On the "The Top 20 U.S. Colleges For Outdoor Adventurers":
Do you dream of shredding powder, live for the challenge of climbing a tough pitch, or love taking risks navigating class III rapids? Or do you prefer basking in the sunshine, learning the natural history of your surroundings, hiking through pine tree forests, frolicking through wildflowers, or enjoying the serenity of canoeing on a lake? Whichever type of outdoor enthusiast you are, there are quite a few colleges and universities that cater to and encourage your urge to explore the outdoors. This top 20 list describes some of the country’s best schools for prospective students interested in the outdoors. These schools are not only surrounded by breathtaking natural landscapes, but they also offer stellar programs that encourage outdoor adventure.
1. Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina
Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian State University is surrounded by nature’s playground. Students at App State have a wealth of outdoor opportunity right at their fingertips, as some of the East Coast’s best mountain biking, caving, climbing, and paddling are within an hour’s drive from the ASU campus. App State’s Outdoor Programs offers a range of activities, from backcountry cooking right on campus to 30-day international trips in places like New Zealand and Italy.
For students who wish to make outdoor education their career, App State provides three different recreation management concentrations: Outdoor Experiential Education, Recreation and Park Management, and Commercial Recreation and Tourism Management. For students who wish to pursue another career but are still interested in guiding outdoor education trips at App State or in the future, App State offers an Instructor Development Program, which includes Wilderness First Responder and epinephrine administration certifications. Students are also encouraged to volunteer with the Blue Ridge Parkway Corps to educate tourists about preserving the trails.
Two comments:
- What other list are we going to be ranked higher than Cornell, Stanford and et cetera?
- Also, for those students who wish to make this a career, App State provides an environmental economics major where you could study outdoor recreation demand benefits (and costs).
