Whether they face ice or sun, the Mountaineering and Climbing Club will be prepared.

The club organizes ice-climbing trips during the winter months, as well as rock-climbing trips during warmer weather.

Members are already off to an eventful start this year, providing ISU students with affordable means to learn about and experience the outdoors through classroom and hands-on instruction in backpacking, skiing and mountaineering.

Club members have many advantages, said Jon Schultz, event coordinator for the club.

“The club has all the gear, everything you need to get started is available at all times,” said Schultz, sophomore in chemical engineering.

Dan Black, adviser for the club, said membership doesn’t hinge on any experience.

“You can join the club without knowing anything about climbing,” said Black, systems analyst for administrative data processing. “The club dues are reasonable – only $20 per semester – and you don’t have to pay until you are sure that you want to stay involved.”

The group has a variety of events planned for the remainder of the semester, including trips across the Midwest, Schultz said.

“We are planning a mountaineering trip to Colorado this spring break, as well as a couple of ice-climbing trips to Minnesota,” he said. “We are also going to this place here called Wild Iowa, and it’s an awesome place to climb when it gets warm.”

The group also invites speakers.

“We have a lot of different speakers come in, and it is really interesting to hear their experiences,” Schultz said. “[Tonight] we are having a guy come in that climbed the Appalachian Mountains, and he will be showing his slides.”

The club is always open to new members who are just looking to have a good time and meet new people, Black said.

“It’s just a great experience to have – a really good way to meet people with common interests and make new friends,” Black said.

The Mountaineering and Climbing Club meets at 8 p.m. Monday in Gilman 1810.