Adventure Trips

By participating in Adventure Trips, first year students will have the opportunity to:

• Meet classmates and form friendships before classes begin
• Explore California and local states to learn about their natural history
• Learn about sustainability, leadership, nature, and discernment
• Have a facilitated transition into college from Orientation to Welcome Weekend to the start of fall classes
• Learn about the college experience from current students
• Gain backpacking, hiking, camping, and/or other skills

What’s up baby Broncos!!

Do you want to have an incredible outdoors experience to kick off your college career the sendy way? Do you want to make new friends and meet people as awesome as you? If your answer is YES then you should 100% sign up for our Big Sur Beginner Car Camping Trip! Join Lagoon Lucy and Kelp Kenzie for 3 days and 2 nights of hiking, polar plunging, tanning, camping, and smores-ing under the stars.

• We will leave SCU on Tuesday, September 16 and drive along the beautiful Highway 1, stopping a few times along the way to do some sick coastal hikes totaling 6 miles.
• We’ll set up camp in Big Sur and stuff our faces with as many smores as possible (record to beat is 13).
• The next morning we’ll pack up camp and hike around 7 miles, and then spend the rest of the day chilling at the beach and hanging out at camp!
• After we make brekkie and pack up camp for the last time, we’ll make our way back to campus on Thursday, September 18.

Previous hiking and camping experience is recommended, but not required to apply. Not to worry, all your hard work will be rewarded with incredible ocean views, some refreshing swims, and super delicious food cooked by yours truly. Get ready for the adventure trip of a lifetime!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out, we can’t wait to meet you!!

Lucy Young: ldyoung@scu.edu
Kenzie Hill: kshill@scu.edu

WADDUPPP FIRST YEAR WILDINGS!

The time has arrived for you to begin your college journey, and what better way to get introduced to Santa Clara University life than with an amazing car camping/hiking/thrill seeking experience in Mammoth Lakes, California! If you want to meet incredible friends from day one, see some gorgeous alpine lake views and stargaze with seasoned veterans by the name of Oregano Oliver and Tantalizing Tor, join us on this popping adventure trip.

• We will all be packing into a spacious cargo van on Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00am and will make the journey over to Mammoth Lakes.
• Upon arrival at our final destination, we will set up camp and cook you guys an incredible lunch that will rival that of the Michelin star Benson cafeteria.
• We will then head out to our first adventure, a 5 mile hike to the most gorgeous waterfall by the name of Rainbow falls where you can jump into the pool below.
• We’ll make some scrumptious grub for dinner and brekky the next morning, and get up to some mountain shenanigans on Wednesday.
• We camp Wednesday night and head back to campus on Thursday.

This is a BEGINNER trip, so no outdoor experience is required -- just bring ur good vibes and it’ll be the time of your life. 

If you have any questions please hit us up!

Oliver Straley: ostraley@scu.edu
Tor Rothrock: mrothrock@scu.edu 

Welcome to Santa Clara!

We’re thrilled to meet you and kick off the year with an awesome backpacking trip led by Reef Ryan, Barnacle Bella, & Lagoon Liz! This 3-day, 2-night journey through the stunning Point Reyes National Seashore is the perfect way to connect with fellow adventurous first-years and dive into your college experience. This trip is designed for beginners, no backpacking experience required, though some hiking background is recommended.

We’ll leave campus on Tuesday, September 16 at 8:30 AM and return by Thursday, September 18 at 2 PM.

• Day 1: Arrive at the trailhead around 11 AM and hike 5.5 miles with 1,165 feet of elevation gain to our first campsite.
• Day 2: After breakfast, we’ll take on an 8.1-mile trek with 1,220 feet of elevation gain to reach our next site.
• Day 3: We'll pack up and make our way back to the cars with a 6.3-mile hike and 1,000 feet of elevation gain.

Expect sweeping ocean views, great company, and the chance to stargaze, explore, and unwind with your new classmates. It’s the perfect way to start your Santa Clara journey, and we can’t wait to share this beautiful corner of the world with you!

Feel free to reach out with any questions!

Ryan Sintchak: rsintchak@scu.edu
Liz Christensen: eachristensen@scu.edu
Bella Fasolino: ifasolino@scu.edu

Oh, hi, new Bronco buddies!!

Let's have a wild, wonderful adventure!! We (Woodchuck Willy and Juniper Julia) want to take YOU to THE Sequoia National Park to summit Alta Peak for some awe-inspiring intermediate backpacking.

• We’ll be rising and grinding Tuesday morning, September 16, from THE Bronco statue, embarking on a 4.5-hour drive to the trailhead in Sequoia.
• From there, we’ll have a tasty lunch and hit the trail. Our objective for day 1 will be Last Chance Meadows -- 6.5 miles and 2500 feet from the trailhead -- where we will set up our base camp for the weekend and chill really hard.
• We’ll rise early on day 2, free of the weight of our packs, for a heroic summit push to the top of 11,276 foot Alta Peak. After taking in some of the best views in California, we’ll head back to camp for another chill night, relishing in the adventure of the day.
• The next morning, we’ll cruise back to campus and be back around 5:30 PM. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Julia Routh:  jrouth@scu.edu
Willy Mondress: wmondress@scu.edu

THIS FALL! Your favorite band Trailmix goes on tour in Sequoia National Forest! Featuring Oboe Orion on the violin, Harmonia Harry on guitar, and Harp Hailey strumming those sweet sweet vocal chords. This is your chance to meet other fans joining Santa Clara and experience California’s natural beauty!

We will be adventuring around Sequoia National Park; including swimming, hiking, jamming out, and munching on some homemade delicious food.

• We’ll arrive in Sequoia on Tuesday, September 16, and setting up camp and doing a short 4.6 mile hike along the mountain ridge of Sequoia, before heading back to camp for the night. Campfire stories and songs are required!
• The next day, we’ll embark on an epic 10 mile loop up to some alpine lakes while taking plenty of snack and swim breaks, before settling back into camp for one last night.
• The next morning, we’ll pack up camp, stop by General Sherman (world's largest tree!) before heading back to campus on Thursday, September 18!

Hope you all can join us for the first leg of Trailmix’s first tour!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!

Orion: ocook@scu.edu
Harry: halburn@scu.edu
Hailey: hmculloch@scu.edu

What is up my Yo-send-maties!!!

Who’s ready to rip the most rambunctious, rowdy, and ridiculous Adventure Trip of all time? Join Cloudwalker Cooper, Summit Sean, and Intrepid Izzy on a 21 mile & 5,600 ft. elevation gain trek through the magnificent, rugged, and awe-inspiring Yosemite backcountry.

• We will wake with the sun to depart from campus early Tuesday (9/16) morning and begin our journey to Yosemite National Park!
• Our days will consist of trekking  5-7 miles through the bodacious backcountry stopping to swim in crystal clear mud puddles (pristine alpine lakes), and resting in the clouds (Clouds Rest).
• Thursday (9/17) we’ll burn this trail up (finish the hike), then rip back to campus, talladega nights style, only slowing down for da grub & gas.

This is an advanced trip due to the mileage and elevation, so please come with experience. Get ready to have the best trip of the last epoch!!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us!

Sean Fallmer: sfallmer@scu.edu
Cooper McCarthy: cpmccarthy@scu.edu
Izzy Pink: ipink@scu.edu

Heeeyyyooo Broncos!!!

Are y’all ready for your first Into the Wild adventure?! Come join Gritty Grace and Crumbly Cam for an epic 2-night INTERMEDIATE backpacking adventure to the Waterwheels of Yosemite National Park!

• We’ll depart from the Bronco Statue at 6 AM on Tuesday, September 16 and cruise across the Golden State, arriving in Yosemite around 11:30 AM.
• After arriving at the trailhead and gobbling up a delicious lunch, we will start trekking, conquering around 11 miles on day one before settling down and camping right in the Toulume river canyon with a stunning view of the waterwheels.
• On Wednesday September 17, day two, we will plan to wake up around 7am, eat some breaky before packing out another 6 miles heading further into the canyon.
• Then on our last day, Thursday September 18 we will wake up at 6am and catch a lovely sunrise in Yosemite before hiking 7 miles out of the canyon, gaining 2,300 ft of elevation.
• We will arrive back at our car stop for a delicious lunch on the way back to campus.

This is an intermediate-level trip -- perfect if you’ve backpacked before or are feeling confident on trail. We can’t wait to rip this adventure with y’all!!!

If you’ve got any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Grace Falci: gfalci@scu.edu
Cam Rast: crast2@scu.edu

HELLOOOOO NEW BRONCOS!!!

Do you want to start off your year with a trip to the grandest valley on the continent? Join Amblygonite Alessia, Malachite Maddie, and Mookaite McCoy on a 2-night, INTERMEDIATE Yosemite Car Camping Trip! Not only will we gaze upon the granite monoliths of El Capitan and Half Dome, but we will bathe in the meandering Merced River, stroll along cliff sides thousands of feet off the valley floor, and gorge on the best grub Yosemite Valley could offer.

• We will depart from Santa Clara’s bronco statue at 7 am on Tuesday, September 16 and make the journey across the mighty state of California to Yosemite, arriving around 11:30 am.
• Once there we will set up camp and jump in the river after playing some spikeball in the meadows. After that we will cozy up by the campfire and enjoy some pesto pasta and s’mores.
• The next morning we will wake up and embark on a 9 mile hike up the canyon walls, and return for some sexy quesadillas at our camp home.
• On Thursday we will wake up (bright & early) to catch sunrise and immediately after chef up some parking lot pancakes. We’ll begin our expedition home and aim to be back on campus at around 2 pm Thursday, September 18. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us!

Alessia Massinople: amassinople@scu.edu
Maddie Ayan: mayan@scu.edu
McCoy Brooks: msbrooks@scu.edu

All trips generally depart from campus on the morning of Tuesday, September 16 and return to campus on either the evening of Thursday, September 18. Early move-in into the residence halls is Monday, September 15.

IMPORTANT:

• Exact times and other trip details will be emailed to confirmed trip participants in late July and August.
• Confirmed trip participants will be eligible to move in early into the residence halls on Monday, September 15 while all other new students (not participating in trips) will move in during the morning of Friday, September 19.
• All new students are encouraged to engage in the many events and activities scheduled in the afternoon and evening of September 19 and during Welcome Weekend (September 20-21).

It is highly recommended that you do not arrange for travel to campus in September until you know for certain that you have a confirmed spot on one of our trips.

IMPORTANT: If you arrange travel to participate in these trips prior to finding out whether or not you got a confirmed spot, then you are responsible for paying any and all expenses you incur such as changes in airfare, lodging, etc. SCU will not reimburse you for any incurred costs.

Students who participate in Adventure Trips will be able to move in early into the residence halls on Monday, September 15. More information about early move-in will be shared with those students who sign up and are confirmed for the trips.

Students do NOT need to contact the Housing Office directly to change their move-in date. Our staff will do this on their behalf.

Note: If you cancel participation in Adventure Trips, then you will forfeit the opportunity to move in early on Monday, September 15 and will move into the residence halls on Friday, September 19 instead.

If you cancel participation in Adventure Trips, then you will forfeit the opportunity to move in early on Monday, September 15 and will move into the residence halls on Friday, September 19 instead.

Student trip leaders from Into the Wild will provide a pre-trip meeting in the early evening on Monday, September 15. The pre-trip meeting will be a chance for all participants and trip leaders to meet each other. Trip leaders will also review trip basics, answer questions, and help participants pack for the trips.

Into the Wild will provide all of the group gear needed for the trip. Backpacks, headlamps, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads are available to rent through Into the Wild's gear rental system. If you have your own gear, you are encouraged to bring it! Student trip leaders will contact all confirmed trip participants later in August and/or September with details about required equipment for each trip.