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Issue date: 1/7/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Brice Kelsch Daniel Turner, Wilderness Recreation Center's new coordinator. Turner comes to WSU with a lot of outdoor activity experience.

Daniel Turner is climbing to new heights as the new Weber State Univerity Wilderness Recreation Coordinator. It's no Grand Travers in the Grand Tetons, but Turner has managed to do what some people are never able to accomplish - to get paid to do what one loves.

Having grown up in Bern, Idaho, a little town just north of Bear Lake, Turner said he grew to love "being" and "doing" in the outdoors.

"The lake was kind of central to what we did," Turner said.

But over time his passion turned to climbing.

As a kid, Turner participated in the rock climbing gathering, Pocatello Pump. When he grew older he toured with the Boulder Circuit competing all over the Western United States.

"I got completely hooked on the climbing aspect and that was a catalyst into other things," Turner said.

After graduating from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor's in Recreation and Spanish and a minor in Outdoor Leadership, he said coming to WSU seemed liked the perfect step for this outdoors lover.

"His expertise in climbing and water crafts is exceptional," said WSU Wilderness Recreation Center Director John Knight.

Because of Turner's exceptional work ethic and leadership skills, Knight offered the job to Turner.

While at the University of Idaho, Turner accepted a position as the assistant coordinator for the University of Idaho's recreation center as well as running the climbing facility on campus. The University of Idaho has one of the largest college campus climbing facilities in the country, and in building the new climbing wall, WSU can now compete with them.

"In just a short career timeframe, Daniel had accomplished a great deal showing his ability to motivate others and create large-scale, professional recreational programs," said Kirk Hanniger, the former Wilderness Recreation Center coordinator.

Hanniger stepped down from the position to devote more time to the WSU Nursing Program.

Having attempted the challenge of the Grand Travers, traversing the 10 peaks of the Tetons within 24 hours, the tallest of which is 13,777 feet, Turner is ready to take on the challenge of bringing the Wilderness Recreation Center to the forefront of all WSU facilities.

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