The Subarus are coming and they’re bringing ethical outdoor skills
By Morgan Corbett ’17
Camping out of their Subaru, Steph Whatton and Andy Mossey—two Subaru/Leave No Trace traveling trainers—will visit campus on February 15 to educate the community on responsible and minimum-impact outdoor recreation.
Though Whatton and Mossey’s clinics bring them up and down the U.S. East Coast, the two, in addition to Assistant Professor of Outdoor Recreation Management Katie Wall, tailored the event to suit the mountains of North Carolina.
Students will have the opportunity to learn strategies for better environmental responsibility, thereby embracing the college’s motto: “In the mountains, of the mountains, for the mountains.”
A certified Leave No Trace Master Educator, Wall worked with the Subaru/Leave No Trace program to bring it to the college.
The event schedule is as follows:
Noon–1 p.m.: Whatton and Mossey plan to be in the MacDonald Dining Hall with information about the Leave No Trace Seven Principals, a list of guidelines based on respect for nature and backed by science.
1–2 p.m.: The trainers will host a fire-building clinic to demonstrate and help students practice a variety of low-impact campfire techniques. The clinic will be held near the Mill Pond waterfall on Mill Pond Road.
3–4 p.m.: Subaru/Leave No Trace trainers plan to host a campus trail hike and discuss winter-specific outdoor ethics. The hike will leave from the footbridge at the Elk River.
6–7 p.m.: Whatton and Mossey plan to give a presentation open to the community in Evans Auditorium. It will cover the seven Leave No Trace principles and provide additional outdoor stewardship strategies.
All clinics and presentations are free and open to the public.
