While rafting, each day is spent practicing paddle strokes and learning to read the water – all while taking in the beauty of the canyon. Crewmates will become a team, coordinating their paddling and taking turns as boat captains. Between rapids are flat water sections where students can swim, relax and enjoy the view. Time in a raft is ideal for getting to know each other, laughing and singing throughout the day. Afternoons can bring strong winds, leading to challenge and adventure as crews paddle hard to reach camping destinations. The canyon rims can rise hundreds of feet above the river, enclosing participants in a remote world of rushing water and delicate ecosystems.

While canoeing, each day is spent practicing the unique skills needed to navigate a canoe down river. As there are only two or three students in a canoe, everyone gets ample opportunities to be the captain of their own boat. Students will have time to slow down and enjoy the views, watch for wildlife, and connect with their crewmates. Most courses get the opportunity to take day hikes away from the river. These hikes provide stunning views and often the chance to see archaeological sites, petroglyphs, pictographs and remarkable geological formations.

Canyoneering is like playing in the most exciting adventure course imaginable. Each obstacle occurs naturally – formed by thousands of years of wind and water eroding the vibrant layers of rock. A combination of scrambling, hiking, wading through water, and rappelling may be involved during course. As students travel deeper through narrow and winding canyons, sunlight bounces off the walls causing the rock to glow red and orange. Hidden waterfalls and pools can be found, offering an oasis for both students and wildlife. Instructors will teach students how to travel safely and efficiently over rocks and across desert ecosystems. Crews work together, problem-solving and supporting each other as they navigate this dynamic and continuously changing environment.

Backpackers carry everything they need - food, shelter, clothing and gear – allowing them to go deep into nature where few people go. Students feel a sense of freedom from the stress of modern life and technology. The simplicity of hiking also gives students the opportunity to focus internally on their own thoughts. They grow to be more present, connecting deeply with nature and their crewmates as they spend time together without distraction. 

Courses begin with lessons in packing and hiking. Along the way, students learn Leave No Trace techniques, map and compass navigation, and outdoor cooking. Students will travel across slickrock slabs or sandy washes and stop along the way to appreciate wildlife. They camp among red rock canyons and may spot views of the Rocky Mountains in the distance. Each day, they get to sleep under the stars, smell wild sage blowing in the wind, and watch the sun travel across vibrant canyon walls.

Course areas may vary and will include some, but not all of the locations listed below:

Canyon Country, Utah

The most spectacular aspects of the Utah landscape are the hidden treasures found within its vast canyon networks, formed by millennia of wind and water. The canyons are composed of a spell-binding labyrinth of towering walls, arches, and slot canyons just waiting to be explored. On course, these vibrant formations are a geological playground for scrambling and teamwork. Canyoneering courses venture into narrower, deeper chasms sometimes as narrow as two feet wide with walls rising several hundred feet on each side. The desert ecosystem is characterized by aromatic plants like sagebrush and juniper and birds soaring high above canyon walls. The days can be hot in the summertime, but it always cools down in the evenings. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Southern Paiute, and Pueblo nations.

San Juan River, Utah

The San Juan River is a major tributary of the Colorado River, flowing for 83 meandering miles through deep and stunning sandstone. It is world-renowned for archaeological sites of the Fremont and Anasazi people, featuring both petroglyphs and cliff dwellings which can be seen from the river. The river is also known for its exquisite natural scenery and exciting rafting conditions. Sagebrush, cottonwood, juniper, and willow trees pepper the shores. Beaches provide an opportunity to stop for lunch or set up camp along sandy shores. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Diné, Pueblos, and Hopi

The Green River

The Green River is one of the largest and grandest rivers in the Southwest. It is famous for its world-renowned whitewater rapids and towering red rock canyon walls. Whitewater river sections may give students the opportunity to navigate Class 2 or 3 rapids while slow water sections provide time for swimming and relaxing. Throughout the canyon, there are spectacular cultural wonders including ancient dwellings and pictographs. As crews descend deeper into the canyons, they will get to observe a variety of unique geologic formations and layers of pink, red, and orange rock. Sagebrush, cottonwood, juniper, and willow trees pepper the shores. Beaches provide an opportunity to stop for lunch or set up camp along sandy shores. Many of our longer rafting courses will travel through Canyonlands National Park, reaching the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Southern Paiute, Diné, Pueblos, and Hopi nations. 

The Colorado River

Students will get to raft down one of the largest and most significant rivers in the Southwest. Better yet, they’ll paddle through Cataract Canyon, a world-renown whitewater rafting destination that cuts through the heart of Canyonlands National Park. Archaeological sites and petroglyphs can be spotted along the way. The river boasts 31 iconic rapids that are comparable to those of the Grand Canyon in power, difficulty and beauty. Students may have the chance to encounter some of the most famous of these rapids including the Mile Long Rapids and “The Big Drops.” Slower sections of the river offer time for relaxing, bonding, and sometimes even swimming. Sandy shores offer perfect spots for camping. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) and Pueblo nations.