News
The Great Outdoors (Adventures)
June 08, 2021
The benefits of the great outdoors are vast. Being outdoors is an enjoyable and healthy way to spend time while at Grand Valley State University. Recreation & Wellness Outdoor Adventures, or OA, offers a canyon of programs and services to help the GVSU community get connected with outdoor and adventure-based programming. The best part: you don’t have to be John Muir to enjoy these programs.
“We do our best to keep the activities accessible by providing programs that don’t require a high level of knowledge or experience,” said Joe Bitely, Assistant Director for Outdoor Adventures. “We make gear available, and keep costs as low as possible.”
OA is the place for programs or information on anything outdoors. It’s flagship program is open climbing at the Climbing Center, which is located in the Fieldhouse on the Allendale Campus. Open climb hours provide a safe and welcoming environment for hardcore climbers and novices alike. Community and safety are core values of OA, and the Climbing Center is a great place to find community, and get in a great workout. For the first time this year, they offered an intramural bouldering league, which had 11 teams participate to crown its first champion.
While the Climbing Center is the trailhead, Outdoor Adventures is a forest full of inclusive opportunities for outdoor minded Lakers. They offer gear rental for any adventure, including all the necessities for a basic backpacking trip with friends. The low cost rentals are perfect for on campus students, who don’t have the space for outdoor gear in their dorms, to get exploring with their friends.
“Spending time outside has many physical and mental benefits. One of the biggest obstacles to participation can be acquiring the expensive technical gear,” Bitely said.
For those who do not want to plan their own camping trip, OA offers trips, both day and overnight, that provide a space for people who lack gear, or people to go with. Past trips have included some of Michigan's favorite summer outdoor places, as well as Ice Fest in Munising during the winter months. Being outside doesn't have to stop when the weather gets cold.
OA has educational based programs. From belay clinics, to wilderness first aid training, and all things bike maintenance, OA has opportunities for everyone to hone their skills or learn a new activity. The Outdoor Adventure Collective group is a space for staying up to date on adventure-based activities. Bitely also encourages students to connect with one another through the group, as well as use it as a resource hub.
“Outdoor Adventure programs develop a strong combination of technical skill proficiency, risk management, creative problem solving, interpersonal communication & peer leadership. We commit a great deal of resources to training and continuing education opportunities in order to maintain a professional staff and high-quality programs & services. We do it all in a welcoming and inclusive environment,” says Bitely.
If you are interested in finding out more about Outdoor Adventures, check out their website. OA also has job opportunities for students looking for on-campus employment.
Article by: Mitch Eastlick
This article is part of our summer series on RecWell offerings. To see all our articles, sign up for a our newsletter. Other topics this summer have included club sports & wellness. For more information on RecWell go to gvsu.edu/rec.