilderness engulfing you.
Kiya Babkirk, a longtime rock climber and OHHS senior, said, “Having a heavily influenced rock climbing family was awesome. I got to spend a lot of time playing outside.”
The Babkirks are inspiring climbers that hangout at crags, climbing the steepest part of the routes with no holds to secure their hands, just little nooks and crannies for their fingertips, scraping the tips of their climbing shoes on vertical rock walls, and literally pulling themselves up a mountain.
These athletes can show you what it means to challenge yourself.
People like this inspire others and have fun while learning and growing. Anybody can do what these adventurers do; all it takes is work and time. There are ways to tiptoe into trying these sports with helpful advice from the outdoor community. The desire to go do it is the first major step.
Carroll’s advice for learning, “Expect to fail… many times. Be persistent with your efforts, study experts, spend time with people who are better than you, and you will improve.”
Carroll has the right idea. A friend that’s able to show how it’s done can be a huge difference in your progression.
But it’s not the only way to learn. Not everyone has a friend with a high skill set. It’s usually easier to find an instructional video of what you’re interested in learning.
Every skater knows of Tony Hawk’s trick tip videos due to the lack of an established skate community to pass down what they’ve learned. Learning on your own can help develop an independent style- increasing motivation.
Curtis Paul, a graduate of FIT and Fayetteville High School, is a great example of an independent learner.
Paul is the youngest store owner in Fayetteville. He created Very Rare Vintage and transformed a small, rugged building to a unique hangout with vintage streetwear from all over the U.S. The store will stock high-end and local clothing, as well as some skate gear.
Paul has learned a lot about persistence from rock climbing and skate boarding.
He said, “Failing is normal and the only true success comes from sticking with something until you see it through.”
The culture of these sports helps shape skills, creativity, and personality. Each discipline has its special side niche like fabricating, carpentry, and especially filmmaking.
It’s difficult to think of an adventure sport that’s not being filmed or photographed. It just isn’t like that in today’s world, where everything is being documented. More than ever, people are capable of just pulling out their phones and taking quality pictures. That causes a lot more people to get interested in not just the action sports, but also filming and photography.
Pervis J. Major, a well-known scooter rider and home school student, said, “A lot of people just want clips of their tricks, so you’ll spend a lot of time filming the more you get into it.”
However, many people that are inspired by these films still don’t know where to start to get involved in these sports.
If there’s a lack of equipment or a lack of knowledge- like how to belay a partner, read whitewater, or roll in a kayak, then you need to find experts. Fortunately, these folks exist and they are more than willing to help.
Gear shops are a great source of knowledge. In addition, there are several regional outdoor clubs for non-traditional sports. At Midland Trail and Oak Hill High Schools there are also Outdoor Adventure 4-H Clubs that take students on amazing field trips in the area. We even have a Tourism Industries program at FIT thats you on a professional path. Working at an outfitter is always a great way to get introduced to adventure sports and they have all the proper equipment.
Once you make these initial connections, making new friends is one of the great things about learning an adventure sport. Meeting cool people is all a part of it; not a second will be wasted when you’re having fun.
If rock climbing sounds the most fascinating, I’d recommend bouldering as a beginner on a budget. All you will need are shoes, chalk, and a crash pad. Equipment is available in climbing shops, and you can also find used gear online, which is helpful for your budget. If you research, you can find good discounts and sometimes used products with not even a scuff on them.
With bouldering, you are not using ropes, so climb in areas that match your ability. Having good judgement and a spotting partner are advised to avoid injury.
Getting the gear for climbing 25-foot walls isn’t too overwhelming- you’ll just need ropes, a harness, helmet, and a belay device. There’s a lot more knowledge that goes into sport climbing, so be sure to go with an expert initially.
As you progress through the years, more effort will be spent on getting higher quality gear to climb, boat, or skate.
Kayaking can be expensive in the beginning, but once you have everything, you won’t have to upgrade your gear unless something breaks, which doesn’t happen often for beginners. The price for a normal new whitewater kayak is around $850- $1400. Luckily, it’s easy to find used boats or discounted items at a much cheaper price.
After the kayak, you’ll need a lifejacket, helmet, spray skirt, and a paddle. These are all much cheaper compared to the price of the boat.
West Virginia has multiple outfitters with the knowledge and equipment to help any beginner. Whether as a guest or training to be a guide, these centers are experts for outdoor recreation.
Maya Mills, local Fayetteville raft guide and a junior at OHHS, said, “With six different companies, you have plenty of options around here. Not only that, you have multiple sections of river to choose from that offers experiences for all skill levels.”
In addition to exploring the natural elements, there are skate parks and urban features in the area as well.
When you get into skateboarding and scootering, what to buy truly matters; you get what you pay for. As a beginner, don’t go spending tons of money trying to get the best gear. Not everybody sticks with it, so don’t spend $200 dollars on a board that might just get left outside to get ruined. Especially in scootering, the average cost of a pro scooter is $800 dollars. Start with an affordable used scooter and upgrade your parts as you progress.
Helmets are uncomfortable and look weird to some, but trust me a medical bill is way worse.
People are likely to enjoy the sport more and stick with it by learning new things and having fun. If it seems like progression is slow or you feel you just can’t do it, that’s fine- keep trying.
Pervis Major could tell you better than anyone, you can’t do it till you try.
Majors’ advice for beginners, “Practice makes perfect, just put some time in.”
There are plenty of other extreme sports to check out in the area. The snowboarding, skiing, and mountain biking scenes are big here as well. The Downhill Mountain Biking World Cup was also held at Snowshoe, WV last year, and it’s scheduled to come back!
If you’d like to go mountain biking, West Virginia is a major hub with lots of trails right outside your door. Fayetteville Town Park, Arrowhead, Summersville Lake, and Wolf Creek trails are all highly rated in the area, and the trail systems continue to expand. A short drive from here offers even more options. Beauty is at every corner of the trails. Some show large sections of the New River and others have interesting structures like abandoned coal mines.
If you’re living in West Virginia, take advantage of the winter resorts we have here like Snowshoe, Winterplace, Silver Creek, Canaan Valley, Timberline, and Whitegrass. It’s a shame to grow up without gliding on snow, looking over the top of the frosted mountains. Most of the resorts even offer ski free days and free lessons depending on the calendar. If you can cover the rental prices for some gear, then you’re on your way to flying down the mountain.
There’s no one-size-fit-all method for trying out these sports. If you have an interest in it, go explore.
Curtis Paul’s advice for getting comfortable with new sports says, ”I love how accepting it is, no matter your race, gender, color, size, or shape. If you love outdoors, you’re one of us!”
| Sport | Location for Activity | Location for Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Skiing & Snowboarding | Winterplace Ghent, WV Snowshoe Mountain Snowshoe, WV Silver Creek Snowshoe, WV | Ski Barn Ghent, WV Elevation Sports Beckley, WV Snow Creek Mountain Sports Snowshoe, WV |
| Skating & Scootering | Fayetteville Skate Park Fayetteville, WV Beckley Skate Park Beckley, WV Camp Royal Glen Jean, WV | Elevation Sports Beckley, WV |
| Rock Climbing | Seneca Rocks Pendleton County, WV New River Gorge Fayette County, WV Summersville Lake Nicholas County, WV | Waterstone Outdoors Fayetteville, WV |
| Rafting & Kayaking Instruction | ACE Adventure Resort Oak Hill, WV Adventures On The Gorge Lansing, WV | Elevation Sports Beckley, WV ACE Adventure Gear: Fayetteville, WV |
| Mountain Biking | Arrowhead Trails Fayetteville, WV Wolf Creek Trails Fayetteville, WV Summersville Lake Trails, Summersville, WV | New River Bikes Fayetteville, WV Arrowhead Bike Farm Fayetteville, WV |