Every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the next four weeks, children ages 3 to 14 will have the chance to enjoy the rock face of the facility at a discounted rate.
But the fun doesn’t stop at their age range, as their families and other members of the community, with climbing harnesses available for all ages, can also participate at the regular rate.
Henderson
Mike Henderson, WSU’s associate director of the outdoor education and recreation center, explained that after having had to be closed twice for long periods in recent years – once during renovations to the education village, then at new for the pandemic – the staff wanted to provide an opportunity not only for students to enjoy the world-class rock face, but also the community around the school.
“As we were able to reopen, we tried to make a concerted effort to re-engage with our community,” said Henderson, who shared that the facility is the largest compared to any other institution in the Midwest.
It wasn’t just the staff who had an interest in sharing the space with the community, as Henderson mentioned that the donors who helped provide the large rock wall had expressed a desire for the space to be open to the general public.
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As people who enjoy outdoor recreation – including rock climbing – Henderson said he and OERC staff wanted to organize youth parties in the hopes of breaking down boundaries that might keep children from to participate in such activities.
Audrey Diesslin pushes back the WSU climbing wall in 2019.
Craig Johnson, Winona Daily News
Already, to break down the boundaries, the OERC has worked to provide free escalation to Sugarloaf for many years.
As for the first Tuesday of Youth Nights, Nov. 2, Henderson shared that it was a success with 48 people attending, with some showing up as early as 4:30 p.m.
Henderson said his favorite part of the first night was, “Honestly, it’s just the idea that we can get more families to enjoy outdoor recreation.”
He said, like many other people who are passionate about an activity, he enjoys helping others get excited about rock climbing and other outdoor pursuits.
People are pictured using the rock face at WSU in 2019.
Craig Johnson, Winona Daily News
Henderson likes to see families participate in rock climbing with the OERC on a regular basis, as they are beginning to choose this as their preferred option on how they stay active together.
For more information about youth nights and other opportunities at WSU, visit www.winona.edu.
River Valley Tour: Winona County
Lake view
The Lakeview Drive Inn has been a Winona favorite for decades.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Hills
Pictured are the hills bordering Winona.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Lake and High School
Pictured is West Lake Winona, with Winona High School in the distance.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Greenery
Pictured is the greenery of Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Hills
Pictured are some of the many hills in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Greenery
Pictured is greenery along Highway 14 in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Works
Pictured are some structures off Highway 14 in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
The water
Pictured is a body of water along Highway 14.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Hills
Pictured are some of the hills in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Cultivate
Pictured is a Winona County farm.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Wind turbines
Pictured are wind turbines in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Cultivate
Pictured is a Winona County farm.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Cultivate
Pictured is a Winona County farm.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Welcome to Utica
Pictured is a barn in Winona County with a Welcome to Utica sign.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Tractor
A tractor crosses a field in rural Winona County. The county has over 1,000 farms covering nearly 270,000 acres.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
farmland
Pictured is farmland in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Solar panels
Pictured are solar panels in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
cultivated land
Pictured is farmland in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Farm equipment
Pictured is farm equipment in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Cows
Pictured are cows in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
farmland
Pictured is farmland in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
The water
Pictured is a body of water in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Winona County Sign
Pictured is one of the Winona County signs from Olmsted County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Flag
Pictured is a flag flying high in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
The water
Pictured is a waterway in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Whitewater State Park
Pictured is the Whitewater State Park sign.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Bridge
Pictured is a bridge in Whitewater State Park.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Greenery
Pictured is greenery in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Hills
Pictured is greenery on the hills of Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Walking path
Pictured is a walking trail in Whitewater State Park.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
The water
Pictured is a waterway in Winona County.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
fire tower
Pictured is the historic Elbe fire tower.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Garvin Heights
The view of Winona from Garvin Heights, with Lake Winona in the foreground and the Mississippi River in the background. Winona County’s many waterways provide natural beauty and a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Garvin Heights
Pictured is a view of Winona facing Garvin Heights.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Garvin Heights
Pictured is a view of Winona facing left from Garvin Heights.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Sugar bread
Sugar Loaf dominates the landscape of Winona. Hikers can take a trail up the cliff for a bird’s eye view of the city.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
River
Pictured is the Mississippi River next to the town of Winona.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Bridge
Highway. 43 bridge spans the Mississippi River to connect Winona to Wisconsin.
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News
Winona County
Rachel Mergen, Winona Daily News