Academic Classes

Spring 2026 Classes

 

Earn credits with Outdoor Adventures!

Outdoor Adventures offers academic and recreational courses year-round. These courses are a great way to develop your skills and expand your resume. The RECR and NRM classes allow you to learn a new sport, travel into Alaska's backcountry, and gain the experience and confidence to do these sports on your own or with friends in the future.

2 Credits

Instructor: Frank Olive

Location: Chapman 206

Field Fee: $325

Dates : Classroom T/R 2-3:30pm 1/20-4/14, 2026
Field Sessions: 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 3/1, 3/22, 3/28-29, 4/4-5, 4/11-12

This course will introduce students to the art of mountaineering.  Students will be introduced to many of the foundational skills of mountain travel in Alaska.  This includes glacier safety, avalanche awareness, roped travel, skiing, winter camping, navigation, and risk management in a mountain environment. 

There are two prerequisites for this course.  Students should be able to make turns down a blue square DH ski run, and students must be available to attend all the classes and field sessions.  In addition, enrollees must be in adequate physical condition and willing to go out winter camping for two weekends.  This will involve carrying a 30-40lb backpack. Students in this course must also be prepared to use skis to explore the backcountry. Students must also have the appropriate clothing to spend full days outside in winter weather.

1 Credit

Instructor: Christian Mogensen

Location: SRC Climbing Wall

Lab Fee: $45

Dates: Tues and Thurs 2-3:30pm

This course is designed for new climbers to progress through the basics to become a fully proficient single-pitch climber. Learn how to top rope climb and belay; lead climb and belay, build a variety of two-point anchors, take down anchors at the end of the day, rappel, lots of knots and hitches, climbing technique, and lots of gear info and history!

There are no prerequisites for this course. We will start from the beginning and work from there. This course is also great for those who want to maintain their skillset. All necessary climbing gear is provided in the course if needed. 
Climbing is a strenuous activity at height, so being comfortable in this environment is helpful, but not required.

An Honors section is available as well

1 Credit

Instructor: Christian Mogensen

Location: SRC Climbing Wall

Lab Fee: $45

Dates: Tues and Thurs 11:30-1:00pm.  8/26-12/11

This course builds on the skills learned in the Beginning Rock Climbing class. Take your skillset to the next level with multi-pitch climbing; 3+ point anchors; trad technique and gear; natural and gear anchors; various rescue skills and dealing with emergency situations; haul systems; rope ascending; improvised rappel techniques; pre-rigging, tandem and simul rappelling, critical thinking and gaining a better overall understanding of gear strength and forces.

Pre-req: Beginning Rock Climbing class or similar skillset.

An Honors section is available as well

Instructor approval is required. Contact Christian Mogensen at cgmogensen@alaska.edu or 907-474-6027 (Outdoor Adventures Office).

 

1 Credits

Instructor: Christian Mogensen

Location: SRC 105

Field Fee:$100

Classroom: Wed 2-4pm.  1/12-3/7

Field Sessions: 1/24, 1/31, 2/14, 2/21

This course covers all of the basic skills to become an ice climber.  Students will learn ice climbing movement techniques.  They will learn about ice anchors and how to set up a toprope anchor, as well as rappelling, will be covered in the course as well.

A significant portion of the course will be spent in the field; thus, students must be in good physical condition and prepared physically to hike on rough terrain and climb on ice. Technical gear is available for free through the Outdoor Adventures office; however, the student must provide personal clothing.

 

1 Credits

Instructor: Sam Stone

Location: Grue 308

Classroom: Thurs 5:30-7pm 2/5, 2/26, 3/26, 4/9, 4/23

Field Sessions: 2/7, 2/28, 3/28-29, 4/11, 4/25

This class focuses on providing students with an introduction to the wide variety of recreational experiences available to people in Interior Alaska during the fall semester.  This course is not designed to give thorough training in each activity presented. Throughout this course, students will participate in the following outdoor activities: canoeing, overnight backpacking, cross-country skiing, winter fatbiking, and ice climbing. A classroom session will be held the week before each trip to learn about safety, planning, gear, and logistics for each upcoming trip.


A significant portion of the course will be spent in the field; thus, students must be in good physical condition and prepared physically to hike on rough terrain, paddle on a river, and climb on ice. Technical gear is available for free through the Outdoor Adventures office; however, the student must provide personal clothing.