Like people all around the world, at Williams, I work for the weekend. Weekends are a time to catch up on sleep, spend time with friends, and step away from school work. Something at Williams that I have not taken advantage of enough (until this year) is the beautiful landscape surrounding us. We have countless hiking trails, overlooks, and parks at our fingertips. A great way to get introduced to the Berkshires, if they seem daunting to you, is through the Williams Outing Club (WOC). WOC’s goal is to “make the outdoors accessible to everyone, regardless of level of experience.”
Led by the wonderful Scott Lewis, the sunrise hike is a terrific way to dip your toe into WOC. Every Friday morning at around six AM, Lewis leads a group of students up the Pine Cobble mountain trail to watch the sun rise (or, during wintertime, admire it having risen).
Each time I have participated in the Sunrise Hike, I have connected with other students who I would not normally cross paths with (from different grades, social circles, and academic fields). Towards the top of the mountain, Scott normally blesses the group with the tale of the elves and the fairies and the reflection pool in the tree–you’ll have to attend the hike if you want to hear more). At the top of the mountain, as long as you bring a cup for yourself, you get coffee, hot chocolate, and some sort of breakfast pastry, too. As you might expect, the hike itself is also a great source of exercise for the day, especially with Scott leading the group at a brisk pace.
If I have any piece of advice for Williams students, it would be to attend at least one Sunrise Hike during your time here. You’re bound to meet new people who you might not normally meet, enjoy the breathtaking views on the Pine Cobble trail, get a good workout, and start your weekend off RIGHT! To quote Stevie Nicks, if you attend the Sunrise Hike, you will have “climbed a mountain and turned around” all before nine AM – and that feels pretty dang good!