With spring and summer coming into full effect, it’s time to explore one of the most Coloradan things to do: going outside. 

Colorado is known for its hikes, skiing and overall outdoor activities. The Outdoor Club at Colorado State University utilizes Colorado’s natural beauty for outdoor experiences. Whether you’re already from the colorful state or a newcomer, there are plenty of events to get you outside. 

Mollie Hendry, president of the Outdoor Club, was a transfer student when she first joined. Hendry found a place to be at CSU through the club and has been an officer ever since. 

“The outdoor club is focused on accessibility, community and enjoyment in the outdoors,” Hendry said. “Our biggest thing is getting people outside to have a good time, regardless of their skill level, comfort or experience in the outdoors.”

Even though the school calendar is coming to an end, there are still a good number of events the Outdoor Club is holding, one being the annual Greyrock Mountain hike, in which the group carries on the tradition of the “weenie route” where they roast hot dogs at the conclusion of the hike.

“If you’ve ever wanted to get into the outdoors but you’ve felt that you don’t know how with all the gear and you don’t have people to go with, this is the place to come and meet tons of new people who are all very friendly and love the outdoors,” said Nash Sisk, events coordinator for the Outdoor Club.

“We just really want to get people outside and excited about being outside and sharing experiences of going on adventures and doing stuff you’ve never done before with new people.” –Nick Becker, interclub relations officer for the Outdoor Club at CSU

A highlight of the club, of course, is meeting like-minded individuals. Nick Becker, the interclub relations officer, recalled his first trip with the club.

“There was only about six or seven of us, but if you spend more than four hours in a car with people you don’t know, you become pretty close pretty quickly,” Becker said.

With a good mix of short and long distances for trips, it’s easy for most to join, and participation is flexible for members. The Outdoor Club runs trips around Colorado and surrounding areas, with most locations being no more than an eight-hour drive from Fort Collins, according to the club’s website.

“Even if they choose not to participate in activities as frequently, people always come back, and they remember the Outdoor Club as being the start of a lot of new memories at the university,” Hendry said.

The landscape of Colorado, which allows the club to hike, camp and climb in the warmer seasons and ski and snowshoe in the winter, lets the club operate year-round.

“We just really want to get people outside and excited about being outside and sharing experiences of going on adventures and doing stuff you’ve never done before with new people,” Becker said.

The Outdoor Club’s next activity is a weekend camping trip to the Dinosaur National Monument April 28-30. They hold biweekly meetings 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Behavioral Sciences Building to overview upcoming trips. While the club is composed of around 1,400 students in a year, trips are capped.

“It’s helped me meet a lot of people with the same interests as me (and the) same kind of mindset about life and the world, so it’s a great place to meet people when you’re a new student,” Hendry said. “A lot of people end up meeting long-term friends as a part of the club.”

Reach Emmalee Krieg at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @csucollegian.