![Student in orange jacket hiking on a trail](/media/aoufqmgc/6q6a3994.jpg)
We offer many trips, classes, and clinics each semester to provide you with the opportunity to learn new skills or enhance your knowledge of the great outdoors. Come take an adventure with us, bring your friends, and make some new ones.
There are so many ways to take your fun, your exercise routine and your sense of adventure outside. Here are some of our typical programs. Take a look in the calendar to plan your next adventure.
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Hike and Climb
Hiking Trips and Clinics
- Day Hikes: If you find yourself saying, “I miss trees,” don’t worry – we’ve got you. We offer day hikes all year (yes, even when it snows!) to nearby locations like Kamiak Butte, Moscow Mountain, and Elk Creek Falls.
- Hike and Camp: Have you ever gone camping before? If the answer is no, you’re missing out! Camping is a great way to get away from work or school and unwind, and when combined with an activity like hiking, get some physical activity to improve your overall well-being. These trips typically take participants to a campsite within 1-2 hours of Pullman and span Saturday – Sunday, where the days are spent hiking and the evening is spent in camp.
- Intro to Backpacking Clinic: If the skills involved in backpacking are daunting to you, come learn from our trained Adventure Facilitators. These clinics cover everything from how to pack a backpack to water purification and cooking on a camp stove so you can feel confident setting off on your own adventure!
- Weekend Backpacking: So you’ve gone hiking or camping… but what about doing both, carrying everything you need to be self-sufficient on your back? If that prospect intrigues you but you don’t know where to start, Outdoor Adventures is here! We will introduce all the necessary skills while exploring some of the backpacking trails the Inland Northwest has to offer.
- School Break Destination Backpacking: During fall or spring breaks, we can sometimes get a permit to backpack in a really cool place. These trips are 5-7 days long, so you still have time to study up or get some rest during your break and will go to places like Glacier National Park or Olympic National Park. Keep your eyes peeled for these once-in-a-lifetime trips!
- Since these trips are longer, they tend to be more physically demanding and sometimes more technically demanding than our average weekend trip, so please prepare accordingly.
Climbing Trips and Classes
The Student Recreation Center hosts a Climbing Wall where we offer a variety of indoor climbing programs. If you're interested in leveling up your game and climbing outside on real rock, that's where Outdoor Adventures come in. We currently offer three types of outdoor climbing trips:
- Day trips: These trips are focused on beginners who want to try top-roped climbing outside. They are often offered in the shoulder seasons when the crag isn't too hot or in the mornings to beat the heat of the day.
- Gym to Rock I Series: Typically offered once per semester, Gym to Rock I aims to teach you how to climb single-pitch sport routes outside, which involves building and setting your own anchoring system. It has four on-campus classroom sessions (typically 4-6 p.m. on Mondays) that prepare you for an overnight trip where you can test your skills off-campus on both days.
- Gym to Rock II Series: Our student staff sometimes go above and beyond to gain knowledge and skills that result in specific certifications that allow us to run this program. Gym to Rock II is a follow-up 4x classroom session + 1 trip series to Gym to Rock I, where the goal is to prepare you to trad climb single-pitch routes. This offering is rare due to the nature of the staffing certification requirements, and it is unknown when we will next run this program. Stay tuned!
Mountaineering Trips and Clinics
What happens when you combine a backpacking trip with rock climbing skills and some snow? Mountaineering!
- Crevasse Rescue Clinic: Whether you are hoping to tackle a glaciated mountain this summer or add to your repertoire of mountain skills, this local day trip provides an educational opportunity to gain exposure to many of the components and skills involved in crevasse rescue. In this introductory one-day course, participants will learn basic snow anchors, rope ascension, haul systems, and belay techniques.
- Mountaineering 101 Series: This series is comprised of four 2-hour classroom sessions on campus where we’ll cover gear, physical preparation, winter camping, knots, roped travel, and (if snow allows) snow school. With that in place, the series will culminate in an outdoor trip where the objective is to summit a local mountain to put it all together.
- Intermediate Mountaineering: Believe it or not, the ideal time to summit mountains in the Cascades is during the summer. By this point, the snow has settled into a stable snowpack that is less likely to avalanche, and the weather windows are more reliable. When permits and staffing allow, we can send out a multi-day expedition to summit a Cascade volcano in June or July, so keep your eyes peeled for this rare event!
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Paddling
Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Trips
Stand-up paddleboarding is exploding on social media as a way to leisurely explore bodies of water. These trips are typically offered in the Summer and Fall when the air and water are warmer.
- Sunset Paddle (SUP): If you find yourself saying, “I miss water", sunset paddles are a great way to get outside. The drive to the Snake River is about 30 minutes, where you'll learn general boating safety and the basics of maneuvering a Stand-Up Paddleboard, like how to paddle forward without switching sides every 5 strokes. Then we’ll explore the river for a few hours as the sun sets.
- SUP Yoga: This relaxing trip has the best of both worlds: you get to tour around on a paddleboard for a few hours and do 1-1.5 hours of yoga on the paddleboards in the calm pond at Wawawai County Park. Our yoga instructors will offer a variety of pose options that suit any skill and comfort level – so you get to choose how much you challenge yourself. These trips are sometimes, but not always, listed as a Sunset Paddle variation for that extra aesthetic.
Flatwater Kayak Trips and Clinics
- Sunset Paddle (Kayak): If you find yourself saying, “I miss water", sunset paddles are a great way to get outside. The drive to the Snake River is about 30 minutes, where you'll learn general boating safety and the basics of maneuvering a sit-on-top kayak, which is a great introductory kayak with lots of stability, so the risk of falling in the water is minimal. Like a SUP Sunset Paddle, we'll explore the river as the sun sets before heading back to campus.
- Day Trip: In this all-day trip, we'll drive to the body of water described and kayak! We’ll cover general boating safety and the basics of maneuvering a kayak while exploring different bodies of water. Due to its relative closeness, the Snake River is a common destination for these trips, but another location to watch for is Palouse Falls (typically scheduled in late April). On that trip, we paddle up towards the falls until the current pushes us back down, then we drive up to the lookout and get to view the full effect of the waterfall.
- Kayak Rescue and Skills Clinic: Ever wondered what you would do if you or a paddling partner capsized? How do you get them back in their boat? What do you do with all the water? Come learn the answers to those questions and more in this on-campus clinic that takes place in the controlled environment of a pool.
- Intro to Kayak Camping: Featuring a kayak rescue and skills clinic integrated into the pre-trip meeting, two days of paddling, and one night of camping, this trip is the perfect introduction to kayak camping. It’s like backpacking, where you carry everything you need with you, except you’re paddling with it all neatly stored in your boat! No prior experience is needed, and this trip usually runs towards the end of the Spring semester to prepare for any multi-day kayak tours that may go out over the summer.
- Multi-day Flatwater Kayak Tours: Some bodies of water are just too big to explore in a day. That's where these trips come in. Come spend multiple days and nights paddling on some of the large lakes or reservoirs in the Inland and Pacific Northwest, like Priest Lake (ID), Ross Lake (WA), or Slocan Lake (CA). With a kayak rescue and skills clinic integrated into the pre-trip meeting, these trips require little paddling experience, but since we'll be moving a lot, good physical conditioning is highly encouraged. These trips tend to run over long weekends in the Fall semester or over the summer.
Coastal Kayak and Whitewater Trips and Clinics
- Kayak Rolling Clinic: The best self-rescue method in either a whitewater or a coastal environment is a bomb-proof roll. Come learn from our ACA-certified kayak instructors about a basic C-to-C or sweep roll in the controlled environment of a pool on campus. The pool is open at this time for folks who already have a roll to practice and refine it, and once a basic roll is mastered our instructors can help you develop other types of rolls.
- Multi-day Coastal Kayak Tours: The San Juan Islands and greater Puget Sound on the west side of Washington State are home to some of the best coastal kayaking around. Typically scheduled in June when the weather is good but it's not too crowded, the perks of this trip include seeing an abundance of marine wildlife and an idyllic and dynamic paddling environment. This amazing experience is a longer trip in a coastal environment, which means that prior experience with kayak camping and good conditioning is a must. The Intro to Kayak Camping trip or any experience with a multi-day kayak tour are great ways to prepare for this trip.
- Whitewater Raft and Camp: For this trip, we partner with Salmon River Experience to bring you a thrilling whitewater rafting experience! We typically leave Friday night to drive to Riggins, ID, where we camp. When we wake up the next day, we meet with SRE to go whitewater rafting—they even provide lunch! No prior experience is necessary for this exciting trip.
- Whitewater Kayaking 101 Series: Our student staff sometimes go above and beyond to gain knowledge and skills that result in specific certifications that allow us to run this program. If you crave a little extra adventure in your life, whitewater kayaking might be for you! In this series, consisting of 2 pool sessions and 2 days out on the river, you’ll learn about river hazards and how to manage them, along with the ins and outs of paddling in a whitewater environment. This offering is rare due to the nature of the staffing certification requirements, and it is unknown when we will next run this program, but due to river flows, it is most likely to be scheduled in April. Stay tuned!
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Snow Sports
Snowshoeing
- Snowshoe Hikes: Come enjoy the crisp air and find out why some people like their winter hikes better than their summer hikes.
- Intro to Winter Camping: Camping and backpacking aren't just three-season activities—with a little bit of extra planning, snow travel, and camping can be every bit as enjoyable. Join us on an overnight winter adventure that's all about learning to backpack and camp in the snow!
Cross Country Ski (XC)
- Thursday Lunchtime Ski: During January and February, we do a 1-hour jaunt in the Palouse Ridge Winter Park right here on campus - if it snows, it goes! The facilitators can instruct you on the basic techniques of cross-country skiing before heading out, so if you haven’t tried it before and want to, this is a perfect opportunity. This program is free; however, you will need to provide your own cross-country ski equipment. If you need gear, just rent from the Rental Shop at the Outdoor Recreation Center!
- Day Trip: Whether you're brand new to Nordic skiing or just a little rusty and want to brush up on your skills, this trip is for you! Our most common location is Palouse Divide, which is maintained by the local community. However, if there isn't enough snow, we also detour up to Mt. Spokane when needed, so you'll get some tracks regardless.
Ski Shuttles
No car? No problem! You get your lift ticket and your gear; we’ll take care of the drive to the mountain. Ski shuttles are offered in the Spring semester. Resorts designated with an asterisk(*) also have cross-country skiing available.
- Lookout Pass
- Did you know we are a vendor for Lookout Pass tickets? Updated pricing for lift tickets for the 2024-2025 season to come.
- Silver Mountain
- Schweitzer*
- Mt. Spokane*
- 49 degrees North*
Need skis or snowboard tuned? The ORC offers ski tuning services for both the WSU and local community. If you're looking to get your skis in tip-top shape for the season or if you sent it a little too hard and need repairs, come and pay us a visit. The only thing we can't help you with is mounting or adjusting your bindings. See the Rental Shop for updated pricing and turn-around times.
Backcountry Ski and Avalanche Education
Are you ready to earn your turn? If someone asks you if you're an uphill or a downhill person, and you say, "Why not both?" -- this might be the sport for you.
- Intro to Backcountry Ski: If you self-describe as a person who can ski or snowboard black diamond runs in the resort and you’re comfortable navigating the trees, you have all the pre-requisite skills to get into backcountry skiing. On this day trip, we’ll grab our gear and head to Moscow Mountain, where we’ll do a trailhead check, tour up, and do some laps before skiing back down.
- Dawn / Sunset Patrol: If you, like us, enjoy a brisk tour and a quick couple of turns to start or round out your day, come meet some like-minded folks who just might turn into touring partners.
- Avalanche Rescue Course: During this day trip, we’ll drive to Moscow Mountain and practice how to rescue a companion in the event of an avalanche. This includes a crash course in using your avalanche safety kit (beacon, probe, and shovel) to locate and excavate a buried person – or, in this case, a dry bag. This is a full day of hands-on practice so if you're interested in getting out on your own, consider also attending the Avalanche Awareness Clinic to find out why avalanches happen and how to avoid them in the first place.
- Avalanche Awareness Clinic: This clinic, which takes place during the pre-trip meeting of the Wallowas Backcountry Ski and Avy Aware course, is a fantastic way to learn about avalanche education.
- Wallowas Backcountry Ski and Avalanche Awareness Course: Time to put it all together in one of the hidden gems of the Inland Northwest: the Wallowa Mountains. Once you have taken an Avalanche Rescue Course and Intro to Backcountry Ski (or have similar experience), you’re ready to embark on this multi-day course where we’ll hone some of those skills and hope to get lucky with some powder turns.
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Eco-Adventures, Clinics, and Special Events
Eco-Adventures
Eco-Adventures are at the intersection between outdoor activity and civic engagement. Part outdoor adventure, part community service, these discounted trips offer multiple ways to fill your cup by getting active and giving back to the community. Activities include paddling, climbing, or hiking at locations in need of help, where service could include trail-building, trash clean-up, or even removing graffiti in affected locations. The following are recurring dates for Eco-Adventures each year, one each semester.
- Spring: April 22 - Earth Day
- Summer: June 1 - National Trails Day
- Fall: September 28 - National Public Lands Day
Clinics
In addition to trips, we also offer experiential clinics —minimal lectures, hands-on practice—to help individuals learn individual skills.
- Leave No Trace: Come learn how to recreate responsibly and Leave No Trace so our outdoor spaces remain for years to come. This course is offered year-round, and the subject matter changes with the seasons.
- Slackline: A fun and challenging pastime. Clinics take place at the Chinook Lawn or in the SRC Backyard when the weather allows. Typically offered in the Fall semester.
- Hammocking: Learn how to rig a hammock safely and ethically for leisure or sleep. Typically offered in the Fall semester.
- Shelters: Primitive shelters, tarps, mega-mids, and tents. Typically offered in the Fall semester.
- Primitive Fire: Learn how to start a fire without matches or a lighter. This course is typically offered in the Fall semester after the fire season is over.
- Outdoor Photography: To prepare for the Outdoor Photo Contest, come learn the ins and outs of outdoor photography. Offered every Fall semester.
Do you have an idea for a clinic? Feel free to drop by the Outdoor Recreation Center during open hours and let us know your thoughts or email urec@wsu.edu.
Recurring Special Events
Certain events occur every year, and we are so excited about them that they deserve their own spotlight.
- Outdoor Photography Contest: This event occurs each Fall semester. The 2024 submission window is September 15 - November 15. Winners are displayed in the CUB, and prints are available to collect once the display is finished. More information to come.
- Family Weekend Trips: Day trips typically occur on the Saturday of each Family Weekend and rotate through hiking, paddling, and climbing options. See the trip list for information on the next Family Weekend trip.
- Banff Mountain Film Festival: Each Spring semester, in January, we host a screening of outdoor films that tour the world in the CUB. Join us for popcorn, prizes, and a shared passion for the outdoors. Keep an eye out for upcoming show dates.
Outdoor Adventures
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Can my group do a custom program?
Yes, and the possibilities are endless! Please fill out the custom program request form at least 1 month in advance of when you want your program and we will get back to you with our availability and a quote.
Pricing is determined by the length of the program, the WSU affiliation of the group, the number of people in the group, and the activities requested.
Please contact urec@wsu.edu if you have specific questions.
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What is the difficulty rating system?
Outdoor Adventure programs (trips and clinics) are classified in this 5 tiered rating system that includes general descriptions of 5 levels of difficulties. Certain trips with low technical skill ratings and very high levels of physical requirements could be rated the same as a trip with very high technical skills and a very low physical requirement, so always be sure to inquire as to the specifics of the activity you are participating in. These are general descriptions of the 5 levels and may differ when applied to specific activities.
Level 1 This activity requires low levels of physical conditioning and no specific experience is necessary, technical skills are not necessary.
Level 2 Good physical conditioning is necessary, little experience is required, and little technical knowledge is necessary.
Level 3 Good physical conditioning is required, some experience is recommended, and some technical knowledge is highly recommended.
Level 4 Good physical conditioning is required, specific experience is required, and technical proficiency is highly recommended.
Level 5 Excellent physical conditioning is required, proficiency in specific technical skill is required, and prior experience is a necessity.
Our trips are unguided, co-educational endeavors, where the participants are responsible for their decisions and safety, so a personal, fair, and honest assessment of your abilities should be made before going on a trip or clinic. If you have questions regarding your level of physical conditioning, you should consult your physician. If you are unclear about what is expected of you on a trip/clinic, please discuss this with the Outdoor Adventures Coordinator.
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What if I cannot afford the trip I really want to go on?
We recognize that the registration fees for our trips have gone up as wages have gone up with inflation. To help alleviate that, trips and clinics are either free for students and UREC members or are heavily discounted from the non-member price (usually around 50%).
To stay aligned to our mission to increase access to the outdoors and outdoor experiences, we also have the UREC for All fund. If you are a WSU Pullman student looking at a trip thinking "there's no way I could afford that" - we can help! Follow the UREC for All link to get more information and apply.
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What are the Essential Eligibility Criteria for participating in an Outdoor Adventures program?
General Eligibility
Outdoor Adventure programs are open to all WSU students, faculty, and staff, as well as the general community. Those who can meet the following physical and mental requirements of a trip are eligible to participate. WSU students that are 17 years of age or older are also eligible. Youth, 5-17, are not allowed on regular trips unless there is an exemption*.
*Please contact urec@wsu.edu to get in contact with the Outdoor Adventures Coordinator to request an exemption and coordinate additional eligibility requirements.
Safety and Judgement
Each participant must:
- Follow instructions given by others to successfully perform appropriate techniques to avoid hazards and/or manage risks.
- Be able to notify instructors or participants of personal distress, injury, or need for assistance.
- After instruction, wear and properly use all required equipment pertaining to activity.
Leadership and Trip Behavior
Each participant must:
- Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.
- Contribute to a safe learning environment; no verbal or physical inappropriate behavior of others is tolerated for any reason.
- Be able to willingly and equitably share responsibility with tent mates in daily tent group chores (exceptions may be made for approved accommodations). Each participant may not do an equal share each day but over a period of several days each participant should do a proportionate share.
- Remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and be able to avoid environmental injuries.
Outdoor Living Skills
Each participant must:
- Be able to move about the campsite to attend lessons, toileting needs, and contribute to camping tasks as necessary.
- Live in a physically demanding backcountry environment for the uninterrupted period of the trip length. Conditions of this environment may vary depending on trip location, anywhere from cold (below minus 20 degrees F) to hot (above 90 degrees F) and may include inclement weather.
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Activity Specific Essential Eligibility Criteria: Hike and Climb Programs
Hiking and Backpacking
Each participant must:
- Be able to travel for extended amounts of time on challenging terrain independently, with the assistance of a companion, or with adaptive equipment.
- Carry an average of 1/3 of your body weight for multi-day trips.
Rock Climbing
Each participant must:
- Be able to respond to verbal or visual signals.
- Outfit in a UIAA-approved helmet and harness.
- Independently hold head upright without head/neck support.
- After falling, be able to get into a position necessary to continue activity.
- Maintain control of the rope and climbing surface.
- Maintain a safe body position while attempting skills and activities, and have the ability to recognize/identify when such efforts would be unsafe given personal situation.
- Manage personal care independently or with assistance of a companion.
- Manager personal mobility independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance.
Mountaineering
Each participant must:
- Meet the criteria for both rock climbing and hiking/backpacking.
- Be able to shovel in order to perform camp chores and to participate in rescues where people, gear, or shelters have been buried in the snow due to avalanche or drifts created during a storm.
- Perform self-arrest with an ice axe, after proper instruction.
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Activity Specific Essential Eligibility Criteria: Paddling Programs
Paddle Sports: SUP, Kayak, and Rafting
All water-based programming participants must acknowledge the ability to perform the following EEC's, as adopted from the American Canoe Association.
Each participant must:
- Breathe independently (i.e. not require medical devices to sustain breathing).
- Independently maintain sealed airway passages while under water.
- Independently hold head upright without head/neck support.
- Manager personal care independently or with assistance of a companion.
- Manager personal mobility independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance.
- Independently turn from face-down to face-up and remain floating face-up while wearing a properly fitted life jacket that meets Coast Guard approval.
- Get in/out of a paddle craft independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance.
- Independently get out from under a capsized paddle craft.
- Re-enter the paddle craft following deep water capsize independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance.
- Maintain a safe body position while attempting skills and activities, and have the ability to recognize/identify to others when such efforts would be unsafe given personal situation.
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Activity Specific Essential Eligibility Criteria: Snow Sports Programs
Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, and Winter Camping
Each participant must:
- Be able to travel for extended amounts of time on challenging terrain independently, with the assistance of a companion, or with adaptive equipment.
- After falling, be able to get into a position necessary to continue activity.
- Carry an average of 1/3 of your body weight for multi-day trips.
- Be able to shovel in order to perform camp chores and to participate in rescues where people, gear, or shelters have been buried in the snow due to avalanche or drifts created during a storm. (Winter Camping Only)
Backcountry Ski/Splitboard
Each participant must:
- Be able to travel for extended amounts of time on challenging terrain independently, with the assistance of a companion, or with adaptive equipment.
- After falling, be able to get into a position necessary to continue activity.
- Carry an average of 1/3 of your body weight for multi-day trips.
- Be able to shovel in order to perform camp chores and to participate in rescues where people, gear, or shelters have been buried in the snow due to avalanche or drifts created during a storm.