Outdoor Club Coming AttractionsBelow is a partial list of De Anza College Outdoor Club coming attractions.
 
 
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event:
Officers meetings, when you can find us to ask questions, volunteer or sign up for most events will probably be most Fridays spring quarter, at 12:30 (or maybe 12:45) in S75. To find S75, go to:
http://www.deanza.fhda.edu/map/s_quad.html
Look for the S7 building and then find S75.
We will often have someone who can answer questions and do signups at the De Anza swimming pool most Saturdays between 11 and 1 p.m.
 
 
  
  
Every quarter (spring quarter, Saturday, May 31 at 1:40 p.m.) first-timer's kayaking/canoeing lesson
at the De
Anza pool, for a couple of hours, with the actual
kayaking (and races?) for an hour or so. $15 members, $25 non-
members. $15 will be credited towards a future trip for those
who help with the chores, especially those at the end.
read details at:
kayaking / canoeing lessons
Friday, April 11, our swim team versus Foothill at the De Anza pool at 2:00 PM
When a club member can be found to organize it,
horseback riding in Saratoga, a few minutes from the campus. A "guided horseback ride through Cooper-Garrod Vineyards and the Fremont-Older Mid-Peninsula Open Space Preserve on the eastern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains facing San Jose... trails wander through vineyards and oak chaparral forests teeming with wildlife ... at a thousand foot elevation, featuring the spectacular views of San Francisco Bay and Santa Clara Valley."
Friday, April 25 from 10 am to 2 pm in the main quad. Health Fair The Lion's Club screening van will be there to provide glucose, vision and hearing screening, and the Medical Lab Technician students will be doing glucose and cholesterol screening.
Wednesday, May 7 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. apply for graduation, ask questions or receive a degree audit, at the Counseling Center, 2nd floor, Student & Community Services Building
You must apply to receive your degree. For your name to appear in the ceremony program (Saturday, June 28) you must apply for graduation by Friday, May 16.
Sunday, June 1, volunteering at the Silicon Valley Kid's Triathlon, held at De Anza. The race is a fundraiser for the Silicon Valley Children's Fund, which benefits local foster children. Most of our volunteers are for the lifeguarding/swim portion staff, but others are always needed.
Check out the pictures of the 3-year-old triathletes at:
guarding the Silicon Valley Kids Triathlon, 2004
and the You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=silicon+valley+kid%27s+triathlon&search=Search
Saturday, June 7, 2008, 9 a.m. (and every spring break) Monterey Bay Ocean Kayak Day Trip. probably $27 for Outdoor Club members, $30 other students. A great beginner's trip, with a lesson beforehand.
We launch at a beach on Cannery Row and go at least a mile to in front of the aquarium. We've always seen otters and seals. Optional hikes at spectacular Point Lobos reserve afterwards.
Most people use a single (one person) kayak, but there are also tandem (two person) kayaks. These are the kind of kayaks you sit on top of, not the kind you get your legs stuck in, so no special training or experience is required. People who know in advance who they would like to share a tandem with should sign up for one; if there are others available that day you can form partnerships when you get there.
 
After kayaking: we can have a group picnic at the shoreline tables in the park down towards the Coast Guard wharf if we bring food. There are restaurants, but they take awhile to get food, and then we'd run out of time for other activities. Many years we plan a short walk and a moderate hike at spectacular Point Lobos State Reserve, about 7 miles south.
Or you could bring/rent bikes or roller blades and use the shoreline city trails made especially for pedestrians and bikes.
We have been doing this trip for over ten years. We've had a few people fall out of their kayaks in Monterey Bay. It's okay, because they were wearing lifejackets and there are always other kayakers, and maybe even a lifeguard, nearby on our trips to help. They all figured out how to get back into their kayak.
But it would have been easier to handle this if they had practice getting back into a kayak. So now we are offering everyone who signs up a chance to come down to the De Anza pool in their swimsuit, put on a lifejacket and under the watchful eye of a lifeguard, figure out how to climb back into a kayak from the water. (The pool is heated, Monterey Bay is not.) It's not that difficult with helpful people in another kayak. Our quarterly kayaking/canoeing lesson is the main time to try this.
Please be on notice that the Outdoor Club will NOT be responsible for getting you back into your kayak if you fall out in the ocean during the Monterey trip. YOU will be. The Coast Guard can charge $500+ for a rescue. If you fall out of your kayak and can’t get back in and need a Coast Guard boat to come get you, De Anza will not pay for it, you will. There will be people nearby who will help steady your boat, but it would be smart to try it in the warm De Anza pool before it happens in the cold ocean.
It would be wise to read a bunch of other details (including what to wear) and rules about the trip before signing up.
They are at:
Monterey ocean kayak day trip
The page includes a link to more ocean kayaking pictures.
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
Once or twice a year (Sunday, June 8 at 9 a.m.) Beginner's surfing
lesson by professional instructors in Santa Cruz. Soft long board
and wetsuit rental included. Almost everyone who takes the
lesson has never surfed before and has a blast. Usually $85, we
go for $65 for club members, $75 for other students.
The lessons are limited to 25 people and you must
sign up and pay in advance. Cost includes instruction, wetsuit and soft long board rental. It's an all-sand bottom
so you don't need booties.
We've done this at least yearly for over ten years. Some people really don't stand up and surf, but everyone at least gets a few
rides kneeling, The instruction is excellent and a lot of laughs. We start with a full lesson on the beach,
including surfing etiquette/rules and practice standing up on the boards.
 
Then the instructors go out in the water
with us and help people who need it.
Yes, you will fall off the board numerous times, but so will everybody
else.
If you can't figure out on your own how to stand up on the board, some of the instructors are able to balance on a moving surfboard while helping you to stand upon your surfboard:
To participate in the surfing lessons you must pass a swim test: jump into minimum 14-foot deep water,
before you surface swim two full body lengths underwater, surface and tread water (not a flutter kick) for thirty
seconds, then swim a minimum 35 yards head-up crawl or head-up breaststroke (all this without stopping).
Instead of taking the swim test, you can provide a current Red Cross or YMCA lifeguard card or scuba
certification or a note from a De Anza swim instructro that shows you are enrolled in a deep water swim class when you sign up to prove that you can swim.
Times to take the swim test and signup for the surfing lesson will be announced here closer to the date.
More pictures are at:
wipeouts from the De Anza Outdoor Club surfing lessons
successful surfers from the De Anza College surfing lessons
April 2006 surfing page one
April 2006 surfing page two
Surfing Oct. 2003 photo page two
Surfing pictures
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
The Karate Club plays paintball, outdoors, regularly and Outdoor Club people join them. (spring ? quarter-- date TBA by the Karate club)
read about the field of play at:
http://sequoiapaintball.com/index.html
Minors (players must be at least 13 years old) must bring signed waivers or have a parent at the field to sign them in. Download and read the waiver at:
http://sequoiapaintball.com/nsera.pdf
De Anza has rules that
include not using alcohol or drugs and the paintball company has lots of safety rules.
The Karate club will not take advance payments, you will pay at the field. You will need to download a copy of the required De Anza release at:
release form and get it to Pete Rabbit's (advisor to the Karate Club) mailbox before the trip to be 'signed up' for the event. Please clearly print your email and phone number on the form so he can contact you if plans change. A description of how to find the drop box for faculty mailboxes is at:
How to get a message to a De Anza instructor
Interesting weather does not cancel paintball events.
Carpools and caravans are on your own, neither the Karate club nor the Outdoor Club arranges carpools or pays for gas, parking, lunch, etc.
--The concessioner gives a safety briefing before play. Please pay complete attention to it. People who arrive late must have the
safety briefing before playing and come into a later game.
At least once a year, some tight-squeeze caving, 4 to 5 hours of squirming, for a small number of people, first signed up gets to go. $15 club members, $20 other students.
Trip leader Dr. Marek Cichanski of De Anza's Geology Department says this about the trip:
"IXL is the standard 'beginner's cave' in the Bay Area, but this does not
mean that it will be an easy trip. If you've ever visited a 'show cave',
such as Crystal Cave in Sequoia National Park, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, or
one of the privately owned caves in the Sierra foothills above Stockton,
this will be a different experience. There will be essentially no walking
in the cave. It will consist of scrambling and crawling, sometimes in tight
spaces. The cave contains two notably tight spots, dubbed the Mantrap and
the Corkscrew. The trip leader (6'2", 200 lbs) was able to fit through
them on his first trip, but you wouldn't want to be much bigger than him,
and you won't want to attempt the trip if you don't enjoy tight spaces.
You'll want to wear clothing than can be thrown away after the trip if
necessary. You may be able to get the mud out, but it's not guaranteed.
Caving will give new meaning to the phrase 'ground-in dirt'. You'll want
volleyball-player-style pads for your knees and elbows (NOT hard-shelled
construction-worker-type pads), and gloves. Long pants, a long shirt, and
some additional insulation like a sweater or fleece jacket will be a good
idea, although keep in mind how dirty they will get. Coveralls are a great
way to go; used mechanics coveralls can sometimes be found at auto parts
stores. Lightweight hiking boots would make good footwear.
The Outdoor Club will be arranging for rental of helmets and headlamps from
the San Francisco Bay Chapter of the National Speleological Society.
Participants should each bring 2 additional flashlights each, for a total
of three independent sources of light. The trip is estimated to last
between four and six hours."
The size of the group for this trip is small and the event is first come, first served. You must sign up with Dr. Marek Cichanski of De Anza's Geology Department and then pay the Outdoor Club. His office hours will be posted here nearer to the next caving date.
Saturday, June 28, 2008, 5:45 a.m. or earlier, Volunteering at the Alcatraz Sharkfest mile and a half + swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco. They need people (lifeguards or not) in kayaks to help the off-course or cold swimmers. Previous ocean kayaking experience required, like our spring break Monterey trip.
People must sign up in person in advance .
Details and pictures of this race, which we have volunteered at for seven years are at: Escape from Alcatraz 'Sharkfest' swim volunteering, Sharkfest 2004 lifeguarding
and Sharkfest 2003 lifeguarding
 
Alcatraz Sharkfest FAQs, with some advice about the swim worth reading by volunteers, are at:
http://envirosports.com/exec/enviro/faq/sf_faq.html
You might also want to read
Tips for guarding open water swims
Group photos of De Anza volunteers at the Sharkfest swim race are at:
Alcatraz group photos
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
a summer three night weekend, Thursday, August 7 to Sunday the 10th, 2008 camping, hiking, kayaking at Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite .
We'll go for $17 members, $27 other students. We were unable to get a group campsite this year, so we can only bring 12 people. The first signups will be for club volunteers, but we will take a waitlist for other students. After July 24 others can sign up. Those on the waitlist must pay by July 27 at 1 p.m. to not lose their place.
Our ages for 2004 were: 19, 19, 19, 20, 20, 21, 21, 24, 25, 25, 25, 25, 27, 27, 28, 28, 30, 30, 30, 31, 31, 32, 34, 35, 39, 40, 40, 41, 43, 43, 53, and 56. Six people had never been camping before. The trip filled over a week in advance.
For the 2006 trip, we were in our teens, twenties, thirties, forties and fifties, again with six people who had never been camping before. 2007 had the same wide age range.
The book Yosemite Wildflower Trails says this about Tuolumne: "Those who know it best will tell you that here the Sierra attains its ultimate perfection of mountain grandeur. Near the source of eternal snows on the peaks, icy streams flash down the mountain slopes to linger a while in the grassy meanders or lush meadows, trailing garlands of wildflowers along their banks. Many lakes, from the smallest of rocky tarns to those filling ancient glacial valleys, lie in grass-rimmed splendor reflecting the sky, the clouds and the crags."
We plan to take a day (Saturday) go to the top or near the top of Mount Hoffman (10,850'), the geographical center of the park. This does not require rock climbing skills, but does require an early start to miss possible afternoon thunderstorms.
We will be bringing the De Anza owned kayaks and plan to be out on Tenaya Lake for Friday ( or possibly Saturday) morning sunrise sightseeing, races, or...? (No kayaking experience is needed.) We also plan to continue the lifetime quest for the perfect swimming hole. (The Dana and Lyell forks of the Tuolumne River come down from the peaks and meet near the campground, then the river winds through the meadow.) The Tuolumne Rangers do very good nature walks and the climbing school is based in Tuolumne in the summer. There's a stable with two-hour, half day and all day trail rides. Stargazing at Tuolumne is great.
People must sign up in person in advance .
We have a limited number of kayaks, so it's first-signed-up, first dibs on a kayak. Unless we have a small turnout, you must share a kayak.
To read lots more details go to: Tuolumne trip
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
Saturday, August 23, 2008, volunteering at the Alcatri triathlon The race starts with a mile and a half + swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco. They need people (lifeguards or not) in kayaks to help the off-course or cold swimmers. Previous ocean kayaking experience required, like our spring break Monterey trip.
People must sign up in person in advance .
Details and pictures of the Sharkfest swim race, the same swim route as the AlcatTri, are at: Escape from Alcatraz 'Sharkfest' swim volunteering, Sharkfest 2004 lifeguarding
and Sharkfest 2003 lifeguarding
Alcatraz Sharkfest FAQs, with some advice about the swim worth reading by volunteers, are at:
http://envirosports.com/exec/enviro/faq/sf_faq.html
You might also want to read
Tips for guarding open water swims
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
August 2009 or 2010, we intend to go camping at D. L. Bliss State Park at Lake Tahoe and kayaking in Emerald Bay again.
If you were a student during spring quarter you don't have to take summer quarter classes to go on our summer quarter trips. Likewise, faculty don't have to teach summer quarter.
The main activity on this trip will be an all day eight-mile round trip kayak along the lake shore and into Emerald Bay. You must have long distance kayaking experience with the club to participate, which even beginners can get on our spring break ocean kayak day trip to Monterey. OR you can go on a shorter orientation to the kayaks and pass a swim test of 20 twenty-five yard laps of freestyle or breastroke in 15 minutes or less.
For Tahoe kayaking we all paddle in one large group that stays together.
People must sign up in person in advance .
We have a limited number of kayaks, so it's first-signed-up, first dibs on a kayak. Unless we have a small turnout, you must share a kayak.
We can fit 50 people camping, but only have kayaks for 20. Cost in 2005 was $35 for members who kayak and camp, $45 for other students who kayak and camp, $15 for members who only camp and $25 for other students who only camp. $20 of the kayak and camp fee will be credited towards a future club trip, within one year, for those who help with any needed kayak loading/unloading before, during and/or after the trip.
This price compares well to local Tahoe companies that offer kayak day trips for $65 to $85 (3 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours).
We have space for eight vehicles at the site, so the eight largest carpools can park at the campsite, all others must park at day use (a short walk from the campsite). Each vehicle must pay a park entrance fee ($5 daily??).
In 2005 we could have called this Carlos and Maria and Drushti and Greta and Joe and Grace and Wendy and Beverly and Leonora and Michael and Ashleyanne and Shannon and Gabriel and Sherry and Paul and Alan and Mary's excellent adventure.
Our ages were 16, 20, 20, 20, 21, 23, 26, 28, 28, 28, 28, 33, 44, 45, 52, 54, and 57, so you probably have no excuse that no one near your age is going.
For more information (and pictures) about this trip go to Tahoe trip
September (6 to 14 +/-) 2008, Grand Tetons, Wyoming trip
Club members are working fundraising to subsidize this huge adventure to have money for gas for the kayaks and gear to be transported to the park. (Rentals are $40 for 24 hours. If we kayak part of four days we save $160 per boat.)
 We will have four or five or six official kayaking days suitable for beginners and plan to do a short to major all-day (your choice of distance, with or without a Ranger Naturalist), hike into Cascade Canyon. Most trip participants usually do all the standard Grand Tetons sightseeing and museum tours. Some have gone white-water rafting or on a horse-back ride on their own.
The official days of the 2008 trip will be September 6 or 7 to 13 or 14. Participants can stay for a shorter, longer or much longer trip. Usually people go to Yellowstone National Park as well.
Very early morning flat water kayaking, with no experience necessary for at least one of the destinations. Some early starts (up at 5 a.m.) to be able to see animals.
 
Unlike most mountain ranges which have foothills, the Grand Tetons are fronted by vast expanses of land dotted with intimate-sized or massive lakes, then the mountains abruptly rise from the plain. They are rugged and craggy with some snow and glaciers on top year 'round.
The first aspen will be turning yellow, enough for some great pictures. Hawk and other bird migrations going through.
Probable sightings of elk, moose (7 feet tall, 9 feet long with 5 feet wide antlers), Canada geese "v"s. Possible sightings of great blue herons, trumpeter swans (8' wingspan; mate for life), American white pelicans, northern river otters (we saw seven while out kayaking in 2002 & 2003, and four stealing a fish from a Bald Eagle in 2004), pronghorn (can run 30 mph for 15 miles with spurts up to 70 mph), deer, coyotes and beavers or muskrats.
Elk bugling (a low bellow followed by a higher-note-than-the-first-soprano-faculty-advisor-can-reach whistle that carries a long distance) will be at its peak, with the largest bulls amassing harems and the younger ones trying to. We'll probably also hear coyotes and even wolves if we are out in the morning or evening.
People must sign up in person in advance .
We have a limited number of kayaks, so it's first-signed-up, first dibs on a kayak. Unless we have a small turnout, you must share a kayak. If we have a huge turnout, everybody can't be out at once unless the late signups rent craft there.
For tons more details click on this link Grand Tetons
Think you can't afford this trip? Think again, and read Grand Tetons trip cost, it has examples of
The cheap trip,
The not-so cheap trip,
The slightly more costly trip, but less driving time,
also known as the I-can't-get-much-time-off-work trip,
and The expensive trip.
Grand Tetons trip pages index has brief descriptions of most of the pages about the trip.
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
September 27, 2008 is planned as the grand reopening of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco with the new world's largest reef tank. http://www.calacademy.org
January 30 to February 1, 2009, NINETEENTH ANNUAL Yosemite Valley Winter Camping trip. A waxing crescent moon for great pictures!
Usually one of our biggest trips. Rain? Snow? Sleet? Sunshine? Raccoons (quite possibly IN the tents), Coyotes! Campfires! Night hikes, early morning hikes, long hikes to viewpoints above the valley, snowboarding, skiing, Ranger walks, Ranger snowshoe walks, ice skating, snow sculpture building. Many years we have people who have never been camping before and/or have never been in the snow. (So they've never been in a snowball fight, either.)
    
Who will go on this trip?
For example, the 2007 trip:
Rose, Michael, Somayeh, Shannon, Keith, Thuy-Duong, Dinh, Bhavishya, Hoda, John, Suzy, Sandi, Tiffany, Mona, Maryam, Sandeep, Joe, Pradeep, Jessica, Manoj, Yvonne, Chance, Philip, Catherine, Iain, Aaron, Howard, Alice, Eileen, Edgar, Mike, Tamara, Alan and Mary.
Our ages were 12, 18, 18, 19, 19, 21, 22, 22, 25, 25, 26 26, 27, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28, 28, 29, 30, 31, 31, 34, 36, 36, 40, 42, 56, 58, 58 and 62. (You probably have no excuse that there will be no one your age going.) Eight had been on the trip before. Four had never been camping and two of them had never seen snow. Three of us were Red Cross first aid/cpr instructors.
Hordes of others said they were going but did not sign up.
2008 WINTER YOSEMITE TRIP COST was the same as 2006 & 2007: (2009 details will be posted here closer to the date.)
Campsite cost for two nights for club members ranges from $10 to $23 per person. Non-club members pay $10 extra. The cost depends
mostly on parking space needs since the sites hold six people but only two cars (free
day-use parking is a short walk or a free daytime bus ride).
Here is the price breakdown for members, other students add $10.
(Membership is $15 for 365 days, and you get free equipment rental with an additional $15.
The club owns great winter tents and insulating sleeping pads.)
$23 --drive by yourself and want a parking space AT the campsite
(no problem--you just pay more)
$13 per person--for two people, one car in a campsite parking space
$10 per person--for three or more people, one car in a campsite parking space or for any
number of people who will drop off their stuff at the site and park at day use.
p.s. We will not make arrangements for motor homes, and please no pets.
   
Example: Two people want to travel together and bring tons of stuff (extra clothes, futons,
firewood, and a large-capacity battery powered capuccino machine), so they need their own
parking space. Cost: $13 per club member. ($23 other students.)
Example: Carpool in a big van with three or even eight or more people in it
OR example: Three people each drive their own cars because they have different arrival and
departure times. They plan ahead and make spare door keys for the biggest car and park it
at the site, with all their gear in it, and park the extra cars at day use. Cost: $10 per club
member. ($20 other students.)
Other costs to plan for, not covered in your payment to the club, include FOOD, GAS, potential meals eaten at restaurants (a lot of us go to the fabulous Ahwahnee brunch on Sunday -- for $41 (2008), a little change for the laundromat to dry some damp clothes, ski/snowboard costs (there are rentals and lessons at the Yosemite ski resort), skate rentals and/or ice rink fee, postcards,
t-shirts and other souvenirs. You can rent winter boots at home before the trip. Film is usually cheaper at home; bring more than you think you'll want. If you are an Outdoor Club member and you rent equipment from us (great tents, insulating sleeping pads) you'll need to make refundable cleaning/late fee deposits.
Park entrance fees are: (as of early 2008) $20 per vehicle, good for seven days, or a year-long Yosemite Pass for $40, or a year-long National Parks pass $80. The longer passes might be a good buy if you are going on other adventures. If you are riding in a carpool bring your share of gas, park entrance fee, etc. money. Please don't plan to give the driver an I.O.U.
The club has a large firewood supply, dining canopies and more IF people will transport them.
photo above of Half Dome and meadow in January is from the National Park Service.
For details about the trip including links to ski/snowboard/ice skate/photo walk info, lists of gear to bring, first-timer's instructions,
carpool info/chains/driving directions go to: Snow Camp
Don't forget - when you sign up you will
need to show us your rain gear and explain what you are doing about boots, tent and
sleeping bag.
People must sign up in person in advance .
HOW TO FIND US to sign up for an event
______________________________________________
Answers to most questions about how the club works are at: Outdoor Club Basic Info
The main rules common to most of our trips, including who is eligible to go, are at: Outdoor Club trip rules.
Carpools are arranged among the students going on the trips, not by the club or the college. For info on how to get/give a ride and links to advice on how to do basic maintenance to get your car ready for a club trip go to Carpool FAQs
Road trip advice and etiquette
The club owns lots of equipment that can be used by members on club events with refundable cleaning and late fee deposits. Details about equipment can be found at: Outdoor Club Equipment. Rentals will go much more smoothly if you have read Outdoor Club Sample Rental Agreement
Any club member can propose and plan a club event. For details click on this link: Club Trip Leader Job Description
See also: De Anza College home games
The search box below will search the WWW or only De Anza faculty websites, so you could use it to find something particular about the Outdoor Club at this website:
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