TRU Adventure Studies Department

09/29/2026

Come see what FACT is all about at TRU Open House! 🎓🏔️👨‍🍳

Join us this Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Campus Activity Centre to explore programs in Adventure Studies, Culinary Arts and Tourism.

Find the FACT booth in the Grand Hall and come say hi!

🏔️ Adventure Studies: Chat with faculty member Bridget Orsetti and 2025 Adventure Guide Diploma graduates Ash and Prat about the Adventure Guide Program. Equipment Bay tours will also be available by request at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

🌎 Tourism: From local to global, tourism programs connect you to places, cultures and people in meaningful ways. Connect with Tourism Advisor Greg Simmonds and learn about programs including the Bachelor of Tourism Management and Sport Event Management Diploma.

🌭 Culinary Arts: Enjoy a complimentary gourmet hot dog prepared by Culinary Arts faculty and students from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pick up your lunch ticket from Open House Headquarters.

📅 Oct. 3 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
📍 TRU Kamloops | Grand Hall, Campus Activity Centre

Registration is required. Learn more and register through the link in our bio! 🔗

09/28/2026

Two weeks of climbing, learning and plenty of gelato in Arco, Italy! 🇮🇹🧗

For their capstone expedition, 10 Adventure Guide Diploma students travelled to one of Europe’s renowned climbing destinations alongside faculty member and ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide Fred Amyot and sessional instructor and ACMG Mountain Guide Darek Glowacki.

On Arco’s limestone walls, students worked toward ACMG Apprentice Rock Guide prerequisites, tackled some of their longest multi-pitch routes to date and continued developing their technical, leadership and decision-making skills.

The expedition wasn’t all about climbing. Between days on the rock, the group swam in Lake Garda, explored Arco’s climbing culture, visited local farm stands and, according to student Sophie Garrett, ate “ALL the gelato.” 🍦

After two years together in the Adventure Guide Program, Italy was an incredible place to put their skills to the test, reflect on how far they’ve come and wrap up their time together. 🏔️

09/25/2026

All geared up for fall field season! 🏔️🎒

Adventure Guide Certificate students recently headed to True Outdoors for our annual Gear Night, where they picked up some of the final items on their equipment lists ahead of a busy fall in the field.

From Therm-a-Rests and climbing shoes to stuff sacks, collapsible bowls and all the little essentials in between, their knowledgeable team was there to help students find the right gear and answer questions along the way.

A big thank you to True Outdoors for continuing to support our students and the Adventure Studies community. We’re grateful to have such a knowledgeable and supportive local outdoor retailer right here in Kamloops! 🙌

📸: Alexis Aitken

09/23/2026

From the classroom to the Canadian Rockies. 🏔️⛷️

For their capstone ski expedition this past May, Adventure Guide Diploma students Maggie, Matt, Justin, Annie and Oscar travelled deep into the Canadian Rockies with sessional instructor and ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide Matt Reynolds.

The team flew by helicopter into the remote Lyell Icefield, where they established a three-day base camp before completing a demanding three-day traverse to the Freshfield Icefield. There, they settled in for another five days of backcountry exploration and technical ski objectives.

Throughout the expedition, students stepped into the guide role, leading daily meetings, planning routes and making decisions while applying avalanche forecasting, snow study and alpine navigation skills in complex glaciated terrain.

A few highlights along the way? Summiting Nanga Parbat, plenty of time on skis, and communal meals and downtime inside the Mountain Hardwear “Space Station” dome tent. 🏕️

After two years of training, this expedition was an opportunity to bring it all together in the mountains, strengthening the planning, leadership, navigation and guiding skills students will carry with them into careers in ski guiding and avalanche safety.

This is what learning looks like with TRU Adventure Studies. 🎿🏔️

09/22/2026

Great opportunity to offer feedback and input. This is important work, please take the time if you are in Alberta!

Building Alberta's outdoor industry Workforce Action Plan to attract, retain, and grow youth careers outdoors.

09/21/2026

An epic week on the Clearwater River for Kayak 3! 🌊☀️

Throughout the course, students worked on building competency and confidence in Class III rapids, practiced whitewater rescue techniques and learned how to safely approach and drop waterfalls. 🛶

The course also gave students the opportunity to continue developing their leadership and instructional skills through Canoe Kayak BC Level 1 Flatwater Kayak Instructor Certification.

Take a look at Kayak 3 in action! 😎

09/10/2026

Nothing says welcome to the Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts, and Tourism (FACT) quite like a stack of pancakes! 🥞✨

On Tuesday, we kicked off Thompson Rivers University TRU Orientation Day with our FACT Pancake Breakfast with a morning of good food and even better company.

Simon took over the griddle, flipping pancakes and even taking a few special requests for Mickey Mouse pancakes🐭🥞, our Culinary Arts team made a delicious homemade berry compote🍓, and Dean Yasmin gave a warm welcome to our incoming students ahead of their first week on campus.

It was a fun (and delicious!) morning filled with introductions, conversations and plenty of opportunities for new students to meet their classmates, faculty and staff.

Welcome to TRU, and welcome to FACT! 🎉

📸: ALEXIS AITKEN

09/02/2026

The first field course of the year for our incoming students is here! ⛺🥾

Our Adventure Guide Certificate students are heading into the backcountry for five epic days of ADVG 1020 Wilderness Travel, putting their skills into practice in one of B.C.’s most incredible outdoor classrooms.

Over the next five days, students will navigate trails, route plan, manage camp life, make decisions as a team, and build foundational outdoor leadership and travel skills they’ll carry with them throughout the program.

And the backdrop? Wells Gray Provincial Park. With old-growth forests, alpine meadows, and rugged mountain terrain, it’s a pretty unforgettable place to kick off their first year in Adventure Studies. 🏔️

Have an epic trip out there!

📸: Seneca Jager

08/31/2026

Adventure Studies faculty helping shape the future of avalanche safety in Canada. 🏔️

This past spring, Adventure Studies faculty members Jon Heshka and Jerry Isaak were elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Avalanche Association with Jon serving as a Public Representative and Jerry as a Director at Large.

The CAA is Canada’s professional organization for those working in avalanche safety and risk management, helping ensure practitioners meet the highest professional standards and maintain the confidence of industry, governments, and the public.

Jerry brings extensive experience as an Advanced Avalanche Educator, ACMG Ski Guide, and faculty lead for ski touring and avalanche education at TRU. Jon brings his expertise in law, risk management, and adventure education to his role representing the public interest while also sitting on the CAA’s Governance Committee.

Having Adventure Studies faculty contribute at this level means the expertise shaping professional standards and the future of the industry is also present in our classrooms and field courses. For our students, it’s an opportunity to learn from faculty who aren’t just connected to the industry but are actively helping move it forward.

Congratulations, Jon and Jerry, on these important leadership roles! 👏

08/28/2026

Six paddlers. 15 days. Seven rivers. One unforgettable expedition. 🌊

Adventure Studies Diploma students Ryan, Ava, Jasmine, Elisa, Bruce and Emma headed south with faculty members James Rodger and Travis Aback for their final 15-day whitewater expedition through California and Washington.

The team put two years of learning into practice while paddling new rivers, navigating technical whitewater, experiencing American paddling culture and taking on new challenges together. 🙌

Their journey took them from the Merced River to an overnight trip on the Tuolumne with OARS, followed by the North Fork Stanislaus, South Fork American and two technical sections of the California Salmon, before finishing on Washington’s White Salmon River.

For Elisa, the experience was about much more than just paddling:

“Expedition is such a unique course. After months of planning and preparation, we had the opportunity to put our skills into practice, challenge ourselves and spend two weeks paddling alongside our peers. It felt like the perfect way to bring together everything we had learned over the past two years.”

From technical rapids and new environments to plenty of laughter, good food and warm California days, it was one incredible way to cap off two years of Adventure Studies. 🤙

📸: Elisa Erho