Students looking for an adrenaline rush or even just a breath of fresh air can find a range of activities suited for the athletic and clumsy alike by participating in the Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC).
"With the OAC you can expect a change in scenery, especially in Buffalo," said Joe Miller, president of OAC and a senior biomedical sciences and mathematics major.
Welcoming the humblest of explorers, the OAC starts off with easier hikes and progressively moves up to more exciting and challenging ventures where dedicated members can advance to the more serious outdoor trips, Miller said.
"The OAC is pretty much people that like to participate in outdoors activities, such as hiking, canoeing and rock climbing," said Drew Lambert, a senior pharmacy major and trip leader. "In the past, the OAC has taken countless trips and traveled to locations outside of Buffalo, varying from West Virginia all the way to Florida."
According to Lambert, one of the OAC's big winter trips last year was a visit to a climbing gym in Toronto where the walls scaled up to 60 feet high. The club also traveled to the Florida Keys and camped in a state park to snorkel and canoe through the Everglades.
Activities change every year in accordance with the members' interests, said Lambert, and this year the OAC is interested in adding skydiving, ropes courses and zip lines to the future schedule.
"Every semester we have a white water rafting trip that is always highly anticipated by the members," Miller said. "That one has always been very popular."
In the past, the OAC has traveled to the Adirondacks for advanced white water rafting at a Class V course, the kind with large waves, rocks and drops.
According to Lambert, white water rafting may seem dangerous for some students but it's a safe activity that includes a helmet, life vest and a guide that stays in the boat to direct and assist. If more reassurance is needed, students who run the OAC all maintain a wilderness first aid certification.
The destination for the white water rafting trip this year is Black River near Watertown, N.Y. in October, Miller said.
"It's a pretty fun time; Watertown is definitely one of my favorite places," Miller said. "It's nothing too bad if you can handle trying to get over the scariness of the rapids."
The OAC is an SA club and uses their financial funding to cover the cost of food for trips and also to make the price of larger explorations, such as white water rafting, affordable. Club purchased supplies such as tents, backpacks, and cooking gear are shared and used on group outings, Miller said.
Trip sign-ups are always open first to active participants of the club and meetings, according to Miller.
With the help of their faculty adviser, the OAC will soon have a rental shop so that members can borrow equipment for all their outdoor activities free of charge. Another project in the works is the construction of a rock wall at UB.
"The best part of the OAC is that we can provide a service to students interested in planning weekend trips," Miller said. "We can provide advice and also have maps, books, equipment and everything you would ever need to take a trip, whether it is a small day trip or a four-night hiking trip."
OAC meetings are held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the rocks in front of the Student Union (until the colder months arrive), followed by a trip to the nearby Niagara Climbing Center.
"The OAC plans activities for the winter such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, as well as a trip every weekend where we try to get out and about," Miller said.
According to Miller, it's never too late in the semester to join.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
