A weekly list of upcoming outdoors events in the Chattanooga area; to submit an event, write to sports@timesfreepress.com.
Soddy-Daisy chapter of Tennessee Trails Association hikes: Saturday, moderate 5.5 miles to Small Wilds campsite & back via climber's loop (meet at 8:30 a.m. at Food City in Red Bank; call Tom McElhone at 805-208-4654); Jan. 4, Retro Hughes Road trailhead to Immodium Falls & back, moderately strenuous (meet at 8:30 a.m. at ballfields parking lot on Durham Street in Soddy-Daisy; call John Politte at 423-304-8327); Jan. 7, Enterprise South Nature Park (meet at 8:30 a.m. at trailhead near visitors center (call Will Smith at 423-580-2918); Jan. 11, Prater Place & Hemlock Falls Trail at Fall Creek Falls State Park, moderate 5.8 miles (meet at 8:30 a.m. at Durham Street lot; call McElhone).
Chattanooga Ski Club meeting: Jan. 7, 7 p.m., Enclave subdivision clubhouse, 950 Channel View Lane; discussions of the winter ski race season at resorts in North Carolina & West Virginia as well as snow ski/board trips to Colorado, Utah, Banff (Canada) & Switzerland/Scotland. See www.chattanoogaskiclub.org.
Outdoor Chattanooga winter workshops: Wednesdays Jan. 8 (Wayfinding with Map & Compass) through Feb. 19, 6:30-8 p.m., OC center, Coolidge Park; free, all ages, reservations not needed; Jan. 15, the art of caving; Jan. 22, intro to paddle sports. Email info@outdoorchattanooga.com or call 643-6888.
Local Tennessee Ornithological Society meeting: Jan. 9, 7 p.m., Ascension Lutheran Church, 720 S. Germantown Road. Contact David Stone at rockyturf@epbfi.com or 413-7033.
Nashville Boat Show: Jan. 9-12, Music City Center; 2-9 p.m. CST Thursday, noon-9 Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; activities include new "Hawg Trough," a 40-foot-long, 5,000-gallon stocked fish tank for fishing demonstrations; $12 for adults, ages 12-younger free. See www.NashvilleBoatShow.com.
Interscholastic Climbing League: Jan. 11, High Point downtown, & Jan. 25, Tenn. Bouldering Authority; 4th & 5th of 6 meets at 3 local indoor climbing gyms for grades 6-12 teams. Email info@outdoorchattanooga.com or call 643-6888.
Cumberland Trail hiking series: Jan. 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; guided, moderately strenuous 4-6 miles, 1 way (shuttle provided), free but advance registration required through info@outdoorchattanooga.com or 643-6888.
Rapid Learning intro to kayak & skills practice: Jan. 14 & Feb. 11, 7-8 or 8-9 p.m. (pick the time slot), Hulsey Wellness Center at Southern Adventist University; $2 cash for pool use; family-friendly for ages 8-up; $75 for individual year's membership, $125 for family; first-timers free; equipment provided, reservations not required. Email info@outdoorchattanooga.com or call 643-6888.