Outing club takes a hike

Returning to Oberlin College late Sunday evening tired, dirty and smelly with Monday classes looming may seem stressful. Those who do disagree probably belong to the Outing Club.

The Outing Club is one of the older student organizations on campus, formed during an extremely active period in the 1960s. The club sponsors trips away from campus to places of scenic beauty for fun and stress relief. Backpacking and climbing are some of their most popular activities. A climbing trip travels to either a rock site or a gym every Friday. The club is currently working for a grant and also trying to get a climbing wall built on campus.

"We build up pressure here," said senior Jim Norton, Outing Club Co-Chair and trip coordinator. "To get out somewhere, three hours away, and go backpacking for two days is a tremendous relief of stress."

The Outing Club offers a great opportunity for stress relief. Tromping through the woods and relying only on a few people fosters a great sense of friendship. "This year, I feel like people are getting to know each other, and it is more like a club or a community," said Norton.

The Outing Club is always trying to have more trips. "We had more trips in the first module than we did in all of last year," said Norton. Although not extremely visible, the club has led a trip somewhere every weekend, including five over fall break. Trips tend to go far and wide to places like Mohican State Park, Cuyahoaga Valley National Recreational Area, the Grand River and the Alleghenies.

When more time is available, the trips tend to go farther away. One of the five fall break trips drove 10 hours to the Adirondacks. The eight travelers on the trip had a great time canoeing around the Saranac lakes and bushwhacking up mountains. When their fun was done, they all came back to Oberlin with friendships tested and affirmed by the wild.

The Outing Club usually advertises with flyers and banners. They also have a mailing list of several hundred people. However, not everyone is aware of all of the trips. "Our advertising doesn't get out to the people as much as it could," said senior Austin Johnson. Regardless of shortcomings with their advertising, they have still had waiting lists for every trip this year.

Co-Chair Stephen Kehler works with the College administration for the club's campus projects. They are currently working with the Environmental Studies Students Committee for a Hewlett Packard grant to undertake trail building projects in local areas such as Mohican State Park. They are also trying to have a climbing wall built on campus. Last year they had a petition of over 500 names supporting the climbing wall.

The club is also concerned with education. Most of their teaching occurs in the appropriate environment, the wilderness. They also offer some on-campus opportunities, with two chairs teaching a Wilderness Leadership Skills ExCo class.

The club is searching for more leaders to head trips because they have an abundance of interest. "We're looking for general out-door experience," said junior Wendy Antibus. "Some people have CPR or first aid training; that is good too." Basic qualifications and organization are all they require.

"We're definitely looking for leaders," said Norton. "We're in a period of growth in terms of getting people and doing more public things." They have great resources for potential leaders including an office offering plenty of maps, preplanned trips and a closet stacked with gear for rent.

(Right) Take a hike! The Outing Club hiked in the Adirondacks over fall break. (photos courtesy of Blake Rehberg)

(Left) Are we there yet? Outdoor enthusiasts stop and take a rest for a bite to eat and a quick foot massage during their trek in the Adirondacks.