For students who want to unleash their inner Bear Grylls, Recreational Services has the perfect program.
The outdoor adventure program allows both students and the general public to experience the great outdoors by introducing them to a wide variety of activities. Recreational Services will offer 19 trips during the 2009-10 school year, ranging from a $25 hiking trip to a Colorado backpacking expedition that costs $645.
“We offer incredible experiences for a great price,” said Rob DuBay, an assistant director of Rec Services. “We want students to do things they might not have participated in. They can learn a new skill, something they can do for the rest of their lives.”
The outdoor recreation program started at Iowa during the 1970s, and it has seen tremendous growth since its inception because of the addition of diverse programs, as well as the creation of the outdoor rental center.
Located in the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex, the outdoor rental center opened in July 2006, allowing students to rent tents, canoes, and other outdoor equipment for as little as $10. Equipment can be rented for a day, a weekend, or an entire week.
“The great thing about the outdoor rental center is it allows students to create their own outdoor adventure at a very low cost,” said Dave Patton, an assistant director of Rec Services.
The outdoor adventure trips will begin this weekend. One hundred residence-hall students, 70 from Daum and 30 from other residence halls, will travel to Monticello, Iowa, to take part in a canoe trip down the Maquoketa River. They will float approximately eight miles — a three- to five-hour journey — down the river to Pictured Rock County Park.
“It’s more than just a canoeing trip,” said Patton, who will serve as leader of the river expedition. “Most of the students on this trip are in their first week of college. This is a great way to get to know the people they live with.”
Patton led a similar trip down the Maquoketa River in June, and he has worked as a full-time employee of the outdoor program for four years. He has spent every free moment over the past 10 to 15 years involved with the outdoors, he said.
This isn’t the first time Residence Life and Rec Services have teamed up to offer an adventure trip for UI students. In the past, they have offered ski trips.
“Partnership with Recreational Services is essential,” said Nicole Sexton, the Daum Hall coordinator. “I wouldn’t be able to lead a group of students down a river. It’s great to have experts who are able to take students on these kind of trips.”
While this trip is open only to students living in the residence halls, the other outdoor adventure trips are open to all students, faculty, staff, and the general public.
“Our goal is to provide a safe, fun, and educational trip,” Patton said. “We want to break down barriers and get people out of their comfort zone.”