Newsletter November '97 - January, '98

The Outdoor Action Program

The newsletter is published on the World Wide Web twice each semester to provide information about upcoming trips and programs. The Outdoor Action Program (OA) is Princeton University’s outdoor experiential education program administered by the Princeton-Blairstown Center. Princeton Blairstown Center offers experiential and OA runs a wide variety of wilderness oriented trips, seminars, and training courses throughout the year that are open to all students, faculty, and staff. Here’s just some of what OA has to offer. For more details on OA activities jump to OA Activities.

• OA runs a wide variety of wilderness-oriented trips, seminars, and training courses throughout the year that are open to all students, faculty, and staff and families.
• OA trips include hiking, backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, winter camping, and other activities, a number of which may be accessible for disabled individuals. (Contact the Program Director for additional information.) There is a modest fee for trips to cover transportation, food, and equipment costs.
• OA has a comprehensive Leader Training Program for those interested in developing their outdoor leadership skills and leading Outdoor Action trips.
• OA has an indoor Rock Climbing Wall and an Adventure Course on campus.
• OA has an equipment rental program for persons interested in going on their own trips.

Navigation

• Back to the Outdoor Action Home Page
• Activities
• Hiking
• Rock Climbing
• Kayaking
• Caving
• Community Service
• Intersession Trips
• Wilderness Seminar Programs
• Exploring Winter Series
• The Outdoor Action Leader Training Program
• First Aid, Safety & CPR Training
• Group Building & Leadership Development
• OA Resources
• Other Programs
• Outdoor & Environmental Job Information
• Equipment
• OA Calendar

Signing Up for an OA Trip: Since many trips have space limitations we require participants to sign up in advance. The sign-ups for all OA trips are on the OA Bulletin Board at the Outdoor Action Office located on the second floor of Clio Hall. Most sign-ups are done on a first-come-first-served basis. We do maintain a waiting list for trips and will contact you if a space opens up. With some activities the sign-up is an interest list and participants are randomly selected off the list. OA Leaders and Leaders-in-training may be given preference for some trip activities. For multi-day trips or courses, you are required to pay the full fee in advance (check, cash or University Billing). For cash or checks, we will hold your space for 24 hours after you sign up (due the next business day). There are different trip fee rates for students (undergraduate and graduate) and faculty and staff.

OA Trip Information Hotline: For the latest information on upcoming OA trips and programs, call the OA Trip Information Hotline at 8-6417. The recorded message will describe upcoming trips and programs for each week.

OA News via Email and the Web: The OA Calendar is mailed to subscribers and sent via Email. The detailed version of the Newsletter is available at the OA Web Site. If you do not receive the OA Calendar, jump to Subscribe to the OA Email List If you wish to be removed from the OA Calendar email list,please send email to rcurtis@princeton.edu

Surf the Internet with OA: The OA Web Site is one of the most popular outdoor sites in the country with over 12,000 hits a week. One of the hottest pages at the OA Web is the OA Guide to Outdoor Resources on the Internet with links to over 500 outdoor related sites including climbing, paddling, backpacking, biking, skiing, etc. You can access the OA Home Page directly at (www.princeton.edu/~oa/) or from the Princeton Home Page (www.princeton.edu).

OA Activities

OA will be offering a number of day trips to provide opportunities for everyone from beginners to advanced participants. Fees for the trips vary depending on the activity and location. Trips fees can be paid by cash, check, or be billed to your University account. On full-day trips, participants should provide their own lunch. Transportation and any specialized equipment will be provided by OA. Sign up for all trips at the OA Office on the second floor of Clio Hall. In order to make trip registration easier, we are working on a Web-based registration system for all trips.

Wilderness Seminar Programs

Outdoor Safety Management Workshop: An important part of being comfortable in the wilderness is safety, knowing how to plan trips properly and how to evaluate potential risks. This seminar is designed to make all wilderness travelers familiar with the causes of accidents in the wilderness, how to prevent accidents through effective pre-trip planning, how to identify risks in the field, and how to increase your margin of safety. The Dynamics of Accidents Model that will be taught is used by outdoor programs across the country. For more information check out OA Guide to Outdoor Safety Management. Free and open to the public. The seminar will be held on the following dates:

Wednesday, December 10, from 7:30 - 9:30 PM in McCosh 64
Thursday, December 11, from 7:30 - 9:30 PM in McCosh 64

Grace Under Pressure - The Kayak Eskimo Roll: The Eskimo roll is an essential skill for kayakers, whether you tour on open water, sea kayak, or whitewater. This video gives step by step instructions on how to master the roll including excellent underwater photography. Join us on Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 PM in McCosh 64 or Sunday, November 9 at 5:00 PM in McCosh 62. (60 minutes) Free and open to the public.

OA Exploring Winter Series

These free OA Workshops will teach you the fundamentals of safe travel in the winter. Whether you are a cross-country skier, downhill skier, snowboarder, Telemark skier, snowshoer, winter camper, etc. you will enhance you ability to enjoy the winter environment.

Winter Travel 1 - Winter Camping Seminar: Nothing can quite compare with crawling out of an snow shelter into a brilliant sunny day in a snow-covered wilderness, putting on your skis or snowshoes, and heading out. Winter camping is a very specialized outdoor skill requiring extensive knowledge of equipment, trip planning, weather, travel skills, and knowledge of environmental hazards. The seminar will cover how to prepare for a winter camping trip—personal clothing, group equipment, food planning, winter travel and camping, snow shelters, obtaining water in the winter, ice crossings, and minimal impact camping. Extensive notes will be distributed. The seminar will be held on Tuesday, December 2, from 7:30 - 9:00 PM in Robertson Hall Bowl 6. Free and open to the public.

Winter Travel 2 - Hypothermia & Cold Weather Injuries Seminar: If you travel in the winter time, whether downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, hiking, or winter camping, you need to understand your body’s physiological responses to cold. This seminar will cover the causes, recognition, and treatment of the major cold-related injuries: hypothermia, frostnip, and frostbite. The program does not assume any prior first aid training, yet will cover these topics in depth. Extensive notes will be distributed. This program is highly recommended to anyone engaging in outdoor winter sports. The program will be held on Tuesday, December 9 from 7:30 - 9:00 PM in Robertson Hall Bowl 6. Free and open to the public.

Issues Facing Urban Youth: Students and community service volunteers working with urban youth are often faced with challenging situations. In part, your ability to serve as an effective mentor is based on how well you understand the day-to-day issues and challenges that urban youth face. This panel will bring together a number of local urban youth advocates to focus on these issues. Small group discussions afterwards will give you an opportunity to share your own experiences and explore issues in more detail. Join us on Wednesday, November 12 from 7:30 - 9:00 PM (location to be announced). Cosponsored by Community House, Princeton Blairstown Center, and the Student Volunteers Council.

Managing Behavior with Youth at Risk: Developing an ongoing relationship with urban youth often means learning to set boundaries for appropriate behavior. For many, this is not an easy task and we avoid the role of "disciplinarian." However, many youth at risk really need strong role models in their lives who will set boundaries and help them learn appropriate behavior. If you want to be a truly effective mentor, you need a real understanding about how to manage difficult behavior. This workshop, cosponsored with Community House, Princeton Blairstown Center, and the Student Volunteers Council, will give you practical skills for handling those difficult situations. Join us on Wednesday, November 19 from 7:30 - 9:00 PM (location to be announced).

Intersession Trips

As cold weather sets in, thoughts turn to snow and the wonderful exhilaration of winter trips. To satisfy these yearnings, OA is offering a number of winter activities over Intersession. Sign-ups for these trips will begin immediately. Spaces are limited so please sign up early. You must pay the full fee for the trip at the time you sign up (check, cash or University Billing) in order to confirm your space. We will hold your space for 24 hours for the fee to be paid. Trip registration ends on Monday, December 8. All fees must be paid at that time. We cannot provide a full refund for cancellations after January 10 unless we are able to fill your space from a waiting list.

Cross-country Skiing Trips: Cross-country skis set you free to go almost anywhere on the snow. Suddenly the winter woods are white open. There is, of course, no better place in the east for cross-country skiing than Vermont. All levels of skiers are welcome from beginner to advanced, so no previous skiing experience is required. Beginners will be taught the fundamentals of in-track skiing while experienced skiers can be off skiing on their own. The trips will be staying in a rustic house in Rochester, Vermont, cooking their own meals, and skiing at some of the finest cross-country ski touring centers in the east. Each day the group can have a different skiing experience. In the evening you can sit around the wood stove and relax after a good meal. Trip fee: students $150.00, faculty/staff $200.00, which includes transportation, meals, lodging, ski equipment, and trail fees. There is a $25 discount if you have your own skis. The dates for the trips are as follows:

Saturday, January, 24 - Wednesday, January 28
Wednesday, January 28 - Sunday, February 1

WMA Wilderness First Responder Course: OA is sponsoring a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Course over Intersession taught by Wilderness Medical Associates. This is an excellent course for anyone spending extended periods in wilderness or remote environments including backpackers, paddlers, climbers, photographers, and scientists. This 72-hour intensive course is specifically designed to emphasize the wilderness context—remote locations, severe environments, and simple improvised equipment. The course will cover patient examination and evaluation, body systems and anatomy, trauma care, environmental emergencies, splints, wilderness rescue, and backcountry medicine. This is an intensive course that meets 10 hours each day with morning lectures and afternoon skills practice including simulated rescues, daily quizzes and a final exam. The course will run from Saturday, January 24 - Sunday, February 1 from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM each day (8:00 AM - 12:00 PM on February 1). The course will be held in A09 Jadwin Hall. Preference will be given to OA Leaders and Leaders-in-training. Course fee: OA Leaders $165.00, Princeton students $330.00, faculty/staff $380.00, outside the University $400.00.

Beginners Winter Camping Trips: Snowshoeing through the deep forest, cooking on the snow, and sleeping in a snow cave are part of the special magic of camping in the winter. The 3,000-foot peaks of the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts near Mount Greylock, serve as a spectacular backdrop for these Beginners Winter Camping Trips. Winter Camping is a demanding physical activity that builds on three season camping skills. Therefore, these trips are open only to those who have been on a previous OA backpacking trip (such as the OA Frosh Trip) or who have other backpacking experience. The trips will teach a broad range of winter camping skills, including snowshoeing, snow shelter construction, and basic winter travel skills. Most specialized winter equipment will be provided by OA. Persons interested in participating must attend the Winter Camping Seminar and the Hypothermia and Cold Weather Injuries Seminar or obtain the workshop notes from OA (also available on the OA Web Site). If you have questions about your skill level, please talk with the co-chairs of the Winter Committee, Aaron Harnly (8-9724) or Eliot Kent-Uritam (8-7022). Trip fee: students $95.00, faculty/staff $130.00.

Saturday, January, 24 - Tuesday, January, 27
Thursday, January 29 - Sunday, February 1

The Outdoor Action Leader Training Program

Outdoor Action encourages all students, faculty, and staff to participate in the OA Leader Training Program. OA’s Leader Training Program is considered one of the most comprehensive in the nation and has been imitated by numerous other schools. In order to expand our Community Service Program, OA has developed a new set of trainings for students interested in volunteering with area youth and families.

Community Service Facilitator Requirements: As well as learning group games and initiatives, facilitation and processing skills, participants develop a deeper understanding of the issues facing urban youth and how to manage difficult behavior. Upon completion of the training program, you are eligible to facilitate youth at risk populations. You are also encouraged to become a trained Adventure Course Facilitator so that you can also work with groups on the OA Adventure Course.

• Facilitators Workshop: 4-hour workshop
• Issues Facing Urban Youth: 2-hour workshop
• Managing Behavior with Youth at Risk: 2-hour workshop

Basic Wilderness Leader Requirements: As well as learning valuable wilderness skills, participants develop leadership, group facilitation, safety, and first aid skills. Upon completion of the training program, you are eligible to apply to lead OA trips. These trainings are offered several times each semester and are described in more detail below. You should plan your semester accordingly. The Leader Training Program is structured to build upon the skills learned throughout your training. The Leader Training Trip will serve to tie together all of the other skills that you have learned. Therefore, you should have completed all of the other Leader Training Requirements before taking your Leader Training Trip. You may still be completing requirements while you are taking the pre-trip 5-week classes for the Leader Training Trip, but you should have completed the other requirements before the 5-day trip begins. See the OA Leader Training Program section on the OA Web site for more information.

• Wilderness First Aid Course: 20-hour course, which meets for twice a week for 3 weeks
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): 4-hour course. Certification must be renewed yearly.
• Facilitators Workshop: 5-hour workshop
• Leadership & Group Dynamics Workshop: 7-hour workshop (you must have already taken the Facilitator’s Workshop to attend)
• Safety Management Workshop: 2-hour workshop
• Leader Training Course & Trip

: 5-week course, which meets 2 hours each week and culminates in a 5-day backpacking trip

• Van Driver Training Course: 2-hour workshop and a 15 minute road test (highly recommended but not required)