Outdoor Adventures

Currently accepting enrollments!

The perfect course for someone new to Alaska and looking learn about our wonderful winter sports. The course is also for the person who wants to make some friends who share an interest in camping, skiing and outdoor fun. Everyone learns something, everyone has fun and the instruction is dynamite.

Details: This class meets in the Fall Semester on Wednesday nights at 6:00 starting in mid-October. The course includes two-overnight trips in the local mountains and two day-trips on the UAF trails. The course fee of $140 covers all transportation, food, and technical equipment. Students are responsible for their own clothing. Check out the syllabus: Winter Camping.

Completed March 2008 - Look for this again in 2009

REC 140 - One of our favorite classes. There is no experience required for this course and there is no reason to be worried about your abilities. Everyone will have success and enjoy this class. This is a perfect opportunity to try something you never dreamed of doing. It is also a great way to stay active and outdoors during our cold dark winter days. This is the perfect class for rock climbers looking to transiton to ice climbing.

Details: The course meets one night a week at the climbing wall and includes 4 day-trips to the local ice climbing areas. We begin in January and end before Spring Break. Course material will cover the basics and then progress to anchors, rappeling, placing protection and climbing techniques. More advanced skills can be taught depending on the group's ability. The field fee covers all equipment and transportation.

Completed in May 2008 - Look for this again in Spring 09

REC 140 - The perfect shoulder season class. As the weather warms and the days get longer we squeeze in some great ice climbing in Healy. Towards the end of April we head out to Grapefruit and learn to rock climb just as the season starts.

Details: This course begins after Spring Break and meets one night a week and then we do 4 day-trips to Healy and Grapefruit on the weekends. The course fee covers all transportation and equipment. The course material covers movement on ice and rock, top-rope anchors, rappeling, and placing protection. Lead climbing is not the focus of this course, but a potential option for more advanced climbers.

Completed June 2008, will be making a return next summer.

American Canoe Association Essentials and River Canoe focus on general use of tandem canoes. Provides necessary skills far safe on Class I rivers. Topics include river features and hazards, safety measures, strokes, and basic skills such as catching a large eddy and doing a gentle ferry. Field pracitce begins on a pond, progressing to a slow section of the Chena River, then onto a faster section of the river. $235 course fee includes transportation and equipment as well as lunches. Sign-up through Summer Sessions.

Completed June 2008, will be making a return next summer.

Introduction to high-angle technical rock climbing. Designed to equip aspiring climbers with the necessary skills to accomplish technical, top-rope rock climbing. Includes movement on rock, rope work, anchor systems, self-rescue and climbing ethics. No experience required but all will learn and be challenged. Note: The SRC climbing wall and local climbing areas will be used for instructional sessions. $115 trip fee includes transportation and all equipment.

This class meets Tuesday and Thursday nights at the SRC and both Saturday and Sunday are spent climbing outside for two weeks.

Completed in August, look for it again in Summer 2009!

Outdoor Adventures helps the Glaciology department with this course by operating the field session. Introduction to field techniques for monitoring glacier changes. Overview of the interactions between glaciers and climate. Prerequisite: Basic outdoor skills and permission of instructor. Fieldwork will involve camping, backpacking and glacier travel. Contact UAF Outdoor Adventures at (907) 474-6027 for an equipment list. The $165 field trip fee includes food, equipment, and transportation.

Completed in July, 2008, but happening again in Summer 2009.

This course is offered through summer sessions and offers the students the opportunity to learn the sport sea kayaking and tour beautiful Prince William Sound. No experience is required, students simply need to be strong swimmers and in good physical condition. We do ask to meet each student to meet with us and get permission. This allows us to make sure you know what you are getting into. During the class, we will spend one day paddling on Chena Lakes in town before we head South. Once in there, we will take a water taxi out to a distant bay and then spend the next 5 days paddling back into harbor. This trip promises to one of the most memorable trips you have done. Here is some more information; Sea Kayaking Doc