The Adventure Club embarked on its annual trip for returning members on Sept. 1, this time to Sequoia National Park. Students enjoyed spending time with each other in God’s creation, and participated in activities such as hiking, swimming and rock-climbing.

a day of rigorous physical activity

The club’s members left early Friday morning for their trip. Cars departed at 3 a.m. in order to get to Sequoia by 8 a.m. From there, the students prepared their permits and their bear canisters and left the trailhead at around 10 a.m.

The club backpacked into Mineral Canyon and looped around the canyon over the course of three days, setting up camp at several lakes along the way. This was particularly convenient for those who went hiking, as the water offered some relief after a day of rigorous physical activity.

“After [our hike] we went swimming in the freezing cold water,” said Abbie Miller, junior business administration major and second year club member.

Surprisingly, members of the club did not experience a heatwave like much of the rest of California.

“One of the best parts was that it was about 62 degrees outside, and it rained. Getting away from the [hot weather] down here was great,” Miller said.

The students backpacked out on Sunday morning and arrived back at Biola later that night. Overall, the trip included many fellowship and bonding experiences, and the students were happy to reunite with one another after being apart for summer.

“The club is a great way to get out in nature and experience God’s creation,” said Quinn Farrand, junior English major and one of the officers of the club.

Know your abilities and push yourself,

The Adventure Club appeals to students who enjoy the outdoors and things such as hiking, backpacking, and rock-climbing, according to Miller, who recommends the club for anyone who loves the outdoors and wants to challenge themselves.

“Know your abilities and push yourself, because your body can do a lot more than you think it can,” Miller said.

The club presents itself as a viable option for both experienced and inexperienced students in the outdoors.

“Adventure Club is really cool because… you get the people who have never rock-climbed, gone hiking, gone backpacking before, and we come together to explore creation,” said Valerie Vant Land, senior intercultural studies major and third year club member.

For future trips, the club has worked diligently to plan a fun year for the club, however, new regulations may pose a threat to these events. As of this year, the Adventure Club must have trained guides on any type of trip beyond hiking and backpacking. While they can still camp, they may have a difficult time planning trips including activities such as rock-climbing, kayaking and other high adventure related activities.

“During clubs fair, everyone was asking about rock climbing. [When asked if we do rock-climbing we had to respond by saying ‘Well, technically we used to, but financially, it seems, quite honestly, impossible to do,” said Zachary Ikeda, vice president of the club.

While things may seem bleak for certain aspects of the club, there is no doubt they will continue to offer a variety of activities to students who love the outdoors.

“This year, we’re mainly just doing a lot of car camping, as well as a backpacking trip or two,” Ikeda said.

The club meets on Monday nights at 9:00 p.m. in Rood Hall.