There are few better ways to spend a couple hours or a full day for that matter, than in a kayak moving over water. Think portable fun with which you can explore a favorite or soon to be favorite spot. An experienced Instructor will share information about kayaking and recreational kayaks. You will eave knowing which type of kayak, paddle and PFD will best fit your needs, as well as, the skinny on local paddling destinations.

Tired of watching from shore as kayakers glide over the water? Now's the time to join us for an on-the-water class designed to teach you the basics of paddling both sit-on-top and touring-style kayaks. We'll discuss gear selection, proper fit of boat and gear, and basic safety skills. Then we'll head out on the water to learn and practice the forward, sweep, reverse and draw stroke techniques so you can get your boat to go where you want it to. Come join us and expand your outdoor destinations to include the open water! After taking this course, expand on your new-found knowledge in our Kayaking: Level 2 course, which focuses on more advanced boat handling skills and introduces capsize recovery.

This class expands on the skills learned in our Kayaking: Level 1 class. Gain more advanced paddling skills in touring-style kayaks. In this on-the-water class we will expand on paddle strokes and boat handling skills and we'll teach self-rescue techniques where you will get to practice safe methods of exiting your boat in a capsize, re-entering your kayak with a paddle float, and pumping it dry with a bilge pump. These recovery skills and the safety gear you learn to use are essential to paddling safely on large bodies of water. All kayaks, PFDs, paddles, and rescue equipment provided.

Learn the basics of climbing in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. This limited-enrollment class will include an overview of the dynamic sport of climbing as well as individualized instruction. All gear provided.

Come learn the basics of vertical climbing in a natural setting. We’ll focus on building solid fundamental skills such as belaying, crack climbing technique, face climbing technique and maneuvering through the "crux" (most difficult section) of a climb. If you’ve only climbed inside or you are looking to explore climbing for the first time, this is your opportunity to practice with professional rock climbing instructors. We provide harnesses, helmets and all the necessary gear for you to try out this fun and challenging sport! Recommended for those 14 and older; those under 18 must be accompanied by parent or responsible adult.

Join our REI rock climbing instructors to learn self-rescue skills no climber should be without. Learn how to get yourself out of tricky situations and also offer help to others when professional assistance is unavailable. This class discusses belay escape methods, ascending to aid an injured climber, and assisting a partner form above. Please bring your own harness, carabiner and belay device. Practicing with your own equipment will better prepare you for “real world” conditions. (If you don’t have your own gear, REI Outdoor School can provide equipment.) All REI rock climbing courses are taught by professional, dedicated climbing instructors.

Learn the basics of placing traditional climbing gear and building top rope anchor systems. We will cover site evaluation, natural anchor selection, and equalizing the forces on the anchor. All gear will be provided by REI outdoor school. This outing will focus on construction and assessment of different anchor types not on climbing movement.

Experience the rush of road cycling with our instructors as they teach you the proper techniques of shifting, braking, efficient hill climbing, safe descending, proper body position, and reading the road for safety. This is an educational ride, not a guided tour; we want to teach you how to get more out of your cycling experience. This class is designed for folks getting back into cycling and beginners alike. We’ll start by addressing proper bike fit, making necessary adjustments to improve comfort and performance. Next we’ll demonstrate riding techniques and teach important communication and safety skills to prepare you for the ride. Then it’s off for a great ride to practice what we've learned! New Novara road bikes provided at no extra cost for those without a bike of their own. NO RIDER IS LEFT BEHIND! Please bring your helmet and proper riding apparel. Recommended for those 14 and older; those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult.

If you've been riding for a while, you feel comfortable with your bike and you want to take your cycling performance to the next level, join our expert road cycling instructors as we teach you to refine your technique, work on cadence, and climb hills on some great local rides. We'll build on the skills you've learned in Introduction to Road Cycling with more practice and longer distance. Learn to ride the areas you've wanted to explore but were afraid to attempt on your own. Novara road bikes provided for those without a bike of their own at no extra cost. NO RIDER IS LEFT BEHIND, but this trip is not for beginners, as we ride at a faster pace and cover longer distance.

Experience the thrill of mountain biking with our instructors as they teach you the proper techniques of shifting, braking, hill climbing and descent, body and pedal position, and navigating minor obstacles on the trail. This is designed as an educational ride, not a guided tour; we want to teach you how to get more out of your mountain biking experience. We’ll start by addressing proper bike fit, making necessary adjustments to improve comfort and performance. Next we’ll demonstrate riding techniques and teach important communication and safety skills to prepare you for the ride. We’ll teach you the trail etiquette techniques that mountain bikers can use to help keep trails open and safe for all trail users. Then it’s off for a great ride to practice all the skills you’ve learned. Novara mountain bikes provided at no additional cost for those without a bike of their own. Recommended for those 14 and older; those under 18 must be accompanied by parent or responsible adult.  NO RIDER IS LEFT BEHIND!

If you've been riding for awhile and feel comfortable with your bike and want to take your riding performance to the next level, join our mountain biking instructors as they teach you to navigate advanced terrain and master singletrack portions of some great local rides. We'll build on the skills you've learned in Introduction to Mountain Biking with more practice handling obstacles, switchbacks, ascents and fast-paced descents. Learn to ride the areas you've wanted to explore but were afraid to attempt on your own. We'll also teach and enforce proper trail etiquette to make sure trails stay open and safe for well-behaved mountain bikers and all other trail users. New Novara mountain bikes provided for those without a bike of their own at no extra cost. NO RIDER IS LEFT BEHIND, but this trip is not for beginners, as we ride at a faster pace and cover tougher terrain.

This easy excursion will introduce your kids to exploring the outdoors and will leave them wanting more. Join our REI Outdoor School instructors on a kidfriendly hike in a local park to discuss tips and tricks for planning family trips into the outdoors. Learn how to pick a good trail and how to keep the kids interested and happy on the hike. A kid-specific version of Leave No Trace principles will be taught to emphasize good habits in the outdoors. The instructor will tailor the class to your family’s needs. Kids need to be old enough to hike or be carried. Bring your child carrier backpack if needed.

Heading out for your first camping trip and not sure what to eat? Tired of always eating the same old camp food? In this hands-on field seminar, our REI Outdoor School instructors teach you how to build a proper camp kitchen, design a menu, and prepare easy, nutritious and tasty meals that will delight your campers and elevate your wilderness experiences! Learn about proper food handling and sanitation techniques and tips on preparing and storing your food to minimize clean-up. You'll also learn all about what stove and fuel types are best for your needs, and then get to prepare and cook your own shared meals on a variety of stoves. We'll be preparing ultra-convenient freeze-dried meals, along with some of our favorite camp recipes from a mix of dried and fresh ingredients that are sure to please! All stoves and kitchen materials, along with all food ingredients provided (options for both vegetarians and meat eaters).

Make the leap from car camping to backpacking. Join our instructors on an overnight trip to a local backpacking camp.You’ll learn camp skills such as proper campsite selection, camp cooking, and Leave No Trace camp etiquette. The instructors will also help you understand the best backpacking equipment for your needs to maximize your comfort and fun.

You and other dog owners will embark on an afternoon hike through the hills. Along the way, you’ll learn trail etiquette, ways to avoid distractions, doggy social skills and basic dog safety. Only one dog (people- and dog-friendly) per person; please make sure your pup’s vaccinations are up to date. Bring a leash and your dog’s favorite treats as a training aid.

Spend the day with REI Outdoor School instructors and our dynamic naturalist trip leaders on a series of fun and informative hikes around our local wild resources. Introduce yourself to an incredible world right in our own backyard. Find out how we are conserving our beautiful natural areas and what challenges face us in the future. Our goal is to provide participants with basic Leave-No-Trace skills while having fun on a great day hike. Our staff naturalists will be there to provide information on commonly encountered plants, wildflowers, birds and animals as well as local history. REI instructors will also answer questions about other hiking-related topics.  Please bring binoculars.

Join an REI Outdoor School Instructor as they lead you through the basics of GPS navigation. Learn how to use your pocket-sized navigator to pinpoint your location, mark waypoints, plot courses, and create routes. Learn about using online maps and transferring route and waypoint information to the GPS. As the Instructor reviews the features to consider when choosing a receiver, they will introduce you to some of the fun and practical applications of using a GPS unit in your outdoor activities. At the end of the session, you will get hands-on experience outdoors with a GPS. If you own a GPS unit, please bring it to the class. Some demo GPS units will also be available.

Are you tired of getting lost on the trail? Learn the latest GPS navigation techniques to keep you headed in the right direction. Head out into the field for a day of hands-on navigation training with our expert Outdoor School instructors. You’ll practice pinpointing your location, projecting waypoints, plotting courses and creating routes out on the trail, so that you can successfully navigate through local parks and your favorite backcountry destinations. Learn to transfer information from the GPS to your map and from the map to the GPS. We will even show you how to utilize your GPS to give you driving directions to your destination (not all units have this ability). If you own a GPS unit, please bring it to get detailed instruction on its features. Demo GPS receivers will be available, as well as maps and compasses, as we enjoy a scenic hike through a local park. This class will provide an overview of the different techniques needed to fully utilize your GPS receiver. GPS Navigation Class is recommended but not mandatory to get the most out of this class.

Learn about the online tools available for GPS users. Working with various software tools, you’ll learn how to load maps and waypoints, create a trip and download it to a GPS. This class is a must for all GPS users wanting to integrate interactive mapping software to improve their trip planning!

Come learn about the sport of Geocaching, the exciting, Internet-based hide-and-seek game that's growing by leaps and bounds across the country! Learn strategies for finding a cache as well as how to hide one yourself using a GPS receiver.

Come experience the fun new sport of Geocaching, the Internet-based hide-and-seek game that’s growing by leaps and bounds across the country! REI Outdoor School Geocaching instructors will share how to use your GPS unit and astute powers of observation to find hidden caches around the local area. Learn strategies for locating cleverly hidden caches, how to use online “geo-tools”, and Geocaching etiquette. Along the way, we will also teach basic GPS skills, including creating waypoints, plotting a course and transferring route information from a map to a GPS. For more information on the sport of Geocaching, visit www.geocaching.com. We will provide GPS units and maps for your use as we discover locally hidden caches, or you are welcome to bring your own.

Have you been carrying a compass for years and never actually known how to use it? For anyone heading to the outdoors, map and compass skills are essential to navigating safely. Join our Outdoor School Instructors for a class on learning to use a compass and read a map to help you find your way in the wilderness. Our Instructor will teach you all the parts of a compass and how to choose a style that works for you. We’ll talk about magnetic north, true north, and magnetic variation (declination), and help you make sense of it all. Then you’ll learn how to take a bearing, both in the field and projected onto a map, so you can learn how to triangulate your position and plan a route. Speaking of maps, what do all those squiggly lines mean? We’ll also discuss topographic maps and how to read them to understand your terrain.

Join us for an instructional trip to learn how to use a compass and read a map to truly find your way in the wilderness. We'll teach you the parts of a compass and how to make use of them. We'll talk about magnetic north, true north, and magnetic variation (declination), and help you make sense of it all. Then we'll learn how to take a bearing from the terrain, and from your map, so you can triangulate your position and plan a route. Speaking of maps, what do all those squiggly lines mean? We'll look at topographic maps and learn how to read them to understand your terrain. We'll also discuss strategies such as using "handrails" for "aiming off' to improve the accuracy of your backcountry navigation. Map and Compass Basics Class is recommended (but not mandatory) to get the most from this outing.

Find out everything you need to know about the basic functions of your digital camera from a professional photographer and instructor. We will make it easy to learn about your camera’s capabilities. We will cover exposure settings (automatic to manual mode), metering, auto focus, use of flash, file size and type, and playing back images. Please bring your digital camera and owner’s manual to tonight’s class.

Are you still shooting in "Auto" mode because you haven’t really learned how to use your camera? Here’s the perfect way to learn the functions of your camera, basic exposure and composition techniques, and how to shoot better pictures under the direction of a professional photographer. Please bring your digital camera and owner’s manual, as well as extra batteries and memory. Basic knowledge of your camera or attendance at Digital Camera Basics is recommended.

Join our REI Outdoor School instructor as we teach techniques enabling you to turn everyday snapshots into beautiful compositions. You will learn to see beyond your primary subject so that everything in the frame improves the image. We will analyze numerous photographs as we discuss composition techniques including eliminating distractions, utilizing human subjects, and using leading lines and the Rule of Thirds to create more dynamic images. Begin to shoot with an eye that draws the viewer's attention into a vibrant and stimulating photograph.

Cameras don’t take pictures, people do. But cameras are not always easy to understand. Learn more about your camera and how to make ordinary subjects extraordinary. REI Outdoor School instructors and photographers will introduce composition techniques and demystify some camera functions. Learn how to eliminate distractions, use line and texture and the Rule of Thirds to create more dynamic images. Begin to see beyond your primary subject so that every feature in the frame improves the image and draws the viewer’s attention into a vibrant and stimulating photograph. This trip is open to digital and film photographers of all experience levels.