Outdoor Adventures offers a variety of experiential-learning opportunities through our Bike Shop, Challenge Course, Outdoor-Leadership-Training Program, Outdoor Trips, Rental Center, and Rock Wall. Our programming is designed to nurture and encourage a life-long love of outdoor pursuits along with a deep appreciation of risk management, environmental stewardship, as well as social and cultural inclusivity.
The UCLA Bike Shop is a Do-It-Yourself Workshop that was established as a partnership between UCLA Recreation and UCLA Transportation to encourage transportation by bicycle among current members of the UCLA Community (i.e., students, employees, and members of UCLA Recreation). Our current schedule of classes can be found here.
Winter-Quarter Hours (January 6-March 13, 2020)
Open Monday to Friday (10am-5pm daily), except January 20 and February 17
Spring-Quarter Hours (March 30-June 5, 2019)
Open Monday to Friday (10am-5pm daily), except May 25
Location: Northwestern corner of Wooden Center
Public Repair-Stand/Air-Pump: Just outside of shop
We maintain a carefully-selected, value-oriented inventory of new parts that are available for purchase. Please note that all sales on our new parts are final (i.e., returns/exchanges will not be accepted and refunds will not be issued).
We also gather used parts that may still be useful and/or contain useful pieces; these used parts are available free of charge. Please note that we do not offer any kind of guarantee on used parts and that we recommend that they be thoroughly inspected/tested.
Contact
2131 John Wooden Center Los Angeles, CA 90095 310.206.7219 bikecenter@recreation.ucla.edu
If you are interested in working at the UCLA Bike Shop, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with our offerings by using our DIY services and perusing our website. Eligibility requirements to be considered for employment include being a current student at UCLA and not being in one's final year of studies here. Once you have a good sense of what working here involves and whether you're eligible, we invite you to complete our online job-application.
We often get questions from aspiring and active bicyclists about how to ride to campus from various parts of the city. In response to these inquiries, we've mapped dozens of routes that we've found useful over the years. You may view these routes by clicking on the following links or scrolling down this page to the embedded maps.
If you would like to ask us more about these routes or would like to discuss routes from parts of town not mapped here, please feel free to let us know. We're here as a route-finding resource for you.
Routes to campus from the East
Routes to campus from the North and West
Routes to campus from the South
Special-Event Routes
As demonstrated by UCLA's recognition as a Bicycle Friendly University for its commitment to bicyclists and bicycle-infrastructure improvements, we're here to support you in your bicycle-commuting endeavors. On that note, here are some tips that might be helpful.
Fun Videos about Bike Commuting
For inspiration about commuting by bike and tips on getting started, we invite you to watch this short video created by a UCLA Student for the UCLA Bicycle Coalition: Bikes for All. Another film, Bike-U-mentary produced by BikeUCLA Films, follows two members of the UCLA Community as they ride to class and work on campus. Another film, titled Be a Smarter Commuter, presents various options for commuting to and from campus, including bicycling.
Sharing the road can be challenging when everyone's in a hurry. For a fun video on this topic, we invite you to watch another video that we helped our colleagues in Transportation make, Watch for Bruins. In life, there isn't a rewind button, so please be safe and courteous.
Also, if you're looking for inspiration about learning how to ride in general, we invite you to watch this video.
Locking Your Bicycle
If you've ever wondered how to lock your bike properly, you might enjoy watching this humorous video starring UCLA Students/Staff and produced by BikeUCLA Films, The Bike Bandit, which deals with how--and how not--to lock your bike effectively.
Most thefts can be prevented by using an adequate lock and properly securing the bicycle to an approved parking-facility, such as a bicycle rack. The combination of a U-lock and a 6-foot cable with a loop at each end is preferable to a cable lock by itself. The U-lock should be used to attach at least the bicycle frame and, if possible, one of the wheels to a secure rack. The 6-foot cable can then be connected to the U-lock using the loops and finally run through any unsecured wheels.
As you can see on this Bike Map, UCLA has lots of bike-parking options as well as self-serve-repair stations with air pumps and tools located conveniently around campus. Please also note that we sell Kryptonite U-locks for as low as $26.95.
Bruin Commuter Club
If you commute to and from UCLA by bike, you may qualify to be part of the Bruin Commuter Club which provides alternative-transportation commuters access to products, services, information, benefits, and incentives.
What type of bike should I ride?
If you are trying to decide which type of bike would best fit your riding needs, here's a post we wrote about how to choose a bike that may be helpful.
UCLA Bicycle Master Plan
In March of 2006, UCLA developed its first Bicycle-Master-Plan with the following mission statement: "To improve cycling conditions and promote the bicycle as a transportation mode on, to and from campus, UCLA will set policies and provide infrastructure to support and accommodate bicycling." Countless improvements on behalf of bicycling have been made at UCLA since this plan was released and many more are in the works.
Rules of the Road
The League of American Bicyclists recommends the following rules of the road to help you have a safe and enjoyable commute on your bike: 1) Follow the law; 2) Be predictable; 3) Be conspicuous; 4) Think ahead; 5) Ride ready; 6) Keep your cool. For more information on this topic, please feel free to register for one of our Traffic-Skills-for-Bicyclists classes that are offered free of charge each quarter. The League of American Bicyclists has also posted various videos about how to ride on the road on their website.
Safety First and LAPD's Bike-Liason Officers
If you're unsure about how to ride with motor vehicles, we recommend taking one of our Traffic-Skills Classes. We teach the concept of vehicular cycling which is the idea that bicyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles. If you successfully complete one of our Traffic-Skills Classes, we will provide you with a free set of safety lights, a helmet, and a bell thanks for funding we received from UCLA's The Green Initiative Fund.
We also recommend wearing a bicycle helmet when you ride your bike. Don't have a helmet? Please feel free to visit the UCLA Bike Shop where we have lots of great, affordable helmets for sale. Alternatively, you can get a coupon from us that's good for $20 off a helmet at Helen's Cycles, a bike shop located conveniently in Westwood.
For more information about bicycling maintenance and skills, please feel free to register for one of our classes. You may also refer to this Bike Pocket-Guide from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority which includes such information as laws that apply to bicyclists, how to ride with traffic, and how to lock your bike properly. To find bicycling information specific to UCLA, like a map showing the locations of bike racks, bike lanes, and showers, please refer to the Bicycle Pocket-Guide from UCLA Transportation.
Several years ago, the LAPD appointed four officers to serve as bike liasons to bicyclists throughout the city. These officers, whose names are listed below, are available to help you with your bike-related concerns. For example, if you're having trouble with motor-vehicle drivers passing you with less than the required clearance (three feet) on the same stretch of road regularly, a call to your area's LAPD bike-liason officer may be warranted:
Central Traffic Division: Sgt. Laszlo Sandor, 213 972-1853, 30124@lapd.lacity.org West Traffic Division: Sgt. Christopher Kunz, 213 473-0215, 26315@lapd.lacity.org South Traffic Division: Sgt. Jon Aufdemberg, 213 421-2588, 31630@lapd.lacity.org Valley Traffic Division: Sgt. Steve Egan, 818 644-8146, 26860@lapd.lacity.org
Register Your Bike In addition to registering your bike with the UCPD and/or the National Bike Registry, it's helpful to record your bike's serial-number and store this information in a safe place along with a photograph that shows you with your bike. The serial number should be stamped onto your bicycle frame, usually under the bottom-bracket shell. Immediately Report A Bicycle Theft If your bicycle is stolen, please report it immediately to the UCLA Police Department at 601 Westwood Plaza. You will need to complete a police report that specifies the location where the bicycle was parked and whether or not it was licensed. Route Planning
We mapped some of our favorite routes to/from campus on our route page. You may also plan your route to campus using tools like Google Maps' Bicycling-Directions (click "Get Directions," then click on the bike icon) or by referring to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation's bicycle maps. In addition, you're welcome to stop by the UCLA Bike Shop and discuss route planning with us. We enjoy comparing notes on preferred routes around town. Do you have an idea for a new rack location? If so, we invite you to send it our way: bike-info@ts.ucla.edu. We'll look into it as part of our ongoing program to upgrade all bicycle-parking facilities. Retrieve an Impounded Bicycle
If your bicycle was parked illegally or chained to pole or railing, or if it appears to have been abandoned, it may have been impounded. To retrieve your bicycle, please contact the office of Citation Review and Adjudication in Transportation Services at (310) 825-2029.
The following links are provided for informational purposes.
A sampling of On-Campus Organizations and Resources:
A sampling of Bike Shops, DIY Workshops, and Bike-Rental Services in LA:
A sampling of Rides, Events, and Classes in/near LA:
A sampling of Governmental and Non-Governmental Bike-Programs:
A challenge course is an adventure-filled tool for team development, group bonding, and learning. Our course has both ground-based and high-ropes climbing activities designed to challenge groups of all types. Our professional facilitator staff design a program to match your group’s unique makeup and achieve your desired outcomes. Through collaboration, your group will build trust and cohesiveness while developing skills in leadership, communication, and decision-making. While many activities have a physical component to them, physical strength and fitness is not a basis for achieving success on our course.
To inquire about date availability, request a quote, or to start a new reservation, please submit a Reservation Interest Form. For other questions, email us at challenge@recreation.ucla.edu.
The UCLA Challenge Course is located on campus at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, nestled amongst the pine and eucalyptus trees. Enter via the main entrance to SCRC and head up the stairs, following the signs directing you toward the challenge course.
Address: 111 Easton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Parking Lot RC is immediately adjacent to the course and has limited daily visitor spots available for purchase at the automated kiosk. Parking Lot 11 is a five minute walk and has daily visitor spots also available for purchase at the automated kiosk. Chartered busses may drop off and pick up directly at SCRC; coordinate details when you make your reservation.
The UCLA Challenge Course is available for private program reservations of a variety of purposes such as staff retreats, teambuilding, youth recreation, experiential learning, and more. Your program will be tailored to meet your group’s unique makeup and desired outcomes. Our most popular programs on offer are:
Looking for something else? We can customize a program to fit your schedule and desires*. Fill out a Reservation Interest Form and we will get back to you with options.
*We do not offer climbing-only programs. Our course uses participant team belay systems and thus we require groups to first build and demonstrate adequate teamwork abilities before advancing to climbing options. We do not have obstacle-course/aerial-park-type climbs.
These activities take place on or near the ground and will challenge your team both mentally and physically. Group problem-solving, communication strategies, and creative thinking will be put to work in a series of ground-based teambuilding initiatives that grow progressively harder. Activities may incorporate low-ropes structures or props such as balancing beams, wooden platforms, and suspended cables. While the high ropes climbing course is certainly exciting, most participants find the ground-based activities to be the most valuable in improving their team’s performance and bond.
Our two signature teambuilding climbs include the High V and the Leap of Faith. We also have a Giant’s Ladder and 2 Vertical Playpens.
Interested in what kind of program we can offer you and your group? Submit a Reservation Interest Form and we will get back to you with options, date availability, and pricing quotes.
Your program date and time will be reserved on the calendar once we receive your $250 nonrefundable deposit.
* These items are not applicable to internal University groups (i.e. departments, current UCLA students).
Our staff are trained in and prioritize safety. However, risk management is everyone’s job (both staff and participants). Challenge course activities, whether on/near the ground or involving climbing, are inherently risky. It is possible to get hurt. Risks include mild injuries (i.e. splinters, scrapes, bruises), moderate injuries (broken bones), severe/life-altering injuries (paralysis, blindness), and even death. Activities can evoke strong emotional and physiological responses. Participants must follow instructions, choose their level of participation, and take part in managing risk.
“Challenge by choice” is an essential pillar of our programs. Our staff will present the group with activities that are designed to be both physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. Participants choose if and to what extent they wish to engage in any activity. Additionally, there are opportunities for participants to change their minds.
All persons on the challenge course (regardless of participation level) must submit a signed waiver. Minors must have a parent/guardian sign their waiver.
On our trips, we prioritize risk management and responsible stewardship of our environment. All of our trips are designed to be cooperative and educational. Participants can look forward to learning about outdoor recreation, such as setting up tents, cooking meals, natural history, and wilderness ethics. Our goal is for everyone to work together, learn together, and look out for each other’s needs throughout the trip.
Register for a Trip
Trip
Pre-Trip Meeting
Trip Dates
Pre-Trip Meetings
Meetings for all of our trips take place at 6pm on the Tuesday before the trip in the Outdoor-Adventures Office inside the John-Wooden Center. Attendance at the Pre-Trip Meeting is mandatory to enable us to do our best to ensure that all participants are adequately prepared and informed about what to expect. If you are not able to attend the Pre-Trip Meeting, you will not be allowed to attend the trip. Please also note that missing the Pre-Trip Meeting does not qualify you for a refund of the trip-registration fee.
Medical Information Form
All enrolled participants must complete our Health Form at least two weeks before the start of the trip. If you register for a trip after the two-week deadline, the Health Form will instead be due one day after registration. The timely and thorough submission of this form is mandatory to enable us to do our best to accommodate participants' needs. If you are not able to meet this deadline, you will not be allowed to attend the trip. Please also note that failure to meet this deadline does not qualify you for a refund of the trip-registration fee.
Policies & Risk Management
Please note that outdoor adventures, including our trips, have an inherent risk of injury, illness, and/or death that cannot be eliminated. In addition, please review our Code of Conduct to develop a clear understanding of expectations prior to enrolling in a trip. Everyone on the trip will be required to sign in agreement to these policies prior to trip departure.
Equipment/Food/Transportation
Our trips generally include group gear (e.g., stoves, tents, eating-ware, and food), but participants must provide their personal gear (e.g., hiking boots, sleeping bag, etc.) as outlined in our What-To-Bring List. If participants do not provide adequate personal gear, they will not be allowed on the trip. Sleeping bags, ground pads, headlamps, and water bottles are available for participants to borrow free of charge. Additionally, we will be providing all necessary eating-ware, so please do not bring these items. It is critical that you bring durable shoes or boots for hiking (i.e., they should not be open-toed or unsupportive), ideally with ankle support. While we encourage you to bring your own clothing wherever possible, waterproof jackets, waterproof pants, and broad-brimmed hats are available to borrow free of charge.
Our trips generally include transportation and most meals. You may need to purchase a meal on the road the first and last days of the trip. Participants should communicate dietary restrictions and preferences on their medical form.
Guides
UCLA Outdoor Adventures guides are staff members with a passion for responsible outdoor-recreation and a desire to share it with others. Our guides receive a variety of theoretical and hands-on training. In addition, all trips include at least one guide who has completed a course in wilderness medicine. If you are interested in learning more about how employment works, please feel free to email us at oa@recreation.ucla.edu. Only current, continuing, undergraduate students at UCLA are eligible for employment consideration.
Eligibility
Our trips are open only to members of UCLA Recreation. Membership must be active at the time of registration, and during the UCLA Outdoor Adventures event. Most students are members of UCLA Recreation. To check your membership status, try to log in to your account in our online store and/or contact our Sales and Services Team. To learn about membership options and purchasing a membership, please visit our membership site. Our trips are designed for the adult community of UCLA, so people under the age of 18 are not permitted. Exceptions may be granted for currently-enrolled UCLA students who are under the age of 18; please email oa@recreation.ucla.edu to request this exception.
Enrollment
Visit the UCLA Recreation Store webpage to enroll online. If you have an active UCLA Recreation membership, you will see pricing and space availability after you log in. You can browse or search for our trips. They are listed under Outdoor Adventures -> Wilderness Trips. You may also register in person at the Sales and Cashiering in the John-Wooden Center. If you encounter an error message or any trouble while trying to process payment for your trip, please contact the Sales Team directly for assistance.
Wait List
If a trip fills and you would like to be placed on the wait list, please fill out this online form. In the event that someone withdraws from the trip, we generally contact individuals from the wait list to invite them to fill the spot. Please note that we are unable to reserve newly-opened spots for people on the wait list.
Refund Policy
Outdoor Trips are not eligible for a full refund. 90% refunds may be obtained for Outdoor Trips when requested 15 business days prior to departure. To request a refund, please contact us at oa@recreation.ucla.edu. Please also note that refunds are not available for short-term memberships (fewer than 12 months) to UCLA Recreation.
If you have questions, please feel free to e-mail us (oa@recreation.ucla.edu).
Each fall, winter, and spring, we offer free workshops on outdoor skills. We teach these workshops in the Outdoor-Adventures Office or the Bike Shop. Both of these venues are located in the northwestern corner of the John-Wooden Center. You may register for workshops in our online store. Closed toed/heeled shoes are required at all workshops.
At the Rental Center, we have a variety of outdoor equipment available for Members of UCLA Recreation to rent. To rent or reserve gear, payment is required and payments are only accepted in person.
2131 John Wooden Center Los Angeles, CA 90095 310.206.7219 rentalcenter@recreation.ucla.edu
At the Rock Wall, located on the first floor of the Wooden Center, members of UCLA Recreation are invited to boulder during our Open-Recreation Hours. We also teach classes during the fall, winter, and spring; our current offerings are listed in UCLA Recreation's online store.
Bouldering is a type of climbing that is done close to the ground without ropes. People at all levels of experience are invited to climb at the Rock Wall. Climbing shoes may be rented for a small fee and they are available free of charge on one's first visit to the wall. In addition, we host a friendly bouldering competition called the Dangling Bruin annually.
Please feel free to email us at oac@recreation.ucla.edu with any questions.
If you enjoy climbing and are interested in working at the UCLA Rock Wall, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with our operation by climbing during Open-Recreation Hours. Eligibility requirements to be considered for employment include being a current undergraduate-student at UCLA with previous climbing-experience and the ability to work at least six hours per week. Once you have a good sense of what working here involves and whether you're eligible, we invite you to complete our online job-application.
Welcome, UCLA class of 2023!
Outdoor Adventures is excited to offer Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trips (BOOTs)! These outdoor experiences are available exclusively to incoming, first-year students. Please read through the information below for details on the calendar, how to enroll, and what to expect on a Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trip.
About Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trips
Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trips enable incoming UCLA students to meet each other in an adventurous, small-group setting before their first quarter of classes begins. Our trips are suitable for beginners; no experience is necessary. Groups are generally comprised of five Participants and three Guides. Our Guides are highly-trained individuals most of whom are current students or recent graduates of UCLA. Under our Guides' leadership, groups venture into a wilderness location, learn about leave-no-trace ethics, sleep under the stars, bond over backcountry meals, support one another in challenging situations, and get excited for their collegiate endeavors.
What is included on a Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trip? - Knowledgeable, experienced Guides - Transportation from UCLA and back in our 8-passenger van - Group camping-equipment such as tents, tarps, stoves, cookware, and first-aid kits. Participants only need to bring what is listed on the "What to Bring List." - The following personal-items are included: backpack, ground pad, sleeping bag. If Participants prefer to use their own backpack, ground pad, and/or sleeping bag, they are welcome to do so provided that their items meet our criteria described in the "What to Bring List." - Delicious camping-meals and snacks prepared by our Guides. Meals on the road are not provided, so be sure to bring cash/card for a roadside purchase. - Extensive opportunities to learn about outdoor recreation and wilderness risk-management. Guides teach seminars that can include map reading, leave-no-trace principles, water treatment, group games, backcountry hygiene, water purification, backcountry stove-use, and more. - An incredibly-memorable experience with other members of the UCLA community. Policies and Risk Management It is our mission to provide cooperative, challenging, and empowering experiences based in the outdoors. Because we recognize that the risks of serious injury or death are inherent to outdoor recreation, effectively managing risk is among our highest priorities. From providing extensive training on this topic to our Guides to requiring all of our Guides to be certified as Wilderness First-Responders, risk management is at the core of what we do and at the core of what we expect from our Participants. Participants must commit to behaving responsibly and in accordance with our Guides' instructions, including reviewing and signing in agreement to our Code of Conduct prior to trip departure.
2019 Calendar
*Click on the link provided to view detailed trip information. How to enroll
Trips go on sale on May 15, 2019, at noon and remain on sale until they are either full or 5 business days before the trip departs. Enrollment may be accessed via our online store. If the student has a UCLA logon, then use it to log into the store. If the student does not yet have a UCLA logon, then the student may create an account according to the directions on the online store's main page. When creating an online account, be sure to include an accurate email-address that the student regularly checks! This email address will be our primary method of contacting students regarding their trip preparations. When trying to find the BOOTs in our online store, be sure that the semester "Summer 2019" is selected in the left-hand column and that the classification selected is "Outdoor Adventures." Trips will be listed under the category of "Outdoor Adventures." Enrollment may also be accomplished in person at the John Wooden Center's Sales-and-Service Desk. Should you encounter technical difficulties while enrolling, please call the Sales-and-Service Team at (310) 206-8373.
Enrolling minors (students under the age of 18) Outdoor Adventures' trips are designed for adults. Incoming, first-year students who are under the age of 18 are still eligible to enroll. In order to enroll a student who is under the age of 18, the student's parent/guardian must create their own account in UCLA Recreation's online store and then create a profile for the student (i.e., their dependent). During the registration process, the parent/guardian will then log in to their own account and enroll the student in the trip. We recommend creating one's account and familiarizing oneself with the registration process in advance of the time that trips go on sale.
Wait list for trips that are full If you would like to be placed on the wait list for trips that are full, please complete this form. In the event that a space becomes available, we will contact individuals on the wait list in chronological order to invite them to register. Please note that joining the wait list does not reserve nor guarantee a space for you should a space become available.
Refund and cancellation policy
Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trips are not eligible for a full refund. 90% refunds may be obtained for Bruin Outdoor Orientation Trips if requested 10 business days prior to departure. To request a refund, please contact us at oa@recreation.ucla.edu.
Arrival and departure details
Our trips depart from (and return to) the Bike Shop/Outdoor Adventures Center which is located in the northwest corner of the John Wooden Center.
Please refer to the trip information documents, linked in the trip calendar above, for more details about arrivals and departures.
Medical & Personal Information Forms
In the weeks prior to each trip, we email all participants asking them to complete the Health Form online. All enrolled participants must complete the Health Form a minimum of 30 days prior to the trip departure date. We aim to provide responsible, accessible trips, including doing our best to accommodate health and personal needs. Failure to complete the Health Form within this deadline will risk the participant losing their spot on the trip and without a refund. Furthermore, OA cannot guarantee accommodations for medical or personal needs that are disclosed after this deadline. Questions?
We're happy to help. Please email us at oa@recreation.ucla.edu.
This course is hosted by UCLA Recreation while registration, content, instruction, and certification are provided by NOLS. We invite you to follow the below links for more information and/or to register.
For more information about the course, please follow this link:
https://www.nols.edu/en/coursefinder/courses/wilderness-first-responder-WFR/
Wilderness First Responder (WFR): March 21 - March 30, 2020
To register for the course, please follow this link:
https://www.nols.edu/portal/wmi/courses/15694/