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Tours
Grand
Canyon Events & Association News
Membership Info
Membership Form
Calendar
Lecture Series
Classes
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Grand
Canyon Field Institute (GCFI) April Classes
January - No classes scheduled
February - No classes scheduled
March
April
Take a Load Of: Mule-Assisted Backpacking
5 - 8; $635 per person non member; $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.
Introductory Backpack (women only)
13 - 16; $675 per person non member; $650 per member;; HL - 8+
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 on 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 hiker traveling at her own pace, and a proud look back at the canyon that doubled as both classroom and playground for three splendid days.
Colorado River Float Trip
13 - 30; $4,495 per person non member; $4,470 per member;; HL - n/a
The fabled Colorado River is at once the “carver” of Grand Canyon, and the “lifeblood” of the desert Southwest. The Colorado’s role in Grand Canyon is critical as the river and its watershed help sustain the amazing biodiversity found in the park. Aside from its ecological significance and the access it provides to incredible geologic formations, the river’s challenging whitewater has drawn boating enthusiasts from around the world for decades. During this oar-powered float trip from Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek, this class will explore the many facets of Grand Canyon. Geology, paleontology, archaeology, botany, and pioneer history will dominate the discussions as our stellar team of educators share their vast knowledge of the world’s most-famous chasm. The trip will begin and end in Flagstaff, Arizona. On-river meals and camping gear are included.
Red Canyon to Grandview Geology Backpack
15 - 20; $635 per person non member; $610 per member;; HL - 4+
A journey to the Grand Canyon has long served as a geologic pilgrimage of sorts for scientists from the world over. However, even the layman has much to glean from the open book of the Grand Canyon’s cliffs and slopes. In plain view one can find many of the rock strata that form the building blocks of the North American continent itself. Equally compelling is evidence of the geologic processes such as deposition and erosion that exist at the Grand Canyon on a massive scale.
The network of trails that negotiate the stretch from Red Canyon to the Grandview area lead the hardy hiker through a veritable showcase of these geologic marvels. Ancient fault lines, fossils and geologic features combine with thundering white-water rapids, verdant springs and a labyrinthine limestone cave to tell the story of the canyon’s rich history and dynamic present. After a thorough orientation this class will descend into Red Canyon on the historic New Hance Trail, spend several days camped beside the Colorado River, then continue downcanyon to Hance Creek, Horseshoe Mesa and an eventual exit via the Grandview Trail.
Grand Canyon Springs Backpack
16 - 21; $395 per person non member; $370 per member;; HL - 4
This “hands-on” class will study and inventory a number of these oases, and assist in the gathering of data to further the park’s understanding of these vital resources. Destinations will include Big Jim Spring, Santa Maria Spring, as well as Hermit, Monument, Salt, Horn, and Garden creeks. After a thorough orientation on the South Rim, the class will embark on this 25-mile backpack down the breathtaking Hermit Trail to a campground beside tranquil Hermit Creek. Subsequent nights will be spent at Monument Creek and Indian Garden campgrounds, preceding a final 4.5-mile ascent of the Bright Angel Trail back to the South Rim. Note: no previous surveying experience is required.
Six Days, Five Trails: A Historical Overview
23 - 28; $465 per person non member; $440 per member;; HL - 3+
This class is designed to examine the cultural significance of the Grand Canyon
through the prism of several South Rim trails, most of which were purposefully
constructed by pioneer prospectors, miners and tourism operators between 1880
and 1920. To lay a foundation for this topic, participants will learn about the canyon’s two-billion-year-old geologic history and the many diverse ecosystems sustained by its often harsh terrain. This natural history overview will begin to explain why the region’s first inhabitants chose the forested rims, sheer cliffs, and fertile riparian drainages of the canyon as a place to call home, and why more recent European Americans intent on mining found a better life in the fledgling tourism industry. Impromptu lectures will also describe how early pioneers branched off from the nation’s coast-to-coast arterial railroads, wagon roads and automotive roads to develop a more complete transportation infrastructure in the Grand Canyon region—one that would eventually prompt the federal government to include Grand Canyon in the growing network of protected federal lands.
Twin Point Canyons Wilderness Skills Exploration
25 - 5/1; $675 per person non member; $650 per member;; HL - 6
The remote and seldom-visited northwestern section of the Grand Canyon is home to a few of the most geologically-significant and visually-stunning destinations parkwide. Cliff-forming rock strata found here are often much thicker than in most of the canyon, forming spectacular narrow side canyons that cradle robust desert streams. Twin Point, located in this network of canyons, is a junction from which many circuitous hiking routes radiate, including one to an all-but-hidden natural bridge.
The many navigational challenges in this pristine wilderness provide the backdrop for a skills-based workshop that will cover practical geology, desert backpacking, Leave No Trace camping, route-finding, water management, food storage, and the proper use of map and compass.
May
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
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