Ignite Outdoors
Ignite Outdoors Overview
Ignite Outdoors is a three-day outdoor experience filled with adventure, leadership, learning, and outdoor skill development for all experience levels. With training in navigation, wilderness first aid, risk management, group dynamics, leadership, and technical skills, our leaders are well prepared to provide an enjoyable, learning adventure for students.
The wilderness environment provides many amazing opportunities to learn about how to cope with new challenges both on and off campus. This experience eases the transition to college life. Please note these offerings are only for incoming students (first-year students and transfer students).
The $300 charge at registration includes transportation, most outdoor equipment, meals during the program, and outdoor instruction.
Program Highlights
- Connect with UT Outdoor Pursuits (UTOP) student trip leaders
- Explore East Tennessee’s beautiful wilderness
- Spend one day rafting on the Ocoee River
- Camp out for 2 nights with other incoming students
Frequently Asked Questions
Daily Trip Itinerary
Day 1: We’ll meet at noon on campus. After introductions, we’ll get everyone outfitted with any gear you might need, then load up in three 12-passenger vans and head down to the Ocoee River. Once we arrive, we’ll setup camp, make dinner, and enjoy an evening under the stars.
Day 2: Wake up, breakfast, prep for rafting. We’ll spend the full day rafting on the Ocoee River. Once we’re done, it’s back to camp for dinner, games, and more time under the stars.
Day 3: Wake up, breakfast. Break down camp and pack up the vans. We’ll do a short 3-5 mile hike on our way out, and arrive back at campus by 5 p.m.
How many students attend each session? What are the waitlist options?
Each session has a maximum of 30 students. If the session is full, we encourage students to add their name to the waitlist. We will contact students in waitlist order if a spot should open up.
What equipment will I need?
We provide all technical gear needed, food, instruction, and transportation. You just need your own clothes, or if you have your own modern gear, you are welcome to use it after our trip staff inspect it. We will send out a packing list to every participant with your registration confirmation email.
What is the camping like?
We’ll be at an established campground, with access to water and bathrooms. We will be tent camping, and each Ignite participant will share a tent with 1-3 other students.
I’ve never experienced these activities before. Should I still register?
Yes, you should especially if you are looking to challenge yourself physically and mentally in the outdoors. We’ll spend the first part of each day’s activity teaching you what you need to know before we set off and provide you individual feedback throughout the activity. By the time you finish the trip, you’ll be comfortable in the water or on the trail. While we won’t promise you will love everything, we bet you’ll come close.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes. You should be able to swim 25 yards (1 time across a pool) with any stroke and not touch the pool bottom. When on the river, you will be required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) so swimming in the river should be easier than swimming across a pool without a PFD jacket.
What will we do if it rains?
The area that we will be in is warm during the summer and afternoon showers are common. We will paddle and hike in the rain and often it will provide relief from the summer heat. UTOP professional staff will be on-site to enact any inclement weather procedures if necessary.
I’m coming from out of town. Can you pick me up from the airport? Can I stay on-campus before or after each session?
We do not offer pickups from airports or housing before or after your session. However, below are a few hotels options depending on where you are coming in from if you plan to come in the night before, and Ubers/Lyfts are readily available from the airport to campus.
- Graduate Knoxville – approx. 1 mile from TRECS (Downtown)
- Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown – approx. 2 miles from TRECS (Downtown)
- Hilton Knoxville – approx. 2 miles from TRECS (Downtown)
- Courtyard Knoxville West/Bearden – approx. 6 miles from TRECS (West of campus)
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Knoxville Northwest – approx. 7 miles from TRECS (North of campus)
- Hampton Inn Knoxville-Airport – approx. 11 miles from TRECS (McGhee Tyson Airport)
What is the refund policy?
Due to the nature of the Ignite Outdoors program and the necessity for early planning and purchasing of supplies, no refunds are available. If a student has a medical or family emergency and wishes to cancel their Ignite session, documentation will need to be submitted to [email protected] in order for a refund to be considered.
What do I do if I am a minor and cannot accept the waiver?
- Have your parent or guardian create a profile for themselves on our registration portal.
- Once the parent/guardian has made a profile for themselves, have them log into their profile and navigate down to the “Family Member” section, and then “add a family member”.
- Have the parent/guardian create the student a profile as a family member.
- With the parent/guardian logged in, navigate to the Ignite Registration page
- Click “register” for the session you intend to register for. You should see a pop up screen that lets you select a family member.
At this point, the parent/guardian would choose the Family Member profile they created for the student and proceed to register. This allows the parent/guardian to accept the waiver on behalf of their student.