Outdoor Rec offers gear for spring

With the snow melting and the sun not setting until 8 p.m., the trails around Bozeman are finally starting to dry up. MSU provides excellent resources to help students and staff access the outdoors without having to break the bank buying the top-tier gear most stores in Bozeman offer. Here’s a quick rundown on the supplies and activities available to students:

If you live on campus and need to work on your bike, the Outdoor Recreation Center, located just south of Yellowstone Hall, has a free-to-use bicycle maintenance area, plus a bike tech that drops by every so often for more serious repairs. There are numerous mountain bike trails just a short drive from campus that range in difficulty. For more experienced riders, trails like Truman Gulch and Mystic Lake are excellent choices. Truman Gulch is a relatively short trail with some fairly technical sections and surprising bends. Mystic Lake is an 18-mile loop with the lake being the reward at the peak of the climb. For those who are looking for something on the easier side, hiking/biking trails in the Gallatin Valley like Gallagator and Sourdough are enjoyable without being too strenuous. If your favorite bike trails are still wet, driving out to Copper City or Lewis and Clark State Park may be worth it. They’re a drive away but tend to have drier weather. For more information on Bozeman biking trails, check out VisitBozeman. Favorite trails around Bozeman, along with their distance from downtown and difficulty level, are listed at https://bit.ly/3vcXdID.

The Outdoor Recreation Center is not just for bike maintenance. Toward the end of April, the rec center will begin renting warmer weather gear, such as rafts, paddleboards and kayaks. If you are worried about strapping one of these to your car, don’t be. Most of the watercraft are inflatable and can be blown up when you reach the water. “Another major part of MSU Rec is our trips, clinics and classes. These help students engage more with the outdoors and with others with the same interest,” Anja Linckey, an employee at the Outdoor Rec Center said. Trips and classes for the upcoming fall semester are available for registration, including hikes and rafting trips. Students can apply on the Outdoor Recreation Program’s website,https://bit.ly/3DBuHUC.

If you are looking for people to go explore with and enjoy nature, clubs like the Outdoor Club were founded by students with that same idea. The Outdoor Club on campus has quite a few events planned for April, including a backpacking trip, a kayaking clinic and a Yellowstone trip. The best way to get involved with these clubs is to message them on social media/email or to attend one of their meetings. Take advantage of the warm weather because, before you know it, we will be trudging around in the snow again wishing for some sun.