FOOT Trip - Winter

FIRST-YEAR OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIPS

F.O.O.T.

Department of Outdoor Education & Outdoor Recreation Committee

Dear New Students,

We would like to invite you to participate in the 29^th annual First-Year Outdoor Orientation Trips (FOOT).  The FOOT program provides newcomers with an excellent introduction to the outdoor programs at Colorado College.  The trips last five days and take place over the fifth block break, which falls on February 13 – 17, 2013.  We offer 5 backpacking trips at all levels in many of Colorado’s most beautiful wilderness areas, and you do not have to be an experienced backpacker to sign up.  Each trip offers a chance to relax with a small group of your peers, experience beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery, learn outdoor skills and reflect on your first block at Colorado College.  Different experiences may include fly fishing, photography, poetry, biking, and community service, among others.  The leaders of each trip are upper-class students and members of the Outdoor Recreation Committee (ORC) and are trained by the professional staff and student leaders in the Department of Outdoor Education at Colorado College.  At minimum, leaders are certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR.

Costs are included in the Student Activity Fee received by the Office of Outdoor Education, so there is no charge for FOOT trips.

Equipment rentals of backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, etc. are available through the Colorado College Gear House at the Ahlberg Outdoor Education Center at 1024 N. Weber.  The Gear House will open the first week of the block.  Gear is limited, so please stop by in person (no phone reservations) and reserve your gear early!  While we do not rent much clothing, most of what is needed for these trips can be found at local second-hand stores (ask upper-class students about the ARC, Goodwill, etc.)  You can also rent gear at a few local outdoor shops, Mountain Chalet – (719)633-0732 and REI, (709)620-1455. 

Before signing up, know that students are placed on trips based on a lottery system.  If you are put on a wait list, don’t despair! Cancellations often make it possible for students on the wait list to join trips.  Once you are placed on a trip, you will receive an e-mail from your trip leaders. Please respond immediately when you receive this e-mail; we have a lot of planning to do for these trips and most of that planning is contingent upon your confirmation.  Since there are so many trips and the central purpose of each trip is to meet other students, you will be assigned to a group with students of similar ability and interests, and you may not switch groups or request to be on a particular trip.

Sign-ups will be held the first week of Block 5 in the Worner Campus Center.  Please check your Colorado College e-mail and watch for posters and banners about FOOT Trip sign-up on the first Monday of Block 5. 

If you have questions, please call the Office of Outdoor Education at 719-389-6803 or email us at outdoored@coloradocollege.edu.

We look forward to seeing you in the outdoors!

Sincerely,

The FOOT Crew