Gone Wild
DU students blaze new trails with the Alpine Club
Since 1928, the DU Alpine Club (DUAC) has made it possible for University of Denver students to explore the wilderness through hiking, backpacking, and other outdoor sports and activities. The club provides everything students need to safely enjoy the natural world — from equipment and training to guided expeditions — all at low cost. Because of DU’s location in the heart of the Rocky Mountain West, outdoor adventures often become a defining part of students’ college experiences. For nearly a century, DUAC has been helping students connect with nature, build community, strengthen character, develop new skills, and cultivate personal well-being.
The club’s mission is simple yet impactful: to make the outdoors accessible and affordable for all DU students, no matter their means, skills, or previous experience. Throughout the year, DUAC organizes a wide range of fun and challenging excursions for beginners and seasoned adventurers alike, including rafting trips, ice climbing outings, snowshoeing treks, and more. Recent day trips and weekend getaways have taken students to Great Sand Dunes National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Pikes Peak, and the San Luis Valley. DUAC has also ventured beyond Colorado to destinations such as Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Taos, New Mexico.
As one of the first formal outdoor recreation groups in the state, DUAC has a rich history. It followed in the footsteps of organizations like the Colorado Mountain Club (a Golden-based group established in 1912) and the AdAmAn Club (founded in the Colorado Springs area in 1922). Just five years after AdAmAn’s inception, DUAC was born, and ever since, it has outfitted DU students with the gear, guidance, and opportunities they need to create memorable outdoor adventures.
In 2026, DUAC partnered with Ikon Pass to give away approximately 45 skiing and snowboarding passes to DU students for the 2026–27 ski season, making Colorado’s legendary slopes more accessible than ever. Likewise, the opening of the 730-acre Kennedy Mountain Campus in 2022 has allowed DUAC to expand its offerings. Students can now enjoy activities such as bouldering on the natural rock formations in the Roosevelt National Forest and horseback riding at Sundance Ranch.
As the oldest continually running student organization on campus, DUAC provides students with opportunities to nurture their spirits and strengthen their relationships with both peers and nature. Physical and emotional well-being are central to DU’s 4D experience, and for nearly a century, DUAC has been helping students cultivate a strong mind-body connection — come hail or high water.
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