UWRF program extends trips

Kinni Outdoor Adventures was caught off guard this year due to the popularity of its $5 day trips it started offering this semester. Considering this, Ryan McCallum, coordinator of Kinni Connections, explained that it needed more options for next year.

Currently, KOA offers these trips that include equipment, lunch and travel to and from the location. The day trips include cross country skiing, snowshoeing, outdoor rock climbing and kayaking, which are all full for this spring semester already.

They were full within the first week and a half that they were offered, McCallum said. The trips are so popular they are considering adding more options to next years trips and also expanding office hours .

“We can’t believe how fast they filled,”said McCallum. “So next year, we are planning on having a lot more to offer to students.”

Haley Kavanaugh, a junior at UWRF, said that she signed up for three of the day trips.

“I signed up for the snow shoeing, rock climbing and kayaking. I think it’s a great idea and I am really excited,” said Kavanaugh.

What KOA is planning on doing next year, instead of just day trips, is adding seven to 10 day trips to different places around the country. These trips would be offered during J-term, spring and summer break, McCallum mentioned.

“It is in the works and we are really excited about these trips for Outdoor Adventures,” McCallum said.

Shaun Vass, Student manager of KOA, said that since the trips filled up so fast KOA needed to look towards the future.

“The number of local day trips for next year will be tripled and will include mountain biking, kayaking and even sky diving,” said Vass.

The first longer trip KOA is offering for the summer of 2012 includes a 10-day fishing trip to Isle Royal National Park in Michigan. It is $500 for students and with only eight spots available, students will have first priority, but is also offered to staff and community members.

Everything will be provided for the people that go on the trip, including transportation, permits, the ferry ride, fishing licenses and equipment.

When the fall semester starts, KOA will be offering two trips a month for students and the community.

McCallum said their will be many more planned trips to go on next year then this year.

“We are currently in the process of figuring out where we want to take these seven, 10, and 14-day trips,” McCallum said. “We’ve been listening to the students and where they want to go, so we will try to make it as affordable as possible.”
Vass also said in an email that it has been a few years since UWRF’s outdoor recreation program has led trips and the interest is there.

“ I feel that the $5 day trips are very popular because UWRF students and faculty are very interested in outdoor activities but didn’t have the means of a lot of money to get out and do the things that we offer, especially outdoor climbing and kayaking,” said Vass.

For more information on Kinni Outdoor Adventures, contact Ryan McCallum or Shaun Vass at 715-425-4289. Limited space is available for this trip.