Kalamazoo Outing Club Program

Kalamazoo Outing Club ProgramProposal 2008

KOC- Kalamazoo Outing Club

Mission Statement•The mission of the Kalamazoo College Outing Club (KOC) is to provide all “K” community members the ability to experience the outdoors in a noncompetitive and supportive environment

regardless of their ability, while at the same time complementing the general goals of the school by providing an

important aspect of a liberal-arts education.

GOALS•To provide the “K” college community with experiential education, environmental awareness, and technical skills so that they can successfully participate in and lead outdoor activities and wilderness trips.•Promote group and individual growth.•To have students try new things and meet new people.•Stimulate interest in outdoor activities and curiosity of the natural wilderness.•Have a proactive educational role in environmental stewardship.•Show students that there is more than just the “K” bubble and the town of Kalamazoo.•Continue, complement and add to the LandSea and study abroad experiences.•Directed by the desire to achieve such goals without financial discrimination.

Benefits of having an Outing Club

• A MAJOR ASPECT OF LIBERAL-ARTS EDUCATION• Leadership training (group dynamics, team structure, etc…)• Better understanding of the “greater picture”• Greater respect for others, self, and environment• Alcohol-free and Drug-free option/substitute alternative activity• Physical and health benefits• Wilderness appreciation on a global scale• Giving K students the hard and soft skills of trip leading and wilderness

travel• Teaches risk management, thought process, cause and effect, sound

judgment, and independence• In line with Kalamazoo College’s goal of sustainability and recycling efforts

(see Furman University Outdoor Club)• LNT philosophy• Bringing together community (college and city)• A draw for admissions with recruiting


Who Are We???• THE FOLLOWING IS A GENERIC SETUP AND OURS MIGHT DIFFERTHE FOLLOWING IS A GENERIC SETUP AND OURS MIGHT DIFFER• Government and Operating Officers• Student-run emphasis with non-student staff member to help ensure

consistency, liability, counsel, direction, and support.• 1 (to start) Non-student staff member working at 1/4 to 1/3 time (520 to 690

hours a year)• Student President• Student Vice President• Student Treasurer• Student Secretary• Student Gear Manager• Student Food Room Manager• Student Trip Planning Committees- Hiking/backpacking,

Canoeing/Kayaking, Biking (mountain and road) to start. More subset committees as KOC grows in participation size and financial backing.

• Student Web Manager and Publicists• Student and Faculty/Staff Trip Leaders• Any individual who classifies as at least one of these positions is part of the

Kalamazoo Outing Club Council


Who Are We? (cont.)• “We…are commonly known as a pretty odd group of people…who climb mountains

because we like the view from the top…who go out hiking because…well…because we like the sun on our backs and the rain on our ponchos…When night comes we square dance or sit around the campfire singing the old songs that campfire squatters have sung always…loving the sight of pine-light on the faces of our friends…We don’t happen to drink on our trips because liquor seems to be an unnecessary commodity…and besides…who wouldn’t be “half-seas over” at the mere sight of a friend hanging from a rafter…safely zipped in a sleeping bag…We boast the weirdest hats in the nation…faster fire builders than the Boy Scouts…though perhaps not with a single match…and undoubtedly the most perverted sense of humor since Joe Miller let loose his humor on the unsuspecting multitudes…We don’t tend to couple on our trips because…we like the give and take (as in food) of a group…and we like to carry the idea of…individuality within a group…into all phases of our program…and even into our personal philosophy…many people think we're crazy…we are sure of it…We haven’t written this to edify ourselves…we know it at heart…This is for you who might want to know us better…like this page…we lack much formal organization…but still…this is us.

– Sandy RosebrookSyracuse University Outing Club”

Taken from The Outing Club Handbook, Edited by Gunner Peterson, George Williams College; For the Intercollegiate Outing Club Association, 1955.


• Any student, faculty, or staff member can rent gear, take classes, and participate in trips. Outside guests may accompany any of the above mentioned on trips. Some larger classes can be held open to the general public.

Three Sections of the KOC

• Gear Rentals

• Classes/seminars

• Trips


GEAR- Currently available

• Sleeping bags• Tarps• Ground pads• Ground cloths• Stoves (with training)• Fuel bottles• Cookware• Packs (internal, external, and day)• Climbing harnesses, helmets, belay devices

(for use at Climb Kalamazoo and classes/seminars)

• Compasses• Whistles

• Stuff sacks (various sizes)• Duffel bags (various sizes)• Head lamps• Lanterns• Bikes (HUB)• Dry bags/bear bags/food bags• Coolers• Water filters• Iodine water treatment• Water bottles• Water buckets• P-cord & non-climbing rope• First-aid kits


“Just because you rented it, doesn’t mean

you can abuse the gear- break it in the

course of proper use and we’ll apologize.

Break it some other way and we’ll come

after you with a meat cleaver!!!”1

1- Hamilton Outing Club

Gear- Future ability• Tents• Canoes/Kayaks (not

for rent)• Lifejackets/paddles• Snowshoes• X-country skis and

boots• Gators• Nordic skis and boots• Ice skates• Pulks• Trekking poles• Rain gear

• Maps/trail info books• Field Guides (birds,

Midwest forests/trees, edible plants)

• Star finders, astronomy chart spin wheels

• Full Climbing gear (not rentable)

• Duluth packs• Canoe trailer• Wetsuits• Ice axes


Classes/Seminars• PE credit• Climbing• Caving• X-country skiing• Leadership (ropes courses)• Whitewater paddling- canoe and kayak• Flat-water paddling- canoe and kayak• Pool paddling (i.e. beginner skills,

during winter, Eskimo roles)• Survival skills

– Shelter making– Primitive fire building– Edible plants and animals– Tracking– Winter travel

• Skiing/snowboarding• Ice skating• Sailing (already a current class)• Scuba diving (already a current class)• Fishing (water, ice, & fly)• Hunter’s safety• Trail maintenance• Navigation, orientation, (map and

compass, celestial sextant)• Medical Certifications:

– WWS, LGT, WFA, WAFA, WFR, EMT, WEMT, WSI, AMGA, CPR, AED,

• Gear specific training– Stove use, maintenance, and repair– GPS: (see geocaching)– Harnesses, climbing ropes, knots,

belay devices


TRIPS!!!

• Day trips (mainly hikes or climbs)

• Overnights

• Three day extravaganza (Friday evening/afternoon through Sunday noon)

• Extended break (winter, spring, & summer)

• Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Non-associated


Hiking/Backpacking• Waterloo-Pinckney Trail (near

Chelsea and Pinckney. 38.5 miles)• Potawatomi Trail (Pinckney

Recreation Area. 17.5 miles)• Big Sable Point (Manistee National

Forest and Ludington State Park. 15 miles)


The North Country Trail• White Cloud to Nicholas Lake (nearest town:

White Cloud. 24.8 miles)• Nichols Lake to Highbank Lake (nearest town:

Baldwin. 12 miles)• Ward Hills and McCarthy Lake (nearest town:

Baldwin. 21.6 miles)


“The North Country National Scenic Trail is a premier footpath that stretches for about 4,600 miles linking communities, forests, and prairies across seven northern states. Already, more than 1,800 miles have been certified off-road. Additional miles follow shared paths, and some road walks yet remain. The map above shows the trail in its entirety. When completed it will be the longest off-road hiking trail in the United States…The National Headquarters is located in Lowell, Michigan, near the geographic center of the Trail. The office is at 229 E. Main Street, just one block from the Trail as it follows the Flat River.”1

1: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/

Biking

• Kal-Haven bike trail (Kalamazoo to South Haven 45 miles)• Thornapple Trail (Grand Rapids to Vermontville 42 miles)• Hartland Trail (Montcalm county to Gratiot county)• White Pine Trail (Grand Rapids to Cadillac 100 miles)• Musketawa Trail (Marne to Muskegon 25 miles)• Hart-Montague Trail (State Park, Mears, MI 22 miles)• Pere Marquete Rail-Trail (Clare to Midland 30 miles)


Canoeing/Kayaking

• Dowagiac River (Dowagiac M-62 bridge to Niles U.S. 31 bridge. 13.5 miles)

• Flat River (Greenville to Lowell. 32 miles)

• Rogue River (Grand road to rivermouth in Rockford. 21 miles)

• Thornapple River (Charlton County Park to Airport Road Canoe Landing in Hastings. 17 miles)

• Lake Michigan coast• Kalamazoo River (various

sections)


Snowshoeing/X-country skiing• Kalamazoo Nature Center Trails (8 miles)• Yankee Springs State Recreation Area Trails

(Middleville. 7 miles)• Pigeon Creek Park Trails (Grand Haven. 10 miles)• Muskegon State Park Trails (North Muskegon. 5 miles)• Maybury State Park Trails (Northville. 11 miles)• Kensington Metropark Trails (Milford. 8.5 miles)• Huron Meadows Metropark Trails (Brighton. 9 miles)


Rock/Ice Climbing• Local- Climb Kalamazoo• Man-made ice climbing tower• Long weekend trips required to drive to proper places• Emphasis on teaching technical skills and use of

hardware, not technical climbs


• Over Winter, Spring and Summer Breaks

• The Smokies• The Redwoods• Shawnee National Forest• Southern sections of the AT• Olympic National Park• The Everglades• Regional trips to start with

– Isle Royal– The Porcupine Mountains– Superior Hiking Trail


Special Appearances and Events

• Joint cooperation with other departments of K college– Environmental education/science– Biology– Philosophy

• L.A.C. credit• John Fraser, director/manager of the Arboretum, • Trip specific “outside” experts for advanced trips and

classes/seminars• Collaboration with the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Collaboration with the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker

Institute for Service LearningInstitute for Service Learning– Student-led trips with participants derived from the greater Student-led trips with participants derived from the greater

Kalamazoo, MI community.Kalamazoo, MI community.


Specific uses of the Arboretum- TODAY

• Day hikes, weekday trips, introduction to winter camping (X-country skiing and snowshoeing), introduction to overnight camping.

• Geocaching• Nature walks with Biology and Environmental

Science department Professors (L.A.C. Credit)• Overnights utilizing new campground• Test site for experimental programs regarding

waste management


Camping at the Arboretum

Future Arboretum possibilities

• Pipe Dream: Acquisition of the neighboring property and house. Use as future KOC department, rental cabin, KOC house with students residing (e.g. Carleton’s “CANOE House,” Skidmore College’s “Outhouse,” St. Lawrence University's “Outdoor Alternative Theme House,”)

• High and Low Ropes Course– Leadership classes/seminars– Incorporate into Leader’s Training Program/Trip– Create credit-bearing class through Education,

Business, and/or Psychology Departments


Leadership Courses

High Ropes

Low Ropes

KOC House

Trip Leaders

• Co-led trips (with some exceptions)• Member of the council• Attendance at meetings• Certifications-

– Mandatory: WFA (or greater) and CPR– Preferable: WAFA, WFR, WEMT, AED, Drivers

trained, WWS/LGT/SWR, AMGA Single Pitch or Climbing Wall.

– Certs. beyond WFA and CPR are mandatory for specific trips, i.e. WWS/LGT for water-based trips, WFR for long/big trips during winter/spring break


Additional requirements to lead

• LandSea Leader– All of the above– Co-lead with a current

KOC leader– LEAD YOUR OWN

TRIPS!

• Non-landSea Leader– All of the above– Participate in a KOC

leader training trip– Co-lead with a current

KOC leader (discipline specific)

– LEAD YOUR OWN TRIPS!


KOC Meetings• Formal- Beginning of term to summarize previous

term/year, plan present term’s trips/events, any and all other matters- mandatory for all members of the council.

• Formal- Midpoint of term to check-in.• Formal- End of term to debrief.• Informal- Most weekends or every other weekend.• Informal mid-week movie showings• All Kalamazoo College students, staff, faculty, and

alumni are invited to meetings. KOC membership holders are highly encouraged to attend as they have voting power.

• Currently, we would like to use Trowbridge for gear storage and The Stryker Center for our office and Hicks for meetings.


Membership

• Open to entire K community (students, staff, faculty, alumni)

• Single term membership: $8 individual• Single year membership: $12 individual• 4 year membership: $35 individual• Lifetime membership: $200 family (spouse and children

under 18)• Benefits of members

– Half price on all gear rentals– Voting power at meetings– Priority on all club events

• Any member of the council has a free membership for the duration of their office or trip leading participation.


Finance

• Gear rentals• % Student activity fee• Per trip charge (specific to trip aspects)• Membership fees• Donations- $, gear, services• Grants- Kellogg• All gear is for sale at next year’s pro-deal prices

+ 5%-10% (note: this allow us to keep new gear in stock for no cost.)


Stages/Phases

• How do we get from 0 to GREAT?

• Right now!

• 6 months

• 1 year

• 5 years


Right Now• Begin THIS winter term• Official formation of KOC• Organize council• Create KOC constitution/bylaws• Start fundraising• Survey student body for interest and trip

ideas.• Start training leaders

– WINTER CAMPING!!!


6 months

• Spring term ’08 and Fall term ’09• Weekend trips: roughly one/month.• Local venues• Lots of fun meetings to generate interest• PUBLICATIONS!• Emphasis on the beginner level trips• Advertise to ’09 LandSea participants• Experiment with major Fall trip for LandSea-ers

and non-LandSea-ers• Goal of 30 members


1 year

• Increase in number, variety, and difficulty of trips leading up to 1/weekend

• Start purchasing more gear• Goal of 60 members• Major internal review:

– Government– Course of action– Trips– Target audience


5+ years

• At least one trip every weekend.

• Everything that has been proposed and oh so much more!!!

• Goal of 250 members


References• DuFresne, Jim, Backpacking in Michigan, 2007• DuFresne, Jim, The Complete Guide to Michigan

Sand Dunes, 2008• Hillstrom, Kevin and Laurie Collier Hillstrom, A

Falcon Guide; Paddling Michigan, 2001• Modrzynski, Mike, A Falcon Guide; Hiking

Michigan, 2003• Semion, William, Michigan Winter Trails, 2001• Intercollegiate Outing Club Association (IOCA)• The North Country Trail Association (NCT)• The Superior Hiking Trail Association• American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA)• American Canoe Association (ACA)• http://www.thornappletrail.com/• US News and World Report: America’s Best

Colleges 2009• Van Buren County Community Center• West Michigan Trails and Greenways Coalition• Amherst College Outing Club• Bates College Outing Club• Bowdoin College Outing Club• Brown Outing club• Bucknell Outing Club• Carleton Association of Nature and Outdoor

Enthusiasts• Colby Outing Club

• Colgate Outdoor Education Program• Colorado College Outdoor Recreation Club• Connecticut College Outing Club• Cornell Outing Club• Dartmouth Outing Club• Hamilton College Outing Club• Lafayette Outdoors Club• Lewis and Clark College Outdoors• Macalester College Outing Club• Middlebury College Mountain Club• Mount Holyoke Outing Club• Oberlin College Outing Club• On The Loose 5-college Outing Club• Reed College Outing Club• Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. Outing Club• Skidmore College Outing Club• Smith College Outdoor Adventure Program• St. Lawrence University Outing Club• Syracuse University Outing Club• University of Richmond Outdoors Club• Vassar College Outing Club• Washington and Lee Outing Club• Wesleyan Outing Club• Whitman College Outdoor Program• Williams College Outing Club


A special THANK YOU to…

• Rob Townsend• Tom Breznau• John Fraser• Jess Fowle• Suz Lepley• 2008 LandSea leaders• The Wilderness Philosophy House


The End

Kalamazoo Outing Club Program

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