May Trips

Get ready to wrap up your first year of college with an Adventure!

Update 3/25/21: Trips are currently full, and and registration is closed. If you are on the waitlist for a trip, by mid-April if any spots become available. 

What are May Trips?

May Trips are a FUN, relaxing, and celebratory way to finish your first year of college!

They are similar to our New Student Trips (NSTs) in that they are longer trips filled with adventure, new experiences, people you might not have had the chance to meet yet, and an opportunity to explore the PNW. One difference is that now you don’t have to worry about starting school afterwards, and instead you kick off SUMMER vacation in a fun way! Trip options (below) include camping, yurt trips, backpacking, rafting, and kayaking. College Outdoors provides all the leadership, gear, food, and planning for the trips, so all you have to do is show up and bring some excitement. All trips are designed for beginners, so no experience necessary!

Follow us for sneak peeks and trip insights!

 

Why go on a May Trip?

Multi-day trips are really rewarding, and offer a unique opportunity to deepen current friendships and make new friends too. We are lucky enough to call the Pacific Northwest our backyard, and we love sharing our favorite outdoor places!

Covid-19 has made this an especially difficult year to start college. May Trips are an exciting chance to do something really fun and celebrate your accomplishments after a year of such hard work!

 

What about Covid-19?

We expect that we will still be managing the Covid-19 situation in May, so we are planning these trips to follow Oregon’s guidelines for Phase 1 of reopening. We’ll provide detailed plans, protocols, and expectations closer to the trip start date. Click here to learn more.

The good news is that the outdoors is less risky for Covid-19 transmission, and on these trips we’ll be able to have fun and build community in the fresh outdoor air!

If the situation with Covid-19 at LC or in Oregon is deemed unacceptably risky at the time of the trips, we may need to cancel. We would do this with as much notice as possible, but please be aware that if the the situation changes rapidly we may need to cancel trips with very little notice. It is also possible that some individual trips may be canceled due to location restrictions, particularly those that use facilities such as cabins or yurts. If this happens, we’ll offer you a full refund or do our best to place you on another trip (whichever you prefer).

 

Who can go on May Trips?

May Trips are exclusively for students who started at LC during the 2020-2021 academic year. Since we were not able to offer in-person New Student Trips (NSTs) in August 2020, these trips are a unique chance for you to participate in a longer College Outdoors trip with your peers!

As part of Covid-19 mitigation, these trips are only open to students who are taking classes on campus in person during Spring Term 2021, and are therefore already part of the “LC bubble”. 

 

Can I go with my friends?

Yes! In fact, we highly encourage you to sign up along with your “pod” so that you have some people on the trip from whom you are not required to physically distance. You can share a tent or cabin with your “pod.” If you’re “pod” changes or you need to make changes to what you listed in your registration form, please email us as soon as possible.

 

What is the Cost?

Thanks to ASLC, scholarships are applied on a need-based sliding scale. Trip cost will range from $50 to $395, depending on the trip you choose and your level of financial need as demonstrated on your FAFSA.

Trip fee includes all gear, transportation, food, and everything else needed for the trip. College Outdoors will provide all the gear you may need to borrow, such as a sleeping bag or hiking boots, at no additional cost. See your individual trip page for your packing list.

 

How do I pay? What if I need to cancel? 

You will receive a link to pay with your trip placement email. Since financial aid is awarded on a need-based sliding scale, you will not need to pay at the time of registration. Payments are due by April 1, 2021.

If you test positive for Covid-19, exhibit Covid-19 symptoms, or have to isolate due to your exposure to someone with Covid-19, you will not be able to attend the trip and you will be issued a full refund.

Cancellation up until April 1 does not carry a penalty, and the entire trip fee is refundable. If you know you cannot attend, please cancel your reservation as early as possible, so others on the waitlist may join. There is an administrative cancellation fee of $100 after April 1st, unless you provide information on extenuating circumstances.

 

When do Trips Start & End?

All trips will begin on Saturday, May 8th, and end on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. Read more details about residence hall move-out procedures and information about where you can store your belongings during your May Trip here.

On the last day of your trip, you will return to campus in the morning and be required to collect your belongings and depart from LC on that same day. No housing is available on campus after the end of your trip. 

If you are flying, plan a flight that departs after 2pm on Wednesday, May 12th. Airport shuttles will be provided. Please keep your travel plans flexible until at least April, when we hope to have a better idea of whether the Covid-19 situation will allow these trips to run.

 

How do I Sign Up?

Registration opens online (on this page) on December 1st, 2020. All registrations received Tuesday, Dec. 1st - Monday, Dec. 7th will be given equal priority for trip placement preference. After Monday, Dec. 7th, registrations are still welcome and encouraged, but trip placement will be first-come first-served based on remaining availability.

NOTE: payment is not due at the time of registration. Signing up early gives you the best chance of being placed on one of your top choice trips, but there is no financial commitment until payments are due on April 1st, 2021.

 

Interested in Leading a May Trip?

May Trips are student led, primarily by sophomores and juniors. Graduating seniors are also welcome, but keep in mind that May Trips are concurrent with Graduation day. Learn more and apply here.