Outdoor Action Guide to
Wilderness Orientation Programs

by Rick Curtis

The Outdoor Action Program at Princeton University has been offering a Wilderness Orientation program for incoming students since 1974. Each year 52% of the class participates in a 6-day wilderness trip. In 2001, 613 students and 163 student leaders participated in 68 different trips in 7 states making the OA Frosh Trip the largest college wilderness orientation program based on participant-days.

This page is designed to serve as a resource for other schools and colleges offering similar programs. The files referenced on this page which are located at Princeton University are provided by the Outdoor Action Program at Princeton University. It is designed as a service for other outdoor programs. We hope you find the material helpful for your program. You are free to use any of the materials, however, if included in publications, written or electronic, attributions should be made to the author, Rick Curtis. Thank you. Commercial use of this material is prohibited without express written permission from the author. All materials except where indicated Copyright © 2001, Rick Curtis, Outdoor Action Program, Princeton University.

Navigation

• Wilderness Orientation Program Information
• Leader Training Information
• Safety and Liability Information
• Equipment
• Other Files of Interest
• Bibliography
• Discussion Lists

Wilderness Orientation Program Information

• OA Guide to Wilderness Orientation Programs for the New Millennium - a workshop presented at the 27th Association for Experiential Education Conference
• OA Guide to Running a Wilderness Orientation Program
• Database Files for outdoor programs
• Spreadsheet Files for outdoor programs

Leader Training Information

• OA Guide to Training College Wilderness Leaders for the New Millennium - a workshop presented at the 27th Association for Experiential Education Conference
• OA Guide to Training College Wilderness Leaders
• Training College Wilderness Leaders appendix files - in RTF format TRAINLD2.RTF (161K) or Zipped copy of both TRAINLD files - TRAINLD.ZIP (50K)
• The Backpacker's Field Manual - the OA Leader's Manual
• Outdoor Action Leadership Training Course - Chapter 2 from the OA Leader's Manual
• Outdoor Action Leadership Development Materials - Chapter 9 from the OA Leader's Manual

Safety and Liability Information

• OA Guide to Outdoor Safety Management - an article about how to prevent accidents in the wilderness - Adobe Acrobat version (30K)
• Outdoor Action Guide to Developing a Safety Management Program for an Outdoor Organization - an article about developing an overall safety management program - Adobe Acrobat version (37K)
• OA Guide to Planning a Safe River Trip - an article about how to run a safe river trip that applies the Dynamics of Accidents Model to paddling situations - Adobe Acrobat version (33K)
• OA Guide to Hypothermia & Cold Injuries - Adobe Acrobat version (55K)
• Wilderness Safety & Emergency Care Home Page
• Outdoor Action First Aid & Safety & Information

Equipment

• Frosh Trip Personal Equipment List
• OA Equipment Lists

Other Files of Interest

• See the Outdoor Action Files Page for other files about how to operate an outdoor program.
• Wilderness New Student Orientation Programs: American Colleges and Universities, Jennifer Davis-Berman & Dene Berman, University of Dayton, September, 1995 - a listing and brief description of programs across the United States.

References

• Booth-Butterfield, S., McCroskey, J. C. & Payne, S. K. (1989). The impact of communication apprehensions on college student retention and success. Communication Quarterly, 37, 100-107.
• Cuseo, J. (1997). Freshman orientation seminar at community colleges: A research-based rationale for its value, content, and delivery (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 411 005)
• Davis-Berman, J. & Berman, D. (1996). Using the wilderness to facilitate adjustment to college: An updated description of wilderness orientation programs. The Journal of Experiential Education, 19, 22-28.
• Dunphy, L., Miller, T., Nelson, J., & Woodruff, T. (1987). Exemplary retention strategies for the freshman year. In McGinty Stodt, M. & Klepper, W. (Eds.), Increasing retention: Academic and student affairs (pp. 39-60). San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.
• Duran, R. L., Hawken, L. & Kelley, L. (1991). The relationship of interpersonal communication variables to academic success and persistence in college. Communication Quarterly, 39, 297-308.
• Gachette, Y. (1998, November). Institutional data: A prescription for retention. In, Student Personnel Administration Professional Conference. Conference conducted by Buffalo State College Student Personnel Program, Buffalo, New York.
• Gass, M. (1987). The effects of a wilderness orientation program on college students. The Journal of Experiential Education, 10, 30-33.
• Gass, M. (1990). The longitudinal effects of an adventure orientation program on the retention of students. Journal of College Student Development 31, 33-38.
• Geraghty, M. (1996, July 19). Data show more students quitting college before sophomore year. The Chronicle of Higher Education, A35.
• Adventure Education, Miles & Priest, Adventure Programs in Higher Education, pp. 385-401, 1990.
• The Outdoor Action Frosh Trip: Experimental Study of a Growth Experience, Rick Curtis, unpublished independent work, Princeton University, 1978.
• Astin, A.W. (1993). What matters in college? Four critical years
  revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Bauch, T.M. (1995)). Risk management practices of university based
  adventure programs. James Madison University. Harrisburg, VA.
• Bertolami, C. (1981). Effects of wilderness programs on self-esteem
  and locus of control orientation of young adults. Summary of thesis. (ERIC
  document reproduction service No. ED 266 928.
• Cross, P.K., (1997). The freshman year: working out the puzzle of a
  college education. Paper presented at the Annual Conference on the Freshman
  Year Experience, Columbia, SC.
• Collison, M. (1989). University of Puget Sound freshman orientation
  mixes outdoor fun with academic work and helps boost graduation rate.
  Chronicle for Higher Education. Sept. 13, p. 37-39.
• Curtis, R. (1992). Training college outdoor program leaders. In
  Celebrating our Future: Proceedings of the International Conference of the
  Association for Experiential Education, (pp. 99-106).
• Curtis, R. (1994). Running a frosh wilderness orientation program.
  In Experiential Education: A Critical Resource for the 21st Century.
  Proceedings Manual of the Annual International Conference of the Association
  for Experiential Education, (pp. 59-75).
• Curtis, R. (1994). Training college wilderness leaders. In
  Experiential Education: A Critical Resource for the 21st Century.
  Proceedings Manual of the Annual International Conference of the Association
  for Experiential Education, (pp. 250-260).
• Curtis, R. (1999). Princeton University Outdoor Action. Available:
  http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/wildorie.shtml.
• Cuseo, J.B. (1991). The freshman orientation seminar: a
  research-based rationale for its value, delivery, and content. Monograph for
  The Freshman Year Experience, (series No. 4).
• Davis-Berman, J. & Berman, D. (1996). Using the wilderness to
  facilitate adjustment to college: an updated description of wilderness
  orientation programs. Journal of Experiential Education, 19(1), 22-28.
• Davis-Berman, J. & Berman, D. (1995). Wilderness new student
  orientation programs: American Colleges and Universities (on-line).
  Available: http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/berman.html.
• Dillman, D.A. (1978). Mail and telephone surveys: the total design
  method. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
• Ewell, P. (1983). Information on student outcomes: how to get it and
  how to get it and how to use it. National Center For Higher Education
  Management Systems, Boulder, CO.
• Ewert, A.W. (1977). The effects of outdoor adventure
  activites upon self-concept. Unpublished masters thesis, Eastern Washington
  University, Cheney, Washington.
• Ford, P., & Blanchard, J. (1993). Leadership and Administration of
  Outdoor Pursuits (2nd ed.). Venture Publishing Co.
• Gardener, J.N. & Hansen, D.A. (1993). Perspectives on the future of
  orientation. In Upcraft, M.L., Mullendore, R.H., Barefoot, B.O., & Fidler,
  D.S. (Eds.), Designing successsful transitions: A guide for orienting
  students for college. (Monograph series no. 13). National Orientation
  Directors Association.
• Gass, M. A. (1990). The longitudinal effects of an adventure
  orientation program on the retention of students. Journal of College Student
  Development, 31, 33-38.
• Gass, M. A. (1987) The effects of a wilderness orientation program
  on college students. Journal of Experiential Education, 10(1), 30-33.
• Gass, M. A., Kerr, P. J. & Garvey, D. (1986). Student orientation in
  wilderness settings. In Kraft, R.J. & Sakofs, M. (Eds.), Experiential
  Education in schools, (p. 320-330). Boulder, CO: Association for
  Experiential Education.
• Gass, M. A. (1985). Programming the transfer of learning in adventure
  education. Journal of Experiential Education, 8(3), 18-24.
• Gass, M. (1983). The value of wilderness orientation programs at
  colleges and universities in the United States. (ERIC Document Reproduction
  Service No. ED 242-471).
• Gookin, J., Green, R. & Doran, M. (1998). NOLS Leadership Education
  Toolbox. Lander, WY: The National Outdoor Leadership School.
• Gray, T., & Patterson, J. (1994). Effective research into
  experiential education: A critical resource in its own right. In
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  for Experiential Education, (pp.138-141).
• Hendrick, B. (1996). Moving ahead: program review & evaluation as
  tools for growth. University of Calgary, Recreation Department.
• Kelly, C. (1996). An orientation curriculum for Terra Community
  College. (Report No. JC 960 677). Heidelberg College. (ERIC Document
  Reproduction Service No. ED 401 949).
• Kerr, P.J., & Gass, M. A. (1987). A group development model for
  adventure education. Journal of Experiential Education, 10(3), 39-46.
• Lee, W. (1997). Transitioning from high school to college: Surviving
  a clash of educational cultures. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the
  Association for the Study of Higher Education, Albuquerque, NM.
• McGowan, M.L. (1997). Thinking outside the box: the role of adventure
  in spiritual and ethical development. Journal of Experiential Education,
  10(3). 39-46.
• Klingman, B. (1991). The Call of the Wild: Investigating the
  relationship between adventure Education, character development, and the
  college curriculum. UMI dissertation information service. (University
  microfilm No. 3 2511 00004 9624).
• McNutt, R. (1990). Developing a college outing program. unpublished
  masters thesis, University of California at Chico.
• McNutt, R. (1992). Developing a college outing program. Proceedings
  of the 1991 International Conference on Outdoor Recreation. (October, 17-19,
  Moscow, ID): see RC 019 109.
• Metcalf, J.A. (1976). Adventure programming. Unpublished manuscript.
  Northern Illinois University.
• Miles, J.C. & Priest, S. (1990). Adventure Education. State College,
  PA: Venture Publishing Co.
• O’Keefe, M. (1989). Freshman wilderness orientation
  programs: Model programs across the country. In Life Beyond Walls:
  Proceedings of the 1988 National Conference on Outdoor Recreation,(pp.
  165-179).
• Potter, T. (1997). Human dimensions of expeditions: Deeply rooted,
  branching out. In Deeply Rooted, Branching Out, 1972-1997. Annual AEE
  International Conference Proceedings, (pp. 2-7).
• Porter, W. (1975). The development of the wilderness experience
  program. (ERIC Document Reproduction Servic No. 200 366), RC 021-603.
• Raiola, E. (1984). Outdoor adventure activities for new student
  orientation programs. (University microfilms no. 242-446).
• Robinson, L.F. (1989). The effect of freshman
  transition-to-college/orientation courses on student retention. College
  Student Journal, 23(3), 225-229.
• Stremba, B. (1989). Passages: Helping college students matriculate
  through outdoor adventure. In Life Beyond Walls: Proceedings of the 1988
  National Conference on Outdoor Recreation, (pp.199-208).
• Simmons, G.A. (1995). The role of academic departments in outdoor
  recreation programs, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California.
• Strogner, J. (1978(. The effects of a wilderness experience on self
  concept and academic performance, Doctoral Dissertation. Virginia Polytechnic
  State University.
• Tinto, V. (1996). Reconstructing the first year of college. Planning
  for Higher Education, 25, 1-6.
• Upcraft, M.L., Mullendore, R.H., Barefoot, B.O., & Fidler, D.S.
  (1993). Monograph of the National Resource Center for the Freshman Year
  Experience, 13.
• Wardwell, Brian The Effects of the Outdoor Action Frosh Trip on Freshmen's Adaptation to Princeton University, senior thesis in Psychology, Princeton University, 1999.
• Watters, R. (1988). Fund raising: the options available to outdoor
  programs. Proceedings of the 1988 Conference on Outdoor Recreation. (Ft.
  Collins, CO, November 10-13, 1988): see RC 019 196.
• Webb, D. How to successfully change from a financially subsidized
  outdoor program to a pay-its-own-way outdoor program. Brigaham Young
  University.

Discussion Lists

• WILDORNT, a listserv that focuses on college wilderness orientation programs including planning and leadership training.
  To subscribe send an email message to: LISTPROC@LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU
  the body of the message should read: SUBSCRIBE WILDORNT your_real_ name
• AEELIST, a general discussion group on experiential education. The purpose of this listserv is to facilitate discussions on a broad range of experiential education issues including both classroom based and field based programs in secondary schools, colleges, corporate programs, youth at risk, therapeutic adventure programs, challenge education, ropes courses, etc.
  To subscribe send an email message to: LISTPROC@LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU
  the body of the message should read: SUBSCRIBE AEELIST your_real_ name
• UVMOC, a general discussion group on outdoor and adventure-based education from the University of Vermont Outing Club.
  To subscribe send an email message to: LISTPROC@MOOSE.UVM.EDU
  the body of the message should read: SUBSCRIBE UVMOC your_real_ name

Outdoor Action trips and activities are only open to Princeton University students, faculty, and staff. Specially listed activities are open to Princeton University alumni and their families.

All online information at the Outdoor Action Web Site is protected by copyright laws. You may set up links to material found at the Outdoor Action Web Site. Printed versions of the material may be distributed for nonprofit educational use as long as no fees are charged for the material, attributions are made to the author, and no content changes are made. Commercial use of this material either in electronic or printed form is prohibited without express written permission from the author. Copyright © 1995 - 2004, all rights reserved, Rick Curtis, Outdoor Action Program, Princeton University. Send your comments and suggestions on the OA Web Site to Outdoor Action