Carter Caves State Resort Park will present a weekend of outdoor adventure with its ninth annual Winter Adventure Weekend Jan. 25-28, 2018.
Guests will be able to enjoy hiking, paddling trips, recreational tree climbing, cave tours including wild cave trips, winter survival, rappelling, ice climbing a zip line and other adventures.
A list of trips is available for beginners and advanced winter adventurers alike. All of the trips and events are led by guides. The list of the trips, along with registration information and other details for the 2018 event are available at: http://www.winteradventureweekend.com
All participants must register online at this site.
Each trip level is based on the difficulty and skills required. The higher the level, the more skills and special equipment are needed. Guests will be responsible for appropriate dress, water, snacks and other items.
The nonrefundable fee for adults (age 18 and older) is $50, teenagers (age 13-17) is $35, and the nonrefundable fee for children ages 6-12 is $25. These prices are good until 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2018. Some of the trips have additional fees. There is an additional charge for on-sight registration during the event. (All participants must be at least 6 years old. Some trips have additional age requirements.)
New trips added for this year's event include a beginner and advanced mountain biking, canoe camping 101, the Hot Chocolate 5K, a girls only caving adventure, and many others.
The weekend will start with programs and workshops on Thursday afternoon.
Evening programs and entertainment each night includes a presentation on Thru-Hiking the Buckeye Trail Thursday night. On Friday night, 10 Days, 5 Volcanoes, Trek to 1,700 Feet: Keynote presentation by Colin Gatland. On Saturday night, there will be a silent and live auction by the Friends of Carter Caves, a squeezebox competition and Kentucky’s own Heath & Molly will perform.
Participants will be able to submit photos in the W.A.W. Photo Salon competition. Categories include winter adventure, caving and local nature-adventure photos. The images will be shown during the Saturday night program, and winners will be awarded ribbons.
Carter Caves State Resort Park is located at 344 Caveland Drive in Olive Hill. The park has a lodge with a restaurant, cottages and campground. Besides cave tours, activities include hiking, swimming, boating and fishing.
The park is off Interstate 64 at exit 161. Take U.S. 60 east. Go approximately two miles and turn left on KY 182 north. The park entrance is three miles from the left turn onto KY 182 north.
For more information, call the park at 606-286-4411.
(provided by Kentucky Department of Parks)