Getting ready

Physical Conditioning

You don't need to be an Olympic athlete to join our trips, but being in good physical condition will make your experience even more enjoyable. We'll be hiking at elevations ranging from 8,000 to 13,000 feet and carrying our packs. Sometimes, people can experience altitude sickness at these heights. You can greatly reduce your chances of this by staying well-rested, hydrated and in good hiking shape. While you can definitely succeed on these trips even if you're not super active, going for regular hikes or walks before you arrive can make your adventure even better.

First Aid

All trip leaders hold a minimum of Wilderness and Remote First Aid and CPR training, however, many hold higher level certifications. All three trips will have Wilderness First Responders present for the duration who are capable of handling more complex medical scenarios and facilitating evacuations. Outdoor Programming is inherently risky, and in addition to the certifications required for our trip leaders, we have policies and procedures in place to reduce these risks.

If you require emergency medications (e.g albuterol, epinephrine, etc), please bring two of each medication.

Equipment Checklist

Please review the Equipment Checklist for a detailed packing list. We can supply most of the required backpacking and camping equipment, however, you are welcome to bring your own. For items that you bring from home, we highly recommend testing and breaking in equipment prior to the trip to avoid unforeseen issues.

Required Footwear

Plan to bring three pairs of shoes:

  • Hiking boots/shoes:You must have a pair of hiking boots. This trip is not the place to break in a new pair. If you are buying a pair, please give yourself enough time to break them in prior to your trip.
  • Tennis shoes:Bring a pair of lightweight athletic shoes to give your feet a break when we're not hiking.
  • Sports sandals:Make sure you have a pair of shoes that you don't mind getting wet while we're on the river. These shoes must be closed-toed and secure your heel. Flip-flop sandals are not appropriate.

Outdoor Pursuits Alcohol, Smoking and Drug Policy

  • Outdoor Pursuits trips and courses are official functions of the ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ. Therefore, all university policies apply.
  • Illegal drugs, marijuana and alcohol are expressly prohibited. Any use or possession of illegal drugs, marijuana or alcohol can result in immediate dismissal from the course at your own expense and may result in a referral to appropriate Law Enforcement officials and/or Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution for disciplinary action.
  • Any use of drugs or alcohol can result in immediate dismissal from the course at your own expense and referral for disciplinary action.
  • The use of smoking products, including but not limited to all cigarette products (e.g., cigarettes, bidis, kreteks, e-cigarettes, etc.) of any sort shall be prohibited on all Outdoor Pursuits trips and courses in accordance with CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ's smoking policy.

Refund Policy

If you cancel more than 30 days prior to the course start date, you are entitled to an 80% refund of the trip fee. If you cancel less than 30 days prior to the course start date you will not receive a refund. This refund policy still applies for emergency situations and for illness. You may want to consider purchasing trip insurance from a travel agent to avoid loss of monies due to unforeseen circumstances. If you have any questions, please call Outdoor Pursuits at 303-492-6080.