Outdoor Adventure Terminology

noun A narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it.

• The gorge was a breathtaking sight, with steep cliffs on either side.
• We hiked through the gorge and had a picnic by the river.
• That gorge is so lit, we have to take some selfies there!
• She felt a deep gorge of sadness in her heart after the breakup.

noun a depression in the ground where hogs or pigs wallow in mud

• The farmer constructed a hog wallow for the pigs to cool off in during the hot summer months.
• We found a perfect spot for a hog wallow down by the creek.
• Let's go hang out at the hog wallow and chill for a while.
• After a long day of work, I feel like I'm sinking into a hog wallow of exhaustion.

noun a person or thing that repels

adjective able to repel or drive away

• The insect repellent was effective in keeping mosquitoes away.
• I always make sure to spray on some bug repellent before going camping.
• I hate the smell of that bug repellent, it's so gross.
• His arrogant attitude is like a repellent, pushing people away from wanting to be around him.

noun a road, path, or section of a railway with a series of sharp bends or turns in alternating directions

verb to follow a zigzag path, especially up a steep incline

• The hikers carefully navigated the steep switchback trail up the mountain.
• We took the switchback route to avoid the steep climb.
• Let's hit up the switchback trail for a more chill hike.
• His thoughts went through a switchback of emotions as he tried to make a decision.

noun a type of camping where participants are flown into a remote location by aircraft

verb None

adjective None

adverb None

pronoun None

preposition None

conjunction None

interjection None

article None

• Fly camping is a type of outdoor activity where participants carry all their gear on their backs and hike to a remote location to set up camp.
• Hey, do you want to try fly camping this weekend? It's going to be so much fun!
• Fly camping is like backpacking on steroids - you really have to rough it out in the wilderness.
• Embarking on this new business venture is like fly camping - we have to be prepared for the challenges ahead and adapt quickly.

noun a downward slope or bend

adjective relating to a downward slope or bend

• The hikers cautiously made their way down the steep declivity.
• We had to be careful going down that steep hill.
• We had to watch our step going down that big slope.
• The company's profits took a sharp declivity after the scandal was exposed.

noun a word used to identify a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun

• The experienced climber decided to do the sherpaing for the less experienced members of the group.
• I'll do the sherpaing for you guys on the hike tomorrow, no worries.
• I got you covered, I'll do the sherpaing on the trek.
• In a team project, she always ends up doing the sherpaing by taking on extra tasks to help others.

noun A type of lava flow with a rough, jagged surface

adjective Describing something rough or jagged in texture or appearance

• The geologist studied the unique volcanic rock formation known as 'a'a'.
• I heard there's some cool 'a'a' rock formations over by the beach.
• Check out that gnarly 'a'a' rock, dude!
• Dealing with his anger was like navigating through a field of 'a'a' rocks.

verb to become accustomed to a new climate or environment

• It is important to acclimatise to the high altitude before attempting the climb.
• Give yourself some time to acclimatise to the new job environment.
• I need to acclimatise to this new group of friends before I feel comfortable around them.
• She needed to acclimatise to the idea of living in a foreign country before making the move.

noun a specific species of blackfly known for its nuisance to humans

• The adirondack blackfly is a species of insect known for its nuisance to hikers and campers in the Adirondack Mountains.
• Man, those adirondack blackflies are driving me crazy while I'm trying to enjoy my camping trip.
• Ugh, those damn adirondack blackflies are out in full force today.
• Dealing with difficult clients at work is like being swarmed by adirondack blackflies.