| Type of group | Service |
|---|---|
| Selective | No |
| Membership | 1000+ |
| Meeting time | 7:00pm Tuesdays |
| Meeting place | Matt Cole Room |
| Office | Paresky Upstairs (or ER) |
| Established | 1915 |
| Website | http://woc.williams.edu/ |
Williams Outing Club (WOC)
Founded in 1915, the Williams Outing Club provides outdoor PE classes, overnight trips, organizes Mountain Day, rents equipment and gear, runs the Winter Carnival, organizes the polar bear plunge, and runs the WOOLF (Wilderness Outdoor Orientation for Living as First-years) program for incoming freshmen. A complete history of the organization is available here. WOC is largely run by students on the WOC board and Scott Lewis, the Outing Club Director.
Student memberships are $10, while Faculty/Staff memberships are $15 and Family memberships $25. Memberships are good for the entire academic year in which they are purchased, but you must renew it for the next year. You can pick up a membership either by going to the equiptment room during regular hours, or signing up during WOOLF. Members are automatically subscribed to the outing-news listserv and receive notices of club events, trips, and activities. All members are also welcome and encouraged to come to weekly meetings to meet other members and discuss the activities of the club.
Meetings
The Outing Club holds weekly meetings on Tuesday nights at 7 PM in the Matt Cole room of the Zilkha Center to report on and plan trips, arrange speakers and discuss ideas for the present and future of the club. Members of the WOC Board are present at meetings, but all Outing Club members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Coming to meetings is a great way to learn more about WOC and to have a say in the trips and events that we sponsor. Minutes from recent meetings are available on the WOC website. Those interested in a more informal gathering are welcome to join fellow outdoor enthusiasts for dinner on every other Sunday night at 6 PM for WOC Din!
Resources
The WOC headquarters and equipment room are located in Paresky, with the office on the second floor and the equipment room on the M level downstairs.
Members are entitled to check out gear from the equipment room, which is open from 12:30-1:30, Monday through Thursday, and 12-2 on Fridays (12-2 Monday-Friday, 10-12 Saturday during Winter Study). The ER has personal gear, clothing, group gear, first aid kits, cooking gear, and winter gear. Some of the available equipment includes:
- backpacks
- stoves
- sleeping bags
- sleeping pads
- tents
- assorted other backpacking/camping gear
- cross-country skis, boots, and poles
- snowshoes
- telemark skis
- maps and trail guides
- discounted ski passes, free or cheap buses to ski mountains during the winter
A complete equipment room inventory is available on the WOC website.
The equipment room is run and managed by students. Those interested in working should contact Scott Lewis or the Equipment Room Manager at the beginning of the fall and/or spring semesters; first-year students cannot work in the equipment room. You can also teach WOC PE classes and get paid to do it--good people, good college pay, and plenty of gear at your disposal!
The WOC also maintains the Dorland Cabin in Hopkins Forest, which WOC members can use for free. It has a wood stove with firewood and kindling provided, a big window, and a second floor loft; the cabin receives heavy use throughout the year, and members are encouraged to make a reservation at least a week in advance.
The climbing wall is open every weekday from times specified in the listserv.
For more information, including up-to-date activity schedules, visit the WOC website.