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

TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 15TH. GET READY. For the most awesome adventure of your life! Join Loogie Lucian, Qbooger Quintin, and Runny Nose Ryan as we road trip down Highway 1 and find ourselves in beautiful Big Sur. This will be an amazing opportunity to meet some of Santa Clara’s finest before you step foot into campus life, and an even better opportunity to see some of California’s classic sights. We will be cooking up in the kitchen like it’s stir fry, jumping in the ocean, running around in the woods, and more! We will head out of town on Tuesday the 15th and explore sights along Highway 1 on our way to camp. We’ll hike, swim in the ocean, and explore Wednesday before settling into camp with 300 of your newest closest friends (jk not that many). Thursday, Sept. 17th, we’ll have another scenic and fun-packed day as we head back to campus. We can’t wait to see you in the fall!!

Golly, we sure are excited for you to join us for a backpacking trip out in Point Reyes!!!!!

If you love the beach and want to get into backpacking, then shuck you should join us for this wonderful adventure. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, we got some wonderful leaders 🐄. I’ll tell you what,  Big Hoss Bella, Saddle Slicker Sander, and Panhandle Paco are the best backpacking leaders this side of the Mississippi. Yippppie Ki Yay!

Here’s our root’n toot’n schedule:

Day 1: We’ll hit the road around 9 AM, arrive at the trailhead around 11 AM, and hike 5.5 miles with 1,165 feet of elevation gain to our first campsite, Sky Campground. 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, Wildcat Campground. 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. We’ll cook up some fun meals, make smores, stargaze & dip in the ocean! Pretty crazy, right? It’s the perfect way to meet new people and explore the California Wilderness! No prior camping or backpacking experience is required, but previous hiking experience is recommended! 

You’d be a cattle-thieving fool to not sign up for this trip. If you have any questions, please give us a holler.

Get along, little doggie,

Bella Fasollino
Paco Gahan 
Sander Moog

What is popping future broncos!!!!! What better way to start your college journey than an epic adventure with light mayo Lucas and no crust Cole for a three day beginner camping trip in the beautiful redwoods natty park! We’ll disembark at the ripe hour of 5:00am, and rip a scenic drive to the park, hitting a pit stop in Avenue of the Giants to see some MONGO trees. We’ll set up camp at Goldbluff, the sweetest beachfront campsite you ever did see, before ripping a calm luh hike at Fern Canyon (where they filmed Jurassic Park). Afterwards we’ll scoot on back to camp for s’mores, campfire songs, and snores. Day two is where we really hit our stride, embarking on a bike tour through the redwoods. We’ll finish out the day with some quality time at the campsite (did I mention it’s beachfront?) before catching some Z’s yet again. On day three we’ll hit up Tall Tree grove for some trees that are tall, before ripping our way back to campus. No previous camping experience is required, hope to see all yall there!

Feel free to bang our lines with any questions:

Cole Ruebner
Lucas Monge

HELLOOOO to all of you incoming Broncos! Before beginning your 4 years here in Claradise on September 21st, how would you like to join Cheerful Christian, Cloud Nine Nory, and Merry McCoy on a 3-day, 2-night Intermediate Car Camping Trip to the mighty Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks? We will disembark campus around 6:30 am September 15th and begin our 4 hr drive to the Sierra Nevada. There we will check out Kings Canyon and stretch our legs post drive with a nice canyon stroll in the fresh mountain air. That afternoon we will explore a Giant Sequoia (the world’s largest tree by volume!) Grove or two and that evening we will set up our camp at Lodegpole Campground, eat some quesadillas, and see if we can catch sunset from the General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest!! The next day we will wake up around 8:30 am , pound some pancakes, and venture into the High Sierra on a hike for a frigid alpine lake dip and granite rock hopping. We will return and enjoy some pesto pasta, then grab a view from Moro Rock for sunset and bond around the campfire post sunset jaunt. On day three we will arise early and fuel ourselves for the drive home, with a tentative morning giant forest stroll. After a wonderful trip spent bonding, stargazing, and tree bark sniffing , we will return to campus by 4 pm September 17th. 

If you have any questions, please contact: 

Christian Stevens
Nory McDonald
McCoy Brooks

Heyo! We’re going to Tahoe! Are you a first-year adventure seeker who is looking to start college off with trails, good views, and new friends? Join three Into the Wild leaders, Liana 1, Leanna 2 and… Erin! For this three day, two night (9/15-9/17)  intermediate backpacking adventure to Stanislaus National Forest! We will be backpacking a total of 21 miles with over 3,000 feet of elevation gain. We will spend each night at an amazing alpine lake, playing games around the campfire and stargazing! There will be long hikes, as well as plenty of time for relaxing and getting to know everyone. This trip is an intermediate backpacking trip, so make sure to have significant hiking or some backpacking experience. Your leaders will take care of the logistics––food, tents, supplies––all you need to bring is your personal gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, backpacks will be available for you) and a whole lot of enthusiasm! We hope you all can join us, and can’t wait to meet all of you first-year wildlings!

YO YO YOOOOO incoming Broncos!!! 

Looking for the SICKEST start to your freshman year??  Ready to meet some of the COOLEST and SENDIEST people who might just become your new best friends!?!? If so, join Sussy Sean, Hazardous Hallie, and Sneaky Shannon on a super awesome, super amazing 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip through the stunning Trinity Alps in Northern California. We will leave SCU early on Tuesday, September 15th, to drive up to the trailhead to begin the Four Lakes Loop Trail. The same day we will backpack around 7 miles and ~4,000 ft of elevation to our lakeside campsite. The next day we will hike 6 miles around the loop with spectacular views of the surrounding wilderness. We will also get the opportunity to swim in the chilly but refreshing high alpine lakes. On Thursday (9/17) we will pack up camp and backpack down to the trailhead and head back to campus. If you love frolicking in alpine meadows, cold plunging in crystal clear water, eating more trailmix than you can imagine, and having a blast in the wilderness surrounded by multi-colored granite peaks, this trip is perfect for you! This tour of four stunning alpine lakes would total at around 6,300ft of elevation gain and 20 miles making it an ADVANCED trip. This is not for the faint of heart and it requires previous backpacking experience and high levels of physical fitness. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us. STAY STOKED,

Hallie Komessar 
Shannon MacDonell 
Sean Fallmer

What's up, Baby Broncos!!! Wanna soar into your SCU journey on the right wings? Come join Eagle Ellie and Kingfisher Kenzie for an intermediate car camping trip / the adventure of a lifetime in the breathtaking Yosemite Valley! We will be flying from the Bronco statue bright & early on Tuesday morning at 5:00 am, heading to our campsite five hours away to set up camp before eating some amazing salad wraps (an ITW classic) and hiking the beautiful Mist Trail- waterfalls and rainbows and stairs OH MY! We’ll finish off our day with a campfire, some yummy dinner and a sweet treat. On Wednesday, we will wake up bright and early to catch the sunrise in Hodgdon Meadows and listen to the birds chirping, and then have a delish brekkie at camp. We will then drive back down into the valley to hike the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, where we’ll have lunch on the trail! We will be cooling off in the river and then heading back to camp for din and a night of silliness around the fire. On Saturday, we’ll make some pancakes at the Tunnel View lookout point and check out some sick views before soaring back to campus, where we’ll be back at SCU by 5:00 pm. Some previous hiking experience is recommended, but other than that just bring your positive energy and good vibes! It’s going to be an amazing time, can’t wait to see you all there!!

Ready to get LOWWW(er) in Lower Yosemite?!?!? Join your fabulous leaders Electric Evelyn, Lightening Lucy, and Atomic Andrew for the outdoor excursion of a lifetime! Start your freshman year off right by exploring California’s natural beauty on this intermediate camping trip. We will be departing from the Bronco statue brightttt and early on Tuesday morning at 5:00 am, driving to our campsite five hours away to set up camp before eating some delish quesadillas and embarking on the Mirror Lake trail. We’ll finish off our day with some yummy dinner and a sweet treat. On wens, we will wake up early and hike the 7.8 mile long infamous Mist Trail, where we’ll see some incredible waterfalls. We’ll venture back to camp for lunch, then spend the afternoon by the river. We will have another fabulous dinner around the campfire sharing stories of our high school woes. On Thurs, we’ll make some pancakes at the Tunnel View lookout point and check out some viewpoints before heading back to campus, where we’ll be back at SCU by 5:00 pm. Can’t wait to see you all there!!!!!

Wadduppp Wildlings!! Are you ready to send it into the wilderness?! If you're looking to kick off your freshman year with an EPIC adventure and some seriously breathtaking views, then strap in and join Wild Willy, Harry the Hawk, and Legendary Liv for an advanced 2-night backpacking trip up Snow Creek and along Yosemite's North Rim! We're dropping into the Valley on September 15 and hitting the trail hard from day one. Day 1, we'll grind up the Snow Creek Trail and set up camp near the rim, where you'll wake up eye-to-eye with Half Dome's massive face. Day 2, we traverse the North Rim to North Dome and Indian Rock, camping on a ridge with a full 360-degree panoramic theater of Yosemite Valley. Day 3, we bomb back down into the Valley via the Upper Yosemite Fall trail and roll back into camp as certified legends. We're talking serious elevation, steep descents, and miles that will test your grit, but the views are absolutely UNREAL and worth every step. Come ready to push yourself and bring that send-it energy! We'll be back on September 17, having seen some of the most jaw-dropping terrain California has to offer. See you on the trail, Wildings!!

All trips depart from campus on the morning of Tuesday, September 15 and return to campus by the early afternoon on Friday, September 18. Early move-in into the residence halls is Monday, September 14.

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 14 while all other new students (not participating in trips) will move in during the morning of Friday, September 18.
• All new students are encouraged to engage in the many events and activities scheduled in the afternoon and evening of September 18 and during Welcome Weekend (September 19-20).

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 14. 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 14 and will move into the residence halls on Friday, September 18 instead.

If you cancel participation in Adventure Trips, then you will forfeit the opportunity to move in early on Monday, September 14 and will move into the residence halls on Friday, September 18 instead.

Student trip leaders from Into the Wild will provide a pre-trip meeting in the early evening on Monday, September 14. 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.