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.
Personal gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
About this Trip
This freshmen-only trip is rockin’ – whether you’re a seasoned sport climber or don’t even know what a figure eight follow through knot is, it’s a great opportunity to get climbing on real rock! Grand Ledge is a unique geologic anomaly in the Lower Peninsula in that there is exposed rock! Thirty-five foot cliffs are a great way to hone skills or try out top-roping for the first time.
Personal gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
About this Trip
Escape your studies and hike along this scenic riverfront trail for two relaxing-but-challenging days of backpacking. Additionally, you get to take in the breathtaking views of several spring-fed waterfalls, tributary creeks and a variety of vegetation ranging from pine to deciduous trees to cedar swamps. Get ready to drive home tired, because Manistee will take your breath away!
Friday, October 6 at 3:00pm – Sunday, October 8 at 4:00pm
Price
$195 by September 12
What’s Included
All transportation
Group gear including tents, wet bags and stoves
Sleeping bags, backpacks, sleeping pads available if needed
Trip leaders
Meals
Not Included
Meals while on the road
Personal gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
Pre-Trip Meeting
Monday, October 2 at 6:00pm at the Adventure Leadership Trip Center
About this Trip
Join us as we venture to Michigan’s International Dark Sky Park to star gaze at midnight with your own eyes or with the help of our telescopes! We’ll spend two nights camping along Lake Michigan and enjoying the stars. On Saturday, we’ll drive north through fall colors to the extraordinary Tahquemenon Falls area where we will spend the day hiking and exploring.
Personal gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
About this Trip
Venture with us for a peaceful Saturday afternoon down the winding Huron River. This Ann Arbor hotspot is longer than you think – we’ll have to drive North to escape the crowds so we can enjoy sweet, sweet serenity as we float, paddle and gaze all day.
Personal gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
About this Trip
Whether you’re a seasoned sport climber or don’t know what a figure eight follow through knot is, this is a great opportunity to get climbing on real rock! Grand Ledge is a unique geologic anomaly in the Lower Peninsula in that there is exposed rock! Thirty-five foot cliffs are a great way to hone skills or try out top-roping for the first time.
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 2017
July 11 – 15, 2017: Sleeping Bear Dunes and Mackinac Island
July 25 – 28, 2017: Sleeping Bear Dunes
August 27 – 31, 2017: Pictured Rocks
August 27 – 31, 2017: Sleeping Bear Dunes and Mackinac Island
August 27 – 31, 2017: Ann Arbor Multisport
Register for the trip on our online store. You will be asked a few questions to complete the reservation.
Look for an email confirmation upon reservation. Later on, we’ll also send along info like packing lists, trip logistics and a few forms that we’ll want you to complete and send back ASAP.
If your trip has one, attend the mandatory pre-trip meeting. This meeting is held a few days in advance of each trip so we can talk together about trip details, logistics and our agenda.
Arrive at the Rental Center on the day of your trip and have a great time on your adventure!
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.
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.
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.