By Lindsay Taylor
If
you are going stir crazy during the long, dreary winter months and
think there is nothing left to do except shovel snow, try visiting
the University of Akron’s very own OASIS -- room 140, Student
Recreation Center.
There
are plenty of places around Akron that are ideal for
outdoor fun all through the winter season. And thanks to OASIS,
winter fun can be affordable.
OASIS stands for Outdoor Adventure Services and Intramural Sports.
It's the place where UA students can rent camping equipment and
get help planning an outdoor trip.
According to John A. MacDonald III, manager of OASIS, most of the
university’s equipment is available year round. He says the
most commonly rented items are tents, sleeping bags, backpacks and
kayaks. In addition to the regular equipment, there are snowshoes
and colder weather sleeping bags. Prices of the equipment vary depending
on length of rental time and equipment. For information on pricing,
click here.
Here are some suggestions for some winter fun.
Barkcamp
State Park in Belmont , for example, offers its campers year
round facilities and a lot winter-time fun activities such as sledding
and ice-skating.
If
you'd like to learn more about winter camping in any of the Ohio
state parks, click here.
If planning your own winter camping excursion is not your idea of
fun, let the experts at UA’s OASIS office do the work for
you. They offer a number of trips that vary in difficulty and experience
levels. There is sure to be one program that is right for everyone.
• February 18 spend a day hiking through Punderson State Park,
for a six-mile loop. No experience is necessary and all technical
equipment will be provided. Be prepared for cold weather.
• February 25-26 go on a 12-mile hike through Oil Creek State
Park in Pennsylvania. UA’s introduction to backpacking seminar
is required to participate. All technical equipment, transportation
and food will be provided.
• March 4 lace up your boots for a casual day hike through
Cuyahoga Valley Nation Park for a six-mile excursion. No experience
is necessary and all technical equipment will be provided.
Stop sitting around waiting for warmer weather to blow in. It will
eventually, but until then there is no excuse for feeling like there
is nothing to do. Strap on your snow boots and get hiking.
