Adventure Weekends Near Maryland Virginia and Washington DC

Multi-Sport Adventures Near Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC

Teams and work groups perform at their peak when they learn to trust one another.  One of the simplest and most effective ways to gain trust and commitment is through a shared experience – especially a shared physical challenge.  Our Multi-Sport Adventures are designed to provide the vehicle for building that trust while enjoying an outdoor experience with your workmates.

Combining two or more adventure sports with an overnight camping experience gives teams an opportunity to learn new skills, tell new stories and engage in activities that they might not normally expect to take part in ‘at work.’

Examples of a Multi-Sport Adventure:

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Via Ferrata Bridge

Caving and Via Ferrata in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia – We’ll meet your team at a campground and car caravan out to a wild cave where your group will explore underground caverns that seem to go on for ages.  Six hours later we’ll pitch camp and cook some supper around a campfire before heading off to our tents.  The next morning it’s off to the Via Ferrata – a mixture of rock climbing, ladder climbing and hiking up a mountain.  After an elevation gain of 12oo feet, you’ll reach the summit and take in the gorgeous view as you sit high above your surroundings.  On the way back down the mountain, you’ll get ready to debrief the experience over a good meal and head home to your own bed.

Seneca Rocks West Virginia is a bit of a trek from Washington, DC, but the drive is worth the distance.  Traveling through Monongahela State Forest and up into the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, you’ll be glad to be out of the city for an adventure.

Camping areas and activities will vary depending on your Multi-Sport Adventure, but to give you an idea of locations and drive times you can plan on Seneca Rocks, WV as one of the potential sites.  If you use an online map tool, your destination will be:

Seneca Rocks, WV

Read more about our Multi-Sport Adventures

Caving Instruction near Maryland Virginia and Washington DC

Caving near Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC

Caves are found in every state in the US, and on every continent on the planet.  In West Virginia, there are over 2000 explored caves, making it an excellent place for you to enjoy your first caving adventure!

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Caving at Whiting's Neck

Whiting’s Neck and Indian Caves

Our ‘local’ caves are Whiting’s Neck and Indian Caves, near Martinsburg, WV.  Situated near the Potomac River upstream from Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, these two caves provide plenty of excitement for the novice to intermediate level caver and are still only 88 miles from downtown Washington, DC.

Indian Cave overlooks the Potomac River, and is home to small animals during the warm months and a few bats during the cold season.  Providing a great first-time caving experience, we use Indian Cave as the introduction before heading up to Whiting’s Neck.

Whiting’s Neck Cave has two entrances (or exits) and gives smaller groups (4-10 participants) a chance to rappel into the lower chambers.  With room for most to travel through without difficulty, there are still plenty of spots to challenge the adventurous explorer!

When heading out to Whiting’s Neck and Indian Cave, park at Yankauer Nature Preserve and hike to the trailhead.  If you use an online map tool, your destination will be:

Glen Drive, Martinsburg, WV  25401

Read More about our Caving Adventures…

Rock Climbing at Sugarloaf Mountain Dickerson MD

Introduction to Rock Climbing – Sugarloaf Mountain, MD

Beginners and experienced climbers alike will enjoy the secluded and shady climbs at Sugarloaf Mountain. With plenty of opportunities for bouldering and easy access to top-roping anchors, the Devil’s Kitchen and Boy Scout Ledges areas are a great place for individuals and groups to come and learn “the vertical dance” of rock climbing.

butlerclimbing Rock Climbing at Sugarloaf Mountain Dickerson MD

Climbing at Sugarloaf Mountain

Rock Climbing Series:

On Rope! – (4 hours) Introduction to tying-in, belaying, and basic climbing technique.

Climb On! – (7 hours) Knots, top-belay, climbing techniques and rappelling.

Rappel Away! – (4 hours) Introduction to techniques of safe rappelling – double line, single line with various rappel devices.

Anchors Workshop – (8 hours) Introduction to basic anchor-building for top-rope climbing. Natural and artificial anchors introduced.

Getting to Sugarloaf Mountain:

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The sign at the entrance to Sugarloaf Mountain

Located near Dickerson, MD, Sugarloaf Mountain is between Rockville and Frederick along I-270. If you use an online map tool, your destination will be:

7901 Comus Road, Dickerson, MD 20842

When climbers arrive at the base of the mountain, be sure to drive through the gate that is situated to the left of this sign:

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Sugarloaf Mountain Snack Shack

Many climbing groups head up to “Boy Scout Ledges” where they can find easy climbs for beginners. The hike to Boy Scout Ledges begins at the Westview Parking Lot, which has a covered ‘snack shack’ and port-a-potties.

NEXTeams provides experienced and talented instructors for your rock climbing experience. Contact us for more information.

Eriq Powers
The NEXTeams Companies
(240) 603-4150
info@nexteams.com
www.nexteams.com

Teams Benefit from Slowing Economy

A Slow Economy is Time for Business Process Improvement

You’re probably thinking “How could anyone benefit from a slowing economy?”

Well, this statement certainly needs clarification.  Not every team will benefit from economic hardship.  In fact, many teams will shrink (labor statistics are a blatant example of this sad reality) and many benefits will be cut.  Managers and business owners are ‘tightening their belts.’

For some teams, however, the slowing economy is an opportunity to test their resilience, ingenuity and team performance.  Successful organizational teams use the conflict created by the ‘recession’ to streamline their processes, create new products and move forward with renewed enthusiasm.  Rather than fearing the next year, a high performance team will see this as an opportunity.

Here are a few things teams can do to weather the economic storm:

  • brainstorming sessions to identify emerging trends
  • improve business communication with clients and customers
  • business process improvement – streamlining the way businesses perform their daily tasks
  • planning for the future – vision for the short-term and long-term
  • training and development in techniques for meeting facilitation and team building
  • innovation training to learn how to be more creative
  • focus on teamwork and collaboration – utilize and celebrate the many talents of your staff

Out of conflict comes opportunity, and taking the time to reflect on what is working and what processes need improvement will go a long way towards dealing with a tumultuous economy.