Pre-Orientation Experiences

Registration Fee: $200
Experience Leaders: Jonas Petro, Brian Manning

What is Pep Band?
Founded in 1964, the Clarkson Pep Band has been bringing fun, entertainment, and great music to hockey games. Crowded into section 17, you can find us cheering on our D1 hockey teams and hoping the crowd is having as much fun as we are. Outside of being an exuberant cheer section we are a close family that enjoys supporting each other as much as we enjoy supporting our teams. The pre-orientation experience allows incoming students to learn our music and tradition while settling in to a new environment. There truly is a place for everyone in our band so feel free to reach out and join the family, we’d love to have you!

Itinerary:

Day 1
4:00-5:45: Hand out music and practice
6:00-8:00: Dinner from attendee’s choice of restaurant (paid by attendee)

Day 2
9:00-10:00: Breakfast at Townhouse A30 (Provided by band)
10:00-12:00: Practice
12:00-1:00: Lunch in Cheel Arena Cafeteria or Barben Rooms (Provided by band)
1:00-2:30: Free time/naps
2:30-4:30: Campus scavenger hunt (Tour)
5:00-7:00: Lawn games and pizza

Day 3
9:00-10:00: Breakfast at Townhouse A30 (Provided by band)
10:00-11:30: Practice
12:00-1:00: Lunch in Cheel Arena Cafeteria or Barben Rooms (Provided by band)
1:30-4:00: Beach - 2092 River Road Potsdam NY 13676 Postwood (If rain: indoor games, Wallyball, or board games)
4:30 - 5:30: Free time (Shower after the beach)
5:30 - 7:00: Dinner from attendee’s choice of restaurant (Paid for by attendee)
7:30: Game kNight (Snell 213)

Day 4
9 AM - 10 AM: Breakfast (Provided by band)
10 AM - 12 PM: Kick Ball on Baghdad Field

Registration Fee: $190
Experience Leader: Kali Soltano

What is SWE?
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a national organization that has a local chapter here at Clarkson! We are an organization that focuses on helping females in engineering (and all majors) through various events and our continued participation in SWE conferences such as SWE local and SWE national! Join members of the Society of Women Engineers for a bonding experience and learn about SWE while enjoying some fun activities.

Itinerary:

Day 1
11- 1: Check-in & Lunch!
1-3: Icebreakers & Farewells
3-6: Activity
6-8: Dinner

Day 2
9-10: Breakfast at The Bagelry
10 -11:30: Get to Know Clarkson -Campus Tour!
11:30 -4: Engineering Department Visit & Lunch (included in visit)
4-6: Activities
6-8: Dinner (with other clubs)
8-9: Stewarts Run!

Day 3
9-10: Breakfast
10-12: Back 40 woods walk
12-1: Lunch
1-3: Get to know Clarkson SWE!
3-6: Activity/Free Time
6-8: Dinner Out
8-10: Smores

Day 4
9-10: Breakfast at Village Diner
10-12: Bookstore
12-1: Lunch

Registration Fee: $250
Experience Leader: Brendan Elrick

What is Rod & Gun?
The Clarkson Rod & Gun Club, typically referred to as “CRAG” or “RAG”, is one of the most present clubs on campus at Clarkson. As a club we have all types of equipment, including ice fishing gear, waterfowl hunting decoys, and turkey hunting gear, all of which is available for our members to check out and use at any point during the year. CRAG also holds Clarkson’s Collegiate Clay Shooting Team. Our Clay Team travels to compete in Maryland for Regionals, as well as San Antonio, Texas for the National competition. Anyone is welcome to partake in the Clay Team's practices, which occur weekly at our local Rod & Gun Club. To see our showcased events, visit our Instagram that is kept up to date. https://www.instagram.com/cu_rodgun/
To learn more about Rod and Gun Club, visit their Knight Life page at https://knightlife.clarkson.edu/organization/rodandgun

Why Us?
Rather than sitting at home during the week before moving into college, you could be out fishing and shooting clays with like-minded individuals who also love the fishing and hunting aspects of the outdoors. Our trip will have 8 leaders ready to take 10 students under their wings as they go fishing and clay shooting during the days before freshman orientation.

Itinerary:

Day 1
12:00 p.m. - Orientation Lunch provided by Clarkson (Student Center)
4:00 p.m. – Introductions
4:30 p.m. – Quick tour around campus
6:00 p.m. – Dinner at Riverside Apartments
7:00 p.m. – Lawn Games

Day 2
9 a.m. – Breakfast at Riverside Apartments (Will pick up food from local breakfast spot)
10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Fishing local spots to introduce everyone to the area
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch (Pick up subs or pizza)
1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Fishing local spots to introduce everyone to the area continued
5 p.m. – Travel back to Potsdam
6:00 p.m. - Dinner at Riverside Apartments (Will get takeout from local restaurant)
7:00 p.m. - Lawn games until bed

Day 3
On Thursday, we will spend the day at the Massena Rod and Gun Club shooting trap and sporting clays. Students can also fish there on the Grass River.
9 a.m. – Breakfast at local diner
10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Travel to Massena Rod & Gun Club
10:30 am. – 11 a.m. – Safety briefing
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Trap Shooting
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch - Pizza
1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Sporting clays
5 p.m. – Travel back to Potsdam
6:00 p.m. - Dinner at Cactus Grill & Cantina

Day 4
9:00 a.m. - Breakfast at local diner
9:30 a.m. - Raquette River fishing
12 p.m. - Regular orientation begins
 

Registration Fee: $210
Experience Leader: Rosalee Dillon

What is CUSA?
CUSA stands for the Clarkson University Student Association. With an Executive Board of 4 upperclassmen and 6 senators for each class, the Senate meets to discuss and vote on academics and policy, events, and finances for student clubs. Senators get to help make changes that positively affect the student body and clubs. With over 200 clubs and many students to help and many activities to plan, CUSA is a great way to give back and leave a legacy at Clarkson University. This year we will have a pre-orientation full of fun, adventure, and team building. Leadership and teambuilding are an important parts of a strong government, which is why we want to highlight that in our pre-orientation!

Itinerary:

Day 1
After all the parents leave:
1-3 Team Building games
3-4:30 Campus tours
4:30-6:30 Swimming or Paddleboarding on the Raquette (weather dependent)
6:30-7:15 Dinner (Stewart’s Pizza)
7:15-9 Board games

Day 2
7:00-7:30 Breakfast (bagelry bagels)
7:30-10 Travel to Ottawa
10-12 Tour Parliament
12-2 Walk around Rideau Canal and Locks
2-3 Lunch at a Byward Market restaurant
3-5 Explore Byward Market
5-7 Drive Home
7-9 Dinner (catered) there will be a movie if time allows

Day 3
7:30-8 Breakfast (Stewart’s breakfast pizza)
8-10 Drive to Ausable Chasm
10-12 Hike
12-1 Lunch at Gigi's Restaurant
1-3 Float Tour
3-5 Drive Home
5-6 Dinner
6-9 Smore's in the Back 40

Day 4
8-8:30 Breakfast (catered)
8:30-10:30 Mock CUSA
11-12 Robro Lunch together when it opens

Registration Fee: $250
Experience Leader: Santino Martinelli

What is High Dive?
Welcome to Clarkson University! High Dive is Clarkson's Ultimate Frisbee Club – we're super laid-back and well-connected within the campus community. We're excited to offer you a fun couple of days before regular freshman orientation starts. While we'll definitely be doing some frisbee-related activities, we'll also be playing paintball, having a beach day, and giving you the ultimate insider's tour of Clarkson. Our goal is to balance fun with getting you acquainted with the campus, allowing you to settle in before the rest of the freshmen arrive, and most importantly, giving you the chance to choose the best side of your dorm first! Please note that all meals are included in the total price as well! Making friends before the semester starts is a huge advantage, and that's another perk of High Dive's pre-orientation. So skip the freshman orientation mob scene, hang out with us, and meet
some new people – all before classes even begin. Feel free to reach out via Instagram, our tag is @clarkson_ultimate. We can't wait to meet you!

Itinerary:

Day 1
4:00pm - 6:00pm: Lawn games (no lame icebreakers)
6:00pm - 6:30pm: Shower/change
6:30pm - 7:30pm: Dinner
7:30pm - 9:00pm: Kahoot and VR games

Day 2
9:00am - 10:30am: Breakfast
10:30am - 12:00pm: Downtown Potsdam tour
12:00pm - 1:00pm: Park Bros lunch (killer bagel sandwiches + coffee/smoothies)
1:00pm - 4:00pm: Paintball (Fun Time Fun Center)
4:00pm - 4:30pm: Shower/change
4:30pm - 6:00pm: Chill time (puzzles, board games, general hanging out)
6:00pm - 7:30pm: Dinner

Day 3
9:00am - 10:30am: Breakfast
10:30am - 12:00pm: Frolf (Frisbee Golf w/ Ultimate discs) and Clarkson campus tour
12:00pm - 4:00pm: Beach day at Higley Flow park
4:00pm - 5:00pm: Shower/change
5:00pm - 7:30pm: Dinner with other PreO trips!
7:30pm - 9:00pm: Movie night

Day 4
9:00am - 10:00am: Breakfast
10:00am - 11:30am: Frisbee Practice
11:30am - 12:00pm: Shower/change
12:00pm: Freedom!

Leaders*

Haley May
Sophie Lodico 

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 4

Welcome to boot camp! At the end of this 4 day trip you will be an official backup dancer for Justin Bieber! (i'm lying) You however, will become part of two awesome clubs: 1) People who hike in the ADKs and 2) CUOC (pls). Haley May (former president, current first lady #clout) will chef it UP 3x a day, yeah we feed you good (vegetarian), and Sophie (the other one) will walk in front of you for many miles! We aim to get you on a couple high peaks and we guarantee awesome views. Disclaimer: Justin Bieber will not be on this trip and probably not even mentioned.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Our trip starts at the Garden (a parking lot) and we will hike 3 miles with very gradual elevation (900 feet over the entire hike) to JBL (Johns Brook Lodge, not Justin lol) where we will set up camp, hang out, and eat lunch/dinner for the rest of the day!

Day 2: On the second day we will wake up and make some breakfast backcountry style then pack our day packs and hike Big Slide Mountain. It is a 5 mile round trip hike with 2,000 ft of elevation, it is a 46er!! (over 4,000 ft) The true JB experience will be at the summit, but more importantly lunch! Then we will hike back down to our campsite and play cards and hang out until dinner and bed.

Day 3: Wake up and eat breakfast. Then as a group we will decide on a plan for today. One option is to hike to local waterfalls and sights (a really cool rock). This hike is 6 miles round trip with about 1,000 ft of elevation. The other option is to hike Gothics mountain which is 6 miles round trip with 2,500 ft of elevation (another 46er!). Either way we will pack day packs and lunch! Afterwards, we will head back to camp!

Day 4: Wake up (probably early), pack up camp and hike the 3 miles back out (downhill) to get picked up by the bus and brought back to Clarkson!

Leaders*

Jon Wilson
Séamus Fogerty 

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 5.5

A low mileage backpacking trip with a basecamp in the McKenzie wilderness right on McKenzie pond. Full primitive camping so no lean-tos or privy's but that's more fun. Getting some nice views of the Lake Placid and the High Peaks from Haystack and McKenzie summits.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Just under 4 miles of full pack the jack rabbit trail, which is a super cruiser, light elevation gain. Set up camp over at McKenzie Pond, learn some backcountry basics, and eat some delicious back country cuisine.

Day 2: Just under 6 miles with a little chunk of elevation but we will have swapped our heavy packs at camp to lighten up the load.

Day 3: It's the big day 6.5 miles up McKenzie mountain to get some views of Lake Placid and the high peaks.

Day 4: Early morning 2 miles out to meet the bus for 7am.

Leaders*

Mia Greco
Sam Carusone

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 4

A weekend full of beautiful hikes and scenery. Backpacking to the serene lake Colden and hiking three high peaks- Cliff, Redfield, and Marshall. A nice mix of chilling at camp and climbing some big peaks. Good food, stories, and memories are all included.

Itinerary:

Day 1: We will hike about 6 fairly flat miles to the beautiful lake Colden where we will set up camp in a lean-to and spend our night relaxing (and fishing).

Day 2: Rise and shine, make some delectable breakfast, and hike into the mountains, completing high peaks Cliff and Redfield, then heading back to our lean to home for dinner.

Day 3: We will rise and hit up high peak Marshall then head back to camp and do even more fishing.

Day 4:We get up with the sun and hike out to the road where we will be picked up and taken back to
campus.

Leaders*

Lauren Marci 
Sam Ellingson 
William Patrick Gieseler 

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 2/3

“Adventure is out there”: a relaxed and easy canoeing trip adventure. We will be disembarking from Little Tupper boat launch on the first day. On the second day we will be exploring Rock Pond (or maybe round lake). On the last full day, we will return from our expedition from Rock Pond. Upon returning to Little Tupper, we will unwind before our departure back to school the next day. Our
escapade will be filled with swimming, island hopping, canoe tipping, bird watching, and great food (fishing if you own a NYS fishing license). “If we happen to get separated, use the wilderness explorer call: CA-CA! RAWRRR!”

Itinerary:

Day 1: Canoeing from boat launch to the south-west corner of Little Tupper. This will be the bulk of our day totaling 4.5 miles, give or take depending on which campsite we land at. There are 10 different campsites in the area that give us easy access to the connection to Rock Pond for the next day. We will get to camp with plenty of time for a gourmet dinner and lots of swimming and hanging out.

Day 2: We will be canoeing on a flat river that connects the lowermost part of Little Tupper to Rock Pond. The day will be 4 miles of canoeing give or take a little depending on where our campsite is in the morning. The connection is very flat and relaxed offering grasslands and wildlife. We will have lunch and in the afternoon we can explore the new lake or go for a short walk on a nearby trail.

Day 3: We will be canoeing back to Little Tupper. This day will be the hardest but still very doable for an easy trip. We will find a new campsite that is on the opposite side of Little Tupper than we stayed on the first night. The mileage will be between 5-6 miles depending on which campsite we want. The rest of the day will be spent relaxing, swimming, or we can take a walk along a nearby trail.

Day 4: On the last day we will be canoeing the remainder of Little Tupper back to the boat launch. This will be about 1-2 miles depending on which campsite we stayed on. We will be getting back on the bus early in the morning.

Leaders*

Donald Patrick Brady III 
Robert Greenberg 
Mark Rampsperger 

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 5/6

We will begin our trip at Lake Lila, then we can explore Lake Lila for a bit and then start our canoe carries up to clear pond/bog lake, which is kinda sick. We will stay the first night at one of the four campsites at the entrance from Bog Lake to Lows Lake. We will explore Lows Lake, check out some islands, do some fishing, all that good stuff. We will camp on an Island for the night. We will canoe up Lows Lake to the Lows Lower Dam to sleep, possibly stopping at the Lows Lake upper dam to explore some historic land sites and go to the Hitchins pond overlook. We'll finish by canoeing to the pick up point by the waterfall at the bottom of Tupper Lake. Fishing can and will happen with any loose free time found.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Canoe across Lake Lila (2 miles), Slight Canoe Carry over and into Harrington Brook and furthermore into Harrington Pond (1 mile). Then our true first canoe carry will begin from Harrington Pond to Clear Pond (1.3 miles). We will then spend our night near the exit of Clear pond which can be from 0.3 miles to 2 miles from our end portage point.

Day 2: We wake up and explore all da nooks and crannies of Lows lake, rip some lips, and then camp on an island on Lows Lake.

Day 3: Waken Upen, say bye to island, travel through the bog flow, consume lunch on train bridge, hike to a cool trout pond with historic building in the woods, canoe up the bog river flow, skip hop and jump over the cool waterfall and dams. Camp on Upper Tupper lake and everyone can cry and reflect about how awesome the trip was and embrace the new friends they made along the way. 

Day 4: We are camping close to the pick up point, so it'll be fishing and exploring Upper Tupper till we get picked up.

Leaders*

Alex Evans 
Zach Zientko (ZZ)

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 5/6

In this action-packed wild ride (by which we mean hike?), we’ll be setting out for the world-famous Indian Head. Upon arrival, you may find yourself, living in a shotgun shack (that's a Talking Heads reference), and we could possibly take a dip in the lake. Following this trip down probably-not-memory-lane, we’ll be traveling to the group of mountains known as Blake and Colvin. Of course, we don’t have to hike Blake, but it is really only accessible by hiking over Colvin so we’ll leave it up to you guys. On our third day in and among the trees and streams, we will take a walk up Gothics (one of the coolest mountains in the ADK). Throughout this past academic year, Zach and Alex have finally obtained the ever-prestigious: Michelin Star No. 3, as well as Mambo No. 5. This is
the best trip, no questions asked. If you have any questions though, please see the listed email.

Itinerary:

Day 1: On the first day of pre-o (my true love gave to me?) A BIG YELLOW BUS Droppin' our big packs 'n' boots at the Ausable Club where we will hike a relatively flat 4 miles into our campsite for the rest week. We can set up camp then either head over to swim in lower Ausable lake or take a short walk up to Indian head where we make dinner with one of the most famous views in the 'dacks.

Day 2: For the first day of peak baggin' we're gonna be kickin' around the other side of Lower Ausable Lake where we'll take a 5.5 mile total jaunt up Blake and Colvin to where we can take a peak at the Gothics, Nippletop mountain, and the tip of the Dix range. We can enjoy hiking back over the same Blake again before cheffin' up some gas food made on gas stoves.

Day 3: Where the real adventure begins, today we'll take our now feather light packs and be hiking over Pyramid Peak to summit Gothics which can have some of the best views of the high peaks. Don't worry after the 7.5 mile day we’ll be cheffin up some backcountry meals that are a wholeeeeeee lot tastier than meal plan and remember kids, if you are trying to find the kinematic
viscosity of a fluid, you’ll first need to know its density (given by equation 5.12 v = μ/ρ in units of (Ns/m^2).

Day 4: As Outkast once said: all good things must come to an end :( Day 4, were gonna be wakin' up, packin' up, and hikin' out back to parking lot. After full packing out were going to be hitchhiking our way back to campus on the big yellow school bus where we can all tell everyone we were wayYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyyyy sicker than them. (R.I.P. Rob Gaffney 1970-2023) (if you a skier yo better know).

Leaders*

Stuart Wilson 
Nyk Jessiman 
Bernard Carroll
Matt Wildermuth

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 2/3

HEY YOU! STOP SCROLLING! YOU HAVE FOUND THE PRE-O OF YOUR DREAMS! Why only do one activity outside when you can do some of everything (except biking but who cares about that). We will be enjoying some beautiful backcountry camping on the shores of Lake Lila, incredible intro rock climbing with spectacular views, whitewater kayaking basics out on the majestic waters
right in front of our campsite, and a beautiful hike in the Adirondack wilderness. There are even multiple hiking options so those who are lucky enough to come on this trip can chose the level of difficulty. And don't worry, we'll also be cheffin' up the best backcountry meals you've ever had. Whether its your first time outside or you're a backcountry expert, come join us on what will
undoubtedly be the trip of your lifetime.

Itinerary:

Day 1: We will arrive in the Lake Lila lot bright and early, we then have a beautiful, flat, 3 mile trail to follow that will take us to the lean-to we will be staying at for the remainder of the week. Next, we'll all go splash around in the lake on some whitewater kayaks where you will learn how to handle and track a whitewater kayak, as well as what to do when you tip over in one. Then we'll head in for some grub, a campfire, and a cozy night's sleep.

Day 2: In the morning we'll wake up to a magical sunrise on the lake while we enjoy a hearty breakfast. We shall then find our way to the local crag and show you guys the ropes. After enjoying some thrilling views from the top of the cliff, we will wander back to camp and settle in for the night.

Day 3: After another beautiful sunrise and breakfast, we will be off to the hike of your choosing. No matter which hike we do, good vibes are guaranteed. After the hike we'll enjoy our last supper at Lake Lila and experience the incredible stars on a clear Adirondack night.

Day 4: Pack out and head home.

Leaders*

Blake Bundesmann 
Angie Zeoli
Emily Milleville

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 3/4

Ahoy There! Did someone say Rock Climbing!? Well you’re in some mighty fine luck, you have the chance to experience the finest cliff faces that we could find in the pristine Adirondack wilderness. You should plan to seize each day with amazing 5 star rock routes and gourmet crag snacks, then when our fingers are fried from climbing, we’ll take a dip in the beautiful Chapel Pond which is only a hop, skip and a jump away from the crag! We will spend our evenings in luxury with our exquisite camp cuisine, telling stories by the campfire and enjoying the stunning Adirondack scenery. There are a ton of options for pre-o but there is no need to keep searching, you have found the perfect trip. Never climbed before? Perfect! Climbers of any experience (including no experience) are welcome! But beware! If you go on this trip there is a high risk that you will make lifelong friends, be susceptible to copious amounts of fun, or become obsessed with a cool new sport! Have no fear we will show you the ropes, literally!

Itinerary:

Day 1: Rise and shine everyone! After a hearty breakfast in Clarkson’s finest dining location– the Cheel parking lot– we will hit the road and arrive at our waterfront campsite in Chapel Pond Pass. But, we won’t idle there long, after dropping our stuff we’ll head right on over to our first climbing destination, Tilman’s and Shipton’s arete. This location features some relaxing climbs on beautiful
features, with an incredible view over the pond. We will then walk, sail or swim home to make dinner and meet our pillows for the big day ahead!

Day 2: At day break we will whip up some breakfast and head out to our next climbing stop, Beer Walls. This location contains some of the most popular routes in the ADK! We will be able to put our skill to the test with these amazing climbs, which range from total beginner to intermediate difficulty. After packing in as much climbing as we can possibly muster, we will head back to camp for dinner and a potential swim in the lovely, brisk chapel pond waters, we will need it after the long day! Ending the evening with a hearty backcountry dinner and campfire stories.

Day 3: On our third day we have the potential to venture over to Creature Wall or Jewels and Gems. Both have solid climbing options, where we will journey high and low. We will stumble back to camp after a long day’s climb where we will enjoy a mouthwatering meal and some slacklining for those adventurous souls.

Day 4: Unfortunately our climbing journey will have come to an end. We will feast on a delicious breakfast, pack up camp and reminisce while we wait to be picked up and brought back to Clarkson.

Leaders*

Carson Bruening 
Martin Noe 
Nick Sheldon 

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 6

HALT! You there! Do you seek the greatest Pre-O trip to ever grace this earth? Look no further, because you’ve come to the right place. Join us on our quest to find the gneissest rocks the Southern Adirondacks has to offer. If you’re lucky enough to come along, you’ll spend your days catching lake views on the tops of our favorite cliffs, sampling gourmet crag snacks, and learning the
climbing craft. When the sun gets low you’ll find yourself sitting around the fire playing cards, telling stories, and enjoying our fine camp cuisine. If the thought of trying climbing for the first time gives you the heebie jeebies, worry not! We were once in those shoes too. Give climbing one try and you’ll be hooked, the first one’s free anyway.

Itinerary:

Day 1: We’ll hit the road bright and early, and drive on down to the Queen of American Lakes. On our way we’ll take a pit stop at Ark Wall to show y’all the ropes. After a half-day of rope wrangling, we’ll waddle over to our campsite to set up our tents and hammock stacks. Us leaders will whip you up a delicious backcountry meal before we tuck in to the sound of bull frogs and crickets.

Day 2: Now that we’ve learned a thing or two about climbing and geology, we can take our skills to even greater heights! Shelving Rock will be our home for the day, as we catch some panoramic lake vistas and sun ourselves on the talus fields. Before we head back to camp for the night, we can take a shower in a nearby waterfall or a dip in the crystal clear waters of Lake George.

Day 3: Whenever the wildlife wakes us up we’ll strap on our packs and head over to Stewart's Ledges for a day of gravity defying feats and crag naps. Once we’ve climbed high and low we’ll stumble back to camp for an evening of swimming, slacklining, and exploring.

Day 4: On our last day in the woods we’ll break camp and high tail it back to campus. If we’re in the mood we could even catch one last bit of climbing in the Chapel Pond pass. Rest assured, you’ll make it back to your dorm with enough time to shower and return to civilization.

Leaders*

Owen Gandt
Megan Kelsch 
Kai Kendrick 
Jack (Beanstalk) Hopkins 

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 3-5

DO YOU LIKE TO RIDE YOUR BIKE IN THE WOODS!?!?!? We're gonna go up and down, but mostly down, hill on our bikes. We'll be sticking to smooth, flowy singletrack and working on fundamentals to grow as riders and have a great time doing it. We'll be ripping in the Stowe area, with trips to Cady Hill and Kingdom Trails, to name a few. And guess what? You don't even need a bike to come on this trip!! We have full-suspension bikes owned by club made ready for your use by one of our bike chairs and trip leaders, the great Kai Kendrick. If you want to get better at riding bikes in the woods, swimming in the beautiful Moyle River (and others of course) and hanging out eating the best backcountry food you've ever had, this is the trip for you!

Itinerary:

Day 1: Riding bikes at Cady Hill.
Day 2: Riding bikes at Kingdom Trails
Day 3: Riding bikes at Trapp Family Lodge.
Day 4: No bikes :( Drive home day.

Leaders*

Taylor VanDewark 
Wyatt DuBois
Ryan May
Trevor (Honk Schoo) Schnoor

Registration Fee: $260
Difficulty: 7

What’s up shred gremlins? If spending four days sending it on some of the best trails in New York sounds good to you, then join us for an epic week of biking. We will be riding trail networks in the Rutland/Killington area (sadly not Killington Bike Park). This trip is labeled as “Advanced” because previous mountain biking experience is necessary. Essentially, we are looking for people who have mountain biked before because we are going to be launching every jump to flat, schralping tires on berms, and sending every drop. We will be eating amazing food all week (far better then the hiking trips since we don’t have to worry about weight). Along with shredding all week, there is some amazing scenery and a lake we can cool off in. Be ready to get sendy on your rig. We are amped up to send and hope you are too because we will be hucking ourselves all week. Be ready for it to rain cause we’re riding either way.

Itinerary:

Day 1: We will leave from school and arrive at Sherburne Trails. We will start by riding a newly machine built trail called Sherburner that is directly outside our campground. We may ride this a couple of times and then continue on to check out some of the other trails. The mileage is completely up to us; we will ride as much or as little as the group wants to each day. The climbs here are decent and can be a bit demanding but definitely doable.

Day 2: Day 2 will be at Pinehill park in Rutland. This is a pretty chill trail system although there are lots of trails with very cool features and lots of opportunity to push your skills. Similar to our first day mileage depends on the group and how we're feeling throughout the day.

Day 3: Day 3 will be at Green Mountain Trails which is just a short drive from our campsite. These trails definitely have more of a demand as far as elevation goes and have more tech trails than flowy trails. As this is our last day the mileage will be kept low or for however long the group feels like going for.

Day 4: Wake up early in the morning and pack up and head back to school.

Leaders*

Justin Pettica 
Alex Celia 

Registration Fee: $70
Difficulty: N/A
This is a day trip primarily geared towards transfer students

Itinerary:

Day 1: N/A 

Day 2: We will show you around your new campus, as well as hang out down by the boat house for some paddling, slacklining, and much more. Later on, we serve ya some dinna; as professional chefs, you will be blown away by our skills in the kitchen. 

Day 3: Your LOVELY trip leaders, Alex Celia and & Justin PETtica, will guide you through a local hiking challenge!! You should join us as we take on the marvelous "Tupper Lake Triad." This challenge consists of Mt. Arab, Cooney Mountain & Goodman Mountain, all located around Tupper Lake, NY. (we can adjust our plan due to weather & group vibes if needed) We also have the special opportunity to sunrise hike Mt. Arab which has a fire tower to see the 360 views, but only if the group desires. Due to the hiking, y'all are destined to be hungry, so we will be cheffing it up, Tailgate Style, so bring your appetites. After we complete this expedition, we will high tail it (going the speed limit) over to our secret secret spot in St. Lawrence County to view some waterfalls & go swimming. We will end the evening with a family meal and some bedtime stories. 

Day 4: Before we sadly depart from each other: we will be going down to the Boathouse for some paddling on the river, slacklining, and good vibes.

Leaders*

Mikah Patterson 
Allie Miller

Registration Fee: $70
Difficulty: 3/4

Love to hike but don’t want to sleep in the woods (or crap in a hole)? We gotchu. This packed day features a hike with two stunning summits, a waterfall lunch, a flat hike to an essential ADK lookout (I pinkie swear it’s flat), and a dinner at THE Wyatt’s Tex Mex. You’ll get park views from every angle and see all the major high peak towns. At the end of the day, you’ll feel like you’ve circled
the world! Or maybe just the Adirondacks, but still.

Itinerary:

Day 1: N/A (day trip)

Day 2: N/A (day trip)

Day 3: 
6:00AM - leave Clarkson campus
8:30AM-1:30PM - hike Rooster Comb and Snow mountains with 5.75 miles and 2000 ft
1:30-3:00PM - coffee break in Keene Valley and a packed lunch at Split Rock Falls in New Russia
4:00-5:30PM - hike 2.25 miles to the Cobble Hill Lookout and back in Wilmington
6:00PM - dinner at Wyatt’s tex mex in Lake Placid
7:00/8:00PM - drive back to campus!

Day 4: N/A (day trip)

Image

Hey Everyone! My name is Jack Reed and I won’t be any of your pre-o leaders this year. BUT THAT IS because I’m the one organizing the Outing Club’s pre-orientation program. This means I’m your contact if you have any questions about pre-o, or anything else you are curious about. My email is
joreed@clarkson.edu and don’t hesitate to send your questions my way. Anyways, I’m from just outside Washington D.C, a political science major, and an avid outdoor enthusiast. My main activities are snowboarding, climbing, and canoeing, but in the grand scheme of things I just love ripping the crap out of the outdoors. Any trip you go on will be an absolute blast. And with that being said, don’t get dead.
P.s. Climbing and Canoeing trips are elite, although I am heavily biased.

Image

Major: Chemical Engineering, Class of 2025 
Hey all! My name is Haley and I am wicked excited to take you on this trip! I am a Senior so this will be my FOURTH Pre-O (third time leading). I hope you are ready for a week full of sick views, great vibes, and fantastic company. Sophie and I will be taking you on the most epic trip of your lives. 
 

Image

Major: Chemical Engineering, Class of 2025 
Bonjour Hello! I'm Sophie and this will be my last year at clarky (sad). I am a ChemE with a minor in Materials Eng and Math, and yes I still have time for fun. I have been in CUOC since my first week of freshman year, and am totally unbiased in saying we are the radest people on campus. My favorite outdoor sports are hiking and backpacking. I am from Long Island, but I've spent the last two summers in the capital region and try to get up to the ADKs whenever I can. This will be mine and Haley May's second Pre-OH trip together. We had the greatest group of kids last year, so let's keep the ball rolling!! 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of Fall 2025 
HEY YOU! 
Hope that got your attention. My name's Jon, I like to do just about everything outdoors, like rock climbing, skiing, tearing my ACL, canoeing, carrying in too much gear, cooking, long walks on the beach, hammocking, bog stomping, bird watching, eating entire apples (seeds and stems included), touching rocks, listening to random old people's stories, trail work, chasing waterfalls, brushing my teeth with Dr. Bronner's, spreading LNT practices, sticking to the rivers and lakes that I'm used to, meeting new people, pooping in holes, oh and hiking. Last year I was one of the "Hiking Chairs"(whatever that is) in club. In all seriousness I had a blast on my freshman pre-o and I am a firm believer that the best way to get to know someone is to hike with them so I'm super excited to get to meet you all and have an awesome trip!
Oh and for the parents, I am a Wilderness First Responder and a NOLS Alumni. 

Image

Major: Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, Class of 2025 
Hello everyone, my name is Séamus! I'm a rising Junior at Clarkson, and it would be an understatement to say that I enjoy my time in the outdoors. Some of my favorite activities include hiking in the greater Adirondack region, along with fishing in the St. Lawrence River. There's plenty of other activities I enjoy, but these I will say are definitely my top two. My favorite moments in the outdoors is when I'm with close friends making everlasting memories with and appreciating every moment I have in nature. Looking forward to meeting everyone who's excited to explore into the wilderness. 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026 
My name is Mia Greco, I am a sophomore mechanical engineering major and I am leading a moderate hiking trip. While I spend most of my time hiking I also love to climb, fish, bike, and play rugby! I grew up in the outdoors and have been hiking my whole life along with having a wilderness first responder certification. I believe that safety and fun are the top priorities when hiking and can't wait for pre o. 

Image

Major: Biology/Environmental Science, Class of 2026 
Hello! I’m Sam (the man) and I’m a Junior biology and environmental science student who loves the outdoors. Hiking and fishing are my favorites but I also love mountain biking, canoeing, and skiing. I’m almost done with my 46 high peaks and am currently the hiking chair. I love being able to share my experience and enjoy the outdoors with everyone. Can’t wait to meet the future of CUOC!
 

Image

Major: Civil Engineering, Class of 2026 
Hey Y’all, my name is Lauren. I enjoy anything in the outdoors but mainly spend time fly fishing, canoeing, and hammocking. I am an avid music listener, book reader, and coffee drinker. Come on my pre-o for a guaranteed chill time and good food. 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Class of 2026 
Hey! My name is Sam Ellingson and I’m from Plainfield, New Hampshire, near Dartmouth college. I am a Junior, and I am double majoring in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, but more importantly I am the CUOC sock wrestling champion, and I love spending time outside no matter what I’m doing. When there isn’t snow on the ground I can be found biking, hiking, climbing, and just generally messing around in the outdoors. Over the winter I just try to get as many days on skis as I can, both resort and backcountry. I will be leading a canoe trip and I plan to get up to as much fun as possible. I hope to be able to spice up our trip with canoe tipping, battleship and the ability to make a great pan of backcountry brownies. I went on a Pre-O my freshman year and I could not recommend it enough so you all should sign up for one! 

Image

Major: Environmental Engineering, Class of 2026 
Outdoor enthusiast who loves the outdoors and cannot physically be put inside. 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineer, class of 2025 
Evening, my name's Donnie, I’m from the outskirts of Buffalo NY and I’ve got a chocolate milk addiction. I spend my free time catching turtles, sailing on icebergs, reinventing the wheel, playing bagpipes and chasing pigeons. If you join me on my expedition to Boats and Lows, I
can guarantee you’ll be sleeping on an island, catching a bunch of fish, and maybe some sunburn. 
 

Image

Major: Environmental Engineering, Class of 2025 
Why hello there! My name is Robert Greenberg. I am an environmental engineering major from Orange County, NY. Canoeing is lit, and I am hyped to have you on my Pre-O. A little about me: I am an Eagle Scout, a Green Bay Packers fan, one of the Fishing Chairs in club, and I play soccer, tennis, spike ball, and tons of other sports. If I’m not doing homework, you can find me outside fishing, hunting, hiking, swimming/boating, playing with fire, or just vibing in the woods. Looking forward to meeting all of you! 
 

Image

Major: Environmental Engineering, Class of 2025 
What’s up, my name is Mark and I’m a senior mechanical engineer. I’m one of the current canoe chairs of the outing club at Clarkson and I’m super excited to paddle down a river with you on this trip that’s going to be kinda badass. Other than canoeing I enjoy rock climbing, skiing, hiking, biking slowly down scary terrain, and generally exploring anywhere outside. I look forward to meeting you and showing you all a kinda badass time. 
 

Image

Major: Engineering & Management, Class of 2025 
Beans on toast is not a good breakfast but you know what is a good breakfast? Everything we will be eating on preo. I am one of two (2) Iron Chefs that will be leading you through the woods. I have currently completed 108 credit hours at this school and I like playing cards. One time, I slipped and fell in the kitchen because of snow (ouch). I am an Adirondack 46-er (look it up it’s pretty cool) and I am a wilderness first responder (look it up it’s pretty cool). Remember, outside is the best side. End of bio. 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2025 
O-heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy der, how y’all doin. I’m excited to meet everyone on pre-o! I’m ZZ, a senior Mechanical Engineering major from the lake placid area. So naturally being from LP I tend to be always be outside fighting gravity. I tend to do a little bit of dis n a little bit of dat but mainly hikin, bikin, n skiin are my go tos. Can’t wait to be in the woods hikin, chillin and absolutely cheffin some good camp food on the trip! We’re fine absolutely rip it, have a great time and make some new friends. 
 

Image

Major: Environmental Science and Policy, Class of 2026 
Oh hey there! If you’re reading this, stop right now and apply for my pre-o, LILA 190. I’m a rising junior who spends as much time as possible outside. I mostly ski and climb, which are by far the coolest things to do in the mountains. I also play violin, bass, and guitar, if you sign up for my pre-o, your ears will be blessed with my fine musical repertoire. Hope to see you soon. 

Image

Major: Aerospace Engineering, Class of 2026 
Hi, my name is Nyk! I’m a junior in the Aerospace Engineering program here at Clarkson. I grew up exploring the outdoors, and some of my favorite things to do are skiing and boating. I love bringing new friends out in the woods with me and I’ll always find something cool to look at that you wouldn’t have expected to find. I’m also a huge bookworm and am always reading something fun, feel free to ask me about it anytime! 
 

Image

Major: Computer Engineering & Software Engineering, Class of 2026 
Hey hi, how ya dern. My name says Bernard but y’all can call me Bernie. I’m the current Secretary of the Clarkson University Outing Club. This is my second year leading a pre-o and I'm super excited because I get to lead the sampler trip again! I grew up in Buffalo, NY (GO BILLS!!!) and spent a lot of my outdoor time hiking, backpacking, kayaking & canoeing, and I picked up climbing here at Clarkson; I also play club soccer and pickup basketball. Anyway, y’all should definitely pick my trip and I can’t wait to meet y’all! 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026 
Introduction, my name is Matt and I am a Mech-E major. I grew up in Queensbury NY and I enjoy spending my time skiing, biking with friends, cooking, cliff jumping and hiking! I am fond of the occasional train and I have been fighting a fine from the school for over a year now! Can't wait to see the adventures we have on this Pre-O! 
 

Image

Major: Engineering & Management, Class of 2027 
Enjoyer of touching rocks, being outside and adventures. Current cuoc climbing chair. 

Image

Major: Environmental Science and Policy, Class of 2025 
Greetings earthlings! My name is Angie, and I’m a senior, former climbing chair, wilderness first responder, and certified single pitch instructor. Basically, you can tell your parents that I’ll keep you safe while you dance (or dangle) on the edges of cliffs. 
I fell in love with climbing 3 years ago when I was a freshman on pre-o, just like you! I love to be outdoors, soaking up sunshine and wind, watching the birds and trees, getting dirt on my hands or swimming in a stream. I’m an artist, traveler, and a vegan. So that’s three things, but I have more. 
I can’t wait to meet you all, become good friends, and to introduce you to my favorite sport!
 

Image

Major: Civil Engineering, Class of 2027 
Hey ya’ll, 
My name is Emily, and I'm a sophomore studying Civil Engineering. I am from the not so cool side of New York State where there are no fun rocks… aka Buffalo. I like to spend most of my time outside either climbing, hiking, slack-lining, and when it’s snow season I like to ski and dabble with some ice climbing. My favorite of these would have to be climbing though. If I’m not outside you can usually find me at the climbing wall on campus. As I was only a wee freshman last year on pre-o and had never stepped foot into the back-country, I had the absolute time of my life.I learned to climb for the first time with my awesome leaders. Now look at me, certified and ready to lead some lucky new freshmen on an amazing climbing adventure. Since Pre-O last I have continued to climb and learn, and now I am one of the climbing chairs in CUOC. I’m so excited to meet you guys!

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2025 
Hey y’all! 
My name is Carson and I’m a senior studying Mechanical Engineering. More importantly I love skiing, hiking, sailing, sun tanning, oh and of course climbing. Rocks? Ice? Trees? You got it, I’ll climb it. I’m also a certified Wilderness First Responder and NOLS graduate, so if you’re worried about the perils of the great outdoors, don’t fret. And if that’s not enough for ya, I’m also somewhat of a local to the Lake George region, and I’m super stoked to show you some of the finest adventuring we have to offer. My goal is to make this one of the most fun trips of your first semester and maybe even your whole year! I can’t wait to meet everyone and go play around in the ‘dacks! 
Peace. 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2025
Hello, I like climbing, eating and terrariums . I’m stoked to meet you, all of you, every single one of you! 
 

Image

Major: Computer Science, Class of Fall 2025 
Hey, I'm Nick, and I'll be leading one of the climbing trips! This fall I'll be a junior majoring in computer science. I've spent the past two years climbing rock and ice all over the daks. Thanks to the outing club, I've been certified as a wilderness first responder and single pitch instructor, which means that I probably won't drop the break strand. When I'm not climbing, you can probably hear me playing the tin whistle somewhere on campus. Get stoked! 
 

Image

Major: Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026 
Hey hi how ya durn!! My name is Owen, I'm a junior Mechanical & Aerospace major and I am wicked hyped to get to lead the beginning bikes preo this year!! I’ve ridden mountain bikes for years and I’m a mechanic at my home shop so we’ll have all the bikes absolutely ripping all week to shred all the trails in and around Stowe. I was mountain bike chair last year, and now I’m the president of CUOC, and I absolutely cannot wait to meet you and bring you into the family we call CUOC!! 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026 
what’s up! I’m Megan, and I’m a junior mechanical engineering major. I bike, ski, and occasionally do some hiking here and there. Getting outside is very cool and I’m excited for you guys to join us! Come rip it with us!

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026
Hi! My name is Kai and I’m a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. I grew up in Vermont ripping down the trails of the green mountains and soaking up sun on Lake Champlain. I am leading the moderate mountain bike pre-o this year and I can’t wait to shred with everyone. Of course my main passion is biking but I love anything outdoors like hiking, fishing, and various paddle sports. When the snow comes you bet I’ll be out skiing as much as I can. I can’t wait to meet everyone and ride bikes!! 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2027 
Yo, my name is Jack, I love riding bikes, throwing dirt and ripping trail. I’ve been known to dabble in working on bikes occasionally, and ripping pictures. Pre-o’s gonna be sick so you should definitely be there 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2025 
I am a Senior mechanical engineering major, I grew up just south of Rochester NY in the finger lakes. I am Vice President of the Clarkson Mountain Bike Club and one of the Backcountry Skiing Chairs for the Outing Club. I race MTB’s with mountain bike club in the fall and ski in the winter both resort and back country. I am a very avid Mountain Biker and am willing to ride anything, come ride with me and see if your bikes slacker then mine… I love the outdoors and spend as much time in the outdoors as I can. If you want to ride some of the best freeride lines and make your own that’s basically all I do in my free time.

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026 
Howdy folks. My name is Wyatt, and I'm from smack dab in the middle of New York state. You can usually find me outside avoiding confusing technology mumbo jumbo. I particularly enjoy riding my bicycle, skiing, and walking up large hills. My other interests include chocolate, fire, and anything old and made of metal. Be sure to sign up for a bike pre-o because you're sure to have a blast. Catch ya outside!
 

Image

Major: Environmental & Civil Engineering, Class of 2027 
I ride bikes, I play with dirt. I’m from Massachusetts, I’m going into sophomore year. Join this pre o 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2027 
Hi! I'm Trevor, (Honk Schoo, because of my last name of course) and I'm a sophomore mechanical engineering major. I ride bikes, fix bikes, and also occasionally crash bikes. I also do most other outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and split/snowboarding. I'm one of the current CUOC bike chairs. I'm an active member of the bike club and love racing with them on the weekends during the fall. I also love going out on rides whenever with whoever. Preo's are sick, especially the biking ones so yea gonna be lit we gonna ride bikes and shred yay. 
 

Image

Major: Chemical Engineering, Class of Fall 2024 
Heyo I'm Justin! I grew up in the southern foothills of the Adirondacks and have never stopped exploring. I like to go hiking ALL seasons of the year. Firetowers are my favorite! I have experienced all kinds of mountains from the Lake George region to the High Peaks Wilderness. I also enjoy boating and fishing (even if I'm not that good at it). I hope for an epic pre-o adventure to show you how rad the outing club can be. Happy Trails :) 
 

Image

Major: Engineering & Management, Class of 2025 
ahhhhhhh, so you're looking to see who might be taking you on a hike..... well sup y'all i'm alex, one of many around these towns. This year I'm a pretty cool senior and I would say I like the
outdoors. Firstly, I appreciate the winter, and all the skiings (cross country, backcountry and regular front country). but until the snow drops i find some fun in the other sports like easy hiking, baby climbing, a little paddling and just regular vibing in da sun. I'm pretty involved around campus so I'm ready to tackle all the questions you may have while you're making the transition to a new school, and can help introduce you to the area! I hope you'll join us for Justin & I's fun adventure before school starts!!! peace out girlscouts 

Image

Major: Environmental Science & Policy 
Hi!! I’m Mikah. I’ve dabbled in just about every outdoor sport but I really love hiking, biking, and skiing. I’m actually a xc ski chair for this club! I’m from Buffalo but grew up in the woods in PA. I’ve hiked almost every trail in the high peaks and a lot of the other ones in the Adirondacks too :) I can’t wait to hike with you guys! 
 

Image

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2027 
Hey I’m Allie and I am a sophomore studying mechanical engineering. I love to hike, ski, and I like to dabble in other things too. Other than spending time outdoors, I love art, making stuff, and hanging with friends.This is my first time running a pre-o and I am excited to have a good time with nature loving adventurous students like me.