Campus Recreation

OP Mission Statement
To support the mission, values, and goals of Metropolitan State University of Denver by providing high quality and innovative co-curricular adventure-based experiences that foster personal, academic and professional success.

Diversity Statement
The staff of Outdoor Pursuits encourages an inclusive, open and welcoming atmosphere by designing and offering challenging programs for all skill levels. We endeavor to maintain a program that includes and welcomes people of all races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, learning styles, economic levels, ages, regions of origin and physical abilities.

We recognize that all participants bring a level of experience, skill and ability. We will not make assumptions about others’ ability, interest or experience in the outdoors.

This statement is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Outdoor Adventure staff.

Avalanche Info
If you like to snowshoe or backcountry ski, you might consider getting involved in our hands-on avalanche safety class. We will meet over two days to cover the “Four Factors” of human interaction in avalanche terrain. Topics include terrain, weather, snowpack and people.

RTD Ride and Hike @ This is part of our CityScape set of activities and helps connect students to RTD buses and trains that service outdoor adventure locations.

Day Hikes
We include easy walks to strenuous hikes. Experiences include can cultural sites, wildflower and photo hikes and more.

Local Ice Climbing
Denver is the only major city in the contiguous US that offers ice climbing within a 20-minute drive. So, why not take up ice climbing? It’s a great winter sport and we can get you started at a very affordable student price.

Mountaineering
The Outdoor Adventure mountaineering programs provide a progression that address’s the combination of activities commonly referred to as mountaineering. We suggest that mountaineering is not a stand alone set of techniques in the same sense that rock climbing is. Rather, it describes the mindset of participants and the environment where the activity takes place. Mountaineering is “big feature” oriented, typically summit but also significant mountain features such as arêtes, pinnacles or gendarmes.

A mountaineering progression provides a person with a basic skill set that supports further participation in increasingly technically advanced skills. No particular skill set is more important than another – all are important to the mountaineer.

The philosophy behind the design is that participants have the opportunity to learn the skills listed within each activity (i.e. learning outcomes are the priority). Activities are not particularly strenuous, they are not more physically demanding than is necessary for learning and practicing the skills. Consequently, climbing a mountain or “summiting” something is not generally included in the outcomes.

Read more about OP and Mountaineering

Ouray Ice Climbing

One of our premier challenges and a great learning opportunity, the annual outing to the Ouray Ice Park is the perfect opportunity to get started with this incredible sport. If you already climb, come along to hone your ice skills. Experienced staff provide expert safety and instruction. Just about everything is included in the price - lodging, transportation, gear, warm clothes, and instruction.

Thanks for your interest in OP - hope to see you out there!

The Campus Recreation indoor climbing wall provides MSU Denver students, faculty and staff with a place to gather, meet other climbers, boulder or top rope and learn to rock climb.

The Climbing Wall is temporarily closed
for Covid 19 safety concerns

Beginner to expert, bouldering or roped climbing, all are welcomed and encouraged to drop in and meet the OP staff and other climbers.

Instruction is available if you want to learn how to belay. Advanced instruction in anchor building, rappelling, canyoneering, climbing harder and rope access techniques is also available upon request.

No need to sign up. Just drop in, have fun and meet people!

Times a days for fall 2020 - TBA

A modest wall, 22 feet high and 40 feet wide, provides approximately 900 square feet of climbing space

Outdoor Pursuits Group Size Policies and Leader Ratios

Group size will be dependent upon social distancing requirements

Transportation - Campus Recreation has two vans that seat seven, including the driver. That allows for a total of 14  individuals (one driver and six passengers) to travel within the state vehicles issued to Campus Recreation.

On-campus teambuilding events, games and picnic events – we have no group-size limits in place for these kind of events. We have not encountered issues with Auraria regarding group-size limitations and have conducted groups as large as 180 participants.

Hiking and biking – we limit participant counts to 10 on hikes and mountain biking day-trips. We maintain two-deep leadership for most hikes and OP activities – two leaders with each group. We exercise some discretion based on terrain, leader experience, group type and other factors.

Rock and ice climbing (outside) – our maximum participant group size for technical rock and ice climbing is five participants. We maintain a ratio of two leaders/instructors for each group of up to five participants. We exercise discretion to allow for up to two additional participants from the OP or Campus Recreation staff.

Technical rope access canyoneering – we limit group size to 10 participants and at least two leaders/instructors (i.e. OP staff members with specific leadership or support roles).

Group-size for activities requiring shuttles – if our vans are the only vehicles available or approved for serving as shuttle vehicles, the group size is limited to five participants and two leaders, in most cases. In certain cases, more participants can be accommodated with additional shuttle trips. Personal vehicles can be approved to provide shuttle service (per Associate Director). In these cases, please refer to our regular group-size limits and ratios.

Climbing wall activities – group size and ratios can vary widely and are based on our experience, staff skills, planned outcomes among other factors.

NOTE - All group size considerations include elements of discretion and are sometime situational. The OP staff will include safety, environmental impact, outcomes and quality of participation, among other factors when designing events.

2020 through 2021 CityScape programs are dependent upon social distancing and University policy regarding safety and Covid 19

Adventure Leadership Programs (ALP)
Teambuilding and leadership opportunities for the students of MSU Denver

We are working on new and innovative ways to deliver vital leadership development and
teambuilding to the students of MSU Denver.
Please share your thoughts, ideas and resources via email or our Facebook!

Activities include ice breakers, teambuilding activities, hiking, group facilitation activities, travel and learning. ALP includes a blend of activities that are tailored to meet group and individuals teambuilding and leadership needs.

Contact us for more info or to create a program for your group.

Check out our slideshow and sample list of activities:
ALP Online

ALP Teambuilding Seminars and Certification
The Adventure Leadership Program (ALP) Seminar and Certification combines online content and a four to five hour face to face experience. It is designed to introduce members of the Auraria community to teambuilding ideas, practices and techniques.

The ALP Certification provides members of the Auraria community with opportunities to learn about teambuilding and to acquire the skills they need to facilitate their own groups. ALP is intended to enrich the community by sharing practices that help bring individuals together to form productive groups.

MSU Denver students benefit through skills and knowledge acquisition, public speaking opportunities and listing the certification on their resumes.

ALP workshops are available and can be customized especially for alumni.

Outdoor Leadership & Teambuilding
Small Group Facilitation

ALP Trainings for Auraria Departments and Programs
What's my Leadership Style?
FISH Philosophy/Culture

Call (303)615-1499, email or visit us at PE 002 to learn more.

Stay home - stay safe, for now.

The OP Adventures program provides great opportunities for MSU Denver students to try new things, learn new skills and get started with outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing and canoeing. OP Adventures provide a “hard skills” approach to learning in the outdoors – that means we focus on how to do it, specifically the skills needed to become an independent outdoors person. There’s no better way to get started with a lifetime of joy in the outdoors.

OA offers instruction in a wide variety of human-powered outdoor adventure activities including:

Rock and ice climbing

Hiking

Snowshoeing

Bike tune clinics

Avalanche safety

Canyoneering and more!

Outdoor Pursuits Center Rental Shop

The OPC Shop and rental services are paused for Covid 19 safety concerns.

Welcome to the Outdoor Pursuits Center Rental Shop

Serving MSU Denver students, faculty, staff, alumni and Campus Recreation members.

OP Rental Price List (download PDF)

The Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) rental shop is the place where student staff work to plan and prepare for the stuff we do outside - canyoneering, rock and ice climbing, snowshoeing, hiking, etc. It also provides students with a place to meet one another and share their interests in the outdoors.

The OAC rental shop is student fee supported, staffed by students, and serves the Auraria Campus community with affordable rentals of high quality outdoor gear.

Please visit the OAC located in the PE/Event Center, Room 002
or call 303-615-1499 for more information!