MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2013



MIT Outing Club Winter School

Rachel DeLucas, Anna de Regt

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Limited to 300 participants
Attendance: Trip Participants MUST attend the FIRST TWO lectures (Jan 8 & 10)
Prereq: None.

Winter School is MIT Outing Club's crash course in cold weather wilderness activities. Taught over IAP since 1971, the goal of Winter School is to teach the skills one needs to enjoy outdoor sports safely in the winter. Participants attend lectures every Tuesday and Thursday evening and spend time outdoors during the weekends. Trips are offered at various levels of intensity and include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, orienteering, and mountaineering.  Specifically, lecture topics cover essential food and clothing selection as well as the use of technical gear for hiking (snowshoes+crampons), cross country and backcountry skiing, ice climbing and more.

All levels of experience are welcome! Many smaller (10 people max) trips are run to the White Mountains every weekend by our experienced winter trip leaders. Weekend trips are optional, but by far the best part of Winter School! Equipment is available for rent from MITOC; participants will need to provide appropriate clothing (to be discussed in lectures). Those going on trips will need to share cost of gas & upkeep with drivers, as well as a nominal trip fee (covers trail fee for National Forest use). Attendance at the first two lectures (Jan 8th and 10th) is REQUIRED to participate in any of the weekend trips! The first two lectures will be in room 34-101. All subsequent lectures (Jan 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, and 31) will be in room 35-225.

Sponsor(s): Outing Club
Contact: Rachel DeLucas, 4-211, 617 388-8597, SHRAQUEL@MIT.EDU


MANDATORY Lectures

Jan/08 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 34-101
Jan/10 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 34-101

Mandatory Winter School Participant Lectures. Topics including Clothing, Food, Water, Personal Issues, Basic Hiking, Driving in Winter Conditions, MITOC Procedures/Gear Rentals will be covered.

Rachel DeLucas, Anna de Regt


OPTIONAL (highly recommended) LECTURES

Jan/15 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 35-225
Jan/17 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 35-225
Jan/22 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 35-225
Jan/24 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 35-225
Jan/29 Tue 07:00PM-09:00PM 35-225
Jan/31 Thu 07:00PM-09:00PM 35-225

Lectures the second week will cover a variety of technical topics such winter overnight camping (gear + food), ice climbing, backcountry skiing, avalanches, weather, & mountaineering. The third and fourth week will feature guest lecturers (TBA) that specialize in winter-related activities, academics, and/or outdoors adventures.

Rachel DeLucas, Anna de Regt