Another month brings another busy calendar at CSU Pueblo. With warm weather showing no signs of slowing down, The Today spoke with Aaron Garcia, head of Outdoor Pursuits, to find out what is in store this February.
On Feb. 21, Outdoor Pursuits (OP) will head to nearby Cuchara Mountain Park for a day of skiing and snowboarding at what Garcia calls, “Colorado’s coolest mountain.” “We always want to connect with our nearby community to help partner and promote, and we love to take our students to Cuchara,” Garcia said.
Later in the month, “OP in the Pool” returns. On the last Thursday of every month from 7 to 8:30 p.m., OP staff take over the campus pool to teach participants how to kayak, canoe and paddleboard.
“We also facilitate games such as kayak polo, paddleboard jousting, and we play Battleship with our canoes, so it’s always a good time in the water,” Garcia said.
The final trip of the month takes place Feb. 28 through March 1, when OP will travel to Wolf Creek for a two-day, one-night skiing and snowboarding trip. “Students get to explore Pagosa Springs, and then on Sunday we’ll hit the slopes and take advantage of Wolf Creek’s College Day by skiing and snowboarding all day,” Garcia said.
Outdoor Pursuits also operates its equipment room Monday through Friday from 12:30-5:30 p.m. The program rents gear for backpacking, snowshoeing and water sports, as well as bicycles.
Rental fees are $15 for students, $25 for faculty and staff, and $35 for members of the Pueblo community. Participants may also become OP co-op members for $40 per semester. Faculty, staff and alumni pay $60 per semester, while community members pay $80.
“Once you pay your fee, you have unlimited rentals for the whole semester,” Garcia said.
Despite trying to keep their rates low and a rise in outdoor recreation participation nationwide, engagement levels with the OP program fluctuate.
“It depends on the trip, for sure,” Garcia said. “We see a big spike during the wintertime – students love to go snowboarding and skiing. In the fall, our big trips are outdoor climbing, and those numbers typically stay pretty consistent.”
Last year’s Wolf Creek trip drew 38 sign-ups, the most in the program’s history.
“With our equipment rental program, unfortunately, we’ve seen a pretty low number for the last couple of years,” Garcia said. “We’re averaging around two co-op members per year, and that’s just not where we want to be.”
In pursuit of other fun on campus?
Elsewhere on campus, the first event in the Southern Colorado Reading Series will take place at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in the LINC on the second floor of the library. The event features a reading and conversation with poet Nicky Beer.
On Feb. 24, Hilinski’s Hope will present “Tyler Talk: A Conversation on Mental Health” at 4 p.m. in the General Classroom Building. The event honors Tyler Hilinski, a former quarterback who died by suicide in 2018, and focuses on destigmatizing mental illness and supporting student-athletes.
Music lovers can also catch the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra when it performs Feb. 26 in Hoag Hall.
For more information on what’s on this month at CSU Pueblo, can be found here.
