This year, the vernal equinox, which formally marks the beginning of spring, fell on Mar. 20, which means that winter is officially over. In a rare instance for Grand Forks, the weather seems to agree with the calendar. As daily temperatures continue to rise steadily throughout April, students who feel compelled to take advantage of the warming weather can do so with help from The Outpost.
Located in the atrium of UND’s Wellness Center, The Outpost is a branch of the facility dedicated to providing students with a wide variety of outdoor gear and activities to rent at an affordable price. Available rentals range from simple yard games, such as beanbag toss and bocce ball, to full-on adventure equipment, such as camping tents and canoe packages. On top of the low cost, The Outpost is also focused on making the checkout process as simple as possible; renters need only complete a rental agreement form and show a valid government-issued ID.
“The rental process at The Outpost is designed to be quick and easy for students,” Marissa Nunberg, the Member Services Coordinator at the Wellness Center, said. “We try to make it as straightforward as possible so students can focus on enjoying their outdoor experience rather than worrying about the details.”
Notably absent from the rental requirements is a UND student ID.
“One lesser-known fact about The Outpost is that anyone in the community can rent from The Outpost, so you don’t even have to have a membership to the Wellness Center to utilize the outdoors equipment,” Nunberg said.
While The Outpost does offer a winter selection in the form of ice skates, skis, and even snowshoes, fair-weather games and gear make up the bulk of the options. Amidst increasing interest in The Outpost from the student body, Nunberg hopes to have even more to offer in the future.
“Each semester, we see a steady number of students utilizing The Outpost’s offerings, and the demand has been growing, which is really exciting,” Nunberg said. “While I’m happy with the current participation, there’s always room to grow and expand our offerings, as we are looking to expand our inventory to accommodate even more rentals.”
Nunberg urges everybody to take advantage of what The Outpost has to offer, especially anybody who has never done so before.
“If you haven’t visited The Outpost yet, you’re definitely missing out,” Nunberg said. “It’s not just a place to rent outdoor gear, it’s a resource designed to help students explore and enjoy the outdoors with ease. If you’re unsure about what you need or just want some advice, our team is always happy to help. So, come by and check us out, you’ll be surprised at all the fun and adventure waiting right here on campus.”
Quinn Berg is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at quinn.berg@und.edu.
