New Student Trips

Every year we offer new students (both first-years and transfers) an opportunity to launch their Lewis & Clark collegiate career in a fun and adventurous way. There are two types of trips: Outdoor Adventures and On-Campus programs. The Pacific Northwest has a lot to offer and we love sharing what we are lucky enough to call our backyard! New Student Trips (NSTs) happen just before the college-wide New Student Orientation (NSO).

Click here to read about this year’s offerings!

New Student Trips are designed to help students transition to life at Lewis & Clark. Students have a great opportunity to form a core group of friends before they head into the fast-paced experience of moving into the residence halls and starting classes. First and foremost, we want participants to have FUN on these trips! We also incorporate programs designed to enhance decision making skills, inspire group communication, and spark discussions on issues facing college students. These trips seek to build community, increase an individual’s confidence, and give participants an appreciation for people with diverse backgrounds. Time has shown that these trips truly enrich students’ Lewis & Clark experience starting from day one! Plus, the usual excitement and uncertainty associated with arriving at a new place is much easier to manage after spending some time with a group of new students who may become your best friends!

College Outdoors is committed to promoting equity, inclusion, and accessibility in outdoor recreation. Our goal is to remove barriers and have all students feel welcome, valued, supported, and seen in the outdoors. We value time outdoors, as it has been shown to be relaxing, empowering, build community, and improve mental health and well-being.

If you have any questions about accessibility or accommodations on trips, please call us at 503-768-7116. We love to talk about the trips, and we’re happy to talk through what is involved in each trip and which option would be best for you. You can also read the detailed trip descriptions available on each trip’s page.

We’re excited to offer a Pride OUTside NST, exclusively students who identify as gender non-conforming, transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, intersex, and gender diverse. Join us!

Scholarships for New Student Trips are available to members of underrepresented groups, apply here.

Every trip we offer is suitable for people with no background with the activities, whether that is artistic expression or outdoor adventure. We provide all the outdoor equipment and clothing, for free, if you don’t already own it. All of our trips are led by highly trained and experienced outdoor leaders, who are current and former LC students.

Check out our trip list for a better idea of what to expect on each trip. Our backpacking trips are the most physically demanding, and while no prior experience is needed, backpacking necessitates good physical fitness.

Trip costs vary based on the length of the trip and the type of activities. The listed price reflects the full cost of the trip before financial aid. If you submitted a FAFSA, the cost to you will be calculated on a need-based sliding scale. Simply check the box regarding financial aid when you fill out the New Student Trip Reservation Form.

Additional scholarships are available to members of underrepresented groups, apply here.

Your financial award will be included in the email with your trip placement, and a link to pay online. Once you receive your trip placement and financial aid award, you are, of course, welcome to decline.

1. Check out our 2023 Trip Descriptions

2. Complete the Online Registration:

   Registration will open Wednesday May, 3rd, 2023 at 3pm Oregon time. Registration and placements are first-come, first served.  Some trips fill quickly, so you will be asked to list at least 3 choices that you are interested in attending. Registration remains open until all trips are filled. No matter which trip you attend, you’ll have a great time and make new friends!

3. Fill out the online Health and Diet Questionnaire

   Please note: your registration is not considered complete until you have filled out a health and diet questionnaire. For this reason, the questionnaire is due within 24 hours of submitting your trip reservation to hold your place.
4. You will receive an email with your trip placement and a link to pay within 2 weeks after submitting your application. If you indicate on your trip registration that you would like financial aid, and your FAFSA qualifies you for need-based financial aid, your trip cost will be reduced proportionally to the amount of financial aid you qualify for. Additional trip scholarships are available for members of underrepresented groups, you can apply here. Once you are offered a trip placement, you can always decline the offer if something has come up on your schedule.

May 3rd (Tuesday): Registration opens at 9 AM Pacific Time
Registration for New Student Trips (NSTs) opens online at 9:00am (PT) on Tuesday, May 3rd. All registrations received within the first week will be given equal weight for trip-preference based on a lottery system. We cannot guarantee your first choice trip, but completing the Online Registration and Health & Diet Questionnaire by 11:59pm Pacific time on Monday, May 9th will give you the best chance of being placed on one of your top choices.

After 11:59pm on May 9th, registration is rolling and trip placements will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. No matter which trip you go on, you’ll make great friends and learn a lot about the Pacific Northwest!

We will send you an email confirming that we have received your registration within 1-2 business days. Payment is not due at the time of registration — payment info will be provided when you receive your trip placement.

May 9th (Monday): Lottery system for trip placement closes at 11:59pm (midnight).
After this date, trip placements are first-come, first served based on remaining availability. Registrations will be accepted throughout the summer until all trip spaces are filled.

Within 2 weeks of receiving your application: Trip placement assignments go out

Within two weeks of registering for a New Student Trip, we will send you an email about your trip placement and financial aid award.

We do not require payment until after you have been placed on a trip and know your financial aid situation. After this point, please refer to your individual trip pages for specific trip information.

June 15th (Wednesday): Trip Balance Due
Unless you are waiting to be notified about your trip placement and financial aid award, the balance of your trip is due by 5pm on Wednesday, June 15th. For later registrations, your due date will be sent with your trip assignment. Online payments can be submitted using the link that will be provided to you in your pre-trip email. Payments are also accepted by mail.

June 15th is also the last day to cancel without financial penalty (see below).

June 29th (Wednesday): Proof of Vaccination due
Vaccination against Covid-19, including a booster dose, is required for participation in a New Student Trip. Learn more about NST Covid-19 vaccine requirements here.

June 29th (Wednesday): Required Forms Due
Your individual New Student Trip page will have links to the three forms that are required by this date. Those forms are 1) the equipment you would like to borrow, 2) your travel information, and 3) the release of liability. There is no additional charge for any equipment you would like to borrow for your New Student Trip. If you do not have travel plans finalized prior to June 29th due to extenuating circumstances, please contact us; we can extend the deadline.

Aug. 16th - 19th (Tuesday - Friday): Trips begin
Trips begin on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday, Aug. 16th, 17th, and 19th, 2022. Visit the individual New Student Trip page to see the start date for each trip, and visit the Pre & Post Trip Logistics page for more info about arriving for your trip.

Aug. 23rd (Tuesday): Trips return to LC
All trips return to campus on Tuesday, August 23rd and student will be able to move into their residence hall (early) that day. New Student Orientation begins on Wednesday, Aug. 24th. Visit the Pre & Post Trip Logistics page for more info about returning from your trip.

If your New Student Trip is cancelled by us: we will provide the earliest possible notice and give you a choice of a full refund or an alternate trip (if alternate trips are available).

If you cancel a reservation, the following schedule applies:

On or before June 15th: Full refund.

After June 15th: Up to $100 of the trip fee is non-refundable, and the remaining fee is only refundable if we are able to fill your spot off the waitlist. Exceptions are made for documented emergencies, illness (including a positive Covid-19 test), or other extenuating circumstances which may be evaluated individually.

College Outdoors offers a plethora of activities all year round, from day hikes on on-campus clinics, to rafting, backpacking, and cross-country skiing. We also offer a very popular Wilderness First Responder course.

If you can’t make it on one of the New Student Trips, there are other opportunities to get outdoors, including longer trips over Fall Break and Spring Break. Look for more information for our fall trips schedule once you get to campus, on this website in late August, or come by our office in Templeton and say hello!