Campus Recreation is hosting a backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park this summer from June 5th-14th.
The trip will cost $350 for those with a TCU ID and $450 for guests if they sign up before May 3. Signing up after May 3 and before May 29 will cost $495 with a TCU ID and $550 for guests.
Bobby Neil, the Adventure Trip student manager and outdoor educator, said Campus Recreation hosts these kinds of trips twice a year.
“About twice a year we’ll do trips that are more than 10 hours away,” Neil said. “These are typically during spring break and in the summer.”
Last summer, a trip to southern Colorado was hosted, which was a 16-hour drive. This past spring break, a trip was held in the Grand Canyon, also a 16-hour drive.
“I won’t be on the Yosemite trip, but it’s going to be at least a 22-or 23-hour drive,” Neil said.
Transportation will be provided through two 12 passenger vans.
“We took 24 guests to the Grand Canyon, but the Yosemite trip will be a lot less people due to permits,” Neil said. “That happens sometimes especially for hot-spots like Yosemite where it’s just hard to get permits for bigger groups.”
As a backpacking trip, guests will be camping out in the park with a main focus on hiking with an average of 10 miles per day, said Neil.
“Yosemite is really hilly and there’s a lot of elevation, so it’s definitely going to be a tough trail,” Neil said. “There will also be some snow in high elevation, I believe.”
Three Campus Recreation leaders will attend the trip with the guests. One is a full-time member of the TCU staff, while the two others are student leaders.
Sam Fukutaki, an Adventure Trip leader-in-training, highly recommends outdoor trips to the student body.
“I would recommend these trips because even though they push you out of your comfort zone you really learn a lot, meet awesome people, create inside jokes and enjoy getting away from campus and going to really beautiful places,” Fukutaki said. “The experiences I’ve had on these trips have been unforgettable and the bonds I’ve created will last long past the end of college.”
The sign up is filling up quickly according to Neil. Students can sign up on Campus Recreation’s online portal.
