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The Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) seeks to offer a variety of safe and fun outdoor trips to the С����Ƶ (UML) community. We offer trips that meet every person's skill level in order to challenge each person to grow through experience. We encourage teamwork, skill development, personal growth and appreciation of the outdoors through trip experience.

OAP is a well established part of the Campus Recreation Department, and has been in existence since 2007. The mission of the program is to support the development of healthy, balanced lifestyles for the С����Ƶ community through outdoor recreation and education activities. Trips include day hikes, paddling, biking, climbing, backpacking, cross country skiing, winter hiking, and more.

What Does It Take To Be A Leader?

Our trip leaders are excited to be outdoors and share the experience with others. Their duties and responsibilities are dynamic and broad. Typical qualities of trip leaders include:

• Safety is their number 1 priority!
• Responsibility and good judgement
• Strong communication with a variety of people
• Effective leadership, patience and teaching ability
• A can-do attitude, approachable, and encouraging 
• Administrative abilities
• Experience in a variety of outdoor activities: at least 1-2 of our core activities of hiking, paddling, backpacking/camping and winter sports, with ability and interest in learning more!
• Naturally finds meaning and value in introducing beginners to the outdoors

We do not expect every trip leader to come to us with every skill, and we provide continual training for the right people with the right attitude! Campus Recreation emphasizes inclusivity and welcomes all diverse applicants.

While trip leaders should be capable and comfortable in the great outdoors (at a level higher than our beginner participants), and are able to hike lots of miles, shoulder a hefty backpack, or do a strenuous activity in uncomfortable conditions, this job is not just about going outdoors and having adventures. The biggest and most important characteristic is that each trip leader loves to encourage others to reach for their goal and find their own accomplishment in even the hardest of conditions, like cold, wind, rain, heat, exhausted, and still have the energy to pump up a group and motivate people to have a great time! 

What should I do before I apply?

• We first encourage anyone interested in applying to be an OAP Trip Leader to participate in at least a few OAP trips of different varieties. Try hiking, kayaking and a winter sport, at least. This will give you the best idea of the kinds of trips we lead and the expectations for a trip leader. Talk to the trip leader while you're on the trip to learn more about the experience of being a trip leader for the Outdoor Adventure Program.
• Participate in our various longer weekend trips! We typically have either 1-2 long weekend backpacking trips in the fall, plus a Spring Break adventure. These are great ways to show your abilities to rise to the challenge and contribute positively to the group, all while seeing how UML OAP works.
• We recently started an OAP Apprentice position. Apprentices are either invited or may reach out to express interest themselves. Read more below in the Apprentice section.��
• If you are able, get certified in Wilderness First Aid or a Wilderness First Responder. See our Instructional Workshops page for more details.
• Talk with us about your intentions, as well! Talk to the trip leaders, and also email to Kate Ford at: kate_ford@uml.edu to talk over your best ways to be considered.

Can I work outdoors somewhere else for experience?

• A summer job at a wilderness program or other tripping program could really help you grow your skills and give you experience to be a successful OAP leader.��
• The UML Kayak Center is an extension of the Outdoor Adventure Program and a really great way to get real-world experience working in the outdoors for Campus Recreation while building outdoor leadership skills multiple times a week all summer! You will build your paddling skills as well as leadership skills. For more details, talk to Kate Ford by email: kate_ford@uml.edu.
• Occasionally, other companies share their summer opportunities with us and we will share them here as we are able:
  • - Be a Wilderness Canoe Guide in beautiful northern Minnesota and Canada! An absolutely fabulous summer leading wilderness canoe trips up to ten days long for teens and adults. Make friendships to last a lifetime, gain tons of skills! For more details, talk to Kate Ford or to the canoe base directly.
    
  • - Summer Camp Trip Leader jobs for Hiking the White Mountains, Rock Climbing at Rumney and Mountain Biking in New Hampshire. For more information, contact the camp directly.

What kinds of trips do each trip leader lead?

We host a variety of trips, and our most important goal is safety. We will always staff each trip in a manner that provides for safety ratios and appropriate knowledge and experience for the group. We try to schedule each leader for some trips that they are really excited about and will excel at, as well as some trips that will add to their knowledge base. Most trips have 2-3 leaders for 9 to 10 participants, occasionally as high as 20 participants.

What is the time commitment to be a trip leader?

Trip leaders attend a two-hour staff meeting usually 3 times each semester. They typically lead 3--5 trips per semester, and average 10-20 hours of work for each of the day trips they lead. Of this, about 2-4 hours is doing pre-trip preparations and clean-up. On weeks without trips, there may be no hours worked.

What does training look like?

We have staff training just before the beginning of each semester, usually for 4-5 days in the fall and 3 days in the spring, and typically involving one or more overnight (including winter when possible!). All staff will be provided First Aid and CPR/AED certification. Trip leaders are all expected to get certified in Wilderness First Aid within their first semester of working (partial scholarships available). We also require our trip leaders to get certified in Wilderness First Responder within their first year and a half, typically available at UML during Winter Break (partial scholarships available).

Are trip leaders paid?

Yes, trip leaders are paid to go on awesome adventures! It is a great job, and also one with a lot of responsibility. We consider OAP trips to be a very important part of the Campus Recreation Department, and we expect a lot from our leaders. Federal Work Study is not necessary to be hired, but is welcome.

We offer partial scholarships to be certified in Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Respond in exchange for helping to "host" the class for staff.��

Additionally, trip leaders have access to gear owned by the Outdoor Adventure Program, a discount for any Bike Shop and Outdoor Center purchases, as well as pro-deals for new gear.

What are the benefits of being a trip leader?

Besides being paid a normal wage, staff also:

• Participate in full staff training, including reduced cost Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder
• Gain leadership skills
• Learn new activities and skills
• Enjoy adventure
• Have fun
• Learn risk management skills and practice safety
• Gain applicable career-building skills for every career - including communication skills, working effectively with varieties of people, patience, teaching practice, maintaining a safe environment, as well as thinking ahead.

This is an unforgettable experience you will look back on and treasure for a lifetime!

Where do trips go?

We go to some GREAT locations! Just check out our trip calendar for the current semester's trip schedule. Some of our trips are in or near Lowell, like kayaking on the Merrimack River or cross country skiing at Great Brook Farm State Park. Most weekend day trips travel about an hour or two by van to a great location, often in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. During longer winter or spring breaks, our trips often go much farther afield, like kayaking in Florida or backpacking the Grand Canyon, Hawaii's Haleakala National Park, or the Appalachian Trail! Student trip leaders lead all of these trips. On bigger/longer trips, professional staff generally lead, as well.

How can I apply to be a trip leader?

Applications open in usually in the summer for a fall semester start, or in November/December for a spring semester start. However, you will have the best chance if you start the conversation well before you apply online, by talking to trip leaders during trips, being chosen to be an apprentice, and also emailing with Kate Ford, Assistant Director of Outdoor Programs, by email at: kate_ford@uml.edu.

apprenticeTell me more about being an apprentice.

Apprentices are elevated participants who we believe may make excellent trip leaders in the future. This is an opportunity for those individuals to be part of the program on the backside and get trained sufficiently to potentially be a trip leader. Apprentices do not shoulder any official responsibility, but instead, actively participate during staff training, staff meetings, and as a part of all of the planning and preparation for each trip, plus have opportunities to practice trip leading during a trip. An apprentice should have an educational focus during their apprentice semester on communication styles, group rapport, and risk management, among other goals. Apprentices are only able to participate as an apprentice if they are able to attend all of staff training and participate in at least 3 trips during the semester. Because apprentices are participants, they are not paid, but will participate in trips for free or a significantly reduced cost.��

Participants who could make good future apprentices and trip leaders are often noticed and recommended by trip leaders based on their actions and attitudes during each trip. If you are interested, please talk with your trip leaders about the possibility, and also reach out directly to Kate Ford by email at kate_ford@uml.edu to express interest. We are limited to 1-2 apprentices per semester at most, so communication well in advance is highly encouraged.��