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Outdoor Pursuits celebrates 40 years of getting students out there
At its birth in 1977, Outdoor Pursuits was stuffed into a small room in the College Union Building. The fledging student club had available for use ten backpacks, ten sleeping bags, and ten tents. And that was it.
In spite of its humble beginnings, Outdoor Pursuits today is housed in the Student Life Center and warehouses an expansive variety of outdoor gear, including skiing, backpacking, boating, and bicycling equipment. The program has some 800 members, making it one of the most popular activities on campus, and offers up to 50 trips per year, as well as frequent clinics, movies, service projects, and outings for all skill levels.
It’s been a grand and adventurous forty-year journey. And to celebrate that journey in appropriate OP fashion, Outdoor Pursuits is hosting a series of anniversary events that will appeal to outdoor adventurers from every era of OP’s history.
- This weekend, September 15 – 17, a River Reunion will bring together OPers from yesterday and today along the Colorado River in Moab for adventuring and socializing. The $70 cost includes camping Friday and Saturday nights, a river shuttle, happy hour Friday and Saturday evenings, breakfast Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and all necessary river equipment.
- During Homecoming Weekend, OP will host a birthday bash at Lady Falconburgh’s Alehouse & Kitchen in downtown Durango. The party will include drink specials, appetizers, and – of course – a birthday cake to share while sharing adventurous memories with other OPers. This free event happens Saturday, October 14, at 7 p.m. at 640 Main Avenue.
- To wrap up 40 picturesque years, OP created a commemorative coffee table book that spans adventures throughout the years. This 12” square, hardcover, 72 page, full-color book is the perfect gift for anyone whose life has been touched by the organization. Preview it here or order your own copy!
- If you want to remember OP while you’re on the trail, grab a 40th anniversary hoodie, available in heather gray or forest green. Orders must be placed by October 16, so don’t hesitate -- order today!