Becoming an Outdoor Adventure Program Trip Leader
The Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) seeks to offer a variety of safe and fun outdoor trips to the UMass Lowell (UML) community. We offer trips that meet every person's skill level in order to challenge each person to grow through experience. We encourage teamwork, skill development, personal growth, and appreciation of the outdoors through trip experience. OAP is a well established part of the Campus Recreation Department, and has been in existence since 2007. The mission of the program is to support the development of healthy, balanced lifestyles for the UMass Lowell community through outdoor recreation and education activities. Trips include day hikes, paddling, biking, climbing, backpacking, cross country skiing, winter hiking, and more.
Image by Daniel Cremin
What Does It Take To Be A Leader?
Our trip leaders are excited to be outdoors and share the experience with others. Their duties and responsibilities are dynamic and broad. Our staff always keep the group's safety as the number one priority. They have strong communication and leadership skills, administrative abilities, experience in a variety of outdoor activities, a can-do attitude, and a welcoming spirit! Leaders typically start with some experience and knowledge in at least one to two of our core activities: mountain or road biking, hiking, paddling, backpacking/camping, and winter sports experience (winter hiking, skiing, winter camping). They have effective people skills, engaging with participants in a friendly, encouraging, and supportive manner. Responsibility and good judgement are extremely important. We do not expect every trip leader to come to us with every skill, and we provide continual training for the right people with the right attitude! Campus Recreation emphasizes inclusivity and welcomes all diverse applicants.
What should I do before I apply?
- We first encourage anyone interested in applying to be an OAP Trip Leader to participate in at least a few OAP trips of different varieties. Try hiking, kayaking and a winter sport, at least. This will give you the best idea of the kinds of trips we lead and the expectations for a trip leader. Talk to the trip leader while you're on the trip to learn more about the experience of being a trip leader for the Outdoor Adventure Program.
- Participate in our various longer weekend trips! We typically always have either one or two long weekend backpacking trips in the fall, plus a Spring Break adventure. These are great ways to experience the outdoors and show your abilities to rise to the challenge and contribute positively to the group, all while seeing how UML OAP works.
- Depending on the year, we also may offer an Outdoor Leadership Class, which provides an educational focus on trip leading, communication styles, group rapport, risk management, as well as some various frameworks.
- If you are able, get certified in Wilderness First Aid or a Wilderness First Responder. See our Instructional Workshops page for more details.
- Talk with us about your intentions, as well! Email to Kate Ford at: kate_ford@uml.edu to talk over your best ways to be considered.
Can I work outdoors somewhere else for experience?
- A summer job at a wilderness program or other kind of tripping program could really help you grow your skills and give you experience to be a successful OAP leader.
- The UML Kayak Center is an extension of the Outdoor Adventure Program and a really great way to get real-world experience working in the outdoors for Campus Recreation while building outdoor leadership skills multiple times a week! You will build your paddling skills as well as leadership skills. For more details, talk to Kate Ford by email: kate_ford@uml.edu.
- Occasionally, other companies share their summer opportunities with us and we will share them here as we are able:
- Northern Lakes Girl Scout Canoe Base - Be a Wilderness Canoe Guide in beautiful northern Minnesota and Canada! An absolutely fabulous summer leading wilderness canoe trips up to ten days long for teens and adults. Make friendships to last a lifetime, gain tons of skills! For more details, talk to Kate Ford or to the camp directly.
- Camp Moosilauke - Summer Camp Trip Leader jobs for Hiking the White Mountains, Rock Climbing at Rumney and Mountain Biking in New Hampshire. For more information, contact the camp directly.
- Northern Lakes Girl Scout Canoe Base - Be a Wilderness Canoe Guide in beautiful northern Minnesota and Canada! An absolutely fabulous summer leading wilderness canoe trips up to ten days long for teens and adults. Make friendships to last a lifetime, gain tons of skills! For more details, talk to Kate Ford or to the camp directly.
What kinds of trips does each trip leader lead?
We host a variety of trips, and our most important goal is safety. We will always staff each trip in a manner that provides for safety ratios and appropriate knowledge and experience for the group. We try to schedule each leader for some trips that they are really excited about and will excel at, as well as some trips that will add to their knowledge base. Most trips have 2-3 leaders for 9 to 10 participants, occasionally as high as 20 participants.
What is the time commitment to be a trip leader?
Trip leaders attend a two-hour staff meeting every 3-4 weeks. They average 10-22 hours of work for each of the day trips they lead. Of this, about 2-6 hours is doing pre-trip preparations and clean-up. On weeks without trips, there may be no hours worked.
Depending on trip enrollment and staffing, each trip leader will lead 3-4 day trips per semester for trips, with the possibility of an overnight trip for the more experienced and certified leaders.
What does training look like?
We have staff training just before the beginning of each semester, usually for 4-5 days in the fall and 2-3 days in the spring, and typically involving one or more overnight (including winter when possible!). All staff will be provided First Aid and CPR/AED certification. Trip leaders are all expected to get certified in Wilderness First Aid within their first semester of working (full or partial scholarships available). We also require our trip leaders to get certified in Wilderness First Responder within their first year and a half, typically available at UML during Winter Break (partial scholarships available).
Are trip leaders paid?
Yes, trip leaders are paid to go on awesome adventures! It is a great job, and also one with a lot of responsibility. We consider OAP trips to be a very important part of the Campus Recreation Department, and we expect a lot from our leaders. Work Study is not necessary to be hired, but is welcome.
Trip leaders get professional development as they participate in staff training, lead more trips and gain new skills or refine existing skills. We also offer full or partial scholarships for staff to be certified in Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder.
Additionally, trip leaders have access to gear owned by the Outdoor Adventure Program, a discount for any Bike Shop and Outdoor Center purchases, as well as pro-deals for new gear.
Image by OAP
What are the benefits of being a trip leader?
- Full staff training, including reduced cost Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder
- Gain leadership skills
- Learn new activities and skills
- Enjoy adventure
- Have fun
- Learn risk management skills and practice safety
This is an excellent opportunity for students to develop leadership skills and experience that you can later apply to their chosen career. You will be part of an exciting and active community of student outdoor leaders and professionals. Besides growing leadership, other valuable skills include working effectively with others, understanding risk management, and practice with maintaining a safe environment. Being a trip leader will also set you up for enjoying continued outdoor adventure for the rest of your life. This is an unforgettable experience you will look back on and treasure for a lifetime!
Where do trips go?
We go to some GREAT locations! Some of our trips are in or near Lowell, like kayaking on the Merrimack River or biking in Great Brook State Park. Most weekend day trips travel about an hour or two by van to a great location, often in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. During winter or spring breaks, our trips often go much farther afield, like kayaking in Florida or backpacking the Grand Canyon or the Appalachian Trail! Student trip leaders lead all of these trips. On bigger trips, professional staff generally lead, as well.