Examining the Relationship between Adventure Program Offerings and Proximity to Mountain Adventure Sites

Abstract

The proximity to mountain sites is examined as a predictor of mountain adventure offerings. A priori hypotheses emphasized three concerns: (1) the relationship between participation in mountain adventure programs and proximity to mountain sites; (2) the prediction of adventure trips by proximity to mountain sites; and (3) the relationship between the number of mountain activities being offered and proximity to mountain sites. To assess these concerns, a series of questionnaires was sent to campus recreation program supervisors at 150 NIRSA institutions. Hypothesis testing conducted with stepwise regression analyses revealed that when controlling for institutional enrollment, proximity to mountain sites was a significant predictor of adventure program participation, number of programmed trips, and number of mountain activities offered. The direction of these relationships suggests a number of implications concerning the marketing of mountain adventure programs within the institutional setting.

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