Oregon has many outdoor recreation opportunities from hiking on its tree-riffic trails to rock climbing on mountains that peak people’s interest.
For those looking to get outside in the beaver state and hit the trails, hang off a rock wall or catch some waves, OSU offers many growing clubs that aim to get students of all abilities stocked to get outside and hooked on recreating.
One club, the hiking club, organizes a free weekly day hike. According to club treasurer Demetra Cios, members suggest and vote on hiking destinations and times, and organize carpools at optional weekly meetings and on Discord.
Hiking locations are spread across Oregon, ranging from the local McDonald-Dunn Forest to the coast and the Columbia River Gorge.
Cios notes that the club, which has grown significantly, embarks on hikes of various lengths suitable for diverse skill levels. She also sees the club as a way to make friends and explore Oregon without having to commit to anything.
“I really saw Oregon through the hiking club. If it wasn’t for the hiking club, I definitely wouldn’t have ever gotten out of campus. I didn’t have a car, I didn’t know anyone,” Cios said.
“It was really great for me to get out there, meet people, do cool things.”
If you are looking for something a bit more intense, the Field Studies club, headed by president Nathan Wasson, organizes backpacking, mountaineering, snowshoeing and other outdoor trips.
According to Wasson, the Field Studies club aims to “break the barriers for the outdoors” by providing affordable and approachable outdoor trips.
Trips cost $10-$15, and the club sorts out the routes, permits, transportation and plan. Experienced guides lead the trips.
Wasson said the club is accessible to beginners and advises on how to borrow, rent or buy gear needed for excursions.
The club, formed this past spring, has exploded in popularity. Modeled after another club chapter at California Polytechnic State University, future goals include organizing weekly trips, gaining sponsors, creating a gear shed where students can check out outdoor gear for free and creating connections among students.
If you are looking to get off land and into the water, the Valley Surf Club aims to connect students who already surf or want to get into the sport.
According to Ray Parker, club president, and Justin Winn, club vice president, the club hosts monthly meetings where they showcase surfing videos and talk about the sport. The club also hosts carpool chats for organizing surfing trips to the coast.
According to Wynn, helping out beginners is a major goal of the club. The club has hosted presentations for beginners on safety, etiquette and how to get rental gear and lessons. The club also teaches beginners.
“If people are willing to buy something but don’t have a ride, we can get them out there and teach them how to (surf), push them around in water,” Wynn said.
This year, the club also plans to organize large trips to the coast to teach beginners how to surf.
“Even if you know nothing about surfing or, you know, have a little interest in surfing, feel free to stop by at a meeting,” Parker said.
For those interested in getting into rock climbing, the rock climbing club caters to people of all levels, too.
According to club officers Griffin Reedig and Finlay Christ, the club hosts free climbing practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-10 p.m., and provides opportunities for climbers of all levels.
“We encourage people to participate at whatever level they’re at, and the most important thing to us is just that you feel welcome to come climb, wherever that level is for you,” Christ said.
The first three practices are free and climbers do not need prior climbing experience to attend.
According to Reedig, the club creates a “community environment to help people get better and make friends around rock climbing,” with members of all abilities helping each other learn and improve.
The club also sends all interested members to competitions, regardless of their ability level. According to Reedig, the club sends two times the number of competitors to competitions than other teams in the Pacific Northwest.
Outdoor club leaders recommend that students interested in joining the hiking, field studies, surfing or rock climbing clubs check out their Instagrams, join their Discord, Slack or other communication software, attend their meetings or practices and go from there with joining or participating in their clubs.
For information on other outdoor clubs, ranging from the SNOWOSU ski and snowboarding club to cycling to sailing and beyond, check out the OSU clubs website.
