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Canoeing
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Sea Kayaking
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Ice Age Trail Building
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Telemark Skiing
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From canoe trips, whitewater kayaking, and backpacking excursions in the fall, to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter, Outing Club members explore the country through wilderness excursions.
The Hoofer Outing Club is an outdoors education and recreation club with a diverse membership of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Members plan and lead trips in Wisconsin and around the country, instruct lessons, oversee purchase and upkeep of club equipment, and coordinate all aspects of club operations.
When you join the Outing Club, lessons are free and most equipment use is included; trip costs are usually only gas, food, and camping expenses. You can join in on a trip or lead one yourself! Trips are announced on the website calendar, through our email list, or at one of our weekly meetings at the trip leader’s discretion.
How to Join
1. Create your Account!
When you're ready to join, head over to our member site at https://members.hoofers.org to create your account! You must be a Union Member to join. Note that UW-Madison students are automatically granted Union membership.
2. Sign Up for Events!
Once you've joined the club, you can search for events and sign up from the member site. Pick your favorite event, sign up, and get ready for an adventure!
For more information, click the button below!
Contact Us
Hoofer Outing Club
Memorial Union, Lower Level
800 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 262-1630
info@hooferouting.org
Contact Us
News

"Last weekend, we had 16 Hoofer backpackers ready to drive down to the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. An hour before departure, we decided a weekend forecast of rain and storms didn't sound so fun. So we changed plans and headed up to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to hike the Hidden Lakes loop! There was night-hiking, pancakes, sunshine, old-growth hemlock, missing tents, swamp crossings, a fabulous dog and lots of pretty lakes! On the drive back, we were looking forward to home-made donuts from Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty, but they were closed for the season, so we settled for a very dog-enthusiastic cafe."- Jacob Ng, Trip Leader

"Our crew went up to Sylvania Wilderness for the weekend and were just in time to see some gorgeous fall colors! We experimented with some new food, saw tons of swans, and started a fire in the rain against all odds making this an awesome way to end the paddling season"- Forrest Ahrens, Trip Leader
Participants drove 5 hours up to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, MI! They did a key swap hike, enjoying the beautiful colors of the lakeshore in this time of year. The tarps deterred most of the rain, and the backcountry cooking was awesome (the burritos were voted best meal of the trip, closely followed by s'mores for breakfast). Overall it was an awesome weekend for a lake superior hike!
Participants drove 3 hours up the Ice Age Trail - Harrison Hills Segment stopping along the way for Belt's Ice Cream (a foot tall of ice cream in a cone!). Total mileage was about 15mi, trekking through spectacular fall colors and around many small, reflective lakes. It was a cold, rainy day on Saturday but an absolutely gorgeous fall morning on Sunday!
A beautiful run on a 65-degree fall day in Madison! Participants jogged out to picnic point and back, the first Trail Run of many more!
Upcoming Events
General Meeting
Hey y'all,
Join us every Tuesday night for our general club meeting! These are free to the public, and we meet from 7 to around 7:30 pm in the Mendota Lodge. We will be discussing upcoming trips, telling stories of recent trips, and will have 10-minute fun time at the end of each meeting which will be anything from a mini lesson on knots to a bio on a groudnbreaking outdoor enthustiast. Our meetings are open to all who wish to be involved in the outdoors! See you there!
President Office Hours
Come and chat with me in the Leader Lounge about questions, ideas, or concerns you have about the club. If you would like to schedule a meeting outside of these hours, email me at outingpresident@hoofers.org.
Telemark Skiing at Blackhawk Ski Hill
Hello and thank you for choosing to ski tele with Hoofer Outing Club!
Every Wednesday night we go to Blackhawk Ski Hill just west of Middleton for a fun night of hitting the slopes while learning the telemark skiing technique and eating, drinking and being merry inside the lodge (the other skiers/lodge users are very fun people too).
We're planning on meeting in the Mendota Lodge around 6:30, grab some skis and poles from the gear room (unless you brough your own, kudos!), then drive out to Blackhawk to get some 2 hours of bent-knee skiing in.
There is a $30 tele membership for Students and a $50 tele membership for non-students/community members. The membership link is here: https://www.blackhawkskiclub.org/membership-types
I look forward to hitting the slopes with you this winter!
Delta Lodge Gear-Up #1
For Delta Lodge participants who would like to borrow club gear for the trip, this will be the first opportunity to pick out your skis, boots, poles, or snowshoes. If you can’t make it to this one, we’ll hold a second gear-up on Wednesday, January 15th, just before the trip. We have lots of classic skis, some skate skis, and a dozen snowshoes. We can help you size gear for yourself, and then we’ll label it and set it aside in the gear room.
Some other things:
Second half of deposit:
So far, everyone should have paid $90 when they signed up on the website. This money will be used to cover the cabin rental. The second half of the deposit is now due (another $90). This will be used to cover food and gas. Payment can be sent to Jacob (Venmo: @Jacob-Ng-1) (Paypal: https://paypal.me/JacobNg, please DO NOT check “Paying for goods or a service”, this will charge an extra fee).
Drivers: DO NOT pay the second deposit. Since we’ll be reimbursing you for gas costs, you can just hold onto the $90 for now and we’ll sort out the balance afterward.
Hoofer Ambassador Grants:
https://www.hoofers.org/hoofer-grants
If anyone would like financial assistance for this trip, feel free to apply for the Hoofer Ambassador Grants at the link above. I apologize for not letting people know about this sooner.
Packing list:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jHxy2R4WS_kd4fswegHObcrmNZrAwQI5DjptQgCMSgo/edit?usp=sharing
Missing anything? Consider asking for it over the holiday season! Or let us know – we can probably find something for you.
Students currently staying in the dorms:
Many of the dorms are not open during Winter break (or you have to pay extra to stay in them), so if you would like to come back to Madison a few days before Delta Lodge, and need a place to stay, let us know – we have a few people who could host.
Jacobng6@gmail.com
General Meeting
Hey y'all,
Join us every Tuesday night for our general club meeting! These are free to the public, and we meet from 7 to around 7:30 pm in the Mendota Lodge. We will be discussing upcoming trips, telling stories of recent trips, and will have 10-minute fun time at the end of each meeting which will be anything from a mini lesson on knots to a bio on a groudnbreaking outdoor enthustiast. Our meetings are open to all who wish to be involved in the outdoors! See you there!
Telemark Skiing at Blackhawk Ski Hill
Hello and thank you for choosing to ski tele with Hoofer Outing Club!
Every Wednesday night we go to Blackhawk Ski Hill just west of Middleton for a fun night of hitting the slopes while learning the telemark skiing technique and eating, drinking and being merry inside the lodge (the other skiers/lodge users are very fun people too).
We're planning on meeting in the Mendota Lodge around 6:30, grab some skis and poles from the gear room (unless you brough your own, kudos!), then drive out to Blackhawk to get some 2 hours of bent-knee skiing in.
There is a $30 tele membership for Students and a $50 tele membership for non-students/community members. The membership link is here: https://www.blackhawkskiclub.org/membership-types
I look forward to hitting the slopes with you this winter!
Kayak Pool Session
Pool session season is here! The MATC swimming pool is warm, clean, and a perfect place to kickstart your paddling journey and endeavors! During this off season, the pool is a great place to learn basic kayak skills and continue practicing your skills. If you want a kayak lake lesson, SK0, SK1, an intro to whitewater boats, learn how to roll, or just come hang out and paddle with us, sign up for this event! This event is open to any and all skill levels. You can also complete your swim test here! We’re teaming up with the Sierra Club (a local paddling club) for these MATC sessions, so you’ll meet some super cool and extremely skilled paddlers at these sessions.
Sign-up and Payment: Sessions are $10 to cover the cost of the pool rental. You will be prompted to pay online when you sign-up. Otherwise, you may pay with cash/card in the Outdoor UW office, and they will manually add you to the event. If this event is full, sign up on the Kayak Pool Session - Waitlist event. If space opens up, I’ll move you over to this event.
Clothing: Bring swimwear, towel, change of clothes, and nose plugs and goggles if you have them (handy when you are upside down). Avoid cotton clothes to your best ability (dri-fit stuff is your best bet). Also, full toe protection is advisable as this is what you would wear when you're paddling on rivers/lakes, but it's not mandatory.
Logistics: Meet at Memorial Union inside the Outdoor UW boathouse at 11:15am. We will then organize which boats/gear we are taking and carry them out to the cars. Once we have all the gear and people packed we will drive to the MATC pool and meet up with the Sierra Club folks. We’ll walk our boats and gear directly to the back entrance of the pool. The MATC has locker rooms where you can store your stuff and shower (please rinse off before entering the pool). The group is split into groups i.e. “Lake Lesson” “SK0” or “Rolling Lesson”. Some of the more experienced members may practice their skills in the pool on their own. Swim tests will occur at 12:40am (or as soon as possible). We have the pool reserved from 12:30-3pm, so we will aim to start getting out of the water around 2:45pm. We need to be completely out of sight by 3pm. Please plan to stay until 4pm to help packing up gear and getting it back to the boathouse.
There will not be an instructor sign up for this session, because everyone going must pay the Sierra Club the $10 fee.
Please note that once you sign up (and pay), we cannot give you a refund unless someone else on the list can go and pay.
If you have any questions or concerns at all, email Jessica Lee (poolsessions@hooferouting.org or jrlee8@wisc.edu)
Kayak Pool Session - Waitlist
This is the waitlist event for the 12/21/19 Kayak Pool Session Event. Definitely sign up on the waitlist because people often drop out last minute. If space opens up on the official event, I will manually move you over to the official event and send you an email notifying you. Also in that notification email, I will ask you to pay the $10 for the event. Please be prompt in paying that! Thanks!
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Jessica Lee (poolsessions@hooferouting.org or jrlee8@wisc.edu)
Wilderness First Responder RECERTIFICATION
This Wilderness First Responder re-certification course will be held in Hudson, Wisconsin. You MUST already hold the Wilderness First Responder certification (within the past three years) to attend this class. Although you can re-certify by taking Wilderness First Aid, the First Responder recertification is better able to address the more advanced skills for First Responders.
See the link to register: https://www.nols.edu/portal/wmi/courses/14698/
I plan on paying for meals and lodging at the camp. It's only $77 extra. I took this course two years ago, and it's very convenient to have meals and lodging right there!
I will be driving up to Hudson for this, but I am unsure of my schedule (I might go to the Twin Cities for the preceding weekend). Please let me know if you are interested in carpooling!
Delta Lodge Gear-Up #2
For Delta Lodge participants who would like to borrow club gear for the trip, this will be the second opportunity to pick out your skis, boots, poles, or snowshoes. Please let us know if you can’t make it and we’ll arrange another time. We have lots of classic skis, some skate skis, and a dozen snowshoes. We can help you size gear for yourself, and then we’ll label it and set it aside in the gear room. Drivers, if you can make it tonight, then we can load people’s skis right into the car they’ll be driving up in.
Some other things:
Second half of deposit:
So far, everyone should have paid $90 when they signed up on the website. This money will be used to cover the cabin rental. The second half of the deposit is now due (another $90). This will be used to cover food and gas. Payment can be sent to Jacob (Venmo: @Jacob-Ng-1) (Paypal: https://paypal.me/JacobNg, please DO NOT check “Paying for goods or a service”, this will charge an extra fee).
Drivers: DO NOT pay the second deposit. Since we’ll be reimbursing you for gas costs, you can just hold onto the $90 for now and we’ll sort out the balance afterward.
Hoofer Ambassador Grants:
https://www.hoofers.org/hoofer-grants
If anyone would like financial assistance for this trip, feel free to apply for the Hoofer Ambassador Grants at the link above. I apologize for not letting people know about this sooner.
Packing list:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jHxy2R4WS_kd4fswegHObcrmNZrAwQI5DjptQgCMSgo/edit?usp=sharing
Missing anything? Consider asking for it over the holiday season! Or let us know – we can probably find something for you.
Students currently staying in the dorms:
Many of the dorms are not open during Winter break (or you have to pay extra to stay in them), so if you would like to come back to Madison a few days before Delta Lodge, and need a place to stay, let us know – we have a few people who could host.
Jacobng6@gmail.com
Delta Lodge Cross-Country Skiing 2020
Update Nov 8: We can squeeze a few more people into each cabin! Now we have room for 20 total!
Also, fill out this survey: https://forms.gle/RiL2sb3hL3DKrFxc7
What: An extended weekend of cross-country skiing and cabin life in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Expect prime cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, eating, sauna-ing, warming huts, a diner breakfast, a (potential) excursion across a frozen lake, and general gallivanting in the frozen North.
You want to enjoy a post-ski round of Catan? That's cool, we can do that. Do you want to bake us all cookies? Please do! Do you want to melt in the sauna and then roll around in the snow? You got it. Ice caves? If we’re lucky! It’ll be a grand old time.
There are plenty of beginner-friendly skiing options and we can teach you the basics. Every location we ski at will have a warming hut. Check out the Afterhours ski trail, Valhalla, Mt. Ashwabay and the Birkie Trail.
When: Martin Luther King Jr. weekend (the very end of UW Winter break). Thursday morning (9am), Jan. 16th through Monday evening (6pm), Jan. 20th, 2020. For folks who work, some cars will head up on Friday instead of Thursday.
If you're living in the dorms, and wouldn't have a place to stay if you came back during Winter break, let me know.
How: Driving 6 hours from the Memorial Union to the town of Delta, WI.
Who: You! 16 Hoofers in 2 cabins over 4 nights. If there’s a bunch of interest, we’ll consider a 3rd cabin.
What's included: Transportation, meals, lodging. The club also has cross-country and snowshoe gear for you to use!
What's not included: Meals on the drive, Thursday night dinner at the bar, breakfast at the Delta Diner on Monday, trail passes (~$5/day) (so bring cash).
Trip deposit: $180. Alright, pay attention, this is working a little differently than in the past.
- The first deposit ($90) will be due through the website (https://events.hooferouting.org/event/72770). This will be used to cover the housing and food. Your spot is secure once this is paid.
- The second deposit ($90) will be due by January 4th through cash/check/Venmo/PayPal. This will be used to cover gas and other expenses. We will deal with this payment later. DO NOT pay this now.
- If you have to drop out for any reason, a full refund will be given if we find someone to take your place on the trip.
Gear details and other stuff to follow after sign-up.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Email Jacob at Jng24@wisc.edu or call/text at (414) 477-1257
Jacob, Gail, Ellen, Leon
Delta Lodge - Pay here
Update Nov 8: We can squeeze a few more people into each cabin! Now we have room for 20 total!
The main event: https://events.hooferouting.org/event/72008
This event is solely to pay the first $90 of the trip deposit.
Trip deposit: $180. Alright, pay attention, this is working a little differently than in the past.
- The first deposit ($90) will be due through the website (this page, the one you're currently looking at). This will be used to cover the housing and food. Your spot is secure once this is paid.
- The second deposit ($90) will be due by January 4th through cash/check/Venmo/PayPal. This will be used to cover gas and other expenses. We will deal with this payment later. DO NOT pay this now.
- If you have to drop out for any reason, a full refund will be given if we find someone to take your place on the trip.
Telemark Skiing at Blackhawk Ski Hill
Hello and thank you for choosing to ski tele with Hoofer Outing Club!
Every Wednesday night we go to Blackhawk Ski Hill just west of Middleton for a fun night of hitting the slopes while learning the telemark skiing technique and eating, drinking and being merry inside the lodge (the other skiers/lodge users are very fun people too).
We're planning on meeting in the Mendota Lodge around 6:30, grab some skis and poles from the gear room (unless you brough your own, kudos!), then drive out to Blackhawk to get some 2 hours of bent-knee skiing in.
There is a $30 tele membership for Students and a $50 tele membership for non-students/community members. The membership link is here: https://www.blackhawkskiclub.org/membership-types
I look forward to hitting the slopes with you this winter!
Kayak Pool Session
Pool session season is here! The MATC swimming pool is warm, clean, and a perfect place to kickstart your paddling journey and endeavors! During this off season, the pool is a great place to learn basic kayak skills and continue practicing your skills. If you want a kayak lake lesson, SK0, SK1, an intro to whitewater boats, learn how to roll, or just come hang out and paddle with us, sign up for this event! This event is open to any and all skill levels. You can also complete your swim test here! We’re teaming up with the Sierra Club (a local paddling club) for these MATC sessions, so you’ll meet some super cool and extremely skilled paddlers at these sessions.
Sign-up and Payment: Sessions are $10 to cover the cost of the pool rental. You will be prompted to pay online when you sign-up. Otherwise, you may pay with cash/card in the Outdoor UW office, and they will manually add you to the event. If this event is full, sign up on the Kayak Pool Session - Waitlist event. If space opens up, I’ll move you over to this event.
Clothing: Bring swimwear, towel, change of clothes, and nose plugs and goggles if you have them (handy when you are upside down). Avoid cotton clothes to your best ability (dri-fit stuff is your best bet). Also, full toe protection is advisable as this is what you would wear when you're paddling on rivers/lakes, but it's not mandatory.
Logistics: Meet at Memorial Union inside the Outdoor UW boathouse at 11:15am. We will then organize which boats/gear we are taking and carry them out to the cars. Once we have all the gear and people packed we will drive to the MATC pool and meet up with the Sierra Club folks. We’ll walk our boats and gear directly to the back entrance of the pool. The MATC has locker rooms where you can store your stuff and shower (please rinse off before entering the pool). The group is split into groups i.e. “Lake Lesson” “SK0” or “Rolling Lesson”. Some of the more experienced members may practice their skills in the pool on their own. Swim tests will occur at 12:40am (or as soon as possible). We have the pool reserved from 12:30-3pm, so we will aim to start getting out of the water around 2:45pm. We need to be completely out of sight by 3pm. Please plan to stay until 4pm to help packing up gear and getting it back to the boathouse.
There will not be an instructor sign up for this session, because everyone going must pay the Sierra Club the $10 fee.
Please note that once you sign up (and pay), we cannot give you a refund unless someone else on the list can go and pay.
If you have any questions or concerns at all, email Jessica Lee (poolsessions@hooferouting.org or jrlee8@wisc.edu)
Kayak Pool Session - Waitlist
This is the waitlist event for the 1/25/20 Kayak Pool Session Event. Definitely sign up on the waitlist because people often drop out last minute. If space opens up on the official event, I will manually move you over to the official event and send you an email notifying you. Also in that notification email, I will ask you to pay the $10 for the event. Please be prompt in paying that! Thanks!
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Jessica Lee (poolsessions@hooferouting.org or jrlee8@wisc.edu)
Telemark Skiing at Blackhawk Ski Hill
Hello and thank you for choosing to ski tele with Hoofer Outing Club!
Every Wednesday night we go to Blackhawk Ski Hill just west of Middleton for a fun night of hitting the slopes while learning the telemark skiing technique and eating, drinking and being merry inside the lodge (the other skiers/lodge users are very fun people too).
We're planning on meeting in the Mendota Lodge around 6:30, grab some skis and poles from the gear room (unless you brough your own, kudos!), then drive out to Blackhawk to get some 2 hours of bent-knee skiing in.
There is a $30 tele membership for Students and a $50 tele membership for non-students/community members. The membership link is here: https://www.blackhawkskiclub.org/membership-types
I look forward to hitting the slopes with you this winter!