Custom Trips

Custom Trip and Private Guiding is available. Touch the Earth can help plan, outfit and safely lead an adventure your group will not soon forgot! From private small group guiding to large group outings, let us plan and manage the details so you can focus on the fun. Day, weekend, and weeklong adventure possibilities exist. Ideas include rock climbing, canoeing, white water kayaking, rafting, sea kayaking, skiing, biking, backpacking or any combination of activities are among many opportunities available right here in Iowa or beyond! Customized events will be tailored to meet the specific goals of the client, let us plan and prepare your group for whatever adventure we can dream up! Contact Dave Patton to explore the unique adventure possibilities awaiting you and your group.

CRWC Video

About the Wall

The new climbing wall located in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center is over fifty feet of amazing climbable features. With bulges, arêtes, roofs and cracks, this massive new wall, with a separate bouldering wall, boast twelve top rope stations while every square inch is also open to lead climbing! Built by Entre-prises and designed to look and climb like real rock, this new wall will inspire seasoned climbers and beginners alike.

Policies

Everyone using the climbing wall will be required to pass a safety check or a safety check recertification. The only exceptions are patrons participating in a try climb, a climbing lesson or group climbing event or simply bouldering.

Climbing lessons

• Monday-Friday 6:30pm & 8:30pm

A climbing lesson will teach you the basics to become oriented with the wall and the safety procedures for climbing safely. Topics include climbing knots, harnesses, belay skills and climbing commands. Following completion of the lesson, you will be asked to come back at a later date to complete the safety check, which is included in the lesson fee.

Safety Checks & Recertification

Safety Checks are required to obtain your approval card, which you need to climb at the wall. Safety checks can be done any time the wall is open and staff is available to check you. You will be required to demonstrate that you have retained the skills from the lesson. Upon passing the safety check, you will receive your approval card. Cards are valid for the current academic year. Safety check recertifications are designed for people who have previously passed a safety check at our wall and are looking to update their approval card. You must present your expired approval card to participate in the recertification process.

Try Climbs

Try climbs are designed for people wishing to “try” climbing. The climbing wall staff will manage the safety systems while you experience the climbing wall first hand. Try climbs are great way to get a feel for the sport without committing to a lesson and learning all of the technical safety skills.

Bouldering wall

Bouldering is rock climbing without the ropes and gear. Participants stay lower to the ground often traversing the wall searching for the hardest movements. The focus is more on the body movement and honing their climbing skills without the restriction of technical climbing equipment. Bouldering is quite social as climbers take turns working together to unlock the sequence of movement require to complete a bouldering route. Please enjoy the separate bouldering wall as well as the “splash landing” wall overhanging the leisure pool!

Exclusive Wall Rental

The Climbing wall is available to rent for unique social events such as Birthday celebrations, Scout troop outings, workplace socials and Residence hall and Greek community events to name a few.

Lead climbing

All climbers wishing to lead climb are required to obtain a lead climbing approval card. Do you have the strength, endurance and skill to take the sharp end of the rope? Lead climbing lessons are available by appointment. Lead climbing safety check may also be completed by appointment only.

Personal training/ Private lessons

Improve your technique, strengthen your core and advance your skills to the next level by taking a personal training session. Designed for you with your specific goals in mind, personal training may be the link to taking your climbing to the next level. Available by appointment only.

Youth Climbing Team

The new CRWC climbing wall has created an opportunity youth specific climbing programs. Please inquire online or at the wall about our youth climbing team. Established to help young climbers learn and improve on their climbing skills, lessons and practices are also designed to help build confidence through a focus on problem solving, communication, trust and teamwork. Climbing coaches are dedicated to teaching the sport in a safe and fun way!

Recreational Services offers courses in outdoor recreation, martial arts and dance for academic credit as a part of the Touch The Earth program. Each course is listed in the Lifetime Leisure Skills Department (410:000) and will receive one credit hour.

Past classes have included the following:

• SCUBA
• Rock Climbing
• Int. Rock Climbing
• Bicycle Touring
• Int. Bicycle Touring
• Moutain Biking
• Int. Moutain Biking
• Tae Kwon Do
• Int. Tae Kwon Do
• Kickboxing
• Canoeing
• River Canoeing
• White Water Kayaking
• White Water Canoeing
• Marathon Training & Racing
• Hiking
• Trail Running
• Basic Orienteering
• Exploring the Natural Wonders of Iowa
• Team Building
• Wilderness Appreciation
• Sea Kayaking
• Basic Self Defense
• Ballroom Dancing
• Salsa Dancing
• Leadership in the Outdoors
• Low Impact Camping
• Snowshoeing
• Winter Camping
• Cross-Country Skiing

Registration

Registration for all Lifetime Leisure Skills (LLS) classes takes place on ISIS, department (410:000). The fee for the class will be charged to your University of Iowa bill when the class actually meets. If you cannot attend a class, you may drop the class on ISIS up to 11:59pm the day before the first class meeting. The fee will not be charged to your bill if you drop the class by this time. The fee is not refundable if you drop after this time. If you can not find the class you are looking for on ISIS, make sure you have the correct academic session selected. If you are unable to register for a course come to the first class meeting and if space is available we may be able to add you to the course that night.

The High Adventure Challenge Course has a variety of low rope and high rope elements that are used for groups who wish to improve their cooperation, decision-making, and teamwork skills. The High Adventure Challenge Course is located on the Ashton Cross-Country Course. The course must be reserved in order to use it. Parking is available at the Hawkeye Recreation Fields during the week and the Hawkeye Commuter Lot on the weekends.

Description

The University of Iowa High Adventure Challenge Course is an effective tool in helping student leaders, University departments, public school groups and agencies, and business enterprises become effective leaders and teams. Fun is what brings the experience to life: it helps keep people focused, engaged, and connected to each other. And that kind of active involvement helps participants benefit long after their day ends.

Registration

Groups interested in reserving a date on the course should complete the Group Planning Sheet on the Recreational Services website and return it to the contact information listed at the bottom of the form at least four weeks prior to their desired date. After confirmation of your groups scheduled date, you will be contacted to discuss specific goals and objectives so we can customize your day to meet your needs.

For smaller groups there is a minimum charge of 12 participants.

Session Options and Pricing

4 hour low course

• UI Student Groups: $30/per person
• UI Faculty Staff Groups: $40/per person
• Community Groups: $50/per person
• Corporate: Call for pricing

8 hour low course

• UI Student Groups: $45/per person
• UI Faculty Staff Groups: $55/per person
• Community Groups: $65/per person
• Corporate: Call for pricing

Graduate Assistant - Lifetime Leisure Skills:
Nora Metz, nora-metz@uiowa.edu -

Associate Director - Macbride Nature Recreation Area, Lifetime Leisure Skills, Challenge Course:
Rob DuBay, robert-dubay@uiowa.edu - (319) 353-5565

Assistant Director - Outdoor Rental Center, Adventure Trips, Climbing Wall:
David Patton, david-patton@uiowa.edu - (319) 384-1223