Excursions Takes A Hike

As a cool crisp autumn breeze blew defiantly upon students traversing the rugged terrain of Sleeping Giant State Park, a group of eight students beheld a distant spotted valley of yellow, orange and green trees decorating the landscape.

On Saturday, the students and three Husky Excursion guides stuffed into a van and headed to Hamden. Upon arriving at a pine-matted parking lot, students grabbed their gear and set out for the 3.2-mile round trip hike. The group would gain over 230 feet in elevation as they hobbled over jagged boulders and made their way to several of the many vistas located in the park.

The hike, which was free of charge for students, had been made possible by the Husky Excursions program, a division of UConn's Recreation Department. Headed by Director Jay Frain, Husky Excursions offers programs that are designed to introduce students to the wide array of outdoor adventure sports.

The goal of the program is "to give students an opportunity to try adventure sports in a safe and accommodating manner," said Frain. "The program is designed to develop skills, getting students set up in a sport and getting them going."

Within the first mile, students encountered a section of the trail that could otherwise have been viewed as a beginner's introduction to rock climbing. This section enabled students to grapple with the rigors of a rock face and plan their most comfortable route of travel. After this quarter mile section of scrambling, the trail became a scrappy dirt path that wound its way through the wooded landscape.

Continuing onward, the students came to a rocky outcropping where they took a break to eat snacks and listened Dan Delaney, a student Husky Excursions guide give a brief overview of the American Indian lore and history surrounding the park. The park derives its name from the natural land formations that resembles a massive person or a sleeping giant, according to Delaney.

The group then proceeded to hike up to their final destination, a large stone tower located at the top of the park. After climbing up the tower, students were able to view multiple hawks soaring high above, the miniscule city landscape of New Haven and the blue ocean waters of Long Island Sound.

"We couldn't have asked for better weather," said Delaney.

Most of the students not only enjoyed the hike but also got a positive impression from the staff.

"The team is amazing," said Taya Mineeva, a physics Ph.D. candidate.

"I had a great time and the staff is very dedicated," said Thep Pasura, a graduate student studying Horticulture.

"The program welcomes all students from different backgrounds to take a break from classes, relieve stress, and meet new people," Frain said.

Some of the upcoming trips for Husky Excursions include weekend backpacking trips along the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut and Massachusetts, a trip to the Grand Canyon over fall break and canoeing through the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge located in southern Georgia.