Learn—Explore—Lead—Experience
Wanting a challenge or outlet to nature? Whether you are longing for high adventure excursions or wanting to head inside to challenge yourself physically and mentally on our 30-foot climbing wall, the UNK Outdoor Adventure program has something for you. Paddling, backpacking, climbing, hiking, and caving are just some of the epic adventures we offer. Join us for the adventure, hone new skills, and make lifelong friends in the process.
Climbing Wall Summer Hours
Monday & Wednesday
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
2:00pm - 5:00pm
Welcome Desk: (308) 865-8906
Outdoor Adventure Office: (308) 865-1549
Trips, Clinics, & Events
Outdoor Adventures
Register for any of these trips/events at recwell.unk.edu!
Download Brochure
Minnesota Winter Adventure (Ice Climbing & Cross Country Skiing)
Dates: February 17th- February 20th
Location: Winona, MN
Pre-trip Informational Meeting: Thursday, February 3rd @ 5:00pm
Cost: $250 (price will reduce pending # of signups)
In this epic adventure you will be shown the beautiful trails of Winona, MN through Cross Country Skiing and will be embarking on a once in a lifetime opportunity to get out and climb some of the most beautiful ice in the Midwest. No experience is necessary, and all are welcome and encouraged to come join.
Spring Break Climbing
Dates: March 11th-March 16th
Location: Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas
Pre-trip Informational Meeting: Thursday, March 3rd @ 5:00pm
Cost: $250 (price will reduce pending # of signups)
Looking for some adventure this spring break? Looking to try outdoor climbing for the first time? Want to climb on some of the most pristine sandstone in the mid-west? Look no further!!! Join UNK Outdoors for a Spring Break climbing adventure at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch! We will be camping in a front country campground just minutes away from the climbing crags at this modern dude ranch. Wake up to the sounds of free-range goats and the crisp air of northern Arkansas on this epic adventure. Following the climbing adventure we will also be visiting some of the amazing waterfalls and caves that this unique area offers. All climbing and camping gear provided. Personal clothing and an adventuresome attitude required
Niobrara Canoe Adventure
Dates: April 22nd-April 24th
Location: Valentine, Nebraska
Pre-trip Meeting: Thursday April 14th @5pm
Cost: $105
On this adventure we will be embarking on a canoe trip that will make you feel like you have left the mid-west. Enjoy exploring waterfalls, hiking along the river, learning canoe skills from the pros, and meeting new friends on this unique Nebraska destination. This adventure will consist of canoeing along the Niobrara Wild and Scenic River in northern Nebraska, Camping at Smith Falls State Park, and meeting a group of fun new friends! Camping, paddling, and outdoor cook gear provided, you provide warm clothing and an adventurous spirit.
Kearney Canal Paddle Trips
Dates: April 20th, April 27th, & May 4th 3pm-5pm
Location: Starting at Yanney Park and floating to the Central Avenue Public Takeout
Cost: $10
Come float the Kearney Canal with us on one of these epic canoe adventures. During this low-key trip, we will be floating from Yanney Park to Kearney Paddle Sports exploring what the currents have in store for us. No experience is necessary, but a prerequisite is knowing how to swim.
Climbing Wall Programs/Clinics
Top Rope Belay Certification Clinic
Dates: February 1st & 15th, March 1st & 22nd, April 5th & 19th
Time: 7:00-8:15pm
Cost: $10
This clinic is designed to be a basic introduction to belay technique, the act of taking slack out of the rope to keep the climber on the other end safe. This is an in-house certification required to belay at the climbing wall. Though this is not a requirement to climb at the UNK climbing wall it is a recommended skill to learn as you progress in your climbing skills. The prerequisite for this class is checking in and climbing at the wall at least once with our certified wall staff.
Lead Climbing/Belay Certification Clinic
Date: Upon Request
Time: 6:00-9:00pm
Cost: $20
If you are ready to take your climbing to the next level think about taking one of our lead climbing clinics. In this clinic you will learn how to lead climb and belay in an indoor climbing setting. Some of the key pieces to this clinic include rope management, quickdraw clipping technique, how to take a fall, and how to use foot placement to prevent rope entanglement. The prerequisite for this clinic is having taken the Top Rope Belay Certification along with having the skill and ability to climb a 5.9 with no falls on top rope.
Outdoor Climbing Clinic
Date: Upon Request
Time: 7:00-9:00pm
Cost: $10
As lead climbing indoors is a blast many people find transferring their skills to the outside world to be a great next step. The prerequisite for this clinic is being able to flash 5.10a, have taken the lead climbing/belay certification, and have completed all checks necessary to lead climb at the UNK Climbing Wall. In this clinic we will be going over how to read a guidebook, how to set up sport anchors safely, and how to “clean” your gear off the wall at the end of a climb.
These skills require further practice outside the scope of what we can do indoors. If you intend on using these skills outdoors it is important to be with someone experienced in outdoor climbing.
Bouldering League
Dates: February 14th, February 21st, February 28th, March 7th
Time: 5:00-6:30pm/6:30-8:00pm
Cost: $5 (includes all boulder league dates)
If friendly competition and new weekly boulder routes interest you, sign up for the Spring 2022 Bouldering League. The weekly event will be comprised of a 1½ hour climbing heat that will be scored in a handicap format leveling the playing field amongst all climbers, novice through advanced. You will climb in teams of 3 and be scored on your teams top scoring three weeks. If you do not have a team, no worries, we’ll find you one!
Mile High Climb Challenge
Time: Any Open Wall Hours
Dates: January 24th– March 25th
Cost: Free
In this challenge you will be tasked with climbing the equivalent of vertical mile over the course of the semester. This involves climbing our 30 foot rock wall 176 times. Upon completion (while supplies last) you will get Mile High Climb T-Shirt, get a spot on our Mile High Climb Hall of Fame, along with gaining the bragging rights of having climbed a vertical mile!
Climbing Wall
Indoor rock climbing is a wonderful form of exercise that will challenge you both physically and mentally. Our wall is 30 feet tall with 7 rope stations and the possibility of thousands of hold combinations to ensure your climbing experience will never be the same. The climbing wall is located in the Wellness Center facility. Push your limits climbing one of the many great routes on the wall while being belayed by our knowledgeable and helpful staff.
Trip Archive
Spring
Spring Break Moab
Spring Break saw us trade in the flat farmland of Nebraska for the mountainous desert landscape of Moab, UT. The week was spent camping, hiking in Arches National Park, mountain biking in Canyonlands National Park, and canyoneering in Hidden Splendor Canyon.
Vedauwoo Trip
One of our great student workers, Jason Eggleston, planned a weekend climbing trip to Vedauwoo, WY April 22-24. This trip was part of a practicum he completed for his degree in Recreation. It was a great introduction to crack and off-width climbing for many, and a first time climbing outside for a few!
Spring Break
UNK Outdoor Adventures spent Spring Break at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. Students spent the week camping, hiking, horseback riding, and climbing.
"The Arkansas trip was a complete blast and it was a brand new experience that I never would have done without the Outdoor Adventures program at UNK. I love the climbing, camping, and horseback riding and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone on the trip!"
-Elenna Leininger, Freshman
"The Spring Break trip to Arkansas was something new I have never experienced. I had been camping before but we also go to climb on actual rock outside as opposed to an indoor climbing wall. It was a cool trip because we all bonded over climbing outdoors for the first time."
-Bailey Hoadley, Freshman
Summer
FIRST Adventure
FIRST Adventure is an inaugural summer program sponsored by the Offices of Student and Family Transitions and Outdoor Adventure, dedicated to helping a small group of students get to know each other, the campus, and themselves prior to their college arrival.
- Students will have the opportunity to spend the night on campus, meet campus faculty and staff while also strengthening their leadership skills by completing the Gallup's Strengths Finder. They will then travel to Camp Comeca in Cozad, NE where they will spend time getting to know fellow students by team building through ropes courses, kayaking, camping and other fun adventures!
- This program is offered July 26th-July 29th.
Shelf Road Trip
UNK OA partnered with UNO's Outdoor Venture Center for our awesome Summer Trip. We whitewater rafted down the Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge and camped and climbed at Shelf Road.
Fall
Minnesota Trip
UNK OA collaborated with UNO and traveled to the northern tip of Minnesota for this very snowy winter break trip. We spent 4 days at YMCA Camp Menogyn cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and dogsledding.
Fall Break
This was the Outdoor Adventures Program's first ever trip! We spent fall break climbing, camping, and hiking near Shelf Road, Colorado.
"The Fall break trip was a lot of fun! UNK Outdoor Adventures made the trip very affordable. The opportunity to climb real rock was the best part. The group was very fun to be around. I would never have had this opportunity if it wasn’t for UNK Outdoor Adventures!"
- Nick Martinez, Junior
"It was a great experience to go Colorado for fall break. I enjoyed climbing as well as hiking. The trip was well planned and there were culture diversities in the group. I cannot wait for the next trip."
- Ryo Suzuki, Junior
Winter
Winter Break Ski Trip
Come enjoy the slopes with our Outdoor Adventures crew! We had a small group travel out to Snowy Range Wyoming for a couple days of skiing and snowboarding. It was a great way to wind down from a long semester!
The UNK Antelope did a great write up of our trip. It can be read at this link.
Winter Ski Trip
This year's ski trip saw us exploring Snowy Range Ski Resort just west of Laramie, WY. Our friends at UNO again joined us for this great trip.
Winter Break
Our first Winter Break trip was spent skiing and snowboarding at Eldora Mountain Resort in Nederland, Colorado. We stayed in downtown Boulder, Colorado.
"I usually go on vacations with my family but I had an awesome time with the UNK Outdoor Adventures club on the winter break trip. This opportunity to go on a trip with my peers helped me make new friends I would have never met otherwise. I especially loved that even the people who had never skied or snowboarded before were able to go on the trip and learn. I cannot wait for the next trip!"
- Erin Nelson, Senior
"Even after all of the bruises and sliding my butt down a double black diamond on the first day, I had an awesome time! The weather was awesome. We have to do it again!"
- Shannon Courtney, Senior
"The Outdoor Adventures trip was great! I met a lot of great people and had so much fun! I recommend going on a trip to anyone who is even a little bit interested because you will not regret it!"
- Megan Alexander, Sophomore
Weekly Climbing Skill #1 Foot Switch
Weekly Climbing Skill #2 Basic Climbing Holds
Weekly Climbing Skill #3 Footwork: Edging
Weekly Climbing Skill #4 Stemming
Weekly Climbing Skill #5 Smearing
Weekly Climbing Skill #6 Flagging
Weekly Climbing Skill #7 Momentum Shifts
Weekly Climbing Skill #8 Heel & Toe Hooks
Weekly Climbing Skill #9 Crack Climbing Basics
