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Reconnecting on Outer Terrain
Naropa University’s Student Resource
for Accessing the Outdoors
Mission Statement
The mission of Reconnecting on Outer Terrain (ROOT) is one of leadership, connection, community and outreach. We strive to fulfill the inspiration of those who wish to get into the wilderness, lead trips and reconnect with themselves, others and nature. We aspire to provide the Naropa community with low cost outdoor gear, expertise on local terrain and a community in which to share. We fulfill this mission through dedicated volunteers and support staff, weekly meetings and shared enthusiasm for outdoor experiences. We chose the name "Reconnecting on Outer Terrain" for the purpose of reducing exclusivity. There are no membership dues or joining processes. ROOT honors all levels of expertise and strives to create an environment that meets the needs of its participants. ROOT trips and meetings are open to all Naropa community members. Through this mission, we extend an invitation for you to get out into the wilderness and reconnect.
About ROOT
- Trips
- Weekly Meetings
- Employment
Gear
About ROOT
History
In the fall of 2002, Scott Epstein and Timothy Crespi noticed that many Naropa students had limited access to outdoor activities such as backpacking, hiking and rock climbing. They were inspired to gain guiding experience and help students explore the Colorado wilderness. When they asked Naropa students and staff about the potential of a student-run outdoor organization, they were amazed to discover that someone had already obtained a small room on campus to serve as an office and gear storage room. That semester they started collecting donations of gear and organizing wilderness trips for students. They began working with SUN to obtain a budget and were allotted work-study hours. In 2003, ROOT members organized and led their first overnight backpacking trip in nearby terrain.
ROOT continues to expand and develop into one of Naropa’s most exciting and active student-run groups. In 2007, ROOT became housed under the Office of Student Affairs, increasing its ability to mature and sustain itself as a student organization.
Staff & Volunteers
Director/Founder: Timothy Crespi tcrespi@naropa.edu; 303-319-9793
Office Support: Scott Kaplan skaplan@students.naropa.edu; 847-721-8005
Office Support: Jeff Rodarti
jrodarti@students.naropa.edu; 303-817-5689
Core Volunteer: Mike Donaldson mdonaldson@students.naropa.edu; 860-304-2336
Core Volunteer: Rebecca Mayne sunshineyogini@gmail.com; 415-847-4335
Core Volunteer: Kristy Hill
kristyh@students.naropa.edu; 860-480-5295
Contact ROOT
Come visit us: ROOT is located in the basement of the Lincoln Building.
Call us: 303-245-4788
Email us: studentroot@naropa.edu
Get Involved
Trips
ROOT trips are led by ROOT staff and core volunteers, and are attended by members of the Naropa community interested in getting out into the wilderness. Trips have included weeklong backpacking excursions in the remote canyons of Utah, beginner climbing trips on neighboring rocks, weekend overnights to nearby lakes, day hikes in the foothills, snowshoe treks, Telemark skiing and solo back packing/meditation trips. In the 2007–08 school year, ROOT led a total of twenty trips, including full moon hikes, backpacking, rock climbing and two spring break trips to Canyonlands in Utah.
Detailed information about upcoming trips can be found at the ROOT office as well as on event boards located on the three Naropa campuses. Trip sign-up sheets are posted outside the ROOT office a week or two before the event. Trips are on a first-come, first-served basis and often fill up quickly. If you are interested in ROOT offering additional trips, contact us with your ideas and we can help you make your trip a reality.
Upcoming Trips
Full Moon Hikes occur once monthly on the full moon when weather permits. Check the ROOT office for details on the next full moon hike.
Core volunteer Rebecca Mayne leads a local hike every Saturday morning. These hikes begin at 9:30a.m. and last one to two hours. Check the ROOT office for details on the location of each Saturday morning hike.
Find out about other upcoming trips by visiting our office. We typically plan one to two “big” backpacking trips per semester at very low cost to students.
Weekly Meetings
ROOT staff and core volunteers meet weekly on Tuesday evenings at 4:30p.m. in the ROOT office in the basement of the Lincoln Building. These meetings are open to anyone in the Naropa community and typically last 1–2 hours.
Gear
With the exception of a few items, all ROOT gear is available to Naropa students for a donation of $1 per item/per day. This donation gives students access to affordable gear while helping ROOT to sustain its programs. If you wish to rent gear, please visit us during our office hours which are posted on our door in the Lincoln Building basement.
Available gear includes:
- Backpacks
- Sleeping bags and pads
- Tents
- Climbing harnesses
- Climbing shoes
- Snowshoes
- Water purifiers
- Camping pots
- Mess kits
- Headlamps
- Maps
- Books
- First aid kits
- Fleece jackets and pants
- Rain jackets and pants
At this point, ROOT is unable to rent back packing stoves, fuel or fuel bottles, climbing hardware or climbing ropes. If there is other gear that you would like to have access to, please contact us, and we will do our best to help you obtain the items you need for your trip.
Returning Gear
All gear must be returned to the ROOT office during
office hours so that it can be checked in by a ROOT staff member or volunteer. Call us, email us or check the office door to find out our office hours.
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