From Dutch Ovens to Frisbees
Snowshoes and skis line the walls and Frisbee golf disks are behind the counter.
There are maps and guides on the tabletops and a knowledgeable staff ready to answer questions about all the recreational opportunities Cache Valley has to offer.
With access to rock climbing, hiking, biking and camping, Utah State University can offer more than a typical educational experience for students.
The Outdoor Recreation Center (ORC), a Utah State University campus organization, is devoted to helping students become active and get outdoors.
Opting on the outdoors
Kevin Kobe, assistant director of campus recreation, explained why USU is different than other universities when it comes to recreational opportunities.
“We live in such a beautiful place itself, where I can ski in the morning and see my tracks from the valley floor,” Kobe said.
The ORC is open year-round and students and faculty can rent equipment, go on trips and participate in alternative programs.
It is also a place where students can go for information about where the best biking trails, camping spots or backpacking trails in Cache Valley are and what gear is needed to get there.
“The ORC is a service for [students]; we are here to serve them,” Kobe said. “Ask us anything. We’re a great resource for information.”
The ORC offers guided trips and hikes including an upcoming overnight hike on the Skyline Trail in Logan Canyon on Sept. 24-25.
If there’s a particular place students want to go, or a specific group that wants to organize a trip, the ORC can “tailor make” a trip for them, Kobe said.
There are also opportunities for students to complete a training program to become a trip or hike leader themselves.
Getting involved with the ORC begins with signing up for a hike or workshop.
Leah Rannow, a junior majoring in international studies who works with the ORC said she started by taking a hiking course and going on trips.
“It seems to take a while for people to realize [the ORC] exists, but once they do, they come to us,” Rannow said.
The places the ORC has taken students and the programs offered are as diverse as the students participating.
International students, students new to the valley and entering freshman are usually who the ORC sees the most, Kobe said.
“Diversity, that’s what we’re all about broadening the idea of campus recreation,” Kobe said.
The ORC options
Whether an accomplished hiker or someone who doesn’t know what a kayak is, the ORC offers something for students of all skill levels.
“We offer a little bit of everything,” Rannow said. “There are rentals and workshops and they’re all cheap or free.”
The equipment offered by the ORC ranges from climbing shoes to avalanche transceivers to dutch ovens. A student can get outfitted for a backpacking trip for hundreds of dollars less than what it would cost if they were to buy a pack, cooking gear and other equipment themselves.
Every year the ORC offers programs to help students get out and experience Cache Valley.
The Gear Swap kicks off the school year, allowing students and members of the community to buy, sell and trade gear for the upcoming season.
There are bikes, skis, snowboard boots and other items available at negotiable prices.
This year, the gear swap was held Sept. 9. The swap is usually held about two weeks into classes at the beginning of every school year.
The ORC also offers free equipment demos of canoes and kayaks at First Dam from early spring to late fall. In the winter, they offer cross country ski demos on the HPER field after snow has reached adequate levels. Demos are held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursdays, weather permitting.
There are also single and multi-day trips for every season, such as rafting, canoeing and hiking in the summer and fall and cross country skiing and snow shoeing in the winter.
These trips have taken students from Zion National Park all the way up to King’s Peak.
Some hikes, climbs, and classes that are currently available for registration are a Mt. Naomi wilderness hike on Sept. 24, Full Moon hike on Sept. 28, a canoe trip on Sept. 21, introduction to kayaking on Sept. 17-18, bike overhaul Sept. 21-Oct. 19, African drum-playing Sept. 22-Oct. 10 and women’s fly-fishing Sept. 20- Nov. 1.
ORC: Unique to USU
An outdoor recreation center is something not all universities have.
Spencer Bleadorn, a junior majoring in parks and recreation, came to USU from Milwaukee, WI. He said the university there only had a gym equipment checkout – nothing like what USU has.
Coming here from other countries, states and towns can create a struggle to find where students fit in to the Cache Valley and USU scene.
“[The ORC] helps students find a sense of place here in Cache Valley,” said Adam Christensen, a mechanical and aerospace freshman who works at the ORC.
“You can make new friends and find a sense of place here,” said Christensen. “You can build long lasting friendships on top of experiencing the outdoors.”
“It’s important,” Christensen said. “Don’t let school get in the way of your education.”
The ORC is located just south of the football stadium at 1050 West 950 East in the Aggie Village parking lot. They are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For a complete list of campus recreation activities, go to www.usu.edu/camprec.
-bsaunders@cc.usu.edu
The Outdoor Recreation Center rents out canoes for students. (Photo by John Zsiray)