|
Tours
Grand
Canyon Events & Association News
Membership Info
Membership Form
Calendar
Lecture Series
Classes
|
|
Grand
Canyon Field Institute (GCFI) May Classes
January - No classes scheduled
February - No classes scheduled
March
April
May
Introductory Backpack
3 - 6; $495 per person non members; $470 per member; HL - 3
Our introductory backpack begins with a thorough orientation, pack check and afternoon stroll along the scenic South Rim. The following day includes a 4.5-mile descent of the Bright Angel Trail to the towering cottonwood trees of Indian Garden Campground—home for a two-night camping adventure. A sunset visit to nearby Plateau Point with its commanding view of the Inner Gorge will cap the group’s inaugural day below the rim. The following day will feature a backpack-free day hike to the sandy beaches of the Colorado River for a glimpse at the forces that carved this marvel of a canyon. Depending on group hiking strength and weather, an optional visit to historic Phantom Ranch (several miles upriver), may also be an option. The final day of class includes a return to the South Rim on the Bright Angel Trail, each at his or her own pace, and a proud look back at the canyon that doubled as classroom and playground for three splendid days.
Havasu Canyon Natural History Backpack
3 - 7; $665 per person non members; $640 per member; HL - 4
The class will begin with an eight-mile backpack to the inner-canyon village of
Supai. After a brief visit, participants will continue several miles down the
trail to the campground at the base of picturesque Havasu Falls. From this base
camp, subsequent days will be spent hiking, swimming and sharing the beauty of
this storied locale. Participants will learn about the history and ways of their
host tribe and study the numerous plants, birds and other animals found in this
amazingly diverse riparian drainage. The final day will include a retracing of
steps back to the South Rim for closing discussions and departure. Note:
fee-based horse-packing service is available from the tribe for those wishing to
have their gear carried in or out of the canyon. Information about this service
will be included with pre-course materials.
Thunder River Geology Backpack
8 - 15; $645 per person non members; $620 per member; HL - 6
The geologic formations and their associated waterfalls in the Tapeats and Deer Creek drainages are as informative as they are breathtaking. From the sinuous Deer Creek narrows that give birth to Deer Creek Falls, to the ripple marks of an ancient beach frozen in billion-year-old rock downstream from today’s Thunder River, there is truly a delight at every turn. These oases will punctuate a week’s worth of in-depth geology during this high-intensity backpack.
Topics will include depositional environments, stratigraphy, hydrology, volcanism, climate and paleontology. Utilizing the historic Bill Hall Trail to descend from the North Rim, the group will follow in the footsteps of both ancient indigenous cultures and yesteryear’s Mormon ranchers. Subsequent days will follow the serpentine trails across the Esplanade and Surprise Valley en route to the Colorado River, the primary carver of the grandest of canyons. This class will head into the field after an orientation in Fredonia, Arizona. Participants will carpool over rough but reliable dirt-and-gravel U.S. Forest Service roads.
Take a Load Off: Mule-Assisted Backpack
10 - 13; $635 per person non members; $610 per member; HL - 3+
With a little help from four-legged friends, participants in this class descend
into the heart of the Grand Canyon for a two-night camping adventure beside
picturesque Bright Angel Creek. This class begins with a thorough morning
orientation after which camping gear is taken to the nearby mule corral for
next-day delivery to the canyon floor. The afternoon is spent on an educational
walking tour along the breathtaking South Rim. On the second day of class,
participants hike seven miles down the South Kaibab Trail, enjoying a
combination of sweeping views and intriguing facts about geology, ecology and
human history. As pack mules are hauling the bulk of the group’s camping gear and food, participants can devote more time and energy to uncovering the canyon’s secrets. Upon retrieving their camping gear at historic Phantom Ranch, the class will set up camp for a two-night stay at Bright Angel Campground. For the remainder of the day and all of the next, the focus will be on learning about the geologic formation of the canyon from the inside out. The diverse flora and fauna of the canyon, and the human inhabitants it has sustained for millennia, will also be discussed at length.
Hermit to Bright Angel Natural HIstory Backpack
13 - 18; $635 per person non members; $610 per member; HL - 4
This class will incorporate wide-ranging topics and interpretive points of
interest to weave the story of the canyon’s past, present and future. Focusing primarily on the biotic communities of the inner canyon, participants will learn about woodland-, desert- and river-ecosystem dynamics and functions, and a variety of resource-management issues pertaining to this vast landscape. After a thorough orientation, the class will descend the historic Hermit Trail, and then utilize the Tonto Trail to proceed upcanyon during subsequent days. Campsites will include picturesque Hermit Creek, Monument Creek and Indian Garden. Side hikes will descend through the two-billion-year-old Vishnu Schist en route to the Colorado River where Hermit and Granite rapids will bear testament to the power and significance of this iconic Southwestern waterway. At the conclusion of this weeklong, interdisciplinary fact fest, the class will ascend the historic Bright Angel Trail for classroom wrap-up and farewells.
Rim-to-Rim Geology Backpack
17 - 22; $675 per person non members; $650 per member; HL - 4
The rim-to-rim journey across the Grand Canyon is considered one of the quintessential hikes in North America—and for good reason. The North Kaibab and Bright Angel trails combine to exploit a rarified cross-canyon thoroughfare, one that harbors many delights for the experienced backpacker. Boasting one of our planet's most spectacular and accessible geologic cross-sections, Grand Canyon routinely draws geology buffs of all stripes.
This class will examine the canyon’s rich geological story, from ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks to recent debris flows. Discussions will include the structural geology, stratigraphy, hydrology and formation theories as evidenced along this amazing 24-mile route. Roaring Springs, Ribbon Falls, Phantom Ranch and Plateau Point are but a few of the treasures awaiting those who take part in this moderate-intensity backpack. After being shuttled to the North Rim, the class will spend its first night at the North Rim Campground. During the precipitous descent into the canyon, participants hike from an aspen-clad forest to the banks of a desert stream in a few short hours. Nights are spent at Cottonwood, Bright Angel and Indian Garden Campgrounds respectively. The final day of class includes a 4.5-mile hike to the top via the Bright Angel Trail, each hiker traveling at his or her own pace.
Take a Load Off: Mule-Assisted Backpack
31 - 6/3; $635 per person non members; $610 per member; HL - 3+
With a little help from four-legged friends, participants in this class descend into the heart of the Grand Canyon for a two-night camping adventure beside picturesque Bright Angel Creek. This class begins with a thorough morning orientation after which camping gear is taken to the nearby mule corral for next-day delivery to the canyon floor. The afternoon is spent on an educational walking tour along the breathtaking South Rim. On the second day of class, participants hike seven miles down the South Kaibab Trail, enjoying a combination of sweeping views and intriguing facts about geology, ecology and human history. As pack mules are hauling the bulk of the group’s camping gear and food, participants can devote more time and energy to uncovering the canyon’s secrets. Upon retrieving their camping gear at historic Phantom Ranch, the class will set up camp for a two-night stay at Bright Angel Campground. For the remainder of the day and all of the next, the focus will be on learning about the geologic formation of the canyon from the inside out. The diverse flora and fauna of the canyon, and the human inhabitants it has sustained for millennia, will also be discussed at length.
June
July
August
September
October
November
December - No scheduled classes
For more information
call the Grand Canyon Field Institute at 866-471-4435 or visit their
web site at http://www.grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute
|
