ORION Essential Info Packet ORION Checklist Read entire Essential Information Packet! Complete Health History and Assumption of Risk forms o Will receive in separate email Review Gear List and acquire all items Visit AURORA website for more information and FAQ s o https://www.shaverscreek.org/aurora/ Follow AURORA on social media for more info & updates o Facebook: AURORA Penn State Outdoor Orientation Programs o Instagram: @pennstateaurora Pack your belongings and embark on your ORION experience Contact Us Trip-Related Questions 814.865.3890 Registration & Billing Questions 814.865.3880 Any Questions aurora@outreach.psu.edu ORION will always have a special place in my heart. I will carry the lessons learned with me for the rest of my life. I will always be able to look back and think to myself that ORION was the right choice. -ORION Participant
Arrival ORION Expedition Description Where: Snider Agricultural Arena, Penn State University Park Campus When: Check-in begins at 10:00am, program kickoff at 11:00am What you need: Personal gear and clothing (see Gear List below), lunch for that first day Parking: Parking for check-in and dropoff is provided in the Ag Arena parking lot. For students parking their car for the duration of the program, parking passes are available on your ORION application for a cost of $25. Backpacking Although each ORION expedition will vary, participants should expect to spend the next four days and nights backpacking with their group. Each participant will be carrying a 30 to 40-pound pack that contains food, gear, and personal items for anywhere between four and ten miles a day on variable terrain depending on the pace the group decides works best for them. (Participants are encouraged to physically prepare before arriving.) During this time you will learn a great deal about yourself and others as you hike, camp, keep a journal, and explore. Together you will learn from one another and your instructors the proper methods of environmentally conscious camping, including group cooking, tarp placement, water purification, and backcountry hygiene. Community Service The second day of your ORION experience will begin with a morning of service at Shaver s Creek Environmental Center. You will then hit the trail after lunch. Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are not permitted on your trip. You may bring them with you on opening day, but they will be left in a secure location with any bags or extra items for the duration of your experience. Cell phones take away from the experience that your AURORA trip aims to provide and act as a distraction when in the backcountry. Your trip leaders will have cell phones for use only in case of an emergency. Physical Preparation The best way to prepare for ORION is to spend some time undertaking physical conditioning If you are used to spending your days sitting in a classroom, start simply by walking and increase to running, hiking, swimming, and other cardiovascular activities will help to get you in shape. Hiking boots are the most important piece of equipment that you will bring. Be sure the boots you have are truly made for hiking; they should be well broken in, sturdy, and fit well with some wiggle room. If you are buying new boots, be sure to work with your local outdoor retailer to ensure that you have the proper fit and correct boot for your feet. Blisters are a common complaint with ORION participants. If your feet are sore on the trail, you will not be enjoying the program as much as you could be. Conclusion & Departure Final Morning o Return to the Ag Arena for breakfast o Clean and de-issue gear o Discuss remainder of course requirements and assignments o Fill out program evaluations Departure o Program finishes at 11:00am o Students may be picked up by parents or we can shuttle them to pick up their parked cars from the parking garage ORION 2
Gear List What should I bring? The list below includes the items that you are required to bring with you as personal gear. Your local outdoor retailer can help outfit with these items, or you can visit Appalachian Outdoors in State College before your trip. This list has been meticulously assembled by our expert staff, so bring ALL that is listed below, don t overpack with other items, and come ready for ORION! Clothing & Footwear T-shirts 2 o Should be made of synthetic material or wool. NO COTTON! No thin strap tank tops, they don t protect your shoulders from your backpack straps. Rain Jacket 1 o Lightweight, waterproof, breathable. Expect rain! Midweight fleece or wool sweater 1 o Insulating for cool nights Shorts/Pants 2-3 pairs o Loose fit, synthetic. Hiking or athletic shorts, hiking or windproof pants o NO COTTON, NO JEANS! Socks 3 pairs o Should be hiking-specific and made of synthetic material or wool. NO COTTON! Underwear 2-3 pairs o Synthetic works best, compression shorts help prevent chafing. NO COTTON! Hiking Boots 1 pair o Your most important piece of equipment! Camp Shoes 1 pair o Must be closed-toed. Old sneakers or Crocs work well. Other Items Water Bottle 1 o Should be 1 liter, leakproof. Nalgenes work well. An additional bottle will be provided for you. CamelBak or similar bladders work fine as well. Headlamp/Flashlight 1 o Small and light, bring extra batteries. Bowl 1 o For eating out of, should be lightweight and small. Tupperware works well. Eating utensil 1 o Sporks are ideal, but not necessary. Should be sturdy. Personal Items o Toothbrush & toothpaste (travel size), personal medications (personal epi-pen, allergy medicine, inhaler, ibuprofen or acetaminophen), feminine products, bug spray, sunscreen. Optional Items Camp Chair available for purchase on opening day ($40.00) Bandana for a variety of purposes Mug for hot drinks Baseball Cap Camera Not your cell phone! What NOT To Bring Electronics this includes ipods, ipads, computers, cell phones, and other devices. Cotton No cotton clothing should be brought along! ORION 3
Additional Information Clothing and Layering (Excerpted from Rick Curtis The Backpacker s Field Manual) The clothing layers should consist of several different types of fabrics. Cotton is comfortable and breathable, but it absorbs and retains water, and therefore it will NOT keep you warm if it gets wet. Also, it can be difficult to dry. For this reason you should NOT bring cotton clothes such as sweatshirts, sweatpants socks, or jeans. We strongly encourage you to wear nylon, polyester or synthetic clothing. Wool, synthetic fleece, and polyester fabrics don t absorb water so they keep you warm even if they get wet. Fleece also dries very quickly. A wool sweater or fleece jacket provides warmth on a cold evening. These are essential to your comfort on the trip! Group Gear ORION will provide all necessary group gear and equipment for your trips. This includes backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, tarps, stoves, first aid kits, maps, and other items. You are welcome to bring your own personal backpacks, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads if you desire, they will be assessed by our staff before departing on the trip. Hiking boots The most important piece of equipment that you will bring. Be sure the boots you have are truly made for hiking; they should be well broken in, sturdy, and fit well with some wiggle room. If you are buying new boots, be sure to work with your local outdoor retailer to ensure that you have the proper fit and correct boot for your feet. Blisters are a common complaint with ORION participants. If your feet are sore on the trail, you will not be enjoying the program as much as you could be. Appalachian Ski & Outdoors is a local State College outdoor retailer. As an AURORA sponsor, the store offers a 10% discount to all AURORA participants as well as a great website to help you with gear selection. Go to http://www.appoutdoors.com/orion.htm or stop by the store to find everything you need to be properly outfitted for ORION. Your web discount code: 18AURORA ORION 4
ORION Food The ORION menu has been adapted and modified throughout the years the program has been running. Our expert staff has assembled an array of trail-friendly foods that are packed with energy and nutrition to fuel you throughout your ORION experience. All food is provided by the program, however you are welcome to bring additional snacks if you so choose. Below is an example of the menu for your ORION week. Breakfast Snacks Lunch Dinner Dessert Opening Day Service/Trail Trail Trail Trail Final Day s and Oatmeal Oatmeal Oatmeal Oatmeal Breakfast Cream Sandwich provided at Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Ag Arena Bring your own!! Stir-Fry Broccoli Zucchini Green Pepper Onions Rice Chicken Soy Sauce Pizza Trailsgiving Mashed potatoes Summer Sausage Gravy (GF) Corn Craisins cake Tacos Tortillas Green Pepper Onion Dehydrated Black Beans Fajita seasoning Salsa cake Hiker s Mash Mashed potatoes Veggie soup mix Summer sausage cake Mac & Elbow Noodles Cream Cheddar cake ALLERGIES AND DIETARY RESTRICTIONS We are experienced in dealing with an array of food allergies and dietary restrictions. We can easily tweak our menus for vegetarians and various food allergies. PLEASE be sure to make note of your restrictions on your Health Form so that we can make these tweaks. Note: Our programs are Gluten-Free Friendly. What does that mean? All our dinners are made with glutenfree ingredients, and our breakfasts and lunches have gluten-free options. Our bagels and sandwich thins are not gluten-free, but those are only options at certain meals. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us. For food related questions please contact Drew at 814.865.3927 ORION 5