About Us

Founded in 1919, the CU Hiking Club has built a community for students who wish to visit and explore the various wilderness areas in and around Boulder, CO. From casual hikers to advanced backpackers, the club strives to create a forum for people to meet and explore together. We lead both day-hikes and overnight trips nearly every weekend throughout the school year, no matter fall, winter, or spring! The club is run by a passionate group of Officers, who care deeply about their members' physical and mental success, while working to carry on over 100 years of tradition.

For more information about the club, check out our Membership Guide!

FAQs

What is the CU hiking club?

The CU Hiking Club is a group of hikers, backpackers and adventure-lovers that come together to explore the areas around Boulder! We lead trips every weekend of various difficulty and hold weekly social hours for members to get together and socialize.

How do i join?

First, sign up for our email list! Almost all of our information is communicated via our weekly emails. Then, stop by our virtual office, not UMC 443, during Office Hours to sign the membership waiver and pay your dues.

how do i sign up for emails?

Send an email to sympa@lists.colorado.edu. Leave the subject line blank.
In the body of the message, type: subscribe cuhc Your Full Name.
Example:
subscribe cuhc Yusuf Pathan

how much does a membership cost?

Membership dues are:

$60 for 5 years
$20 for 1 year
$15 for a semester

Stop by our office during Office Hours to pay your dues.

Do i have to be a student to join?

No, anyone associated with the University of Colorado can join!

Where are you located?

Our office is in UMC 443 (on the fourth floor of the University Memorial Center on campus). Come by during office hours to say hi! You can find our Office Hours schedule here. Please note, we are not meeting in-person this semester.

What are some membership perks?

As a CUHC member, you get free gear rentals and discounts to local outdoor companies! For more info on gear rentals, visit our Office page.

what events do you have?

We have trips almost every weekend during the semester, as well as fall and spring break trips and the annual Hut Trip during winter break. For more trip details, visit our Trips page. We also hold Social Hour every Wednesday or Thursday at 8:30pm virtually, this is a great way to meet other members!

how do i get on a trip?

We send out trip emails every Sunday before the trip with information on how to apply. Please answer every question in the email (feel free to ask your own too). Typically, we have asked that you send a creative email to the trip leaders that answers their questions and shows your interest. A good email will greatly increase your chances of getting on a trip!

I didn't get on a trip. Now what?

Don't fret! CUHC trips can get very competitive. Be sure to mention in your next email application that you were rejected and come to our Social Hours and Office Hours to meet the officers and other members!

Can i apply for a trip without being a member?

Yes! You may send an email application for a trip before you are an official CUHC member. Just be sure to mention this in your email, and stop by our office to become a member before the trip.

when are office hours?

All of our Officers hold weekly Office Hours. You can find the schedule here. Please keep in mind that we are students that have class during the week, so we may leave 10 minutes prior to the start of the hour.

how much do trips cost?

Trips vary in price depending on the length and destination. Most weekend trips cost $10-20, not including gas. Break trips can cost up to $100. At CUHC, everyone pitches in for gas as well.

how do i become an officer?

If you're interested in becoming an officer, talk to one of the executives during their office hours. They can give you more information on what is required and how you can get started! We are always looking for new officers.

Leadership

Our amazing officers are here to help you get outdoors! The club is run by three Executive Officers who handle administrative tasks, club organization, and outreach. Officers organize the weekly trips that the club runs... including food, logistics, rides, and gear, while being sure that everyone on the trip has an awesome time! All of our officers have some level of medical training, whether that's WFR, WFA, WEMT, or basic first aid. We work together to make sure your trip is fun, safe and memorable!

Tri-Executive Officers

Officers

Nobel Laureate and Grammy nominee Ryan Martin "Marty" "The Board" LaRocque (a.k.a Our Dear Leader) is a man of many names and many talents. He was born in a small village on the Front Range of Colorado, where he learned to walk. He took his first steps when he was two months old, and was trekking around Chautaqua before his second birthday. He summited his first 14er at age 4, and became the youngest person to summit Everest when he was 6. Today, his unmatched hiking ability has earned him many records and accolades. He has summited Pyramid Peak in 43 minutes and traversed Alaska by foot in just 6 days. Such achievements are astonishingly impressive, but Executive Officer LaRocque has remained incredibly humble. Today, Marty donates his time to the CU Hiking Club where he serves as Chief Executive Officer Extraordinaire. Though his authoritative ruling style has been questioned by the club's enemies, it is doubtless that we are in a era of unprecedented prosperity under his rule. Accusations of corruption or Geneva Convention violations are unfounded. Rather, Marty has pulled the club from the brink of devastation and made it into the prosperous organization it is today. Long live the Hiking Club and Long Live Club President LaRocque!

Eliza Fink- Eliza is a typical Colorado native whose hobbies include jumping into alpine lakes and accidentally getting dangerously close to moose. Still learning right from left, when Eliza is not wandering aimlessly through the wilderness, singing too loudly in the car, eating goldfish, or playing rollerblade basketball she can be found studying Environmental Engineering.

Kyle Goodrick- From the hills of Tennessee Kyle moved to Colorado to get high in the peaks of the Rockies. As often as he can be found hiking, Kyle spends time climbing, skiing, mountain biking, and even canoeing. On campus Kyle is a PhD student in Electrical Engineering researching the best ways to turn things on and then off and then back on again.

Dawson Stremme- a Wawa enthusiast from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dawson’s first experiences hiking were on the Appalachian Trail, so when he decided to attend CU, he was excited to explore everything Colorado had to offer. While hiking you may see Dawson skipping rocks on a lake or find him glissading down a couloir. When he isn’t in the outdoors, he is busy studying Astrophysics, watching Rick and Morty, or playing foosball.

Siobhan Cleary- Originally from Minnesota, Siobhan now splits time between Boulder, Denver, and the Mountains. She is majoring in Accounting and Information Management. Siobhan also knows the best time to hike Mt. Saunitas in order to pet as many dogs as possible. On hikes, she’ll tell the best puns you’ve ever heard, and any story she has involving times she got too close to animals in the wild. When not hiking, she can be found skiing up and downhill and practicing yoga.

Caroline Hoffman- A pizza enthusiast studying Strategic Communication on the Media Design track. Caroline now resides in Colorado, but is originally from the not-so-mountainous state of Connecticut. She came out here for the epic views and the oh-so-cool people. Always smiling and taking life as it comes, she’s excited to see where the world takes her next.

Hannah Giovannotto- Originally from Northern California, Hannah is a tree hugging, granola munching, and REI loving chick. She chose CU Boulder not only for the mountains, but also to major in psychology. If you choose to embark on a trip with her, be prepared for many neature walk quotes as well as her trying to convince others to take mountain babe photos with her. Other than hiking, you will most likely see Hannah on your nearest ski mountain or walking her ADORABLE French Bulldog.

Eddie Riccio-I escaped the old ways of New England and came to Boulder seeking a way of life. I study geological science so find me out in the bush getting very excited and sometimes having an abnormally weighted bag from collecting various rock samples. I love to talk about deep time and deep future earth states. I’m a stargazing junkie and a certified camping chef! Being a Capricorn I really respect our Mother Earth!

Ari Angerthal-Arguably from northern Virginia, Ari made her great escape to Colorado after the mountains called and she decided she must go. She’s most commonly seen drinking the green yerb, taking a dip in an alpine lake, or identifying various wildflowers. And yet, she still finds time to work on her Environmental Studies and Spanish double major and minor in Geography. Go on a hike with her and you might just learn about the mystery of the microbear.

Disclaimer: CUHC Officers are not professional guides and are not paid. We are simply here because we love CUHC!

Interested in becoming an officer? Stop by our Office Hours to chat!

Thank you to our sponsors!

DISCOUNTS:

Moosejaw- Get 15% off purchases and 25% discount on all apparel at their location on the 29th Street Mall
Bedrock- Enter code at check out to get 30% off
Fjallraven- 25% off at the Pearl Street store
Gociety- Click to join, and HC gets paid $5! We donate this money to outdoor charities that protect the wilderness we enjoy.
Pedestrian Shops- 15% off at the Pearl or Village locations

CUHC Bylaws

If you're into the nitty-gritty of CUHC rules, please read our Bylaws.