History
The OutBac is a low-elements challenge course designed by Alpine Towers, originally installed in 2004 and supervised by the CSULB Department of Kinesiology until 2012. After a period of dormancy, responsibility for the course was transfereed to the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies in 2015. Restoration efforts began in 2017, supported by funding from Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) grants and Student Excellence Funds grants. These efforts included the development of REC 201, "Teamwork and Group Dynamics," a course utilizing the OutBac to teach the fundamentals of challenge course facilitation.
By Fall 2022, the course was fully restored, with improvements such as shade structures, storage and annual maintenance. REC 201 continues to thrive, with four full sections offered each semester, and the course remains a core requirement for REC majors. As a lower-division, category E "Lifelong Learning and Self-Development" approved GE Course, REC 201 has significant potential to attract new students to the REC major.
Located on the northeast side of campus, the OutBac features Alpine Tower's Team Developmet Course and elements such as the Whale Watch, Spider Web, Nitro Crossing, and The Wall. The surrounding field space supports additional mobile initiative activities and provides a central location for reflective discussions.
As of 2024, the OutBac is fully operational and open to the general public for all team-building needs. It offers 1-hour, 2-hour and 4-hour custom team-building sessions, each designed to incorporate select challenge course elements. These sessions are tailored to enhance teamwork, trust, communication, and problem-solving for a wide range of groups, including businesses, schools, and community organizations.
