WELL 107 Summer/Winter Hiking & Wellness
This course focuses on imparting wilderness hiking
skills and techniques while emphasizing health and
wellbeing through outdoor exploration. The
curriculum covers diverse hiking topics, including
preparation for independent day hikes, physical
conditioning, equipment selection, researching
trail conditions, navigation, Leave No Trace
principles, first aid, survival, and hydration and
nutrition. Throughout the course, students delve
into research on wellbeing theories, exploring
topics such as forest bathing and the impact of
nature on various health aspects like
inflammation, blood pressure, oxidative stress,
cortisol levels, anxiety, and depression.
Students engage in a series of independent hikes,
varying in difficulty, terrain, and length. They
are required to maintain a journal documenting
the hikes, participate in weekly quizzes,
meditations and conditioning assignments and
submit a final paper. The course aims to provide
a comprehensive understanding of wilderness hiking
while promoting overall health and wellbeing.