Description
Explore the natural wonders of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico and join us on the trip of a lifetime!

Our adventure will begin backpacking and day hiking through Zion National Park in Utah, summiting some of it's most picturesque peaks and hiking through beautiful multi-colored canyons.

Then, we’ll head to Arizona and visit one of the seven wonders of the world...the Grand Canyon. We'll also explore a cave created by an ancient underground river of lava, and swim at a natural water slide at Slide Rock State Park.

On our final stop on this adventure, we’ll check out the pre-historic ruins and experience the unparalleled night sky at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.

Trip Leaders
Matt Hlina and Paige Frendhal Frendahl

Dates
Friday, March 10 - Sunday, March 19

Location
New Mexico, Arizona, Utah

Price
$605 on or before February 24th, $630 after February 24th

Price Includes
Transportation, meals while camping, permits, group gear and staffing

Registration for all trips and clinics are based on a first come first served basis. A non-refundable $150.00 deposit is required for all spring break trips. Register at the Outdoor Connection or at https://recsports.uwlax.edu/

Payment
Cash, Checks, Visa, Master Card, and Discover Card.

Refunds
The Outdoor Connection incurs, in advance, certain expenses related to each trip, such as contracted guides, facility reservations, and specialized equipment purchases or rental. A full refund will be given if the OC has to cancel the trip for any reason. Cancellation prior to 15 business days before the trip departs will result in a forfeit of 50% of the registration fee. Cancellation prior to 10 business days results in forfeit of the full trip registration fee.

Eligibility
UWL students always have priority. When possible faculty/staff and the general public are eligible. Registration fees are higher for non-students.

Activity Rating
This trip is considered to be strenuous to very strenuous because of the long miles backpacking and the terrain that will be hiked.

Essential Eligibility Requirements
The Outdoor Connection strives to inspire others to enjoy and respect the outdoors through creative recreational programming. Programs are day-long to multi-day wilderness adventures with the goal of immersing participants in and exposing them to wilderness variables that encourage and necessitate direct interaction with nature.

The health and well-being, of our students and staff and the effective education of our students are top priorities. The wilderness environments Outdoor Connection trips live in and travel through are remote, dynamic, and physically and emotionally challenging. These environments along with the educational activities conducted and the living and traveling conditions encountered require each student/participant to be fully committed to and capable of working hard, taking responsibility for himself or herself, and working effectively in the group to achieve the goals of the trip.

The Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) are applicable for all trip participants. A qualified person is one who can meet the EEC for participation in the program activity.

Wilderness Backpacking
Each participant must:
- At minimum, one must be able to travel over and negotiate through varied wilderness terrain with a backpack weighing up to or exceeding 50 pounds or 40%–45% of body weight.

- Travel conditions may include, but are not limited to: rough, rugged, uneven steep and sloping terrain; human-made and animal made trails; rocky terrain that may range from smooth bedrock to extensive areas of large rock boulders (boulder fields); needing to cross rivers and creeks without the aid of bridges up to three feet or more in depth: ascending, descending or traversing slopes covered in snow; rocks or vegetation; bushwhacking off trail through thick standing and/or downed vegetation; and any and all travel can occur during periods of inclement weather.

- Travel distances can range from less than one mile to more than 6 miles in one day.

- Travel durations can range from less than one hour to more than 7 hours in one day and occur on successive days.

- Have average strength and endurance and basic balance and agility to safely travel through such terrain with a backpack.

- Have the ability to provide a third point of contact for balance purposes, such as with hand(s) or to hold a walking stick, for travel through deep rivers or ascending or descending slopes.

- Be able to stay alert and maintain focus for several hours at a time while traveling.

- Although groups will often be able to take hourly breaks or camp early if weather becomes hazardous, occasionally this is not possible.

Leadership and Expedition Behavior
- Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem-solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.

- Contribute to a safe learning environment—no verbal or physical inappropriate behavior of others is tolerated for any reason.

- Be able to willingly and equally share responsibility with tent mates in daily tent group chores.

- Effectively communicate ideas and concerns on an individual and group level.


Outdoor Skills Camping
- Learn and competently perform some fundamental camping skills.

- Remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and be able to avoid environmental injuries such as hypothermia, heat illness, sunburn or frostbite.

- Be able to perform, after being instructed, the above activities independently in cooperation with other participants without direct supervision.

- Be able to contribute to camping tasks as necessary

- Live in a physically demanding, remote backcountry environment for the uninterrupted period of the trips length, which can range from one to eight days or more. Conditions of this environment may vary from cold (below minus 20º F) to hot (above 90º F) depending on course location and season and may include, but is not limited to, rain, snow or hail, uninterrupted sun and/or wind, or the absence thereof. The remoteness is such that it may require at minimum 1-­day’s travel, but perhaps in excess of 1 week’s travel, to reach the nearest road-head and advanced medical care.