Our trips can take you anywhere: dogsledding in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, spelunking in North Carolina, backpacking the Grand Canyon, paddling the Huron River, and more. Whether you want to take off for a couple of hours, a day or a week, let us handle the details—like food, transportation, logistics, trip leaders, and outdoor equipment—while you take in the great outdoors.
There are 11 trips. Expand all into a list.
The First Ascent program provides incoming U‑M freshmen with an opportunity to connect with fellow freshmen in small groups for camping, hiking, paddling and exploring the state’s natural areas. Casual campfire discussions are led by upper-level undergrads or grad students and center around the transition to college and all things U‑M. The goal of First Ascent is to help participants grow in self-esteem, self-reliance and confidence—and to have a great time!
All gear is provided. No experience is necessary.
We’ve worked with University Housing to coordinate our First Ascent trips with move-in. If your trip starts in late August and ends on an official move-in date, you can move your belongings in to your room before the trip begins.
First Ascent Trip Dates for Spring/Summer 2018
Your fee includes all adventure gear like tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, camp stoves, kayaks, etc. It also includes meals and snacks, and we’ll take care of getting you from U‑M to the adventure site and back.
Generally, you only need to bring trip-appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries and money for meals on the road.
We’re always looking for enthusiastic and adventurous people to help plan and lead our trips. If you’re interested in becoming an Adventure Leadership Trip Leader, or if you just want to learn some new outdoor skills, come to our Michigan Outdoor Leadership Semester (MOLS) workshops. Taught by our staff, these workshops will instruct you on a variety of topics and are the first step in training to be a trip leader.
All classes are free and typically take place at the Adventure Leadership Rental Center from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
Topics include:
Thursday, March 22, 2018 from 7:30 – 8:30pm
Join us for a special MOLS session at the local Ann Arbor outdoor retailer, Bivouac! We’ll cover backcountry cooking with a whisperlite demo. The session is free and open to the public. Bivouac is located on 336 S. State Street.
Explore exotic locations, stand on the highest peaks and be part of the gripping tales that make the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Join Recreational Sports’ Adventure Leadership program as they host the Ann Arbor stop of this thrilling film fest at The Michigan Theater!
April 9, 2019
The Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Our Wilderness First Responder courses are designed specifically to meet the needs of wilderness guides, expedition leaders, and outdoor instructors, and is the outdoor education and recreation industry’s standard for wilderness medical training. This is the wilderness medicine training course for outdoor professionals and the course you want your friends to have taken before you travel with them. This course uses the Wilderness Medicine Training Center’s unique Distance Learning Project. Participants complete a course of study and tests online prior to the start of the practical on-site training.
May 6 – 10, 2019
Times TBD
Adventure Education Center at Radrick Property, 1120 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Refunds for Adventure Leadership trips are given only for the following circumstances:
Each trip follows a different set of policies and guidelines. We typically cover this information in our mandatory pre-trip meetings. These meetings are held a few days before your trip; if you have questions at any time, contact us.