Outdoor Program Scrapbook

The Outdoor Program scrap book is an compilation of past trips, photos and comments of the good ole days.  We're just getting started, and if you're a past participant, we'd love to hear from you.  Jot us a note and tell us about some of your past experiences and we'll add it to the scrap book.  Send notes to Ron Watters (wattron@isu.edu).

(Sorry... we have text but no pictures yet.  Send us some scans & we'll put them on!)

The scrapbook is divided into the following time periods:

Early 1970s

Through the years, if there's been one distinguishing characteristic of Outdoor Program trips, it's the price.  There isn't any cheaper way of doing a trip.  Check out this one from the early 70s . . .

On one sign-up sheet we found, the cost for a week-long trip down the Main Salmon during spring break was a whopping $35.00.  That include the cost for food, rental of boats, and all gas expenses!  Outrageous!

Here are the poor souls who emptied their pockbooks and signed up for the trip:  Robert Bush, Ron Green, Bill Bernt, Linn Andrews, Karen Jensen, Cherri Shutte, Jon Larsen, Mike Johnston, Wayne Taysom, Bruce Clark, Ron Watters, Dave Mills.

Mid 1970s

Great Rift Hiking & Pillar Butte Climb
October 23-24, 1976

Participants included:  Marlena Sly, Bill Francis, Nancy Emery, Jeff Smith, Jim Duffy, Sawna Schueman, Mary Stone, Kris Smith, Ron Watters

This trip was organized to help people become more familiar with the Great Rift, the large and infrequently visited lava flow to the northwest of Pocatello.  The BLM at the time was looking at the area for possible wilderness designation.

We started out by visiting the Crystal Ice Cave (It's been since close), drove to the Wapi Lava Flow, to the south of the Cave, and set up a camp by a thin line of aspens on the edge of the lava.  Donning packs, we took a hike out to Pillar Butte which is the most prominent feature in the southern part of Great Rift.  It was used as a landmark for settlers on the Oregon Trail.

Much the walking was easy on the ropey-like pahoehoe lava but the last part of the climb to the top of the Butte was more tedious on a spiny form of lava called aa (pronounced ah-ah).  From the top we had a great view over huge dark lava field which stretched into the distance eventually merging with the rolling snake river plain.  The sun was dropping and shadows were beginning to creep across the sea of black rock as we climbed down off the Butte and headed back to our camp in the aspens.

We had great evening, cooking up 40 mile stew in a Dutch oven,  sitting around the campfire and munching on some great brownies.  (Anybody know who made those?)

Late 1970s

In the late 1970s, there was a period of time when a series of sign up sheet were put up by the Hell Fire Club (Despite the rumors circulating at the time, Tom Whittaker and Dave Lovejoy disclaimed any involvement)

Here's a couple of their trips:

"Lava Hot Springs, Spiritual Enlightenment and dance at Wagon Wheel"  On the sign up sheet were:  Tom Whittaker, Lorrain Fuller, Kathy Bernhardt, Toni Hallogan, Bruce Bistline, Ryndy Reed, Kelly Erin, Dave Lovejoy)

"The Hell Fire Club Halloween Extravaganza. Oct 27, 1979 at Dave Lovejoy's place.  No Wimpy Dogs allowed!"  Signed up were:  Darcy Bush, Jeff Rhoads, Sally Little, Rick Heymann, Dennis & Joyce Dunn, Catherine Lesfund, Leamie Faithful, Joanne Bjoure, Art Nouveau, Toni Halligan, Terry Torleton, Tawna Skinner, Terry Carrico, Dick Hertz, Janice Updegrove, Max Wise, Margaret Wheeler, Scott Finholdt, Jeff Splitgerber, Nouyeau Riche, Connie Lingus, Tom Whittaker, Lisa Steeele, Colleen Christensen, Sharon Cook.)

Anybody who didn't attend gatherings of the Hell Fire Club was called a Wimpy Dog.  Finally a growing number of wimpy dogs revolted and this sign-up went up:

"Wimpy Dogs Unite (No Hell Fire Members are allowed. Ha!)
Sun November 19, 1979 at 7 pm at Jeff Rhoads place.  This is for all the wimpy dogs that can't fire up."  People signed up and the dishes they planned to bring to the pot luck included:  Jeff Rhoads (fish & rice casserole, Kellie Erwin (Spinach Salad), H (Green Bean Casserole), C. J. Kerfrud (fruit salad), Tom Whittaker (booze and dry goods), Bruce Bistline (Jalapeno casserole), J'neane Smith (cake).

Early 1980s

Kayaking Trip to France,  July and August, 1981.

Participants:  Marvel Harrison, Barb Johnson, Dana Olson, Terry Carrico, Martin Bochenek, Al Lowandi, Ron Watters, Jerry Johnson, and Jeff Bartline.
 

The seeds for this trip were planted in 1979 when Bob Smith, a outdoor education teacher from Birmingham, England brought a group of students to join Idaho State students to do some kayaking and climbing.  Among other things, the Brits went with us on a wonderful, week-long trip down the Main Salmon River.

In 1981 it was our turn to go to Great Britain.  The first week was spent in England doing a little sightseeing and visiting the Birmingham Outdoor Center in the Lake District.  At the Outdoor Center we did a little of everything:  climbing, hiking, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking on an estuary.  Then we loaded up all of our gear into a Land Rover and a twelve-passenger Volkswagen Bus, both of which pulled trailers stacked high with kayaks.  The next 19 days were spent running rivers in France, making frequent repairs to our fiberglass kayaks and marveling at that height of French ingenuity, the French loo.

Mid 1980s

By the mid 1980s C.W. HOG was in full swing and Tom Whittaker (who started the program) planned a trip to the Moonlight Yurt just before Christmas of 1985.  It turned out to be a memorable trip with 25 or so people crammed in the yurt.  Things really got hoping when late that night, Tom got a game of spin the bottle going.

Those who signed up include:  Tom Whittaker, Laurie Hartley, Ray & Silvia Martinez, Ron Watters, Kathy Daly, Ike Gayfield, Diane Gayfield, Tim Angus, Kyle Packer, Mary McDevitt, Chris Bower, George Johnson, Denise Giradi, Jackie Gellar, Deb Tate, Kristy Yeske, Ingrid Antonson, Dana Olson, John Elle, Cindy Whittaker

The Portneuf Range Hut System was established in the early 1980s and tradition was started.  Every fall, about the 3rd week in October, the Outdoor Program called for volunteers to help put up the yurts and cut and split wood.

Here's a list of folks helping out listed on a sign-up sheet in October of 1986:  Scott Tyson, Glenda Fox, Doreen and Dave Vaughan, Pam Lemmon, Nancy Teal, Brain Gard, Jay Busley, Kathy Daly, Kathy Vitale, Jim Glennon, Dana Elle, Mike Sullivan, Rick Price, Deb and Paul Tate, Jim Aho, Peter Angstatd

Late 1980s

Tidbit from a sign-up sheet:  Backpacking has always been standard fare at the Outdoor Program.  In September, 1989, Scott Tyson put together a trip to the Teton Wilderness.  Those signing up included:  Laurie Anderson, Ann Whitworth, Maria Edmann, Ramon Murillo, Canyi Miracles, Cindy Wallesz, Beth Rowland, Liz Downing, Jeff Chappell, John Bellegante, Mike and Chris Dingman.

Rob Jones (now living in Salt Lake) organized several common adventure trips in the late 80s.  He has posted information on these and other trips he's taken through the years on the Idaho Alpine Club web site.  Here's a couple of his O.P. trips:  Jarbidge Wilderness (June 1988), White Clouds (Aug-Sept, 1986). Also see the mid 1990s for a yurt trip report.

Early 1990s

Tidbit from a sign-up sheet:  Rock climbing is really coming on strong in the early 90s.  Bruce Black and Luke Ziminsky put up a sign up sheet for a spring break trip to Smith Rocks in Oregon in March of 1992.  Signing up were:  Amy Wilson, Luke Ziminsky, Bruce Black, Jessica Granquist, Pete Santarone, Mark Waddoups, Morrie Mikesell, Marty Thompson and Monty Blunc.
 

Rob Jones who organized a number of Outdoor Program Common Adventure trips in the 1980s and helped get the Portneuf Range Hut System off the ground, has written up a number of his trips and has posted them on the Idaho Alpine Club web site.  Here's a report from a yurt trip he took in March of 1994.