West Virginia Universitys Lifetime Activities Program in the School of Physical Education is offering a new outlet for outdoor enthusiasts called Adventure Sports.

Adventure Sports will give students and the general public an opportunity to participate in rock climbing, backpacking, whitewater paddling, caving, rappelling and other outdoor activities.

Were interested in offering opportunities for people all over West Virginia to continue their lifelong learning and to enjoy physical activities,said program coordinator and physical education professor Nathan Kile.We want to encourage people to stay in shape, to be active and to keep learning, and we want to provide them with adventurous ways to do that.

Most Adventure Sports courses are designed for beginners to intermediate skill levels, said Kile, who will teach most of the courses.

Its a great way to get started or build on existing skills,he noted.

Kile earned a bachelors degree in recreation and a masters in counseling, and has worked in the outdoor recreation field for nine years, including outdoor guide services, ski resorts, challenge course programs and summer camps.

He came to WVU in August from Chattanooga, Tenn., and hes active in the sports he teaches. He rock climbs, whitewater paddles, cycles and backpacks and participates in caving and triathlons.

Adventure Sports currently has three sub-programs for people with different interests: the Explore Program, Odyssey Program and Summit Workshops.

Explore focuses on one-day trips in the greater Morgantown area. The programs are geared toward teenagers and adults and can be physically challenging.

Trips include caving Feb. 24 and rock climbing April 22 near Coopers Rock and a whitewater rafting trip May 5. Participants must register by the Friday of the week prior to each trip.

Odyssey focuses on multi-day trips for those looking for an extended adventure and includes a trip to Timberline Ski Resort Mar. 9-11. The deadline to register for that trip is Feb. 8.

There will also be a spring trip calledSavage Gulf Spring BreakMar. 25-31 to southeastern Tennessee. It will include several days of rock climbing, rappelling, backpacking and caving. Participants must register by Mar. 12.

Summit Workshops are for people who want to learn a new skill over time. Wilderness First Aidwill be offered Feb. 10-11, with registration deadline Feb. 5, andBicycle Maintenance and Repairwill be offered April 18, with registration deadline April 13.

Summit is also offeringIndoor Conditioning for Outdoor Athletes,a workshop series in which participants can work in a gym with fitness professionals to develop programs to train for outdoor activities. These courses run over several weeks.

Classes for those interested in skiing and snowboarding begin Feb. 4; rock climbing and paddling classes begin Mar. 4; and cycling begins April 15. These courses are from 3-5 p.m. Sundays.

For those interested in athletic competition, the SummitTriathlon Trainingworkshop series will meet in the evenings Jan. 8-April 28. Registration must be completed by Jan. 12.

In addition, the Summit program is offering theAdventure Racing Skillsworkshop series, a seven-week program to help people train for multi-sport race competitions that may include canoeing, cycling, navigation and rappelling. These workshops will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays March 8-April 26. Participants must register by Mar. 2.

Registration: 304-293-3295, ext. 5252. Information: 304-293-3295, ext. 5290 or Nathan.Kile@mail.wvu.edu .