The Eau Claire Adventure Center (EAC) runs outdoor trips year round to give UW-Eau Claire students cheap chances to get outdoors and travel to some truly breath-taking destinations. I’m talking about all-inclusive ski weekends and road trips for dirt cheap. 

This year, there were posters plastered all over campus for this year’s spring break trips to Great Smoky Mountain and Yosemite National Park. My friend Ava Mckeon has worked for the EAC since last year, and I heard stories about how amazing her EAC spring break was last year. 

Once I saw the advertisements, I immediately sent her a text asking about which trip to go on. She ended up leading the Yosemite trip, so I was able to go on an affordable, preplanned and super fun trip alongside one of my good friends. 

Thus, the 30-hour road trip to California began, wearing borrowed clothes for a week and seeing mountains and trees much larger than any I had seen before. 

I’m usually extremely overprepared. However this time, when everything was already planned for me, I did not take a lot of precautions. That was my mistake. Through a bizarre mishap, all my hiking gear was left at the EAC office instead of in the car with us. We figured that out the second day of a 30-hour road trip to Yosemite. 

Luckily my friend Ava was there, as well as the lovely trip leaders who had packed plenty of spare hiking gear to lend. I ended up living in borrowed clothes or a recently purchased t-shirt and leggings for the 10-day duration of the trip.

Borrowed clothes aside, hiking will always be my favorite way to stay active, and I believe nature is the missing link in any workout routine. If I’m not taking a walk outside after lifting, or at least working in a gym with big windows, the activity just doesn’t sit right.

Day One: Cold

We hiked Mirror Lake in the snow and rain. It was definitely a trial by fire for myself, as I tend to be a fair-weather outdoorswoman. There was a whole new meaning to misty mountains when moving further down the trail.

The distant snowcaps leaned over us as we moved closer to the beautiful views of the lake. The cliffs funneled rain into streams that fell around us into our walking path. All of our socks were soaked by the end of the hike.

It was a cold one, but worth the majesty of Mirror Lake.

Day Two: A Proper Waterfall

Because it was a beautifully balmy day, we decided to hike the steep hillside of the Yosemite Falls trail. I was working up a sweat with the 1,000 feet of elevation zigzagging up the shady mountainside. 

Getting a glimpse of the view through branches and taking stops at rock outcroppings were highlights on the way up.

Our trip leaders also brought snacks to the top. Phillip, one of the trip leaders, said he was happy to see a real waterfall and not just rain flowing off of cliffs. I was shocked by just the height of the mountain, let alone the falls. 

My favorite place to eat fruit snacks will forever be squirreled behind a bush with Ava looking at Yosemite Falls. 

Day Three: Peaceful

Climbing is a surprisingly fun way to work your brain as well as your body. The trip leaders — along with most EAC staff — are all climb and belay certified. The trip cost also covered the climbing equipment for everyone on the trip to try climbing at Church Bowl. 

I will be the first to admit that climbing terrified me. Going down was a totally different story. Being on a hard rock wall with open air below and behind me was a very different experience from a cushy top-rope gym.

I paused multiple times on the way down to remind myself the belayer wouldn’t drop me.

Real-world climbing experience aside, sitting alone after my turn climbing was the most precious time of the trip to me. I could drink in the Church Bowl view for hours sitting alone under that tree. That is exactly what I did. 

Day Four: Big Trees

A long hike is more than the historically large trees toward the end, but historically large trees are also the main reason we traversed the Mariposa Grove trail. Landmark sequoia trees and warm breezy weather marked this hike.

That day was the most memorable, but also so tiring. Because of the time of year, a lot of trails were snowed out, and we spent so much time driving on this trip finding a plan b, c, d or even e. 

Ava told me trips to National Parks typically involved lots of driving but were worth the views anyways. 

I would agree with her if I wasn’t squished in the backseat of a massive van while she got the front. If the price for the all-inclusive hadn’t been so cheap, I would’ve been complaining the whole time.

The Way Home

My main takeaways from this trip were that the EAC team wants students to go outside and stay active.

Next time someone sees the staff member at the Hilltop recreation desk or the McPhee climbing wall, I hope they remember that they plan the opportunities for students to go on once-in-a-lifetime trips. They also love talking about their own outdoorsy people experiences. 

My best recommendation for students is to check out the trips offered by EAC and other hiking opportunities in Eau Claire. It’s a great way to keep yourself active. 

Pawlisch can be reached at pawliswj0471@uwec.edu.