The combination of a heavy school load and less than inviting weather conditions can make it hard for students to stay active. Fortunately, some students on Hamline’s campus have dedicated time to organizing events that take advantage of the arctic climate.

The Hamline Outdoor Recreation Club (HORC) plans a different activity for as many weekends as possible. Current acting president Taylor Littlefield spoke about one of their most recent trips, an overnight stay at a ski resort in Alexandria.

“We just stayed on-site for the ski trip, which was nice; in the past we’ve gotten like a resort or just gotten an Airbnb. We ended up getting the condo there, so we were able to keep our rentals with us,” Littlefield said.

There is no need to fear if skiing is not your forte, as HORC invites students of all physical ability and skill levels to their various trips.

“Some people knew what they were doing, some people were learning,” Littlefield said. “I don’t want to set someone up on a giant hill for their first time.”

Skiing is only one of many sports HORC has done in the past. The winter months involve hikes, ice skating and indoor activities if the weather is limiting, such as archery and rock climbing. When students expressed interest in learning how to use a trapeze, their wishes were met as well.

“That was something indoors when it was really cold,” Littlefield said. “It was really fun and the trapeze was really physical.”

Activities can also involve traveling to other nearby cities, which can provide students new to Minnesota with some insight as to what is nearby.

“They get to do a lot of hiking in the area and get to go on trips that go out further potentially,” Littlefield said. “They get to have more experience than the campus bubble.”

HORC can help students who want to be active but may not be fond of traditional sports or gym settings.

“I like a reason to be outside; I don’t really like working out in gyms,” Littlefield said. “Getting people off campus, getting them a sense of what’s available. They can explore the parks themselves later on and also try new things.”

Although most weekends have an event planned, getting involved with HORC does not mean you have to go to everything. It is up to students to determine their availability and which trips they feel are of interest to them. If students themselves have a longing for a new activity, they can always share their ideas at one of the weekly meetings.

“We have our meetings and plan out what our weekend event is going to be that Tuesday, so it’s very direct-impact; you come, you tell us what you’re interested in doing and we plan it for then,” Littlefield said.

The main upcoming event is a camping trip in the spring at the North Shore. Meetings are held at 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday in the Anderson Forum. More information on HORC can also be found on Facebook at facebook.com/HamlineOutdoorRecClub/.