A new semester means new trips (and some revisits to classic spots) with SUU Outdoors. The Outdoor Engagement Center Basecamp is located in the Sharwan Smith Student Center just east of Chick-fil-A.
Throughout the semester, SUU Outdoors has adventure trips planned and led by student and staff guides to exciting locations all throughout southern Utah.
The activities available range from hiking to river rafting, and include several multi-day excursions to which a small fee is required to sign up (indicated by asterisks below).
The August trips to Kolob Canyons, Benson Creek, and Dixie National Forest are already booked up, though there are a number of waitlist spots available in the event that someone drops out.
The rest of the semester trips and dates are as follows:
September
- 6-8, Backpacking – Buckskin Gulch (Female Series)
- 7, Biking – Dixie National Forest
- 7, Hiking – Tushar Mountains
- 14, Canyoneering – Zion Area
- 14, SUP (Stand-up Paddleboarding) – Dixie National Forest
- 20-21, Backpacking – Ashdown Gorge
- 21, Climbing – Dixie N’tl Forest
- 25, SUU Outdoors Barbecue
October
- 4-6, SUP – Lake Powell*
- 5, Hiking – Dixie N’tl Forest
- 11-13, Multi Sport – Goblin Valley*
- 12, Hiking – Zion N’tl Park
- 17-22, Rafting – Cataract Canyon*
- 18-22, Backpacking – San Rafael Swell*
- 25-27, Canyoneering – San Rafael Swell*
- 26, Hiking – Dixie N’tl Forest
- 26, Canyoneering – Yankee Doodle (Female Series)
November
- 2, Biking – Dixie N’tl Forest
- 2, Hiking – Dixie N’tl Forest
- 16, Canyoneering-Zion Area
- 16, Hiking – St. George
- 22-24, SUP – Black Canyon*
- 23, Climbing – St. George (Female Series)
The Female Series, whose mission is to inspire women and female-identifying individuals in the outdoors, was pioneered by Outdoors Adventure Guide Mary Peek, a junior in interdisciplinary studies.
According to the mission statement, “The foundational purpose of this series is to build a strongly connected group that empowers women to find their place in the outdoor community. We will design a safe space for women to openly discuss challenges that are commonly faced in an industry that is currently dominated by men.”
“I created the female trip series because I myself struggle with feeling out of place in the outdoor industry, and I know others feel the same, that feel pressured that if you’re not a male you can’t climb, you can’t go rappelling, you can’t do all the same things as well,” Peek stated.
The Outdoor Center trips are available for sign up at noon on Monday, two weeks prior to the expedition.
Story and Photos by: Reyce Knutson
outdoors@suunews.net