With most of its events - expeditions to Tufts' Loj in Woodstock, NH and indoor climbing in Everett, Mass. - taking place off campus, Tufts Mountain Club (TMC) traditionally operates primarily out of the sight and mind of the general college community.
That won't be the case Friday afternoon, when TMC sets up camp on the academic quad from 1-4 p.m. for what is believed to be the first Tufts Mountain Day.
The events will range from the outdoorsy - repelling from a tree and stick-whittling - to just plain fun - bobbing for apples, capture the flag, dizzy bat races, and scavenger hunts.
There will also be activities that encompass both, like the Camp-Stove Iron Chef competition, which will pit four teams of four against one another in a spin-off of the popular television show. The Tufts version will feature frying pans, spatulas, and one-burner camp stoves.
The club also plans to teach a belaying class on the bridge to Dowling Hall, as such knowledge is needed to participate in the club's weekly indoor climbing trips. And while tomorrow won't exactly be like climbing Mount Everest, it is intended to bring a tiny slice of the outdoor thrills New England has to offer - biking, canoeing, rafting, hiking, climbing - to the university's suburban Medford/Somerville campus.
"We get so many people to sign up at the beginning of the year," TMC vice president Jen Crawford said, "But most of our events are two hours away from campus, so we thought we'd try to bring some of the things we do closer to Tufts."
TMC President Jake Becker echoed Crawford's thoughts.
"While many activities are obviously a lot more fun in the mountains, we wanted to gain exposure on campus as well as provide outdoor activities for the community that they don't have to travel to participate in," he said.
Many Jumbos expressed interest in the events.
"It sounds cool," said senior tri-captain of the women's soccer team Lindsay Garmirian, who is an enthusiast of outdoor physical activities. "I love 'The Iron Chef!' It sounds like a great idea; I just wish we didn't have practice then."
And with Mountain Day kicking off Newcomer's Weekend at the Loj, the club hopes that the afternoon festivities might rope in a few stragglers or unaware underclassmen.
"As a freshman, I remember going up for Newcomer's Weekend and meeting the people who eventually became my friends in and out of TMC," club president Jake Becker said. "So we figured that if we could get people 'thinking TMC' on campus on Friday, then later in the day they will be more apt to head up for a sweet weekend of hiking, canoeing, camp-firing, marshmallowing and mountain-lounging."
