About the Outdoor Program

Our outings are group experiences where members are expected to be active participants in the group. If you are the independent type that prefers to do things on your own, our outings may not necessarily be for you. As a participant in our outings, you are expected to help out in such areas as: setting up camp, cooking, cleaning, belaying, packing, minimizing environmental impacts, and assisting other participants. If you are unfamiliar with how to perform these tasks, that's okay, we are happy to help you learn!

Beyond helping out, it is imperative that you listen and pay attention to the leaders on the trip at all times. It is understood that everyone plays a roll in safety, for your own safety for the safety other participants as well.

Our outings use a variety of public lands, therefore it is important to not only minimize our physical impacts, but it is also important to minimize impacts on other users. The Outdoor Program strictly follows the practices and principals of Leave No Trace. We expect that all participants on our outings will do the same.

Our pre-trip meetings are designed to help you understand the physical activity involved and some of the potential risks and considerations of which you need to be aware. It is extremely important that you understand what is involved with your participation in the trip (i.e. required equipment/ clothing, inherent risks and physical preparedness). If you do not understand, it is imperative that you discuss this with either the trip leader or the Coordinator of the Outdoor Program prior to the departure of the trip. Information presented at these meetings is imperative to a safe and enjoyable experience. it is your responsibility to make sure you get all the required information before the trip departs.

Most all of our outings require some level of physical conditioning. We use an activity rating scale to give you a general idea of the minimum level of physical activity the outing will require. Please inquire with us before you sign up for a trip if you are concerned at all about not being physically prepared, we can help clarify the activity level that may be involved in our outings.

We require full disclosure of participants health history information. We are not medical doctors; therefore, if you have a health condition that may effect your participation it is best left to a health care professional to decide if participation is right for you. It is essential that we fully understand the effect any health condition or medication may have on your participation.

 

Our staff are there to help facilitate the overall experience, they are not personal servants or paid "guides." Leaders have personal and professional outdoor experience, they are excited to share those experiences with you and foster your own appreciation of the activities in which you are engaging.

One of our main goals at OP is to provide safe, quality activities at the lowest cost possible. Participants cover trip expenditures only (including transportation, food if provided, camping fees, etc.) The OP is subsidized by student fees, therefore such items as advertising, equipment, staffing etc. are not factored into trip costs. Our trips are considered "common-adventure." Costs vary depending on the activity, especially for extended trips where there is a lot of driving. However, we always do our best to keep the cost for every activity as low as possible.