Govs Outdoors

University Recreation's Govs Outdoors trips/outings are cooperative adventures aimed to empower and connect people through unique and exciting experiences. These experiences are meant to provide participants space to grow and develop skills while having fun in the great outdoors! Each person will be an equal member of the group on these trips, regardless of skill level. Therefore, it is important that each participant accurately and honestly assesses his or her own skill level before taking part in trips that are perhaps beyond his or her abilities. That being said, we offer trips for every level of experience so that all students have the opportunity to take part. University Recreation wants all people to expand their skillset and improve self-reliance to communicate and work as a group while enjoying the outdoor world.

Trip Schedule Trip Info Climbing Wall Rentals For Credit Classes FAQs

Trip Information:

All trips have a minimum and maximum participant requirement.

Pre-Trip Meetings
A pre-trip meeting will be held at 5 pm the Wednesday before each trip at the Govs Outdoors Center located in the front of the Foy. Attendance is required.

Trip Forms

Participant Medical Information & Agreement

Trip Fees
All prices are per person and include transportation for APSU affiliated participants, in-camp food, group equipment, camping sites, and other miscellaneous fees.

Scholarships
For students that may have trouble covering some or all of the costs for trips, the Adult Non-traditional and Transfer Student (ANTS) Center is now offering scholarships. To apply for the scholarship, click here!
For more information on the ANTS Center, click here!

Equipment
All group equipment and most trip-specific personal gear is included in trip pricing.

Refunds/Cancellations
University Recreation reserves the right to cancel a program due to inclement weather, lack of participation, natural disasters, or extenuating circumstances. In the event Govs Outdoors must cancel a program, a full trip refund will be provided. Should a participant choose to cancel before 7 full days of the trip they will receive a full refund. All cancellations within 7 full days of the trip will receive no refund.

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Trips are given a rating of Easy, Moderate, or Hard based on the level of physical fitness/skill the Govs Outdoors staff believes the trip will require. This is an estimation only, but should be considered before signing up for a trip.

Fall 2021 Trips:

Registration Closes: September 5 at 11:59pm

$20
Easy

Sign Up

Registration Closes: September 12 at 11:59pm

$60
Moderate

Sign Up

Registration Closes: September 19 at 11:59pm

$60
Moderate/Hard

Registration Closes: September 19 at 11:59PM

$60
Moderate Hard

Registration Closes: October 3 at 11:59PM

$150
Easy/Moderate

Sign Up

Registration Closes: September 24 at 11:59PM

$60
Moderate/Hard

Sign Up

Registration Closes: November 7 at 11:59PM

$60
Moderate/Hard

Sign Up

Registration Closes: December 12 at 11:59 pm

$450
Moderate/Difficult

Climbing Wall

The Climbing Wall is currently open during facility hours for *Bouldering Only* for the Fall 2020 semester.

Staff will be available to assist you Monday-Friday 3-6 pm & Saturday-Sunday 3-5 pm.

The Foy Fitness and Recreation Center features a 26-foot wall with 8 top rope anchors and 2 auto-belays. At any given time there are 14-20 routes geared toward the first time climber or the seasoned veteran. We also have a 12-foot free-standing boulder to give that extra challenge without roping up.

No experience, no problem. Our staff is available during open hours to assist those new to climbing. New climbers are briefed on rules, safety measures, and equipment during an orientation from one of our well-trained staff. All participants must complete the required forms at the Climbing Wall desk.

Instructional Opportunities: Once you've developed a love for climbing and want to take your knowledge to the next level, our climbing instructors offer top rope belay trainings as requested and lead climbing clinics on a regular basis. You can even take an academic class to get a solid foundation in climbing knowledge.

Belay Training

If you already know how to belay using the PBUS (Pull, Brake, Under, Slide) technique, you can get belay trained by testing out with one of our Climbing Wall Staff during open climbing hours. Walk-ins are welcome, however, Climbing Wall staff may need to schedule trainings in advance.

Climbing Competitions

More info coming soon!

For Credit Classes:

1-Credit Hour

Designed for those with little to no climbing experience, this course introduces participants to the sport of rock climbing. The course will cover the skills and concepts necessary to climb safely in an indoor facility using a top-rope system. The topics covered include: safety practices, different climbing styles, equipment use and care, knots, belay technique, partner checks, climbing movement, terminology, fitness, and injury prevention.

2-Credit Hour

This course offers participants the knowledge and skills to become more confident traveling and living in the backcountry. As we continue to rely more and more on technology, it is imperative that we take a step back and learn basic outdoor skills like how to dress for the environment, water filtration, backcountry cooking, and how to use the environment responsibly.

1-Credit Hour

This course offers participants the knowledge and skills to become more confident traveling and living in the backcountry. As we continue to rely more and more on technology, it is imperative that we take a step back and learn basic outdoor skills like how to dress for the environment, parts of the boats/paddle, and the different strokes.

1-Credit Hour

This course offers participants the knowledge and skills to become more confident traveling in the backcountry. As we continue to rely more and more on technology, it is imperative that we take a step back and learn basic skills like how to navigate using a map & compass.

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Rental Program:

All rentals are available to APSU students, faculty/staff, and members of the Foy Fitness & Recreation Center. All rental fees must be paid at the time of the rental via cash, check, or credit card. To save time, you may fill out the Rental Request Form by clicking the link below. Your equipment will be waiting for you the next date the Govs Outdoor Center is open!

Request Rental Equipment

All equipment will be assessed upon return for late, damaged, lost, stolen, and excessively dirty equipment and charged accordingly. The renter takes full responsibility for the equipment signed out in his or her name.

Item	1 day	2-3 day	4-7 day
Tent (2 person/ 3 person/ 4 person)	$6/$8/$8	$10/$15/$20	$20/$26/$35
Tarp (10'x10')	$3	$6	$12

Item	1 day	2-3 days	4-7 days
Sleeping Pad	$1	$2.5	$5
20-Degree Synthetic Bag	$4	$6	$20

Item	1 day	2-3 day	4-7 day
Backpacking Pack	$6	$10	$15
Pack Cover	$1	$2.5	$5

Item	1 day	2-3 day	4-7 day
2-Burner Stove (includes fuel)	$4	$8	$15
Single Burner Stove (includes fuel)	$3	$6	$12
Single Burner Backpacking Stove (includes fuel)	$4	$8	$18
3-person Pot Set	$4	$8	$15
Cooler	$2	$4	$12
Camp Table	$2	$4	$10
Camp Chair	$1	$2	$5
Hammock	$4	$8	$20

Item	1 day	2-3 day	4-7 day
Canoe (Includes 2 PFD's & 2 Paddles)	$20	$35	$105
Kayak (Includes 1 PFD & 1 Paddle)	$15	$25	$90
Inflatable Paddleboard (Includes 1 PFD, 1 Paddle, & 1 Pump)	$15	$25	$90
Dry Bag 40L	$3	$6	$12
Dry Bag 57L	$4	$8	$14
Personal Floatation Device (PFD)/Lifejacket	$3	$5	$15

Items	2-3 day	4-7 day
1-Person Backpacking Package (Backpack, Tent or Tarp, Backpacking Stove, Pot Set, Sleeping Bag, and Sleeping Pad)	$41.50	$96
2-Person Car Camping Package (Tent, 2 Sleeping Bags, 2 Sleeping Pads, 2-Burner Stove, Pot Set, and Cooler)	$52	$117
2-Person Canoe Trip Package (Tent, Canoe/PFDs/Paddles, Car Topper Kit, 2 Dry Bags, Stove, Pot Set, 2 Sleeping Bags, and 2 Sleeping Pads)	$93	$215

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Frequently Asked Questions

No! Many of our programs are designed for beginners. We do not expect you to have experience or be proficient unless specified in the trip information. Your trip leaders will teach you what you need to know for your trip. You should anticipate the experience will be a genuine challenge, and a fun, valuable experience.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what trip is right for you. However, asking yourself the following questions may help you in selecting a trip: Where do I want to travel? What activities would I like to try? How much time do I have? How physically demanding is the trip?
Although the majority of trips are open to all skill levels, be sure to read the trip description to determine if there are any required skills and review the physical exertion rating in the trip information. In general, an active person in good physical health, should expect to be fine, but carrying textbooks is a little different from carrying backpacking essentials over uneven trails for multiple days. We want everyone to enjoy our expeditions, and being adequately prepared will lead to a great overall experience.

Generally, there are between 4-14 participants and 2 trip leaders. The number of registrants can vary by trip type, accommodations, cost, and distance.

It depends on the trip. For certain trips we reserve large cabins, while others we camp in tents. Check the trip information for details. If a trip is an overnight trip, it takes place over more than one day. We do not plan day trips that require driving overnight or have extremely late returns. If participants need to share rooms or tents, we determine placement during the pre-trip meeting and do our best to ensure everyone is paired appropriately.

All Govs Outdoors trips are open to university students, faculty, staff, and those with community memberships to the Foy Fitness & Recreation Center. Students who are under 18 years of age must have forms signed by their parent/legal guardian before being eligible to participant on a trip. If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact us.

After the trip deadline, there are absolutely NO refunds unless:
- University Recreation cancels the trip due to low participation or weather.
- The trip is full and has a waiting list, and there is another person willing to take your spot.
- Family/Medical/Academic issues that will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Coordinator of Programs and the Graduate Assistant for Govs Outdoors.
Refunds are credited to student, faculty, or staff through the APSU Business Office and may take several days. Affiliates, guests, and those with community memberships will be refunded by check which can be mailed or picked up in person at the APSU Cashiers window.

No, as long as we are informed what your restrictions are as we will almost always be able to accommodate. Don’t hesitate to be in touch with us if your dietary restrictions may need an explanation. We may also follow up with you. We discuss food options and come to a group consensus for meals at the Pre-Trip meetings.

It depends on the trip. Be sure to read the trip information, especially for overnight trips. On some backpacking and camping trips, bathroom facilities may not be available, but this does not mean we will totally abandon sanitation! Our trip leaders will teach each participant how to use the bathroom outside, keep clean hands, keep clean teeth, and other essentials in order to stay (relatively) clean.

There may be some recommendations in the trip information, but doing some type of regular exercise may help to feel more comfortable with the activities on the trip. Any specific pertinent information, packing lists, or equipment offered will be covered in the Pre-Trip meeting.

Govs Outdoors has much of the equipment necessary for our outdoor activities, covered in the trip cost. If any additional equipment is needed, we coordinate rentals and include the rental fees in the overall trip cost. Participants will be responsible for any clothing items needed for the trip, but normal athletic wear is appropriate for almost every trip we run. If there are any specialized clothing items required, they will be listed in the trip description.