Students can experience anything from mountain biking to rock climbing through the ISU Outdoor Recreation Center this summer.

Jerry Rupert, program coordinator recreation services, said many students participate because of the excitement factor and the availability of equipment students don’t normally have.

“I think people more and more are looking to get involved in activities they can do the rest of their lives,” Rupert said.

The Outdoor Recreation Center offers workshops, weekend trips and extended trips throughout the summer. Some of the most popular workshops include Rock Climbing I and Kayaking I.

Rupert said backpacking trips are also popular because not a lot of skill is required.

“The bottom line is students go on these trips is because they’re really fun,” Rupert said.

Mountain biking at Seven Oaks Resort in Boone is scheduled for July 7. Participants will bike on seven miles of trail.

“Seven Oaks is the best; it’s very challenging for Iowa,” Rupert said.

The kayaking trip along the different stretches of the Des Moines River will have nine one-person kayaks and one tandem kayak. How far and long the trip lasts will be determined at a meeting with participants, Rupert said.

The center also has white-water kayaks and offers the Whitewater River Kayak Workshop on July 21. Introductory-level skills are taught, Rupert said.

For the first time this year, there will be canoeing along the Boone River from June 30 to July 1.

Casey Tierney, senior in geology, is a student supervisor for the Outdoor Recreation Center. During Spring Break, he was a co-leader for a backpacking trip at Redwood National Park in California.

“It’s a lot different to go backpacking out in the mountains than it is around Iowa, it just opens up people to new things. It’s a lot of fun,” Tierney said.

Sarah Litwiller, junior in health and human performance, is also a student supervisor. Litwiller was a snowboarding instructor for the ski and snowboarding trip to Seven Oaks last winter.

“If you can ski, you can pretty much do snowboarding. It’s a little bit challenging,” Litwiller said.

Litwiller encouraged students to give a workshop or trip a try, if they’ve never done one before.

“Put both feet in. Do it for the excitement of it and you’ll learn something new,” Litwiller said.

Registration for workshops and classes can be done at the Outdoor Recreation Program Office in the basement of State Gym, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week. For more trips and activities this summer, visit www.recservices.iastate.edu.

Weekend trips

Canoeing the Boone River

Date: June 30 to July 1

Registration deadline: June 25

Pre-trip meeting: June 26, 6 p.m.*

Departure: 11 a.m.

Return: 5 p.m.

Participants: 12

Student: $29, faculty: $58, community: $64

Mountain Biking at Seven Oaks Resort

Date: July 7

Registration deadline: July 2

Pre-trip meeting: July 3, 6 p.m.*

Departure: 10 a.m.

Return: 4 p.m.

Participants: 10

Student: $11, faculty: $21, community: $23

Kayaking the Des Moines River

Date: July 28

Registration deadline: July 23

Pre-trip meeting: July 26, 6 p.m.*

Depart: 10 a.m.

Return: 5 p.m.

Participants: 12

Student: $18, faculty: $38, community: $42

*Pre-trip meetings are mandatory for all participants. Pre-trip meetings are held at the Outdoor Recreation Program Office in the lower level of State Gym. A medical form will be filled out at this meeting, so be prepared with insurance information.

Workshops

Kayak I

Date: July 5

Registration deadline: July 2

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Outdoor Recreation Center

Participants: 6

Student: $14, faculty: $28, community: $31

Rock Climbing I

Date: July 11

Registration deadline: July 9

Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: Lied Recreation Athletic Center

Participants: 12

Student: $10, faculty: $14, community: $16

Whitewater River Kayak Workshop

Date: July 21

Registration deadline: July 16

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Outdoor Recreation Center

Participants: 7

Student: $14, faculty: $27, community: $30

Rock Climbing II

Date: Aug. 1

Registration deadline: July 30

Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: Lied Recreation Athletic Center

Participants: 8

Student: $15, faculty: $20, community: $22