Virgil Henson Activities Center. Courtesy of lavinarchitects.com.

WTAMU’s  Recreational Sports/Outdoor Pursuits program offers faculty and students the opportunity to experience the outdoors in a fun and interactive way.

“Recreational Sports/Outdoor Pursuits has been the best-kept secret on campus for quite some time,” Bill Banks, assistant Recreational Sports director and director of Outdoor Pursuits, said.

Through the Outdoor Pursuits program, students get the chance to learn about and master outdoor living skills by participating in different activities.

The lengths of the trips vary, but they are mostly weekend-long adventures that cost, on average, about  $60. Trips are offered in the fall and spring semesters and come as packaged deals that include food, transpor•tation, instruction and equipment. Trips vary to include activities such as rock climb•ing, snowboarding/skiing, caving, mountain biking and mountaineering.

For each trip, two mandatory meetings are held. The first meeting is set up to review the itinerary, discuss health issues and talk about proper clothing. At the second meet•ing, attendees package food and prepare backpacks.

According to Banks, members attending the trips learn a variety of different lessons. Banks jokes that what he teaches is not out of an episode of Man vs. Wild, but rather more necessary and less drastic skills.  Students who go on the mountaineering trip learn things like how to operate a single burner stove and cook a meal. It is just one of many things incorporated into teaching people to thrive outdoors.

“We are about goal-setting, common sense, good judgment, safety, and just as impor•tant, having fun,” Banks said.

On May 20, students will be heading out on a five day, four night trip that will first take them to Durango, Colorado for whitewater rafting. From there they will head to Arches National Park in Utah to explore arch rock formations. The trip costs $200 per person.

“I am most excited about seeing some•thing new and doing something I’ve never tried before,” Allison Ware, Sports and Exercise Science major, said. “Many people don’t know that these places even exist and the things you take away from trips like these are hard to describe to other people – that’s why you have to experience it for yourself.”

The Outdoor Pursuits Center also offers other services. “Our Outdoor Pursuits Center is the hub of our Outdoor Education program,” Banks said.

The center rents out equipment which WTAMU faculty, staff and students are eligible to obtain at affordable prices.

Clubs and organizations also have the option of scheduling a private trip separate from the pre-scheduled events. Anyone interested can meet with Banks to discuss the budget and goals for an excursion.

For any questions about the outdoor trips or rental services, contact the Recreational Sports office at 651-2353.