UTC Outdoors

CHATTANOOGA (mocsnews.com)- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has a strong program that encourages students to be outside and enjoy the beauty that is Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga is more recently known as the Scenic City. Senior Abby Moore explains that UTC Outdoors, offers a wide variety of gear and trips for students. “UTC Outdoors has a lot to offer, ranging from trips to gear. Some of the gear that we offer here is sleeping bags, sleeping pads, backpacking backpacks, day packs, crash pads, Coleman stoves, mountain bikes, commuter bikes, snowboards, along with a fully stocked boat room.” Their boat room includes white water kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards. UTC Outdoors also has a bike repair shop for all your bike mechanic needs. All these things are free and available for students to rent out.

UTC Outdoors offers over night trips and day trips for students to sign up for to explore Chattanooga, and then also travel around the southeast. Student leader Vincent Chan talks about his favorite from earlier this semester. They traveled to a spot in Soddy Daisy to sport climb. He enjoyed this trip greatly because of the preparation and work he and his teammate put into it. They learned a lot together and had an abundance of fun. Chan’s hope is that other students can find joy in these trips and part take in them to experience the fun they had.

Student Phillip Asher explains how working with UTC Outdoors has encouraged him to continue his involvement with the outside during the summer. He has started working as a raft guide on the Ocoee River. “Being a raft guide is obviously physically challenging, but you meet some of the coolest people ever.” He admits to his lack of experience before ever becoming a raft guide. “I have never had any white-water experience before becoming a raft guide, so I went from just being a guest to now having rafter or kayaked down six or seven rivers.” He then lists the places to raft or kayak within an hour from Chattanooga. This includes the Ocoee River, Tellico River, Suck Creek, and so many more. “Being in Chattanooga has really inspired me to get outside and do what I love to do, and to go be a raft guide.”

Senior, Gracie Griswold talks about some of her favorite spots to be in Chattanooga. “One of my favorite spots in Chattanooga is the Riverwalk, because it is so close to my Senior Gracie Griswold talks about some of her favorite spots to be in Chattanooga. “One of my favorite spots in Chattanooga is the Riverwalk, because it is so close to my house, living downtown, I can’t but help to go out and go for a walk. The Riverwalk is so nice because it loops through all downtown and really there is no excuse to not get out and go for a walk.” Some of her other favorite spots she listed, specifically for hiking, were Edwards Point on Signal Mountain, Snoopers Rock, Sunset Rock on Lookout Mountain, and various others.

There are so many ways and opportunities for college students to get outside and UTC Outdoors has created awesome ways to get students no only involved with the outside, but in community with each other.