Quest: Activities

There are two categories of activities in the Quest program.

Class Activities

Because the focus of Quest is on experiential learning, students will participate in a variety of class related activities. These can include out-of-classroom activities, half day science field trips, overnight humanities field trips to educational museums, and/or backpacking trips. Each class is different and will have different activities. Faculty are instructed to incorporate learning activities in all Quest classes.

Each year classes and activities change. Some past class activities have included:

• Yellowstone National Park - The world’s first national park is a short drive away and has provided an outdoor laboratory for biology, geology, anthropology, and other classes offered by Quest.

• Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, WY - This collection of museums has served some Quest groups an excellent field trip for their humanities class. Because of distance, this is an overnight field trip.  We also like to work in a tour of the beautiful LDS Mural Chapel in Cody.

• Backpacking in Teton Mountains, Yellowstone, or Salmon River area - As part of the recreation class, students have backpacked for three days in some of the most beautiful places in the country. Backpacking gear is provided.

Extracurricular Activities

Each year we interview and select senior level Recreation Leadership majors to serve as interns with Quest. One of their main duties is to develop a recreation program based partially upon student interest and discovery of new places and events. Each week several hours of non-class related time is devoted to discovery, recreation, service, cultural events, and other activities that will provide the student opportunities for enjoyment.

Examples are too numerous to list, but a sampling follows:

• Jackson Hole, WY - Most Quest groups spend a day at or near Jackson Hole. It is home to marvelous museums and art galleries, shopping, and is a gateway to Grand Teton National Park.

• Ropes Courses at Badger Creek - The ropes courses at Badger Creek are designed to be mentally and physically challenging. Unity and teamwork are developed through participation in these challenges, as well as a sense of personal achievement. There are a variety of different ropes courses available including a climbing tower, a cargo net, a rappelling tower, a giant swing, and a zip line.

• Table Rock Hike - This flat-topped, 11,106-foot summit offers views of the many peaks of the Teton Mountains. The 13-mile round-trip hike--most of it within the Jedediah Smith Wilderness--follows the North Fork Teton Canyon Trail.

• Rock Climbing, White Water Rafting, Canoeing, etc. - We do lots of outdoor recreation activities.

• Service Projects - These can be small scale projects helping individual people or large scale projects such as humanitarian aid. Each Quest group should provide service to some other group or individual.