Excursions
What are OC Excursions?
Excursions offer a fun, accessible, and affordable way for WWU students to get outside and connect with themselves and others. Emphasis is placed on group involvement, developing and refining skills, responsible environmental practices, fostering diversity, enriching the academic experience, and promoting life-long learning.
Spring 2026 Excursions
Scroll to see the great variety of trips we're leading this quarter... we've got some new adventures AND some well-loved classics!
All excursions are created and led by student trip leaders who are certified and educated in safe + smart outdoor recreation practices. This also means that we love to provide a variety of trips based on what our trip leaders are passionate about passing on to students! No two quarters will be the same!
Want to see us lead a specific trip (or have another excursions-related question)? Email our Excursions Coordinators, Alex and Dieder, with your suggestion!
Spring excursions
First Round Excursion sign-ups open here on Tuesday, March 31st @ 5 PM
Second round of sign ups open here on April 20th @ 5pm
Due to our limited capacity, students are limited to one trip per quarter.
Interurban Trail Exploration by bike ($5)
- Wed, May 6th, 3:00 - 6:00 PM
- Interested in a cycling adventure that blends fitness, sightseeing and community? Join the Outdoor Center for an Interurban Trail bike ride!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to ride a bike and willingness to follow directions and try biking on uneven terrain, on and off pavement.
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
Skagit River Rafting #1 ($30) (1st round of sign ups)
- Sat, April 19th [ALL DAY]
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, April 14th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- This rafting trip on the beautiful Skagit River offers an exciting adventure through scenic landscapes, perfect for experiencing nature and engaging in teamwork!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to swim, comfortability sitting on a raft for extended periods of time in potentially cold and rainy conditions.
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
Rock Climbing at Erie ($30) (1st round of sign ups)
- Sat, May 9th [ALL DAY]
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, May 5th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- Scale new heights with the Outdoor Center and join us for a beginner level rock climbing adventure at Mt. Erie. All skill levels are welcome!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to follow instruction, operate within safety guidelines, and willingness to engage in rock climbing through supporting your body on rock with the use of your limbs.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Skagit River Rafting #2 ($30) (2nd round of sign ups)
- Sat, May 10th [ALL DAY]
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, May 5th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM VU567
- This rafting trip on the beautiful Skagit River offers an exciting adventure through scenic landscapes, perfect for experiencing nature and engaging in teamwork!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to swim, comfortability sitting on a raft for extended periods of time in potentially cold and rainy conditions.
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
Sea Kayak Day Trip ($30) (2nd round of sign ups)
- Sat, May 16th, [ALL DAY]
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, May 12th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- Interested in beginner level Sea Kayaking? The Outdoor Center offers this experience along the Chuckanut Mountain coastline from Larabee State Parks' boat launch all the way to Clayton Beach!
- Essential Eligibility: Basic swimming abilities and the ability to sit in a kayak for extended periods of time while paddling across open water. Ability to follow instruction and operate within safety guidelines.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Mountain Biking Half Day #1 ($15) (2nd round of sign ups)
- Sun, May 17th 8am-1pm
- No pre-trip meeting
- Join the Outdoor Center for a beginner level, half-day trip of mountain biking at Galbraith Mountain!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to ride a bike and willingness to try biking on uneven terrain, and off pavement.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Mountain Biking Half Day #1 ($15) (2nd round of sign ups)
- Sun, May 17th 1pm-6pm
- No pre-trip meeting
- Join the Outdoor Center for a beginner level, half-day trip of mountain biking at Galbraith Mountain!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to ride a bike and willingness to try biking on uneven terrain, and off pavement.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Backpacking #1 ($60) (1st round of sign ups)
- Sat, April 11-Sun April 12
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, April 7th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- Embark on an unforgettable Backpacking adventure and experience the natural beauty of Washington State as we explore the wilderness!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to travel multiple miles with a 20+lb pack over an uneven and steep dirt trail. Willingness to follow instruction and engage in good group backcountry camping practices, involving sleeping on a pad on the ground.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Backpacking #2 ($60) (1st round of sign ups)
- Sat, May 2nd-Sun May 3rd
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, April 28th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- Embark on an unforgettable Backpacking adventure and experience the natural beauty of Washington State as we explore the wilderness!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to travel multiple miles with a 20+lb pack over an uneven and steep dirt trail. Willingness to follow instruction and engage in good group backcountry camping practices, involving sleeping on a pad on the ground.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Rock Climbing at Vantage ($75) (2nd round of sign ups)
- Sat, May 23rd-Mon May 25th
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, May 19th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- If you're interested in a real adventure, come alongside the Outdoor Center for a 3-day long Excursion climbing and exploring Vantage in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge!
- Essential Eligibility: Ability to follow instruction, operate within safety guidelines, and willingness to engage in rock climbing through supporting your body on rock with the use of your limbs. Willingness to sleep on a pad on the ground while camping overnight.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Sea Kayak Overnight ($60) (2nd round of sign ups)
- Sat, May 30th-Sun May 31st
- Required pre-trip meeting: Tue, May 26th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
- An overnight kayaking trip from the Lummi Ferry Terminal to the breathtaking Lummi Island Campsite on the Eastern shoreline of Lummi Island.
- Essential Eligibility: Basic swimming abilities and the ability to sit in a kayak for extended periods of time while paddling across open water. Ability to follow instruction and operate within safety guidelines.
- Difficulty level: Beginner
Celebrate completing Spring quarter by joining the Outdoor Center on a 5-day kayak adventure through the San Juan islands. We will travel by kayak, island hopping throughout the stunning archipelago. Paddle alongside eagles, seals, otter’s porpoises and hopefully some whales. We will start and finish our voyage on Lopez Island hopefully visiting/camaping on Blind, Jones and Turn Islands.
Hit the road for a 6-day climbing trip to Smith Rock, OR; The birthplace of American sport climbing. You will be able to practice core climbing systems like learning to lead climb and rappelling down routes. Spend full days climbing classic Smith rock routes, bouldering, and exploring the park. Expect long days outside, good food, camp life, and a chance to connect with other students who want to have a fun week climbing in one of Americas most iconic climbing destinations. If you’re looking to get into climbing or want to level up your skills, this trip is perfect.
The Right of Passage trip is a sacred experience that intends to support those graduating or entering a new chapter in life. Rite of Passage trips are a technique used across many cultures to acknowledge the mundane through ceremony. On this trip you can expect an intentional experience through the cultivation of community, as participants will support each other in bridging gaps that come with big life changes and transitions.
Fee Waivers and Trip Costs
The Outdoor Center recognizes that the cost of Trips will be a barrier to some students who are interested in participating in our trips and events. To try and reduce those barriers, 3 spots on each trip will be reserved for students who receive Federal Student/Financial Aid. Our trips in quarter have no charge, our longer trips over intersessions have a reduced rate.
To request a spot please complete this form
Spots will be reserved the first 2 weeks of the quarter and then opened to the general student body if not filled.
Disability Accommodations
For disability accommodations, questions, or requests please email our Outdoor Center Excursions Coordinators, Alex and Dieder, or call 360-650-7677 at least two weeks before the trip.
Difficulty Ratings
Informed consent is critical, and we want you to be aware of the activity you are signing up for. Each trip has a difficulty level listed in the description: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Below you will find a detailed description of what that entails. Please reach out to your student Excursions Coordinators, Alex and Dieder with any questions.
Beginner Excursions cater to those individuals who are interested in trying something new! Generally, these introductory experiences are designed to be more laid back and not too strenuous. Most importantly they are created for those who do not have prior experience in the activity. Activities may range from educational experiences to artistic activities and anything in between. These excursions are great if you are looking to learn new skills, gain exposure to new activities, foster community, and have a great time outside!
Intermediate Excursions are a great option for those who would like to explore new challenges and build upon past skills. If you are looking to explore more difficult trails or embark on longer, more strenuous adventures, this activity category is for you! These excursions are designed to safely instruct participants on more technical skills, and to dive deeper into the activity at hand. Outings often include less introductory material, but still ensure that participants are fully informed on the activity at hand! These are a great option if you are looking to step outside of your comfort zone, continue to explore these awesome activities, and meet new people!
Advanced Excursions are designed to build upon prior experience and solidify technical skills in outdoor recreation. Participants must have experience in the associated activity and feel competent, but still open to growth in their individual skill sets. Designed to explore more challenging recreational activities, expect a higher level of potential difficulty on these Excursions. These are great if you are looking to build upon past experiences and use old skills in new ways. Come explore new aspects of your favorite activities, and of course have a great (and safe) time!
FAQs
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.
Refund Policy
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
Partnerships
Are you an organization or on-campus club/program/department interested in creating a trip for your community? Fill out this form to get in touch so that we can work together to create an event that is best suited for your community!
Past Partnerships
WWU
- Environmental Science Department
- International Students Program
- Black Affinity Housing
- Honors College
- Native American Student Union
- Black Student Coalition
- WWU Transportation
- Multi-Cultural Center
- Counseling and Wellness Center
- Outdoor Wellness Peer Mentoring
- LGBTQ+ Western
- Western Success Scholars
- Black and Brown Male Success Collective
- Arab Student Association
Non-WWU organizations
- Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC)
- Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation of Whatcom County (AIROW)
- Shifting Gears
- Transition Bikes
- National Park Trust
Photo Gallery
Click the link above to look through pictures of WWU students and trip leaders in action!
