Pacific University is located right within the heart of the Pacific Northwest and all that it has to offer. Oregon has everything one could ever want, with large mountains, grand forests, and intricate coasts. What better way to experience the outdoors with no other than Pacific’s own OP.
OP is one of the best ways for students at Pacific to become familiar with nature, as they are dedicated to providing students with a comfortable learning environment and atmosphere in all experiences with nature. This year, most of the trips that are being offered will be catered to beginners.
“Typically, our trips are for beginners,” OP Assistant Director Samuel Morrison said. “So there’s no need to worry in a cases such as you’re going on a climbing trip and you think you have to be a really good rock climber; you don’t.”
Junior Katie Lightcap added, “I had never been rock climbing before my freshman year until I went on one of the indoor rock climbing trips. I had such a blast and good time that I went out and bought my own shoes, harness, and chalk.”
The affiliate costs differ per trip, so there are some more simple trips such as hikes and beach days that cost $25 up to a Canyonlands backpacking trip over spring break that costs $450.
One of OP’s biggest accomplishments this year was acquiring rafts for trips. OP got brand new rafts and had their very first pacific in-house rafting trip. Pacific students guided the trip on the North Santiam River.
Another one of OP’s bigger projects which is coming up in October will be their Costume Climbing Trip. It will take place the Friday before Halloween, Oct. 28th at the indoor rock climbing center Planet Granite. The event extends out to not only Pacific students, but everyone within the Portland area. People are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes and climb.
On top of setting up weekend trips, OP is also known for coordinating and leading voyages for incoming freshmen at Pacific. This summer, there were 11 trips with an attendance of 95 students total.
“On top of getting to experience the outdoors, the voyages made me feel like I had an advantage going into my freshman year,” Lightcap said of her freshman year voyage. “I was already familiar with the campus and knew 20 people I was comfortable with. It was great to look around campus on my first day and see so many friendly faces.”
Morrison and Lightcap agreed that the most rewarding thing about OP Voyages was that students came back and said they would definitely recommend voyages to incoming freshmen.
From surfing to climbing to rafting, there are so many facets that you can tap into with OP; the program is bound to have something that you are interested in. The OP staff says if you’re even more curious now about what OP has to offer for you, then just head down to the store and talk with someone.
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