Trips

UPDATE: To get more UW Madison freshmen out into the wilderness, we've added a canoe camping trip for July 18-22.
Basecamp Canoeing Trips
Join 9 other UW freshmen, and 2 junior or senior student leaders for a canoe camping trip on the Wisconsin River. Here's a brief itinerary:

Day 1

  • Canoe lesson and practice
  • Team building and ice breaker activities with ALPs.
  • Camping at a state park with camp cooking lesson

Days 2 - 4

  • Canoeing, camping on sandbars, campfire stories and discussions on the Wisconsin River (between Spring Green, WI and Boscobel, WI)

Day 5

Canoeing Trip Dates
July 10, 2008 - July 14, 2008
July 11, 2008 - July 15, 2008
July 25, 2008 - July 29, 2008
New trip!
July 18, 2008 - July 22, 2008
For women only -
July 24, 2008 - July 28, 2008
Basecamp Backpacking Trip
Head up to the north woods with 9 other students and trip leaders. Brief itinerary:

Day 1

  • Backpack packing and wilderness skills lessons
  • Team building and ice breaker activities with ALPs.

Days 2 - 4

Day 5

Backpacking Trip Date
July 18, 2008 - July 22, 2008
How do I signup?
  • - Fill out this signup form
  • - Pay the trip fee of $300
    (Check payable to "University of Wisconsin")
  • - Send the forms and trip fee to:
    Wisconsin Basecamp
    c/o Wisconsin Hoofers
    800 Langdon St.
    Madison, WI 53706
  • - Signup now! Only a few trip openings left.

    Call the Outdoor Programs Office at 608-262-1630 to signup.
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    Do I need lots of camping gear?
    No! The program provides tents, cooking gear, boats, life jackets, food, and most everything else you'd associate with a camping trip. You will be responsible for personal items (clothes, shoes, sunglasses, medications, etc.).

    The only camping-specific piece of gear you'll need is a sleeping bag (if you're signing up for the backpacking trip, you will also need a backpacking backpack and broken-in hiking boots). Temperatures in July in Wisconsin are usually very warm and your sleeping bag does not need to be heavy (or expensive). You can view the packing list from last year's trips here (note: the list hasn't been updated yet for this year and is subject to small changes).
    But I've never been camping before...
    The trips are designed to be beginner-friendly and no wilderness skills or abilities will be expected. The main goal of the trips is to give you a good experience meeting other freshmen and learning about college from trip leaders. The trips aren't intended to test your abilities. If you're concerned about the expectations of the trip, please contact us.
    Can I pay the trip fee with a credit card?
    You can pay with a credit card by calling the Wisconsin Union Outdoor Programs Office at 608-262-1630. This is also the quickest way to reserve your spot on a trip, if you're worried about not getting the trip date you were hoping for.
    I'm coming from pretty far away and need a place to stay the night before the trips leave and after they get back. Are there any housing options for me?
    You can stay in the CALS Short Course Dorms right here on campus. Rates are very reasonable ($35 per night for a single room and $24 per night for a shared room) and daily parking is available. For more information, or to reserve a room when you register for the trip, contact us and we'll help get your room reserved.
    What happens if the trip that I want to signup for is full when I send in my signup form?
    If the trip is full, you will be given the option of either withdrawing your registration, signing up for a different trip date, or we can put you on the wait list for the trip you're interested in.
    Are there activities planned once I get to Madison in the fall?
    As Basecamp is designed to help students become integrated into college life and help them be successful, a number of post-trip activities will be held for trip groups. Some will be mandatory and organized by the Basecamp coordinators, but most will likely be informal get-togethers with new friends. Here are those formal ones:
    Week of August 27 (date TBD) - Welcome Week Reunion
    Spend a few hours over dinner with your new friends from your Basecamp trip! Look at pictures from the trip, relive memories, figure out what classes you have together, and find out how helpful it can be to have 9 good friends on this campus of 40,000+.
    Week of September 10 (date TBD) - Service day in the community
    To help trip participants feel a connection to the community that extends beyond the campus borders, trip groups will be choosing a service experience in or around Madison. This experience could be helping plant trees with a neighborhood association, picking up trash from a littered stream, helping feed people without homes or those with disabilities, or any of the other ways that students can become engaged in the world around them. Service experience will be selected with help from the Morgridge Center.
    May, 2008 - End-of-Year Reunion
    How did the school year go? What are everyone's plans for the summer? Join your friends from the trip for a relaxing social as you wrap-up your first year at UW.
    Who can I contact for more questions?
    You can reach the Basecamp co-directors, Nathan Williams and Finn Ryan using our contact form. Thanks for considering Basecamp a part of your orientation to UW Madison!