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Wilderness Trips

Friendships. Adventure. Challenge. Course Credit.

Kick off your Calvin education with a Wilderness Trip! You'll be part of a small group of other new students, and explore your own limits, forge new friendships, and develop a new awareness of your Creator.

We welcome students of all experience, fitness, and skill levels!

  • Navigate new outdoor challenges with the help of caring and well-trained leaders
  • Set goals for your first year at Calvin
  • Enjoy the emotional, physical, and spiritual rewards of completing a vigorous adventure

Why Sign Up for a Wilderness Trip?

Build new friendships

You'll be in a small group of 8–12 other new students, and 2–3 student, alumni, or faculty/staff leaders.

Seek adventure in the outdoors

Hike, climb, paddle, cook, and sleep out in God's creation, while being encouraged and supported by your group.

Experience personal growth

You'll learn skills, gain confidence and resilience, and experience a sense of achievement.

Receive a credit exemption

By participating in a wilderness trip, you'll receive a physical education and recreation (PER) course credit exemption.

Register for a Wilderness Trip

Register soon! Space on these trips are on a first-come, first-served basis. 

  1. Be admitted to Calvin and pay your enrollment deposit
  2. Sign up in Step 5 of the checklist in your New Student Portal

If the trip you want is full, please sign up for another trip and contact Jessica Stehouwer to ask about a waitlist.

Packing lists

 

Base Camp (.pdf) 

All other trips (.pdf) 

For questions about Wilderness Trips, please contact Jessica Stehouwer: orientation@calvin.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions about Wilderness Trips

It is a great idea to start moving your body regularly before your trip as you will be active throughout the week. We also encourage you to look at the packing list early and start gathering the gear you will need.

Packing lists linked above.

It’s true. We’ve found that without phones, students have better capacity to connect with nature and enjoy what we are doing together. Students have told us they enjoyed not having their phones for a week and were grateful being able to disconnect!

Note: Trip leaders will have phones and contact information in cases of emergency.

Yes, we can accommodate special diets. For us to be able to properly accommodate your dietary restrictions, we need to know what they are. It is important to indicate any food preferences/allergies/intolerances on the health form you will receive. If you have any other dietary concerns, please contact Jessica Stehouwer.

For your safety, any food allergies MUST be listed on your health form. Leaders and staff leave for training with all food packed up and ready to go one- to two-weeks before participants arrive. We need to know about any food allergies before this time so we can plan accordingly.

However, please do not let a food allergy alter your decision to participate in a trip. Cooking in the backcountry and adjusting for food allergies is quite easy. Every year, trip leaders accommodate participants with peanut allergies, tree nut allergies, gluten allergies, dairy allergies, lactose intolerance, etc.

Have More Questions? Contact Us.

Jessica Stehouwer in front of a blooming cherry blossom tree.

Jessica Stehouwer

Graduate Assistant, Center for Student Engagement