The 2025 PATC-MS/PMC Birthday and Holiday Party will be held from 3-6 pm on November 15 at the Carderock Pavilion. There will be climbing, weather permitting, beforehand.
The party includes the annual photo contest along with member trip presentations and a raffle to support a local outdoor-focused nonprofit.
Dinner will be served with vegan, vegetarian, and carnivore options, and as always, it is helpful for us and our national park to BYO plates, utensils, and cups.
• Members may sign up here for volunteer slots such as setup/cleanup, side dishes, and desserts.
• If you have an entry for the photo contest, please send it to Carol Clayton carolclayton at gmail.com. She posted the requirements in a separate WhatsApp message
• If you would like to present a trip or topic, or have questions, please contact Carly carly.black at gmail.com
The party committee is soliciting raffle donations from many of the same sponsors as last year, but if you have new donation suggestions, we can give you a PMC solicitation and thank you letter to use. Pretty much anything is fair game – gear, tickets, books, art, classes/instruction…things that will encourage PMC members to buy more raffle tickets!
Thanks, all, and we’ll see you at the party. Please register here so that we can get an accurate headcount – this is separate from the signup for dishes etc.
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Birthday & Holiday Party
November 15, 2025
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Venue: Carderock
Venue Website: https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/carderock-climbing-area/
Address:
Description:
Carderock Recreation Area is on the Potomac River just outside the 495 Beltway. Carderock is part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and is well known for top rope climbing and hiking. The Potomac Mountain Club has published a guidebook to Carderock.
The climbing area is less than a hundred yards from the parking lot. To access the climbing at Carderock, park in the north parking lot (Pin) and follow the trail westward past the toilet. It leads to the top of the cliffs. At the end, stay slightly left of straight to take the easy scramble to the bottom. You can also go right and follow the longer trail until it turns left. It continues along the base of the cliffs for a couple hundred yards.
Note that cars have been broken into in this parking lot, so do not leave valuables in your car.
PMC Social Events are often held at the Carderock Pavilion. There are two Pavilion parking lots, one to the left and one to the right upon entering Carderock.