Kayaking
Outdoor Action Newsletter |
April - May 2001 |
| Activities | Training | Resources |
The Outdoor Action Program (OA) is Princeton University's outdoor experiential education program. We offer trips and courses throughout the academic year to Princeton undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff in many different outdoor activities. All OA trips are led by students who have gone through an extensive Leader Training Program. If you are interested in becoming an OA Leader, see the back of the newsletter for details and schedules.
OA Office: 330 Alexander Road, 8-3552
OA Equipment Room: 48 University Place, 8-6417
OA Web Site: www.princeton.edu/~oa/
This newsletter is published twice each semester to provide information about Outdoor Action's upcoming trips and programs. The Outdoor Action Program (OA) is Princeton University's outdoor experiential education program administered by the Princeton-Blairstown Center. For more details on OA activities see the OA Web Site. OA Leader Training Program
Interested in leading a Frosh Trip for the class of 2005? Whether you are already a leader, planning to complete your leader training this spring, or interested in working as a manager or support staff, join us for a meeting about Frosh Trip 2001. We will have details about this fall's program and how to apply. We'll also be showing the "rough cut" of this past fall's Frosh Trip Video.
Tuesday, 4/3, 7:30 p.m., Frist Campus Center 302
Kayaking
If you are interested in learning how to kayak, whether for gentle cruises on a lake or challenging whitewater, then this is the place to start. We begin with basic flatwater and stroke skills on Lake Carnegie and then move to moving water and easy whitewater maneuvers like Eddy Turns, Peel Outs, and Ferries. No prior experience is necessary. All equipment is provided by OA. Course fee: Students $45, Faculty/Staff $55. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Dillon Pool: Sunday, 4/8, 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Lake Carnegie: Tuesday, 4/10, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Lake Carnegie: Thursday, 4/12, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Local River: Tuesday, 4/17, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Local River: Thursday, 4/19, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Dillon pool will be open to anyone who has taken an Eskimo roll class with OA or who has other experience with kayak rolling to practice your skills for the upcoming season. Fee per session: Students $7, Faculty/Staff $10. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Session 1: Sunday, 4/1, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Session 2: Sunday, 4/8, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
If you have participated in OA's Beginning Kayaking Class and have an Eskimo roll, then this is a great next step to improving your paddling skills. We will spend the afternoon in a set of rapids practicing eddy turns, peel outs, and surfing under the guidance of OA Director Rick Curtis. Equipment provided by OA. Prerequisites: Beginning Kayaking Class (or other class II paddling experience) and a solid Eskimo Roll. Contact Rick Curtis if your previous experience is not with OA. Trip fee: students $15, faculty/staff $20. $8 discount with your own equipment. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Friday, 4/6, 1 - 5 p.m.
If you are an intermediate whitewater paddler, then this day trip is a great
opportunity to get out on a river and practice
your skills. On the river instruction will focus on advanced stroke work, surfing,
boat control, and navigation. The Lehigh is a class II - III river in eastern
Pennsylvania. All equipment is provided by OA. Bring your own lunch. Prerequisites:
ability to Eskimo roll and participation on the April 6th trip to Scudder's
Falls (or talk to Rick Curtis). Course fee: students $25, faculty/staff
$32. $8 discount with your own equipment. Sign up at the OA
TripStore.
Saturday, 4/14, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Introduction to Rock Climbing Course If you are interested in learning to rock climb, this 2-week course will teach you all the essential techniques of climbing, including tying in, belaying and climbing techniques like weight shifting, stemming, and laybacks. The course will meet at OA's indoor Climbing Wall in the Armory and will culminate in a day trip to an outdoor climbing site. Course fee: students $65, faculty/staff $90. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Monday, 4/9, 8 - 10 p.m.
Wednesday, 4/11, 8 - 10 p.m.
Monday, 4/16, 8 - 10 p.m.
Wednesday, 4/18, 8 - 10 p.m.
Day Trip: Saturday, 4/21, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Once you have become comfortable with basic climbing techniques, the next step is to learn to set up ropes and anchoring systems so you can climb on your own. The course will focus on learning to set up safe systems for top rope climbing in the outdoors. Topics include use of natural anchors, anchor-building technique, equipment, site management, and safety. The course will also emphasize teaching climbing and climbing ethics. This is a requirement for leading OA rock climbing trips. Meet at the Climbing Wall in the Armory. Course fee: students $65, faculty/staff $95, OA leaders $35. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Climbing Wall: Tuesday, 4/10, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Climbing Wall: Friday, 4/13, 3 - 6 p.m.
Climbing Wall: Tuesday, 4/17, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Ralph Stover State Park: Friday, 4/20, 12 - 6 p.m.
Climbing Wall: Tuesday, 4/24, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Ralph Stover State Park: Friday, 4/27, 12 - 6 p.m.
Rain Date: Friday, 5/4, 12 - 6 p.m.
Rock Climbing provides an opportunity to challenge yourself both physically and mentally as you work your way up a rock face. We are offering two day trips to local climbing areas for beginners and experienced climbers alike. No previous experience is necessary. Equipment is provided by OA. Bring a bag lunch. Trip Fee: Students $15, Faculty/Staff $20. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Saturday, April 7, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
OA Climbing Wall The Climbing Wall is an indoor rock climbing practice facility located in the Armory next to Jadwin Gym. Climbers of all abilities are welcome. Experienced instructors are on hand to teach skills and assist in solving particular climbing routes. The Climbing Wall is open only to students, faculty, and staff of Princeton University. PUID required. Children of members of the University community may climb with a parent present. The Climbing Wall is open throughout the academic year except during breaks and final exams.
Open Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Tuesday & Thursday, 8:00 - 10:00 pm
• Day Pass: $3 students, $5 faculty/staff
• Half-semester Pass: $20 students, $27 faculty/staff
• Equipment Rental: $1 for harness, $1 for climbing shoes
Passes can be purchased at the Climbing Wall with a University ID.
New Climbers can climb free for the first visit! Climbers of all abilities are welcome. Only individuals who have passed the belaying course are eligible to belay at the Wall. OA offers free belaying classes for new climbers to give you instruction on how to properly tie-in and belay. Classes are offered during all regular Wall hours.
If you want a fun group building activity for your organization or group, schedule a night at the Wall. Contact the OA Office for details (8-3552).
Climbing
Big Walls Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sleep hanging from a steep rock face? Join us for a slide presentation on big wall and multi-day rock climbing. From the first great big walls in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah, all the way to the rock faces along the East Coast, Bobby Starke '01 will show pictures of climbs he has done while describing life on the wall. He will also discuss some of the modern trends of wall climbing such as speed ascents, clean climbing, and free climbing classic aid lines. Many of the skills used in free climbing transfer over to aid climbing bigger walls, and Bobby will show us how! Follow Bobby on a road trip of climbs.
Thursday, 4/26, 7:30 p.m.
Robertson Hall Bowl 6
Peaks
of Peru: Adventures of an Andinista Spending a year in Chile as a study abroad student gave climber Naomi Haverlick '01 the opportunity to slip away to the magical mountains of the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. This mountain range, the highest of the Peruvian Andes, contains a vast array of pyramid-shaped peaks which surround Huaraz, a bustling pueblo serving mountaineers, trekkers and tourists from around the world. Naomi will show us slides of her mountaineering ascents of Pisco (5752 m/18,871 ft.) and Alpamayo (5947 m/19,512 ft.) with Chilean expedition team member, Cristian Silva. Join us!
Wednesday, 5/2, 7:30 p.m.
Robertson Hall Bowl 5
Sunfish Pond is located in Worthington State Forest in northern New Jersey. This pond is the southern most glacially formed laked on the Appalachian Trail and is a beautiful place to visit. We will spend a day doing a loop-hike to the pond and will picnic along the trail. If you are interested in exporing New Jersey and getting into the outdoors for a day, join us! Trip fee: students $9, faculty/staff $12. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Saturday, 4/14, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Spring Backpacking The views from the summits of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia are spectacular. Outdoor Action is offering a 4-day backpacking trips to the mountains of Virginia after finals in May. Discover the excitement of living in the woods and hiking along beautiful ridges and beside winding streams. The trip will cover 4-8 miles each day and basic wilderness and minimal impact camping skills will be taught. Equipment, transportation, and food will be provided by OA. Trip space is limited so sign up early. Sign-up deadline: Friday, May 4. Participants receive a 50% refund for cancellations after Friday, May 11. Trip fee: Students $95, Faculty/Staff $115. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Pre-trip preparation: Saturday, 5/26
Trip: Sunday, 5/27 - Wednesday, 5/30
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is an important skill to have as a member of a community. This American Red Cross course will teach you to recognize and care for life-threatening respiratory or cardiac emergencies in adults. Course fee: $16. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Thursday, 4/12, 7 - 11 pm
East Pyne 219
These American Red Cross refresher courses are for anyone who needs to update certification. You must be currently certified or recently expired. Course fee: $16. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
Wednesday, 4/25, 7:30 - 10 pm, East Pyne 219
Monday, 4/30, 7:30 - 10 pm, East Pyne 219
Interested in leading a Frosh Trip for the Class of 2005? Complete your Leader Training this spring! OA's Leader Training Program is considered one of the most comprehensive in the nation and has been used as a model by schools across the country. In the Leader Training Program participants develop skills in leadership, group facilitation, safety, first aid, and valuable wilderness travel skills. Don't consider yourself outdoorsy? You don't need to have any previous outdoor experience to become an OA Leader. We provide all the training you need to learn to lead and facilitate groups in the outdoors. We are looking for a diverse group of students who can provide leadership for incoming frosh. Upon completion of the program, participants are eligible to apply to lead OA trips. Sign up at the OA TripStore.
The five components of Leader Training are listed below. The first four components can be taken at any time but must be completed before participating in the Leader Training Course (LTC); some participants prefer to take all of them at once (in Fast Track format) and some prefer to spread it out over a few semesters. The LTC is offered during Fall Break, Spring Break and Dead Week each year. See the Spring Leader Training Schedule (right) to find out when each component will next be offered.
HEART (Health Education and Rescue Training) Wilderness First Aid is an intensive course that covers patient examination and evaluation, body systems and anatomy, wound care, splinting, environmental emergencies, and backcountry medicine. Hands-on simulations provide first-hand training in treating patients. This is an excellent course taught by experienced Wilderness First Responders and Emergency Medical Technicians and is highly recommended to all wilderness travelers. Adult CPR certification by American Red Cross Instructors is included. This class fulfills the First Aid requirement for OA Leader Training. Course fee: $89 leaders-in-training, $100 students, $120 faculty/staff.
*Section A (Monday and Wednesday class):
CPR: Wednesday, 4/4, 7 - 11 p.m., East Pyne 219
Mon. 4/9, Weds. 4/11, Mon. 4/16, Weds. 4/18, Mon. 4/23, Weds. 4/25, in Jadwin A07
Final Exam: Monday 4/30
*Section B (Tuesday and Thursday class):
CPR: Thursday, 4/5, 7 - 11 p.m., East Pyne 219
Tues. 4/10, Thurs. 4/12, Tues. 4/17, Thurs. 4/19, Tues. 4/24, Thurs. 4/26, in Jadwin A07
Final Exam: Tuesday 5/1
Facilitating positive group interaction and teamwork requires excellent listening and observation skills and a set of activities and techniques to guide people through personal growth and development. This workshop will train OA leaders and others who work with groups in specific techniques for effective group facilitation. This is a hands-on, experiential workshop. Be prepared to have fun!
Sunday, 4/1, 12 - 7 p.m., Frist Multipurpose Room
One of the greatest challenges of being a group leader is learning how to lead and motivate a group, and how to use group experiences to promote self-exploration and learning. This workshop is designed to teach OA leaders and others how to effectively lead groups. This is a hands-on, experiential based workshop so be prepared to be active. You must have completed the Facilitators Workshop previously in order to attend.
Sunday, 4/22, 12 - 7 p.m., Liberation Hall, Third World Center
This seminar is designed to make all wilderness travelers familiar with the causes of accidents in the wilderness, how to prevent accidents through effective pre-trip planning, how to identify risks in the field, and how to increase your margin of safety.
Tuesday, 4/24, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., McCosh 64
Wednesday, 4/25, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., McCosh 64
Monday, 5/7, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., McCosh 64
Leading a group on a backcountry trip requires extensive training in wilderness camping skills. The Leader Training Course (LTC) is designed to teach all the wilderness skills necessary to lead multi-day backpacking trips, including route planning, equipment preparation, wilderness travel techniques, map and compass, outdoor cooking, and minimal impact camping. The course includes 10 hours of pre-trip classes and preparation, and a 6-day trip. Trip participants learn how to run a wilderness trip by planning all aspects of the trip, including route, food, and equipment, and each participant is required to research and teach a class on a particular wilderness topic. Participants are required to attend all meetings and classes. The text for the course will be the Backpacker's Field Manual, written by Outdoor Action. Most of the trips we offer are backpacking trips, therefore, most leaders-in-training participate in a Backpacking LTC. We also offer a Backpacking & Canoeing Leader Training Course in the spring which provides training in both skill areas (see below).
1. Backpacking Leader Training Course
This Spring the Backpacking LTC is being offered after final exams in May. To take part in Fast Track participants must have already completed first aid and CPR. The trips will schedule a series of pre-trip meetings during the weeks leading up to the trip. To take part in an LTC participants must have completed all other leader training requirements. Course fee: $95 students, $120 faculty/staff.
Pre-trip Classes: Mon. 5/7 and Tues. 5/8, times TBA
Trip: Saturday, 5/26 - Thursday, 5/31 (One trip may be Sun. 5/27 - Fri. 6/1 for anyone with a Saturday exam)2. Backpacking & Canoeing Leader Training Course
This course covers the same skills taught in the Backpacking Leader Training Course, plus the skills necessary to lead a multi-day canoeing trip. This 7-day trip will spend 3½ days backpacking and 3½ days canoeing, so participants will gain experience in both skill areas. This is a requirement for anyone interested in leading a canoeing Frosh Trip. Course fee: $115, faculty/staff $145.
Pre-trip Classes: Mon. 5/7 and Tues. 5/8, times TBA
Trip: Saturday, 5/26 - Friday, 6/1
OA Leaders are strongly encouraged to become authorized van drivers. You must complete an online course and quiz on driving 15-passenger vans. Drivers must also complete a 30-minute road test. To gain access to the online course and schedule a road test contact the Fleet Safety Road Test Instructor, Avery Waddell, at awaddell@princeton.edu. See the Public Safety Office website for more information (http://webware.princeton.edu/pubsaf/Fleet.htm).
Outdoor Action's Equipment Room (ER) is located on the bottom floor of 48 University Place, facing the Foulke Hall quad. The ER is open two evenings a week while classes are in session. Any member of the campus community may rent equipment. Rental costs are minimal. Please come and visit! Call with any questions, 8-6417.
Tuesdays, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Thursdays, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
The Princeton Blairstown Center has openings for summer staff in its summer camp program. Each summer PBC offers an outdoor adventure program for urban youth ages 10 - 17. This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to work in the outdoors. Persons interested should contact the Blairstown Office at 908-362-6765. Additional information is available on the PBC website ( http://webware.princeton.edu/PBCenter).
All online information at the Outdoor Action Web Site is protected by copyright laws. You may set up links to material found at the Outdoor Action Web Site. Printed versions of the material may be distributed for nonprofit educational use as long as no fees are charged for the material, attributions are made to the author, and no content changes are made. Commercial use of this material either in electronic or printed form is prohibited without express written permission from the author. Copyright © 1995 - 2004, all rights reserved, Rick Curtis, Outdoor Action Program, Princeton University. Send your comments and suggestions on the OA Web Site to Outdoor Action