#cdshikes

CDS Hiking Challenge

Go for a hike. Build community. Create connection.

"Positive responses to regular physical exercise, such as enhanced functional capacity, increased autonomy and improved self-esteem, are all good reasons for recommending regular exercise." Eduardo Matta Mello Portugal

Reap the many benefits of exercise while enjoying the great outdoors—join the CDS Hiking Challenge!

Here in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we have an abundance of hiking trails all around us just waiting to be explored. As an NC Green School of Excellence, CDS strives to foster a sense of stewardship by developing a sense of connection.

The athletics and PE department are leading the way on the CDS Hiking Challenge for the 2021-2022 school year for all students in PreK to 8th grade and their families. The goal is to complete as many hikes as you can by Earth Day (April 22, 2022) and earn a stamp on your CDS passport. To document your progress, we ask that you complete the hiking log with the date and location. The website www.hikewnc.info is a great resource—it’s where you will find information for over 30 hiking trails, including their difficulty level, and directions to each site.  

Each time you complete a hike, enter the date and any other information you wish to include, like the hiking challenge level: easy, moderate, or difficult. You can refer back to www.hikewnc.info to determine the challenge level of your hike, or you can simply make your best guess. We trust you!

PRINT A HIKING PASSPORT 

The physical and mental benefits of hiking are numerous, below are just some that come to mind.

  • Lower your risk of heart disease.

  • Improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

  • Promoting social and emotional health by spending time with friends and family.

  • Boost bone density, since walking is a weight-bearing exercise.

  • Encouraging meaningful conversations with others.

  • Build strength in your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in your hips & lower legs.

  • Strengthen your core.

  • A time to breathe fresh air and take in the mountain scenery.

  • Improve balance.

If you have any questions please reach out to your PE teachers at each division.

Happy hiking!