Take a Hike With The Purchase Outdoors Club
Vice President Robyn Graygor shares why the club is an essential Purchase experience.
From seed bombs to maple tapping, hiking, camping, impromptu snow meetups on the Great Lawn, and collaborations with other clubs, such as the Turkey Mountain Summit hike with QPOC earlier this semester, the Purchase Outdoors Club brings together the community’s nature lovers.
Robyn Graygor ’25, a double major in environmental science and journalism with a minor in visual arts, serves as the Outdoor Club’s vice president (above).
Recently, the club hiked Hook Mountain, part of the Palisades Parks Conservancy in nearby Nyack, across the Hudson River in Rockland County. Its summit of 730 feet offers incredible views of the Hudson River Valley.
“I thought this trip was absolutely incredible, and definitely one of my favorite Outdoors Club adventures thus far,” says Graygor, whose role as vice president involves mainly organizing events.
“We found wild prickly pear growing at the top of Hook Mountain, and it literally felt like we were in Arizona or something. The view was also amazing and extremely rewarding since it was a 6-mile hike!”
“I am involved because I love environmental science and outdoor sports such as rock climbing, hiking, mountaineering, backpacking, camping, and all that good stuff!”
“This club has been an essential part of my college experience and has grounded me throughout my academic life here at Purchase. I have made my closest friends through this club and watched club members foster friendships with other attendees.”
The club takes full advantage of the Purchase campus’s unique location—even though it’s so close to major urban areas, it’s fairly easy to access incredible outdoor destinations. Three trips this semester—Hook Mountain, Turkey Mountain, and Ward Pond Ridge Reservation, where the intrepid group members recently camped overnight—are all about 20 miles away in different directions.
“More than anything, I am dedicated to getting young adults outside to explore our natural environment because it has so much to offer, and we would be remiss to ignore all the potential adventures just waiting to be explored nearby.”
