CAMPUS IN THE ROUGH

Somewhere on Linden Street, hidden from the bustle of urban civilization, is the home of some of Harvard's most ambitious outdoor adventurers. From the inside, it looks almost like a cabin from days past. Wood-paneled walls are lined with intricate trail maps and yellowing photographs of snow-covered mountain peaks. In one corner, on top of a makeshift shelf, lie skis and snowshoes (both new and well-worn models) and next to these several backpacks, all of which bear the marks of excessive use. An overturned canoe occupies another corner, jutting out conspicuously into the center of the room.

One would think the room belongs to a bunch of hard-core, gung-ho explorers. And at one point it did. But these days, the members of the Harvard Outing Club have changed focus.

"We aren't as ambitious anymore," explains Alex S. Myers `00, one of the club's co-presidents. "Our emphasis now is getting more people outdoors and having fun."

The Outing Club is one of the Harvard's oldest organizations, dating back to the 1920s. In the club's early years, club members were primarily concerned with mapping unfamiliar territories, of which their were still many in the New England area. By the `70s and `80s, it was not unknown for club members to travel around the globe. In fact, a few even hiked up some of the world's tallest mountains, including Mount McKinley. Today, however, the club has toned down its transcontinental trekking.

"We do a lot more local, short-term trips now," Myers says. "The main reason is that students here all have such busy schedules. Even just one or two days is a lot to ask."

Outing Club Office Hours

It's Monday night, and the club is wading through its weekly meeting. Though discussion is loosely based on an overnight hike set for two weeks from now, the topic of conversation constantly changes from future plans to more light-hearted banter.

"We're kind of informal here," says Maggie L. Schmitt '99, the club's other co-president, almost apologetically. "Our meetings are pretty laid-back."

Just then the makeshift table in the middle of the room collapses.

Once the laughter stops, members attempt to fit the table back together. After a few minutes they succeed, but the table appears wobbly and slightly tilted.

"This can't be right," says Phillip Johnson "01. He is met with more laughter.

Perhaps it is the casual spontaneity of this group that has attracted members recently. The group claims an e-mail list of about 100, and Myers says about 30 to 40 people have participated in trips or borrowed equipment from the club office. Among these are both seasoned outdoors types and greenhorns unafraid of braving the wilderness.

"The meetings are relaxed," says June Beack '01, a fledgling club member who is relatively inexperienced in outdoor hiking. "It's a good atmosphere for beginners."

A Trip is Still A Trip...

Officially recognized by the College, the club is nevertheless limited to a strictly social function. For insurance reasons, activities that outing club members participate in are not "official Outing Club trips" but "individual outings."

"We make it clear that everyone is responsible for themselves," Myers says. "For example, when we drive places, we make it clear that it is the individual and not the Outing Club that is responsible."

But the group is clearly treading a fineline. Insurance limits who is able to drive the group, yet the guidelines remain fuzzy. But there have been no safety problems in the past, and the admittedly laid-back club members frequently joke about their insurance-induced status as a covert outing club.

"Our purpose is to distribute gear and ideas about the outdoors," explains Myers, in a slightly sarcastic voice. "We don't really go on trips."

But we do go on trips," interrupts Schmitt.

"No, we don't," Myers responds.

"We organize trips," offers Kristin A. Bevington '01, the club's vice president. Other express agreement.

"Fine," concedes Myers. "We talk about trips."

Often, such talk does eventually lead somewhere--to hills, rivers and other open spaces without brick walls or paved paths. Though the club no longer enjoys the same popularity that it did in the '80s, it still plans about two outings a month.

"It was definitely a much bigger presence on campus 10 years ago," says Brian A. Shillinglaw '01, the club's equipment manager. "But we're slowly rebuilding the club, which is exciting."

"We've been becoming more active in recent years," says Schmitt of the club's recent expansion. "I think part of it is an increased enthusiasm for the outdoors in general."

The club's most popular outing is its intersession trip to New Hampshire. There, members stay in a club-owned cabin, which is maintained during the year by the Appalachian Mountain Club.

This year, about 40 people attended the trip.

"We had a great time," Myers says. "You basically had the freedom to do what you wanted. Some people went hiking, some went ice climbing, some learned how to cross country ski. At night we sang songs and played board games."

Most members of the club will agree that it's this freedom that makes the club so unique.

"The atmosphere is very welcoming and outgoing," Shillington says. "We're not very technically or skill-oriented. Everyone's there to have fun."

Part of this philosophy is encouraging students to feel at ease with nature and trying new activities.

"A friend once told me, `If you're having fun outdoors, you're doing something wrong.' This is kind of the antithesis of what we're about," explains Myers. "If you don't want to hike, don't hike. The main point is to have a good time."

Gearing Up

Outing Club members stress that the purpose of the club is to get students out of their dorms and into the wilderness. To help facilitate this, the organization boasts a huge collection of outdoor gear that members can borrow freely. Dues are only $10 a year and membership comes with unlimited access to astockpile of gear, including everything fromcanoes and kayaks to backpacks and skis.

"You shouldn't have to go to EMS and buy gearevery time you want to go hiking," says Schmitt,referring to Eastern Mountain Sports, an outdoorequipment retailer. "I really like the idea thatoutdoor stuff should be free."

"People tend to see the outdoors as veryexpensive," Myers says. "We like to be able totell them `Don't worry--we'll cover you.'"

Not only does the club lend students itsequipment for free, it also uses club funds to payfor the gas and food its various trips require.For funding, the club relies on membership dues aswell as a number of grants from the UndergraduateCouncil and a College endowment dedicated tooutdoor activities.

Outing Club is not the only organization oncampus that gets students into the woods, however.Other programs include the Mountaineering Club andFOP.

But while other schools that have integratedoutdoor excursions into their curriculums, outdoorgroups at Harvard are limited to anextracurricular role.

"I wish Harvard would consider getting a moreconsolidated, institutional outdoor program," saysBeth Bellman, the Director of FOP. "One thatrecognizes the values of teamwork and leadership."

However, Schmitt points out thatloosely-organized groups are also valuable. "Iwould love to see an institutional program, butthere is also a need for casual, informal trips."

The Great Outdoors

As the meeting winds to an end, members slowlygather their belongings and prepare to leave. Afew stick around, chatting about the upcomingmoonlight hike along the New Hampshire shoreline.Theplan is to leave Friday night at 11 p.m. and,hopefully, to finish before sunrise.

To most students, the idea sounds crazy. Maybeit's all that fresh air, but for some reasonOuting Club members see things a littledifferently.

"When it's seven in the morning and you're on alake watching the mist rise, you get a sense ofperspective," Myers says. "It breaks up the rhythmof daily life and clears up the mind. It's a greatescape."

And in some ways, an even greater escape thanscaling Mount McKinley

"You shouldn't have to go to EMS and buy gearevery time you want to go hiking," says Schmitt,referring to Eastern Mountain Sports, an outdoorequipment retailer. "I really like the idea thatoutdoor stuff should be free."

"People tend to see the outdoors as veryexpensive," Myers says. "We like to be able totell them `Don't worry--we'll cover you.'"

Not only does the club lend students itsequipment for free, it also uses club funds to payfor the gas and food its various trips require.For funding, the club relies on membership dues aswell as a number of grants from the UndergraduateCouncil and a College endowment dedicated tooutdoor activities.

Outing Club is not the only organization oncampus that gets students into the woods, however.Other programs include the Mountaineering Club andFOP.

But while other schools that have integratedoutdoor excursions into their curriculums, outdoorgroups at Harvard are limited to anextracurricular role.

"I wish Harvard would consider getting a moreconsolidated, institutional outdoor program," saysBeth Bellman, the Director of FOP. "One thatrecognizes the values of teamwork and leadership."

However, Schmitt points out thatloosely-organized groups are also valuable. "Iwould love to see an institutional program, butthere is also a need for casual, informal trips."

The Great Outdoors

As the meeting winds to an end, members slowlygather their belongings and prepare to leave. Afew stick around, chatting about the upcomingmoonlight hike along the New Hampshire shoreline.Theplan is to leave Friday night at 11 p.m. and,hopefully, to finish before sunrise.

To most students, the idea sounds crazy. Maybeit's all that fresh air, but for some reasonOuting Club members see things a littledifferently.

"When it's seven in the morning and you're on alake watching the mist rise, you get a sense ofperspective," Myers says. "It breaks up the rhythmof daily life and clears up the mind. It's a greatescape."

And in some ways, an even greater escape thanscaling Mount McKinley