What’s New with Outdoor UW?
Students take advantage of Outdoor UW’s paddleboard rentals on the waves of Lake Mendota. Photo courtesy of Andy Manis.
Whether you are a nature nut or a nature novice, Outdoor UW is the place to start your adventure. We had a chance to sit down with Outdoor Recreation Manager Joe Webb to hear about how Outdoor UW provides students, Union members and the overall Madison community with classes, equipment and opportunities to get outside.
Terrace Views (TV): What makes Outdoor UW unique from other programs on campus?
Joe Webb (JW): We provide equipment, knowledge and a social network to help people be active in the outdoors. From beginners to experts, our range of services provides many opportunities, highlighting a community that appeals to every style of learning including auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.
TV: What does Outdoor UW have to offer?
JW: For me to best explain it would be on a spectrum. If you were to take a beginner on one end of the spectrum and an expert on the other end, we have a range of services for the learner that fall within the spectrum. Rentals and Wisconsin Basecamp are both entry-level opportunities to be exposed to leadership, activities and having fun. Hoofers ranges across the whole spectrum—you can already be an expert and can contribute to the club or you can be a total beginner and we can teach you what you want to know and learn from others in the club. We structure this through rent, learn and join as way to help participants navigate.
Within Hoofers we have a couple youth camps and teams. If you want to be competitive in any of the five different sports we have teams that include Sailing, Equestrian, Alpine, Nordic and Freestyle.
Hoofer Outing Club members of all generations unite during the 2015 Hooferpalooza. Photo courtesy of Dan York.
TV: How does Outdoor UW impact students and give them the out-of classroom learning mapped out by the Wisconsin Idea?
JW: Let’s start with Hoofers. Hoofers is a community of learning that is shared by both the students, community and staff. The Hoofers community continues to move forward through the service of volunteers. Learning and opportunity are abound in this environment as many Hoofers want to share their passion with others and the community. The spectrum of volunteers consists of new freshman all the way to experienced and seasoned adventurers, and they all work together to experience the outdoors through recreation and adventure.
Basecamp is a little different—it’s an introduction to these opportunities in a more organized sense, so it gives students a better platform with organization and leaders. There’s between nine and 11 trips of Basecamp that happen in a summer, with roughly 10 participants per trip, including pre-freshman students, transfer students and three student trip leaders. Basecamp is a great way to get introduced to adventure in the outdoors and provides opportunities to build confidence. In many ways, it provides participants with a head start if they are interested in joining and being a future leader within Hoofers.
And then we have rentals, which is something that you can try for an hour or as many times as you want before you really feel like you want to commit to a club. We offer modest prices and a great location that are perfect for a quick getaway or break in the day.
Just as the university is of service to the state, I think Outdoor UW is of service to the university and of service to the state and the community as well. We are not a for-credit program, however we offer an amazing opportunity to supplement learning at UW-Madison and that is really what makes us and the Wisconsin Union special.
TV: What is a fun fact about Outdoor UW that someone new to campus may not know about?
JW: One feature many people may not realize about Outdoor UW is that we offer a tailored group option equipment rentals which is great for birthday parties or student organization. We offer it from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. which is actually the best time to be on the water.
We have the ability to do everything from stand-up paddleboard yoga sessions to kayaking or canoeing. UW-Madison affiliated groups (departments, RSO’s, students, faculty/staff) and Wisconsin Union member groups receive a special rate. We have a group rental form on our website and can help meet the group’s needs.
Additionally, there may be a misconception out there about what Outdoor UW actually is. We’re a space where outdoor activities and services take place, most notably Hoofers being the largest and most prominent. Outdoor UW isn’t Hoofers, but Hoofers is a part of Outdoor UW. The name is recognizable, whereas Basecamp or Hoofers may not be necessarily to people who are new. The idea behind Outdoor UW was to be associated with the university community and the outdoors, get people interested and into our space and then tell them about Hoofers.
Outdoor UW offers kayak rentals for anyone looking to get out on the water. Photo courtesy of Andy Manis.
TV: Why do you like working at Outdoor UW?
JW: I enjoy the environment of learning and community. I believe that the outdoors can be transformational to people. I really enjoy being a part of the transformative process.
TV: Transformational in what way?
JW: The great outdoors can be incredibly unpredictable. Just when you think you’ve gotten it figured out, you’re presented with a new challenge. Whether it be weather, fatigue, doubt or just a new technical skill someone is trying to learn, those are learning opportunities that parallel challenges in life and business.
TV: Do you have any goals or changes you’re hoping to see for Outdoor UW in the future?
JW: I think we’re always looking to improve the safety and the experience of each person. Along with that comes the overall goal of offering things that people want. We don’t have winter rentals or comprehensive camping rentals offered right now. But some of that is available through Hoofers and we value their clubs and want to steer people to Hoofers, as opposed to using the Outdoor UW equipment and not getting the opportunity to really be a part of our community.
We want to be a part of the future of innovative learning on this campus. Some of that means working with local vendors, organizations, departments or professors on campus to introduce and enhance the learning experience. We’re really looking toward the future of how people use our space and services to adhere to people who still appreciate learning to the hands-on approach, being kinesthetic and audio and visual learners. We want to make it engaging, intentional and transformative—all while contributing to the Wisconsin Idea.
What is your favorite Hoofers or Outdoor UW memory? Share in the comments section below!
