Something amazing happened at ADC this weekend. No, it wasn’t just the fact that 13 creative people woke up before 8am on a Sunday (though that was truly a wonder to behold). It was the power of nature, group effort, and whiskey bringing everyone together and away from their screens on the latest Adventure Club outing to the Shawangunk Mountains and Tuthilltown Distillery.

Gathering in the ADC Gallery before the trek, ADC members from a diverse range of geographic origins and professional backgrounds fueled up with Down to Earth Trail Mix and bravely soldiered through some icebreakers before heading north.

It was a six mile hike with quite a few challenges to overcome—not the least of which was the dense fog and rain that fell over the area—but with the help of Meetup’s Marc Leone, and guest guide and expedition extraordinaire Florian Hill, the group got to the end of the trail and even made some friends along the way.

The misty weather and drenched gear was nothing a little whiskey tasting couldn’t fix, so everyone headed to Tuthilltown Spirits for a sampling of their finest product and a tour of the former gristmill turned micro-distillery, a favorite ADC spot since our trip there in September. A live band greeted them at the door and set the mood for a relaxing conclusion to the well-spent day.

Thanks to Discover Outdoors for guiding the mission and AFAR Magazine and Down to Earth Trail Mix for sponsoring.

Join Adventure Club and reserve your spot now for a winter horseback ride and wine tasting on December 14th!