The Wake

The Skeewaksur Club formed on the University of Minnesota in November 1966 which allowed groups of students to gather and go downhill skiing in Minnesota. Though the club’s members may not have know it back then, they were laying the groundwork for what now is the Center for Outdoor Adventure (COA) on the Twin-Cities campus.

Until about a year and a half ago, COA operated solely out of the St. Paul Gym where students could plan trips, rent equipment and climb the walls. But now to better serve the entire student body, COA is constructing a $100,000 office in the Minneapolis Rec Center that will be the central hub for adventurous students looking to get involved in the variety of activities the organization offers.

The new office is a remodeling of about 2,000 square feet of the women’s locker room, Assistant Departmental Director Tony Brown said. Pre-trip meetings, trip planning, an 8 to 10 foot bouldering wall and resources like books and maps will occupy the space.

Along with more space comes more opportunity for COA to have an expanded number of trips, and the ability to hire more student leaders next fall. Adventures like the backpacking trip in Paria Canyon, Ariz., over Spring Break had long waiting lists and people were turned away. Though the high interest can be a good problem, COA will be able to offer more trips each weekend to serve a greater number of students.

The Minneapolis location will be the main COA office where the 10 to 15 leaders stage their trips, but the St. Paul Gym will still have the climbing wall and equipment rentals including kayaks and canoes that will not be stored in Minneapolis.

“Ever as an undergrad, we’ve always felt that we should be better serving the students on both campuses,” Morrissey said.

In the fall of 2002, Morrissey coordinated COA and was responsible for the trip planning, rentals and any other issues students had with the programs. Meanwhile, Program Manager Mitch Hoffman managed the wall in the back of the St. Paul Gym. The two started talking and thought it would be a great idea to combine their responsibilities to best utilize student dollars.

At this time, COA was part of student unions and was housed in the St. Paul Student Center. But since the climbing wall was already in the St. Paul Gym, Morrissey and Hoffman thought it made sense to be considered part of the Rec sports department. So all the operations were transferred to the St. Paul Gym until the proposal went through for the construction in Minneapolis.

Now that the plan is in place and construction is winding down, COA looks toward its grand opening and open house on Wednesday April 7. Outdoor-adventure equipment vendors will be on hand holding drawings for prizes like hiking boots and backpacks. COA will also hold its annual gear sale of the equipment used over the previous year on April 7.

Students can get a feel for the tasks and adventures they would endure on a trip when they come to the open house because there will be a kayak and rowing clinic, a knitting workshop, outdoor-cooking lessons and a bike maintenance clinic. These activities mirror those that trip leaders teach their groups on the trails because many students don’t have any outdoor-adventure experience.

Morrissey and Hoffman hope the students who never knew COA even existed will pass through the Rec center doors and make their way down to the new office. Students can utilize the space not only to plan their trips and rent equipment but to form a relationship with students with similar, adventurous interests.

“We’re creating this atmosphere where we’re hoping people just come to hang out, study or just get together,” Morrissey said.

The evolution from the Skeewaksur club to the newly renovated COA is nearly complete. But the interest on campus continues to flourish and someday COA may be the groundwork for even bigger and better things than what it is today.