Friday Focus: Summer updates for Outdoor Adventures, Nanook Recreation
Samuel Stone teaches a swiftwater class.
May 15, 2026
— By Samuel Stone, assistant coordinator of Outdoor Adventures
Nanook Recreation, including the Student Recreation Center and Outdoor Adventures, is gearing up for an exciting summer season. Persevering through the coldest winter on record proved interesting for us all; we were able to run a myriad of programs for the 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø community and greater Fairbanks population. Pickleball courts were booked all winter long, yoga classes kept us moving despite the inhospitable temperatures, and weekly open pool sessions in the Patty Pool allowed paddlers to work on skills despite the prolific river ice and snowfall affecting the region. Students capitalized on offerings facilitated through Outdoor Adventures, such as lunchtime cross-country ski lessons, weekly fat bike rides, and climbing at both the indoor rock wall and outdoor ice tower. Despite the cold and darkness, the community came together and continued to recreate in spite of winter’s wrath.
While incredibly content with the energy and stoke sustained throughout the winter months, Nanook Recreation is gearing up for the warmth and extended sunlight that affords us all with ample opportunities to venture outdoors and absorb some much-needed vitamin D. Outdoor Adventures is hosting numerous water-based clinics and certification courses, ranging from American Canoe Association Swiftwater Rescue Training to entry-level packraft instruction. For those seeking adventures on terra firma, a guided experience on the Bomber’s Traverse and an Arctic Backpacking academic course are both operating this summer. Registrations for all Outdoor Adventures clinics and certification courses are available via the , accessible on the Nanook Recreation website. Registrations are filling quickly, but spots remain.
Kayakers practice hip snaps at the Patty Center pool deck.
Outdoor Adventures is also pleased to be facilitating another Yukon River canoe trip from Eagle to Circle in conjunction with the Honors College. Students enrolled in this intensive program will spend roughly a week canoeing the river and backcountry camping while satisfying their academic course requirements. The Yukon is a gorgeous and powerful river that snakes through a series of microbiomes and affords paddlers an opportunity to connect with nature in a remote area teeming with an abundance of life and rich history.
Although Outdoor Adventures is operating at full steam throughout the summer, Nanook Recreation, as a whole, continues to offer numerous opportunities for the community. The SRC is offering a free, no membership necessary, summer boot camp series every Tuesday and Thursday at noon. Meet by the outdoor pickleball courts (winter outdoor skating rink) and move your body while embracing the sunlight.
Please note that summer is a perfect time for maintenance on our facilities. As such, the Patty locker rooms are closed until mid-June and the pool until mid-July. We anticipate some SRC locker room closures as well. Our staff appreciates your patience during this period of maintenance.
Friday Focus is a column written by a different member of 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø's leadership team every week. On occasion, a guest writer is invited to contribute a column.