Staff Senate is launching an ‘Exploring the WNC Mountains’ series to celebrate the 2024-2025 Campus Theme: WNC Mountain Life. This series also aims to honor the vibrancy, resilience, and spirit of the WNC mountains, people, wildlife, and local businesses, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Exploring the Outdoors with WCU’s New Assistant Director of Outdoor Programs
Meet Claudia Behringer-Smith, the new Assistant Director of Outdoor Program for the Campus Recreation Center. Claudia joined the team on October 10 and has just wrapped up her first few months in this role.
Claudia has a deep connection to Western North Carolina and the mountains, having lived here full-time since 2021. Her love for the mountains began at Camp Merrie-Woode, a residential all-girls summer camp in Sapphire, NC. The camp’s robust whitewater paddling and extensive outdoor trips programs instilled in her a profound respect and admiration for the outdoors. After graduating from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2021, Claudia moved to the mountains permanently, feeling most authentic when recreating beneath the WNC mountains.
One of Claudia’s favorite local outdoor spots is the Tuck Gorge, located less than half an hour from WCU’s campus. She describes it as the most lovely place where beginner paddlers can learn and novice to intermediate paddlers can fine-tune their skills and play. The locally run outfitters, like Dillsboro Rafting Company, add to the charm and community spirit of the area.
To help keep the mountains beautiful, Claudia emphasizes the importance of listening to the locals. Before recreating or visiting the mountain towns, it’s crucial to ask around and call local forests or outfitters for information on any protections or restrictions. This ensures that everyone can enjoy and preserve the natural beauty of Western North Carolina.