7/8 Spring Experiential Trip Takes Students to Desolation Canyon and Beyond

For their 2021 Spring Experiential Education trip, the seventh and eighth-grade class visited Desolation Canyon, Gray Canyon of the Green River, and Capitol Reef National Park. The group started by traveling from Telluride to Sand Flats by car and by plane. The students studied the interactions between indigenous cultures and recent settlements and the natural history of the area, visiting sites with petroglyphs, ranches, and fossils. They also navigated 90 miles of river, including rapids and constantly evolving weather conditions. The second phase of the trip involved hiking and canyoneering in Capitol Reef National Park. The hiking had challenging down climbs and river wading experiences. Additionally, it involved petroglyph viewing, a visit to an old Mormon schoolhouse, and an examination of the shapes of fascinating rocks. Student research delved deeply into myriad topics that included: Leave No Trace Ethics, Indigenous cultures, Modern settlement, Literature of the West, River Management, Constellations, and Wildlife.