Riverside, Calif. (Nov. 5, 2015) — California Baptist University's Community Life is scheduled to embark on its latest outdoor adventure with another excursion to the Yosemite National Park on Nov. 21-24. Students will camp, hike and enjoy God's creation as well as form new friendships along the way.

Signups for the group's fourth trip to Yosemite are Nov. 5. and trips fill up quickly. 

Community Life's Outdoor Adventures program helps students take advantage of natural wonders such as Yosemite National Park, Mammoth Mountain and the beaches of the Pacific coast. The program provides transportation, gear and most of the food for a small fee. 

In Yosemite, the group will camp, learn how to cook outdoors, and hike to places such as Artist Point, and Vernal and Nevada Falls, said Sam Cannon, program coordinator for Outdoor Adventures.

"Yosemite is an iconic national park with magnificent views, awesome hikes, waterfalls, open meadows, great campsites and is super popular with our student population," Cannon said. "For a lot of people, Yosemite is a bucket-list item."

Last month, Tyler Cox, director of recreation programs, and two graduate assistants led 21 students on a camp and hike excursion to Zion National Park in Utah.

Lauren Davis, a sophomore business major who went on the trip to Zion and also hikedYosemite last year, said, "You can show up and not know anybody and then after the trip, they're my best friends." 

Zion was the first Community Life trip for Tessa Cannon, a junior business and graphic design major. She reached the summit of Angels Landing, a 2.5-mile hike that ends on a peak towering 1,500 feet above the canyon floor.  

"It was such an incredible experience getting to meet new people and trying new things together," she said. "There were points where I had to rely on others to help me or I was able to help other people. It brought me out of my comfort zone and that made the trip really great!"    

Cox said students have time to bond while traveling as well as in camp and on the trail.

"It's fun to see students who didn't know each other connect on these trips," he said.

The Community Life staff seeks to accommodate the various interests of CBU students. Events includeintramural sports, a variety of clubs, cultural awareness programs, commuter welcoming activities and other social events.

Also included are CBU traditions such as TWIRP Week (The Woman Is Required to Pay), where women invite men for fun activities; Midnight Madness, the kickoff to basketball season; and Yule, a formal dinner and evening of entertainment at a popular Southern California venue.  

"We have such a diverse student population, and each student has their own likes and interests and hobbies that we have to cast a wider net," said Chris Hofschroer, assistant dean of students. "We have to evolve just like our student body has and that means offering a more diverse program calendar." 

Using the analogy of a river, Hofschroer said the goal of Community Life is to have students make a personal connection and come to know the Lord or grow deeper in their faith. 

"Our goal is to simply get them in the river of community on campus, making connections, (and) making them feel like they belong, that they understand their purpose," he said.