Our Clubs
The Wisconsin Hoofers is the premier outdoors club at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With nearly 2,000 members, Hoofers is one of the oldest and largest student organization on campus. From sailing on Lake Mendota to climbing at Devil’s Lake, Hoofers is a place where people of all abilities can learn outdoor skills and enjoy outdoor activities. Hoofers is proud to be part of the Wisconsin Union Directorate, the student programming and leadership board for the Wisconsin Union. Get outside with us and hoof on!
Mountaineering
Rock OnFrom conquering the rock wall at Boulders Climbing Gym to traveling the country in search of the most challenging climbs in the country, Mountaineering Club members take trips that challenge climbers of all levels.
Outing
Get FoundFrom canoe trips and backpacking excursions in the fall, to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter, Outing Club members explore the country through wilderness excursions.
Riding
Change PaceFrom horseback riding lessons to schooling shows, Riding Club members are involved in all the ins and outs of riding and horsemanship.
Sailing
Set SailFrom learning how to sail a C-Scow to weekly Friday night socials, Sailing Club members spend time with fellow sailors on and off the water. The Sailing Club’s claim to fame: they have the second largest inland fleet of boats in the nation.
Scuba
Go DeeperFrom year-round trips and training sessions to socials with other divers, Scuba Club members (both certified and not) explore life beneath the surface.
Ski and Snowboard
ShredFrom weekly trips to Tyrol Basin to the Jackson Hole spring break excursion, Ski and Snowboard Club members know how to take advantage of winter.
Get Out and Get Active
How to Join
1. Pick a Club!
We offer six clubs: Mountaineering, Outing, Riding, Sailing, Scuba, and Ski & Snowboard. You can join as many clubs as you'd like! For more information, check out each club's site from the menu above, or head over to the Clubs page for an overview!
2. Create your Account!
When you're ready to join a club (or multiple clubs!), 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.
3. Sign Up for Events!
Once you've joined a 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!
Contact Us
Wisconsin Hoofers
Memorial Union, Lower Level
800 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 262-1630
info@hoofers.org
Contact Us
News
A special winter seminar is being held on March 6th at 6:30 in the festival room. Members and racers from the MYC will be there for a meet-and-greet.
Agenda:
- Why race sailboats
- History of E Scows
- Why race and E Scow – A Love Letter
- Spinnaker work
- Mendota Yacht Club
- Racing terms and what to expect.
- Tips for crew
- How to get involved
Nominations for Commodore, Vice-Commodore, or Rear Commodore will open February 21st and close the 27th. Be sure to check the Elections page for updates and anything else you might need to know
HMC ventured down to Puerto Rico this Winter Break! Some beautiful weather and stellar sport climbing makes for a good couple weeks.
The club heads out to the Red Rocks area annually for some of the best sport climbing in the country. This year, the group stayed in the Las Vegas area. Two weeks of good times!
Annual Halloween weekend trip to the Red! HMC camps at the legendary Miguel's Pizza campground every year, and sport climbs some most legendary crags.
Upcoming Events
HOC President Office Hours
Come and chat with me in the Hoofer office (across from the Mendota Lodge) about ideas, questions, or concerns you have about the club. Free coffee and tea if you email me ahead of time, just bring yourself and a mug! If you would like to schedule a meeting outside of these hours, email me at outingpresident@hoofers.org.
Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing | Winter Sailing Seminars
Event Information:
Our Winter Sailing Seminars are a great way to expand your horizons during the winter months. The seminars are open to anyone who is eligible to be a sailing club member and no prior sailing experience is required; you do not need to be a current member of the sailing club to attend. Feel free to invite your landlubber friends!
Seminars occur weekly and cover a variety of nautical topics, such as racing tactics, sailing around the world, and sailing medical emergencies.
This year we ask participants to bring at least one non-perishable item per seminar to be donated to the Lussier Community Education Center. Most needed items include: olive oil, vegetable oil, maple syrup, sugar, flour, jelly/jam, pancake mix, paper towels, toilet paper, & baby wipes. Get more ideas from their Food Pantry Donation Wish List
Location: Check the Today in the Union website or the digital signs in Memorial Union on the day of the lesson. Note that the event start time may appear earlier on the TITU listing but will begin at the time shown here. If the event does not appear on the TITU listing, please go to the Outdoor UW Office and speak with the staff to determine the event location.
2024 Winter Sailing Seminars:
January 10: S/V Ladybug Sails Around the World with Jo Reis
January 17: Tour of UW Lake Rescue & Safety Lifesaving Station with Sean Geib, David Krueger, & James Beaver (This event will take place at the UW Lifesaving station, meet there at 6.30 pm)
January 24: Want to Go 60 MPH by Sail? Learn How to Iceboat with Brett Hulsey & Don Sanford
January 31: Sailing Medical Emergencies—Thermal & Trauma with Vc Scafati & Dr. Bob Cape
February 7: Sailing with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) with Mark Gahler & Gerit Grimm
February 14: A Brief History of the America's Cup with Philip Tietze
February 21: Introduction to Marine 4 Stroke Engines with Mills Botham
February 28: Nautical Communication: The Words and Means of Communicating at Sea with Mark Gillespie
March 6: E Scow Racing with Dale Gordon & MYC
March 13: Sailing Lake Huron's North Channel with Daniel Rogge & Annie Wilson
March 20: Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing with Dave Elsmo
March 27: Advanced Racing Tactics with Dave Elsmo
Spring Break Weekend Trip - Red River Gorge
Hello Climbers! Do you want to climb over spring break, but can't commit to a week long trip? If yes, than it's your lucky day because we have planned a weekend sport climbing trip to the Red River Gorge, KY over the first weekend of Spring Break!
Although this is a sport climbing trip, we will not require any ratings to sign up. Top rope/sport climbing education and ratings may be aquired during the trip, if necessary. However, we still encourage everyone to acquire atleast some top rope education prior to the trip.
We will be carpooling down to Kentucky with 3 personal vehicles. One car with will leave on Thursday afternoon (for those looking to get an early start!), and the other 2 cars will leave on Friday morning (for those with exams, classes, etc on Thursday). We will return to Madison either on Sunday or Monday night (depending on the needs/wants of the group, or weather).
The deposit of $35 for this rechub event will cover the cost of the camp ground, and a few (not all) meals while on the trip. Fuel costs will be split among the passengers of each car independently (Venmo, etc). After gas, food, and other expenses, the total price estimate comes out to about $110.
If the weather forcast looks bad in the week leading up to the trip, we will look to relocate the camping/climbing trip to a new location or cancel/refund if all else fails.
Tent sharing, itinerary specifcs, and other logistics will be covered in more detail during a pre-trip meeting. If you have any questions, please send an email to ajregner@wisc.edu.
Here is a sneak peak of some of the crags we will climb at:
BLT Live Session
On March 21th from 5 to 7PM theres another Live Session to get you leading your dream trips!!
Remember to
1. Complete the Canvas Course! Email instruction@hooferouting.org and ask to be added to the self paced leadership training course! You can take all the time you need, but this MUST be completed before you attend the live session!
2. Attend the Live Session Training! Email instruction@hooferouting.org if this time doesn't work for you.
3. After the canvas course and live session - be a Leader In Training on a trip!
4. Find, plan and lead your dream trip!
You MUST complete the Canvas Course to ATTEND the Live Session. You do NOT need to have it completed to SIGN UP for the Live Session.
Location: Mendota Lodge (subject to change)
Hope to see you there!
Srini
Hitch Up + Know Lots Of Knots!
Hi folks,
Join us this week to learn and review commonly used knots in climbing, led by our beloved advisor, Adam Remus! There, we will be discussing and practicing tie-in knots, anchor knots, and hitches. Please bring a harness, a personal friction hitch, and a personal sling if you have it. We will provide ropes for practice! Get stoked!
- Claire
Wild and Scenic Film Festival
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival at the Barrymore Theater is a fundraiser for the River Alliance of Wisconsin!
The films look awesome!
https://barrymorelive.com/event/wild-scenic-film-festival-2024/
Get your tickets on the Barrymore website!
I encourage someone to lead a bike-to-the-Barrymore from campus!
RRG Spring Break Trip Wait List
Waitlist for RRG Spring Break Trip. See official event page for more details.
Escalante Leader Health Forms and Payment
Here are the health and safety forms for the leaders of the Escalante trip, and the payment will be added later.
Buffalo River Spring Break Trip
Hi Hoofers,
Come and join us as we paddle 96 miles down the Buffalo National River in Arkansas!
Sign-up: We have 7 spots available for this trip. The first 4 spots will be decided by the openings on this rechub post, which will open for sign up at 9 PM tonight. The remaining 3 spots will be chosen randomly from the waitlist for this post. Preference may be given to individuals with extensive paddling or wilderness medicine experience (contact us if that sounds like you). The waitlist will be open for 24 hours, until 9 PM on Wednesday, Feb 21. We will email everyone on the waitlist by Thursday, Feb 22 about whether or not you were selected.
Ratings: A swim test (either standard or provisional) and a canoe orientation rating are required for this trip, but they are not required to sign-up. We can find time before Spring Break to get those done if needed.
Payment: The cost of this trip per participant will be around $300 to cover food and transportation. Trip members should also bring money for food on the drive down and the drive back to Madison. Payment is not immediately required to sign up for this event.
Here is a general itinerary: We will be leaving after classes on the afternoon of Friday March 22nd and returning late at night on Saturday March 30th. The drive in both directions is around 10 hours, and we will be stopping near St. Louis on Friday night to spend the night at a campground.
On Saturday morning, we will continue the drive to Buffalo river and arrive there around noon. We will need to shuttle our vehicles which will take a few hours, and then we will start paddling a little while before dark.
For the next 6 days, we will be paddling an average of 15 miles per day and camping along the river at a mix of designated campsites and backcountry campsites.
On Friday night, we will camp near the landing spot for Saturday so that on Saturday morning we can quickly get out of the water and begin packing up our canoes so that we can start driving back to Madison.
Pre-trip Meeting: We’ll meet Tuesday, March 12th at 8pm in Mendota Lodge following the outing club general meeting.
Spring Break LIT Trip
Current tentative plan:
- Leave Saturday 3/23 and return Thursday 3/28
- Pack Friday 3/22 and unpack Friday Friday 3/29
- We will have four meetings leading up to this trip so we can plan the trip and one post trip meeting
D Marlinespike Seamanship D --- Dyneema®, Amsteel®, Soft Shackles and Hollow Braided Line UHMPE
Prerequisites: Marlinespike A rating (but write to instructor for admission without this rating). Open to Hoofer Sailing Club Members.
If you want to sign up for this but are unable for any reason to sign up for this particular lesson, add your name to the sign-up. Interest Sign-Up Page
Location: This is currently scheduled to be in the Park View Room on the 4th floor of the Union across from Great Hall. -- Check the Today in the Union website or the digital signs in Memorial Union on the day of the lesson. It will show up as Marlinspike. If looking on the website, you may have to search for "Marlinspike" because the page can have too many items. If you need help with the web page, I prepared a guide: How to Search for Events on the Today in the Union Web Page
This lesson is about using and splicing UHMWPE (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethelene) lines including work with Soft Shackles. Samson Ropes defines Amsteel® as a “high-modulus polyethylene” rope. The high-modulus part means that Amsteel® has “low elasticity elongation,” or in other words, it doesn’t stretch much. However, this also means that this type of rope doesn’t like to be shock-loaded, so ease into the hammock! Safe working loads do not apply to shock loading.
This is an exploratory lesson - we are in the process of setting this up. Hollow-braid rope is much easier to splice than even three-strand line. People are replacing standing rigging on boats with it. It requires different knots or knot strategies than other line.
We will start with a basic paracord soft shackle, then do some splices in hollow braid polyethelene, work on the following knots: Ashley Stopper Knot, Two-strand diamond knot, and Two-Strand button knot. Then we will do at least one 5-inch soft shackle in Dyneema® . You are welcome to bring your own line as well if you want to work on more than one or want to make a larger one..
Here is a link to my page on how to calculate the length of line needed for a Dyneema® soft shackle based on the diameter of the line used.
Here are a few links about HMPE rope and Soft Shackles that you should review before the lesson.
- The Amazing Lightweight Rope That Can Lift a Car!
- What is Dyneema® and Why is it Awesome?
- Working With High-Tech Ropes – Practical Sailor
- On Deck: Soft Shackles: Sail Magazine
- Brummel LockSingle Splice - video
- Splice Hollow Braid 12-Strand Rope - Locking & Mobius Brummel Splice - Thimble Eye - video
- How to tie a Two-Strand Diamond Knot – paracord video
- How to tie a Lanyard Knot (Diamond Knot) – Animated Knots
- Edwards Soft Shackle (Diamond Knot) – Animated Knots
- High-Strength Soft Shackles Using the “Brion Toss Button” Knot- Cruisers Forum
- 10-Second Soft Shackles – video – Interesting but nowhere near as strong – much easier to make, though
- Soft Shackles Diamond Knot vs. Button Knot (video with some fun sailing pics)
- How Important Is It To Taper Your Splices (article with videos)
There is no rating for this, at this time.
Post-Lesson Resources:
P Marlinespike Seamanship P - Paracord Bracelets and other Paracord Projects
Prerequisites: Marlinespike A rating (but write to instructor for admission without this rating). Open to Hoofer Sailing Club Members.
If you want to sign up for this but are unable for any reason to sign up for this particular lesson, add your name to the sign-up. Interest Sign-Up Page
Location: This is currently scheduled to be in the Park View Room on the 4th floor of the Union across from Great Hall. -- Check the Today in the Union website or the digital signs in Memorial Union on the day of the lesson. It will show up as Marlinspike. If looking on the website, you may have to search for "Marlinspike" because the page can have too many items. If you need help with the web page, I prepared a guide: How to Search for Events on the Today in the Union Web Page
This lesson is about using and splicing UHMWPE (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethelene) lines including work with Soft Shackles. Samson Ropes defines Amsteel® as a “high-modulus polyethylene” rope. The high-modulus part means that Amsteel® has “low elasticity elongation,” or in other words, it doesn’t stretch much. However, this also means that this type of rope doesn’t like to be shock-loaded, so ease into the hammock! Safe working loads do not apply to shock loading.
This is an exploratory lesson - we are in the process of setting this up. We will look at a couple of different kinds of Paracord, making bracelets with and without buckles and other paracord projects.
Sailors have a history of practical and decorative rope work and Paracord projects fit right in with that history.
When you sign up, you can leave comments. Let us know what kinds of projects would interest you.
Here are a few Paracord links to give you some ideas.
10-Second Soft Shackles Interesting but nowhere near as strong – much easier to make, though |
|
Cobra and King Cobra Bracelet |
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Mad Max Paracord Cobra Stitch Bracelet |
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Trilobite Jawbone Bracelet |
|
Use This Paracord Wrap on Hiking Staves and Canoe Paddle |
Here is a more complete list of links. If you see a project you would like to work on, please let me know in advance of the lesson and I will try to work it in.
We will start with a basic paracord soft shackle that can substitute for a carabiner and progress to bracelets and possibly other paracord projects. These can be fun and useful. We will cover in knots the Carrick Bend, the Ashley Stopper Knot, and the Diamond Knot, among others.
There is currently no Sailing Club rating for this.
Post-Lesson Resources:
Running the Entire Superior Hiking Trail in 5 Days! (Webinar)
Curious about what it takes to run 300 miles in 5 days? Hear about the experience from superhuman Alan Chapman this Saturday! Link below, be sure to register on the Superior Hiking Trail website if you plan to attend.
https://superiorhiking.org/event/running-the-entire-superior-hiking-trail-in-5-days/
From the website: "A conversation with Alan Chapman, who set a new Fastest-Known-Time record on the Trail in 2023. Alan’s run generated a lot of excitement and questions this summer. Alan will share what his FKT experience was like, how he prepared for his record-setting run, tips about gear and fueling long-distance treks on the SHT, and more."
Hillbilly Hollow Sport Climbing Clinic
Hello Mountaineers,
Sticking around for spring break? Join me Monday the 25th for a sport climbing clinic at Hillbilly Hollow.
We will meet at the Park St. circle outside Memorial Union at 7:30 am and depart for the crag. I plan to be back to MU by 5:00 pm.
We will learn lead belaying, clipping, falling if comfortable, sport anchors, rappelling and lowering.
A top rope rating is required for this event. Club equipment will be provided, but participants will need a harness, helmet, and belay device, personal anchor system and a prusik cord. Email gearmanager@hoofermountaineering.org for gear check out.
Mountain Project info: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105863283/hillbilly-hollow
Gear Manager Office Hours
Gear Manager Office hours is a time to get gear and ratings from the gear managers. This even occurs every monday during the spring semester from 4-5pm.
SB Staycation Kohler-Andrae State Park Day Trip
Spring Break is almost here! If you are staying around Madison, this is the trip for you.
On this day we will be taking a day trip to Kohler-Andrae State Park to check out the wild scenic beauty of our beloved Wisconsin.
Loose itinerary is as follows
8:15am - Meet in Park Street Circle at Memorial Union
8:30am - Depart from MemU
10:30am - Arrive at Kohler-Andrae State Park | Proceed to frolic and explore
1:30pm - Depart from K-A SP
3:30/4:00pm - Return to MemU
HOC General Meeting
Hey folks!
Join us every Tuesday night for our Hoofer Outing Club general meeting! These are free to the public, and we meet in the Mendota Lodge in Memorial Union at 7pm (near the Lakefront and Outdoor UW office). We will be telling stories of recent trips, discussing upcoming events, and getting to know each other. Our meetings are open to all who wish to be involved in the outdoors! See you there!
No registration is required!
How to get there:
The General Meetings are typically in the Mendota Lodge in Memorial Union. This room is across from the Outdoor UW desk in the basement of the Union. To find it I would recommend either using Union doors right by the 80 bus stop, walking down a full level to the Wheelhouse, then taking the long hallway that will start with brown wallpaper and transitions to blue; the Mendota Lodge will be the last room on your left. You can also access it from the terrace if you walk inside the doors to the Union right by the wood staircase that goes onto the lake; the Mendota lodge will be the first room on your right.
Look forward to seeing you all there!