GOPOP is going virtual for 2020. Please visit our new website for more details.
GOPOP 2020
August 16th-21st
GOPOP offers an exciting way for new Georgetown students to bond with their incoming classmates.
Outdoor Ed’s experiential based wilderness trips will connect you to the outdoors, your peers, and upper-class guides prior to your transition to Georgetown University. Traveling through the backcountry or adventuring through D.C., participants will get the chance to explore the wild, meet and overcome challenges, and develop community prior to the beginning of classes.
Groups will be between 8-12 and led by trained Georgetown student guides. We encourage you to look through these trips and join Georgetown University Outdoor Education on a truly unforgettable adventure!
General trip details:
- Price of the trip includes food, group gear, and ground transportation once the trip has started. Gear rental fees may be added for trips that do not start in DC.
- Students are responsible for their own transportation to the starting location of each trip. Trips that DO NOT meet at Georgetown: Lake Tahoe and Yellowstone. Trips that start at Georgetown: VA and WV backpacking, DC Adventures, and Climbing 101.
- Students are responsible for having all required clothing items listed on the packing list.
- OE does have some gear (backpacks, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads) available for students who do not have their own. There is no rental fee unless the student is participating on a trip in which the guides have to fly and carry the extra gear – essentially covering baggage fees.
- Student participating in programs starting in DC will be able to move into their permanent housing for the year starting at 9am on Sunday the 16th. Sunday the 16th is a transition day, students should arrive to campus and move into their residence halls. All trips will meet at 6:00pm for dinner – this is the first official GOPOP gathering. Post dinner, students will break into individual trips to review the logistics for the coming days. More details on this day will be sent as the summer progresses.
- Trip assignments will be announced July 10th.
— Cancelled due to Covid-19 — Lake Tahoe Backpacking (Exact dates TBD – Late July/Early August) $700
This year’s Lake Tahoe trip is a full-on backpacking trip! The group will spend their days traveling high above the lake and camped under the stars. Average daily mileage will be around 5 miles but there may be a few days of 7-10 miles depending on conditions. While previous backpacking experience is not required, we do highly suggest that participants begin training for this trip ASAP and have broken in boots! Students should plan on flying into Reno and meeting the group there for the start of the trip. Please do not purchase tickets until we confirm with you that the trip is running!
— Cancelled due to Covid-19 — Yellowstone Adventure (Exact dates TBD – Early August) $700
Yellowstone is America’s oldest National Park – come and see it with OE! The group will meet in Bozeman and then travel to the park that afternoon. We will spend the first few days of our trip being tourists – The Roosevelt Arch, Old Faithful, buffalo, etc. We will then strap on our boots and hit the trail for 5 days and 4 nights of backpacking. This route is strenuous! Participants should be in good physical shape, have broken in boots, and be excited to travel up to 10 miles a day while backpacking. Please do not purchase tickets to Bozeman until we confirm with you that the trip is running!
Virginia Backpacking $400
The Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park are two wonderful resources just South of Georgetown University. While our actual route will depend on conditions, you can count on being on a challenging but rewarding backpacking trip if you choose to go on VA GOPOP. Average daily miles will be around 5 but there may be a longer day or two. While previous backpacking experience is not required, we do highly suggest that participants begin training for this trip ASAP and have broken in boots! The trip begins and ends at Georgetown.
West Virginia Backpacking $400
West Virginia is known as THE MOUNTAIN STATE – join OE for GOPOP WV and find out why it has received this moniker. We will backpack through the Seneca Creek Wilderness; climb to the highest point in the state and potentially scale the famous walls of Seneca Rocks. Average daily miles will be around 5 but there may be a longer day or two. While previous backpacking experience is not required, we do highly suggest that participants begin training for this trip ASAP and have broken in boots! The trip begins and ends at Georgetown.
Climbing 101 $500
DC is surrounded by some outstanding climbing opportunities and our OE guides want to share that with incoming students! Students registering for this trip should be prepared to climb. While previous outdoor climbing experience is not necessary, we do recommend that students try indoor climbing at least once prior to registering for this trip. We want to make sure you like climbing before dedicating your entire GOPOP to the sport. Nights will be roughly 50/50 spent on camping and staying in your residence hall. The trip begins and ends at Georgetown.
DC Adventures $550
Our DC Adventure trips are designed to introduce incoming students to the “wildness” of Washington DC. Days will be spent climbing at local crags, paddling on the Potomac, hiking local trails, and maybe participating on a challenge course. Most nights will be spent in residence halls but we always try to get at least one night away from campus either camping or spending the night in a local cabin. Trip begins and ends at Georgetown. GUOE will partner with Calleva (a local camp) to run this trip.
For more information, sign up for our email list by sending an email to outdoored@georgetown.edu.
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