FAQ

Because we have no official dues, we don't keep an official membership. However, there are three things you should do:

1. Join our email list! All club happenings will be communicated via email. 

2. Add yourself to the GroupMe! It's super valuable for communicating with other club members, especially when planning trips.

3. Join our roster on maize pages! This helps us justify club needs when applying for grant funding to buy new gear!

MBC is open to all current undergraduate and graduate students at UofM, as well as any faculty and staff. If you have any current affiliation with the university, you're welcome to join a trip! 

Spring Break 2025 runs from Saturday 03/01 through Sunday 03/09. You're welcome to coordinate slightly different departure/arrival times with your group based on your class schedule (We recommend leaving earlier on Friday for the drive out west!).

Absolutely, and in fact many of our members are new to backpacking when they join the club. We'll ask you about your experience level on the fall break signup form (be honest!) and will use the responses to make sure every group has a balance of veteran and novice backpackers.

Though the trips are doable (and a lot of fun!) for beginners, it is important to properly prepare so that you can enjoy your experience. Some tips for beginners:

• Do not wait till the day before you leave to find gear. This might work out, but chances are it will not. Please reach out to us (or use the GroupMe!) early on if you need help!

• Know what you're getting into. If you're the type of person who wants to sleep 20 hours a day over break, these trips might not be the best idea for you right now (and that's okay!). Our Spring Break trips are long and can be strenuous for beginners. Backpacking should be enjoyable first and foremost, but it can also be challenging. If you have any concerns, please reach out! If you aren't up for our longer Spring Break trip, we run shorter trips in the fall and encourage you to look into those instead!

• Communicate with your group. Your group is nearly guaranteed to have someone with more experience than you. Keep them in the loop about your concerns and any gear you need. Communication starts before the trip and continues on the trails!

The club purposefully does not give everyone a set itinerary. We have a few reasons for this:

• With the size of these trips, we do not want to overwhelm the parks. Allowing you to make your own plan helps us respect the parks we visit and the spaces they provide. Most campsites only accommodate about 4-6 people anyways!

• National parks. are. HUGE.  At least, some of them are. In 9 days, we cannot visit everywhere we would like to! We do not want you to miss out on something you're dying to see, so you're free to pick and choose your favorite spots. 

• You all have the liberty to plan the exact trip you want! Whether it be more casual or strenuous, we can help you plan any type of trip. You have the freedom to choose the type of trip you want depending on your own comfort level.

The club has been running these trips for years, and we would love to help you plan regardless of the route you take! Please reach out if you have any questions or need help!

MBC has a gear inventory that includes packs, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and tents. Gear lottery signup will open closer to spring break after groups have been formed so you have time to take inventory together. 

During Fall and Spring Break, only those going on our official trip are allowed access to use club gear. If you are interested in club gear for personal trips at any other time, feel free to reach out and we would love to hook you up!

Our GroupMe is an excellent place to find gear as well: chances are, there's another club member with gear who isn't using it. It never hurts to reach out!

We can also help you rent gear from UM Rec Sports/REI or invest in your own gear. Just shoot us an email or come to a meeting! 

The club asks $140 per person as a general trip fee - this covers all the club costs of a Spring Break Trip including  van rental for you, van charges, club gear, meeting room rentals, and more. Once you factor in gas, food, park permits, and gear rental, total trip costs usually come out to $300-$500. 

A change from previous semesters is that we are not allowing personal vehicles for the official spring break trip. If you would like to use your own vehicle, you are more than welcome to do so separately from the club. MBC members have always been free to organize any personal trips in the club GroupMe and use our website as a resource for locations.  Note that during fall and spring break, only people going on the official trip have access to club gear rentals. 

Click here!