Recreation

First-Year Adventures

UWild Adventures  ::   First Year Programs

Welcome, First-Year students!

In collaboration with First Year Programs, UWild (pronounced U-Wild) hosts a number of adventures for incoming University of Washington students.

Who participates in First-Year Adventures?

These trips are ideal for the incoming student looking to meet others with an adventuresome spirit, learn a new skill, or apply skills in a new area, all while experiencing the amazing wilderness areas around our beautiful state.

Scholarships

Inclusion is at the core of our mission and values. We want all students to have the opportunity to experience Washington’s wild and beautiful spaces. UWild offers a limited number of partial and full scholarships. Please contact Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu for more details.

Who Leads First Year Adventures?

Most trips are led by fellow UW students trained in wilderness education. These educators will guide you through the development of outdoor skills, provide insights on their experience as a UW student and introduce campus resources.

Schedule of  Adventures

UWild’s First Year Adventures align with summer A&O sessions. We design these adventures to provide flexibility for participation either before or after an A&O session.

Where do Trips Start and End?

Your trip starts at the best spot on campus, the Waterfront Activities Center, the home of UWild Adventures. Located just east of Husky Stadium, and just a few steps away from the University of Washington Light Rail Station. The first overnight is in the building, we pack, go over logistics, make grocery store runs, etc. There are locker rooms for you to store stuff that won’t go on the trip. Upon completion of the trip, we will end back at the building. Pick up is easy as there is plenty of parking, light rail to the airport, or we can drop folks off around the U District.

2019 Trips

Backpacking

Olympic National Park – Expeditionary Art and Backpacking (This trip is full, email Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu to join the waitlist)

Experience one of the wildest and most awe inspiring places of Washington as you hike along the Pacific Coast. You will carry all your possessions, stroll along sandy beaches and rocky shores taking in all of the outstanding views. This program does not focus on covering a lot of miles, instead the focus is on enjoying the experience and capturing memories through painting. On this course, you will learn to water color paint scenes ranging from driftwood to breathtaking sunsets. This backpacking course is considered moderate and would be an ideal trip for someone with regular hiking experience but no backpacking experience is needed. Your leaders will teach you the basic skills of water color painting, creative writing, packing a pack, cooking on a backpacking stove, and setting up a backcountry camp.

Transportation, meals, and all group gear (backpacks, shelters, cookware, etc.) will be provided. Individual gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, clothing, footwear) must be provided by participants. Some individual gear can be rented from the UWild’s Gear Garage Rental Center. Upon registration you will receive a packet outlining the trip and a detailed packing list.

Trip Dates: September 13 – 17
Cost: $400 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

 

Olympic National Park – North Coastal Trail (2 trip options)

Experience one of the wildest and most awe inspiring places of Washington as you hike along the Pacific Coast. Over the four days, you will carry all your possessions, stroll along sandy beaches and rocky shores taking in all of the outstanding views. This hike is 21 miles, is considered moderate and would be an ideal trip for someone with regular hiking experience but no backpacking experience is needed. Your leaders will teach you the basic skills of packing a pack, cooking on a backpacking stove, and setting up a backcountry camp.

Transportation, meals, and all group gear (backpacks, shelters, cookware, etc.) will be provided. Individual gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, clothing, footwear) must be provided by participants. Some individual gear can be rented from the UWild’s Gear Garage Rental Center. Please see packing list for more details.

Session A:

Trip Dates: Session A – July 5 – 9 (This trip is full, email Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu to join the waitlist)
Cost: $300 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

Session B:

Trip Dates: August 8 – 12 (This trip is full, email Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu to join the waitlist)
Cost: $300 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

 

North Cascades National Park Backpacking – Chilliwack River Trail to Whatcom Pass

If big days on the trail is your thing, this trip is for you. Our most strenuous backpacking trip is rewarded with unreal scenery and views of Whatcom Pass. The Chilliwack Trail offers up the best traits of the North Cascades, old growth forests, cool river trails, and rocky alpine vistas. This trip starts at Hannegan pass climbs then drops down the Chilliwack River valley. The first night we set up camp at U.S. Cabin Campground along the Chilliwack. From there we will climb up to Whatcom Pass which provides for stunning views of the park and neighboring Mt. Baker Wilderness.

Transportation, meals, and all group gear (backpacks, shelters, cookware, etc) will be provided. Individual gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, clothing, footwear) must be provided by participants. Some individual gear can be rented from the UWild’s Gear Garage Rental Center. Please see packing list for more details.

Trip Dates: September 2 – 6 (This trip is full, email Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu to join the waitlist)
Cost: $450 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

 

Climbing & Mountaineering

 

Glacier Peak Climb (2 trip options)

Glacier Peak is the most remote of the big volcanoes in Washington State and boasts some of the most incredible climbing terrain in the area. On this exhilarating trip, you will learn the skills necessary to safely travel as a group on the glaciers. This includes using an ice ax, knots and hitches, and crampons. If weather allows, a summit attempt will be made!

This trip is ideal for those with little to no mountaineering experience, but backpacking experience is helpful. Mountaineering is strenuous and challenging, strong physical fitness is helpful. Transportation, meals, and all group gear (mountaineering equipment, backpacks, shelters, cookware, etc.) will be provided. Individual gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, clothing, footwear) must be provided by participants. Some individual gear can be rented from the UWild’s Gear Garage Rental Center. Please see packing list for more details.

Session A:

Trip Dates: July 12 – 18
Cost: $500 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

Session B:

Trip Dates: July 30 – August 5
Cost: $500 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

 

Sea to Sky – Deception Pass and Mt. Erie Rock Climbing

A three-day camp and climb trip to Washington State’s most picturesque rock climbing destination, Mount Erie. With 360 degree views of mountains and the coast, climbing at Mount Erie puts you in a spectacular position and will be a memorable experience. This trip is ideal for both those with no previous rock climbing experience and those who have some prior experience. You will learn the basic climbing skills including knots and top rope belaying. We will be car camping at a nearby state park and drive to the rock climbing site each day. You can expect to hike .5 to 2 miles per day on trails that can be uneven and muddy. Climbing will begin on easy and moderate terrain and will progress depending on the group.

Transportation, meals, and all group gear (shelters, cookware, etc.) will be provided. Individual gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, clothing, footwear) must be provided by participants. Some individual gear can be rented from the UWild’s Gear Garage Rental Center. Please see packing list for more details.

Trip Dates: June 27 – July 1
Cost: $250 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

Sea Kayaking Trips

 

San Juan Islands – Friday Harbor Laboratory Sea Kayaking

Explore the iconic San Juan Islands by kayak and tour one of UW’s remote campuses Friday Harbor Labs. Start the trip with a ferry ride to Friday Harbor and spend the day touring the iconic Friday Harbor Lab campus. Here UW student engages in research in Oceanography and Marine Biology.

You will sea kayak to remote islands only accessible by boat where you will spend the next 3 nights camping and exploring. This trip is wonderful for active participants who may not have sea kayaking experience.

Transportation, meals, and all group gear (kayaks, shelters, cookware, etc) will be provided. Individual gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, clothing, footwear) must be provided by participants. Some individual gear can be rented from the UWild’s Gear Garage Rental Center. Please see packing list for more details.

Session A

Trip Dates: June 27 – July 2 (This trip is full, email Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu to join the waitlist)
Cost: $550 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

 

Session B (This trip is full, email Bryan Anderson at bryana7@uw.edu to join the waitlist)

Trip Dates: August 15 – 20
Cost: $550 (plus tax)
Details, Itinerary, and Trip Policies: Announced Soon

 

Registration now open:

Register Here

*The above form does not guarantee entry into the program you are interested in, we take registration requests on a first come first serve basis.  Please wait for a UWild staff member to contact you with your status and payment information.  We cannot accept registration and payment online like the rest of our programs due to the fact that incoming Freshmen are not currently on campus with an active membership to our facilities.

Connect with a UWild staff member at uwild@uw.edu

Questions About Accessibility?

We encourage you to participate in classes, personal training, intramurals, rec clubs, or UWild Adventures. Please contact the Programs Office, (206) 543-2571 for more information.

The University of Washington makes every effort to honor disability accommodation requests.  Requests can be responded to most effectively if received as far in advance of the event as possible, preferably at least 10 business days.

Request Disability Services Office

To request disability accommodation, contact the Disability Services Office at:

Request Disability Resources for Students

Or the Disability Resources for Students Office at: