SUOC 87th Reunion ~ October 7, 8, 9, 10, 2022 @ Woodcrafters, Old Forge NY
SUOC has worked so well and shared so much fun and love of the outdoors that generations of graduates have kept the club history and traditions going. We call ourselves the "the Oldtimers". Many of our members are IOCA members as well.
SUOC was created in 1935; a response to the students' needs to "Get Outside and Play"! Originally started by the Outing
of the Fraternity, Something something something, monthly outings were taken. After becoming its own club, the Outing Club had nearly 600 members during its 8th year of existence! Clearly, the Forestry School – SUNY ESF and other college students were responding well to the idea; gathering like-minded outdoorsy people together and getting the heck out of Syracuse for a weekend or day trip!
The Outing Club, was founded in 1935, and is run by Syracuse and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students.
This mindset still exists. Today, SUOC has a strong following of at least 100 yearly memberships, hundreds of “Life-ers”, a lineage of hardcore explorers, climbing dogs, do-gooders and people who could never have gotten through the 4 (or 5, or 6) years of college without their SUOC family.
The circa '80s members stayed close and have kept up several yearly events for 40 years (so far). So its an expanded family.
Our equipment room has grown immensely in size, as well as the number of activities it serves. Today, students can pick from caving (both vertical and horizontal), rock climbing, ice climbing, cross country skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, and both flatwater and whitewater canoeing and kayaking. There is certainly no shortage of ways to go out, have some fun, and meet new people!
In the spirit of camaraderie and learning through experience in the great outdoors, we have fostered a life-long friendship and relationship with nature.
One of the oldest SUOC pictures was given to us by Willem Lange and was taken by John Wright in the spring of 1957 after a canoe trip on the Fish Creek, NY. From left to right: Hedwig Cmielewski, Unnamed SUOCer, Mike Byer. The 1934 Ford was owned by John Wright.
-Dave Janik
Some of the usual gang are shown on left circa 1993