Excursions

Night Hike to Fragrance Lake ($5)

• Wed, Jan 28th, 4:00 - 8:00 PM
• A mid-week break with the Outdoor Center! Let's embrace the darkness of Autumn and take an evening stroll through the Chuckanut mountains to the tranquil Fragrance Lake and back.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to follow leadership and safely move on uneven surfaces and gain elevation with limited/reduced lighting.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Sewing/Gear Repair Workshop (FREE)

• Wed, Feb 4th, 3:00 - 6:00 PM
• Come to the Outdoor Center to fix your old and broken clothing and gear with us! Bring that pair of pants with a huge hole in the knee that you love dearly so you can rock them on campus again! Sewing and patching supplies provided.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to learn and engage in safe sewing and repair practices using hands, as well as share a positive space with others.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Bike Repair Clinic - Tires, Brakes, Chains (FREE)

• Wed, Feb 18th, 3:00 - 6:00 PM
• Join us in learning about the basics of bike tires, maintenance, and repairs. We will also cover chain and shifting maintenance. Our Bike Technicians will be at your service to answer any questions. Bring your own bike if you have one but it's not a requirement.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to learn and engage in bike repair practices using hands, tools, and bike shop spaces as well as share a positive space with others.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Backcountry Cooking ($5)

• Wed, Feb 25th, 3:00 - 6:00 PM
• Join us for an instructional clinic that uses camp stoves to cook meals designed for the backcountry. The possibilities are endless! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn and eat together!
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to listen and follow safety instructions and participate in backcountry cooking. Ability to move on uneven surfaces.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Rock Climbing Clinic - Art of Anchor Building (FREE)

• Wed, Mar 4th, 3:00 - 6:00 PM
• Come hang out with us at the Outdoor Center for a night of Anchor Building. If you're looking to get into rock climbing, or have climbed before but want to elevate your anchor building, this is a great resource for you! Led by an OC professional staff member and former climbing instructor. Materials and fun provided.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to listen, engage, and participate in a positive environment.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Plant ID Arboretum Hike ($5)

• Wed, Mar 11th, 3:00 - 6:00 PM
• Join us for a hike focused on plant identification! On this hike, we will learn basic plant identification. Come and learn about the nature in our backyard (the Arb!)
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to listen, learn, and engage with Plant ID information. Ability to move on uneven surfaces.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Skagit River Wildlife Float #1 ($25)

• Sat, Jan 24th [ALL DAY]
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Jan 20th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• During the winter months, the Skagit River hosts the largest concentration of eagles in the lower 48. Join us for a cozy float down small rapids, bundled up with hot cocoa in hand. Bring a camera as we search for eagles and watch salmon begin to spawn.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to swim, comfortability sitting on a raft for extended periods of time in potentially cold and rainy conditions.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Skagit River Wildlife Float #2 ($25)

• Sat, Jan 31st [ALL DAY]
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Jan 27th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Join us in visiting Skagit River for the second time where during the Winter months, they host the largest concentration of eagles in the lower 48. Join us for a cozy float down small rapids, bundled up with hot cocoa in hand. Bring a camera as we search for eagles and watch salmon begin to spawn.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to swim, comfortability sitting on a raft for extended periods of time in potentially cold and rainy conditions.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner

Wellness Day Hike ($15)

• Sat, Feb 7th [ALL DAY]
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Feb 3rd, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Want to take a mental health break from school, work, and screens? On this Wellness Day Hike, we'll discuss strategies to feel safe outdoors, have solo time, and connect with ourselves. There will be opportunities for wellness activities like guided meditations, journaling, intentional conversations, and relaxing games. No hiking experience required!
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to walk on uneven and potentially steep surfaces for multiple miles.
• Difficulty level: Beginner

Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) Work Party (FREE)

• Sat, Feb 14th, 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
• No pre-trip meeting
• Taking care of the ecosystems we live and recreate in is a wonderful way to connect with nature. Show your love for the Earth on Valentines Day! Come and join us for a volunteer work party with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association and learn the joys of volunteer work!
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to listen and follow direction, participating in restoration activities. Ability to move on uneven surfaces. May involve the use of tools and carrying foliage.
• Difficulty level: Beginner

Snow Shoeing ($25)

• Sun, Feb 15th [ALL DAY]
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Feb 10th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Come up to the slopes of Mt. Baker and experience the dustings of snow on our Cascade Mountains! No previous experience snowshoeing is required. This is a great opportunity to explore the Baker backcountry during the quieter shoulder season.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to wear snowshoes and use them to be mobile over approximately four miles of hiking with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Willingness to learn and engage in the practice of snowshoeing.
• Difficulty level: Beginner

Cross Country Skiing ($25)

• Sat, Mar 7th [ALL DAY]
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Mar 3rd, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Enjoy the peace and tranquility of mid-Winter in the valleys of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest… on skis! Join us for the opportunity to learn about the joys of cross-country skiing and enjoy some beautiful Winter scenery along the way!
• Essential Eligibility: Comfort being on your feet and moving for extended periods of time. Comfort with cold and traveling in winter conditions. No prior ski experience needed.
• Difficulty level: Beginner

Snow Camping #1 ($50)

• Sat, Feb 28th @ 6:00 AM - Sun, Mar 1st @ 8:00 PM
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Feb 24th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Are you camping in the Winter? Snow way! Join us for a night of sleeping under the stars, and on snow! This is an opportunity to learn the basics of Winter snow travel and winter camping skills! This beginner-friendly trip is all about discovering the enjoyable side of Winter adventure.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to walk on uneven surfaces / snow. Ability to carry a pack with equipment up to 30 lbs., ability to camp and sleep in winter conditions.
• Difficulty level: Beginner

Snow Camping #2 ($50)

• Sat, Mar 14th @ 6:00 AM - Sun, Mar 15th @ 8:00 PM
• Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, Mar 10th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Are you camping in the Winter? Snow way! Join us for our second round of a night of sleeping under the stars, and on snow! This is an opportunity to learn the basics of Winter snow travel and winter camping skills! This beginner-friendly trip is all about discovering the enjoyable side of Winter adventure.
• Essential Eligibility: Ability to walk on uneven surfaces / snow. Ability to carry a pack with equipment up to 30 lbs., ability to camp and sleep in winter conditions.
• Difficulty level: Beginner

1 full-day/weekend/3-day trip per quarter! We have limited number of spots available on each trip and hope to serve as many students as possible.

You may sign up for as many Adventure Break trips as you would like!

Once a trip is full you may register for our waitlist, which can be found at the bottom of the trip sign-up link. If a spot becomes available on a trip you will receive a text from the Outdoor Center.

You will receive a text from the Outdoor Center if a trip becomes available. You must respond to that text within 1 hour to confirm your spot. You will then need to come into the Outdoor Center to complete trip registration.

Nope! Please have your friend sign up individually.

Check our refund policies below.

If you have already been on an Excursion through the Outdoor Center, consider giving other folks the opportunity for the same experience that you had.

All excursions are created and led by our student trip leaders, so the trip list will change every quarter! Sometimes this will depend on the season (ex: more skiing and snowshoeing in the winter), and some of it depends on what our trip leaders are interested in leading. We tend to repeat trips that students are excited about and consistently attend, but we also try to mix things up and provide new activities/sports each quarter.

Read the policies below to determine if you are eligible for a refund.

If you are, then you will need to come in person to the Outdoor Center (VU 150) during our open hours and process the refund.

To be eligible for a cancelation refund you must email both OC coordinators (oc.excursions1@wwu.edu AND oc.excursions2@wwu.edu) at least 72 business hours before your excursions pre trip meeting. We do not offer refunds for Adventure Breaks

Yes

No.

Outdoor recreation is a extremely dynamic and occasionally we need to change the location or format of a trip due to safety concerns, typically caused by weather or other environmental factors (avalanche hazard). We do not offer refund when this occurs.

No, we do not offer refunds for Adventure Breaks