Outdoor Pursuits takes students to off-campus sites
By Jenny Hutchison
Contributing Reporter

> February 16, 2001

As more students get turned off by the crowds in the Benson Fitness Center and the monotony of running on a treadmill, Outdoor Pursuits, a unique program to the university, has begun to gain more attention.

Four years ago, the campus recreation department began Outdoor Pursuits, and over the years the program has been steadily growing and branching out.

The goal of the program is to convince students to get outdoors and to become more active. “We’ve seen a very large interest of students wanting to get off campus and to do something new,” Max Floyd, the director of campus recreation, said.

Activities done by Outdoor Pursuits are open to all students, however, spaces are often limited and there is usually a waiting list.

Trips taken by Outdoor Pursuits in the past have included whitewater rafting, rock climbing, ice climbing, skiing, snow boarding, sea kayaking, paint-balling and camping.

They also take trips to see professional sports games and have even followed the Demon Deacons to places such as Florida and South Carolina. Upcoming trips for March include rock climbing and biking, which are both offered at no cost.

“North Carolina has such a wonderful variety of places available to us, so it’s easy to find many different things to do,” Floyd said.

This year, the campus recreational department has brought in an intern, Philip Hoffman, who is specifically in charge of Outdoor Pursuits.

“I enjoy taking people out and teaching them about the outdoors and showing them proper procedure and how to be safe,” Hoffman said.

For the first time in the program’s history, students were taken on an ice climbing trip to Asheville Feb. 3. Six students, including five women and one man, spent the day learning procedure and safety and then climbing from noon until 6 p.m.

“It turned out to be very successful,” Hoffman said of the ice climbing trip.

The fee for the ice-climbing trip was $50, but trips are often free of charge to students or at a rate that is lower than normal.

“In order to encourage participation, we try to reduce barriers, such as cost, as much as possible,” Floyd said.

At this point in time, groups stay small due to limited staffing in the department. “We’re hoping that down the road we will continue to grow and get more staffing,” Floyd said. “But the staff we do have is definitely going above and beyond to support this program.”

The Outdoor Club is another way for students to get off campus and to do outdoor activities.

It is run by students and has goals similar to those of Outdoor Pursuits.

The campus recreation department is very open to suggestions concerning trips or things to do for Outdoor Pursuits.

“We are a student service,” Floyd said. “I don’t think that most students really realize that we are here just for them.”