Madeleine Coles
Staff Writer
Students seeking a thrilling trip for spring break need look no further than the Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) at ISU. The OAC, located on the first floor of the student union building, has planned two separate spring break trips this year.
One trip is to Snow Canyon in St. George, Utah.
“It has really wonderful rock climbing, great hiking opportunities and some really world-class mountain biking,” said Justin Dayley, director of the OAC.
The second trip that the OAC has planned is a kayak touring trip of Labyrinth Canyon on the Green River, also in Utah.
“We like to head south in the springtime to catch some of that warmer weather,” Dayley said.
The OAC plans its trips by asking students where they would like to go, listening to staff member’s expertise on places they have enjoyed and digging around on the internet to find new and interesting places.
“If there seems to be some interest in going to a particular area, then we start the process of acquiring permits to be able to go,” Dayley said.
Back country trips such as this year’s spring break trips are capped at 10 students due to limitations in transportation and permits.
Typically, if a student wishes to go on a trip, the trip fee covers transportation, their portion of the permit, group equipment (such as kayaks, lifejackets, etc.) and sometimes food.
The spring break trips usually last about seven days.
“We like to get students out of here right at the very beginning of spring break and return that Friday so that they have Saturday and Sunday to get some homework done,” Dayley said. “That way we can encourage them to really relax and just enjoy the group they’re with in this neat outdoor environment.”
If a student wishes to plan their own spring break trip, the OAC has an extensive rental program.
“We have everything from backpacks to sleeping bags to tents to cook stoves. All types of equipment that they might need to outfit their own spring break adventure that they’re headed out on,” Dayley said.
In addition to the two trips for spring break, the OAC offers multiple trips throughout the year. According to Dayley, they try to offer a couple of week-long trips each semester, and almost every weekend they have one or two outings, as well as several week-long outings in the summer.
Dayley said that although they have multiple trips every semester, many students do not realize that anyone is welcome to come- even those just starting out in the outdoor-adventure world.
“Some students think we’re just a club or that they have to have a very high skill level to do these activities. But we’re not a club. We’re here for the ISU students, and most of our trips are designed to be very beginner-oriented,” Dayley said. “We have trained professional staff that helps teach them what they’re going to need to know and helps make it a wonderful beginner activity.”
After the spring break trips, the OAC also has several other smaller trips planned for this semester.
