Adventures in Climbing, Backpacking, Kayaking and Hiking - Arizona Climbing and Adventure School

Green River through Desolation Canyon (6 days / 5 nights)

Desolation and Grey Canyons, 84 miles of remote river canyons, are just right for five days of active kayaking. Inflatable, self-bailing kayaks are easy to paddle and comfortable to travel in. You’ll receive continuous instruction from your guides in nearby kayaks, so no prior kayaking experience is necessary. There’s over 50 rapids in this stretch of river; big rolling waves that are not technically difficult but exciting and great fun. There are great hikes to ancient Indian petroglyph panels as well as sites from cowboy legends, like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Lots of action, lots of activity and lots of F-U-N. By having your own inflatable kayak, you decide how much closer to paddle to that great blue heron, which part of the dancing rapid to run, and when to lean back to breathe in the gorgeous scenery. There are 84 miles of remote canyons, over 50 moderate rapids and sandy beaches for camping.

Have your choice of a one or two person kayaks. Enjoy tandem paddling with a friend or take your own personal kayak. There is a guide that rows the gearboat and a guide that paddles her own kayak offering instruction and safety awareness along the way. If someone doesnít want to paddle, they can ride along in the oarboat.

No experience necessary, just a desire for some healthy exercise in the great outdoors. Gear rafts carry all the comforts of a full-scale camp. Staff prepares healthy meals and energy snacks are available all the time. Each day includes paddling interspersed with hiking to cowboy legends like the homestead where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hid out.

The beginning scenic airflight over the canyon offers a taste of the geologic drama below. Desolation Canyon is a National Registered Landmark. It is tremendously scenic, and highly secluded from civilization with fun and playful rapids.

Available Dates: See schedule below
Price: $1120 (plus Sandwash flight $110) (Does not include tax/government fees.)
Rapids: II - III
Trip Length: 6 days/5 nights
Ages: 19 years and up
Transportation from Scottsdale included

The majority of our staff have years of experience and are certified and follow guidelines set by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS) and American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA).

Articles featuring the Arizona Climbing and Adventure School have appeared in The Arizona Republic newspaper, Alaska Airlines Magazine, National Geographic Adventure Magazine, Sonoran News, Frontdoors magazine, and AAA Highroads magazine. FOX network television (Channel 10 - Phoenix) and CBS KPHO televison (Channel 5 - Phoenix) have also done feature stories on us!

**Level of Difficulty**
We rate each of our trips as "Easy", "Moderate", "Challenging" and "Strenuous" based on the level of physical ability and prerequisite skills required. This rating system is designed to help you decide which trip is most appropriate. Some trips may be a combination of different activity levels. In these cases we do our best to approximate the general difficulty level for the entire trip. Our trip ratings are subjective and relative to fluctuating environmental conditions as well.
	easy	moderate	challenging	strenuous
description	most days involve fairly easy travel and easy activity, if required at all.	these trips combine a moderate level of activities for both "off the beaten track" and basecamp exploration	these trips are physically challenging and usually set in remote and rugged wilderness regions. challenging terrain encountered.	these trips involve strenuous activity in remote and rugged terrain and encounters with wildlife, loose footing, rough seas, extreme weather, etc.
activities and weather	day hikes, 4wd, flat-water kayaking, average weather conditions	trekking. sea kayaking, white water rafting, camping, single pitch rock climbing, moderate weather conditions	backpacking (light loads under 35 pounds), sea kayaking, multi-pitch rock climbing, cold or hot weather conditions	backpacking (heavy loads over 35 pounds), sea kayaking, multi-pitch rock climbing
experience required	no experience required	some experience required	previous experience often recommended	previous experience strongly recommended and sometimes required
fitness required	good	very good	excellent	excellent
activity per day	4 - 6 hours	6 - 8 hours	6 - 10 hours	8 - 12 hours
highest altitude	5,000 feet	6,500 feet	9,000 feet	13,000 feet

Physical Fitness
Except on a few trips support vehicles, rafts or kayaks carry all our gear. We do, however, recommend that you be in good physical condition to enjoy our trips to the fullest. If you are not optimally conditioned, we recommend that you start a training program at least 3-6 months before departure, gradually increasing the intensity and duration. We further advise you to check with your doctor before undertaking any new fitness program. For our more difficult trips, we also require a doctor's certificate of good health.



		Arizona Climbing and Adventure School is a unique opportunity for individuals to experience the spirit, courage and exploration of the West. It is an initiation into the unexpected, a chance to accomplish something very exciting and to discover strengths you never knew you had. Additionally, the Arizona Climbing and Adventure School provides education in wilderness skills and working effectively with others. It is a well known fact that a wilderness experience can effect one person so deeply that it profoundly alters his or her view of self and reality to the positive, changing a person's life for months and sometimes years after the experience. .. The skills you must learn in order to safely and ecologically negotiate the terrain, climate and altitude in which our courses are offered include: • safety skills for travel through rigorous terrain. • how to pack a backpack. • physical fitness • competence with map and compass, gps, route selection, navigation. • rope use and knot tying, bowline, water knot, square knot, clove hitch, half hitch, figure eight • basic first aid so that every student can handle reasonable emergencies and recognizes and aid in treating illness related to altitude, hypothermia, fatigue. • rescue preparedness • rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, rappelling • campcraft including minimum impact camping, ecological considerations, wilderness cooking, food selection and nutrition. • water purification, hygiene and sanitation. • care of equipment, ropes, clothing, packs, climbing shoes. • environmental stewardship and Leave No Trace techniques. • safety from storms and lightning.

"Arizona Climbing and Adventure School's outdoor trips have conditions. They require great energy, exertion, teamwork and planning. They also involve me in a process of discovery. It is impossible to hike up a canyon, traverse across a steep hill, rope up on a difficult ridge, establish a new camp, without becoming immersed in the symbolism of the adventure.

I am one person, climbing from the bottom, trying to make it to the top. I am going one step further than I have gone before. I am declaring myself, at least for one moment, free from the sometimes confining shackles of the work world. I am passing upwards, into the clouds, into the sky, into fresh clean air, into a new appreciation of my strength and the strengths of my companions.

When it is over I have not changed the world. But I bring back one small part that allows me to feel more alive, that allows me to give a little more to the ones I love, that allows me to dream new dreams. These adventures are critical, they are the adventures of my passage from the old me to the new. I don't believe that they can be had by sitting and waiting for someone else to do them.

The conditions of these passages require me to take every step. Without them I am less. With them I am more. It's that simple."

To sign up for an ADVENTURE call or email us to check availability. If a course is open click on the On-line Application Form or go to our application and map (meeting point) site, print out both the Application (PDF), Map and Waiver. Fill out the application and fax or mail it to us (don't fax the waiver, just bring it the day of your course).

Note: September thru May ADVENTURES start at 8:00 a.m. at the designated pick-up point. Call us the day before your course starts to verify.


august 2007	..dates: 11 - 16 ..TRIP IS FULL	september 2007	..dates: 8 - 13 ..TRIP IS FULL

course cancellations
While it is unlikely, if the Arizona Climbing and Adventure School cancels a course due to insufficient reservations or conditions beyond our control (weather, etc.); alternate dates or refunds will be given as preferred. If you cancel within 14 days prior to your session, rescheduling your course can be expected. There are no refunds on gift certificates. If you fail to show at the designated meeting place at the appointed time you will be charged for the course - there are no exceptions. If you would like to reschedule within 48-hours of the course's starting date, you may do so. To receive a full monetary refund (minus a 20% handling fee), 14 days notice is required (expect a refund within 2 billing cycles or 60-days of your course date). You may also want to purchase travel insurance due to cancellations – click here for more information.

liability
Although we spare no effort to assure a safe program, we can assume no responsibility for your safety or loss of personal equipment. In a sport of this nature an element of risk is inherent and beyond human control. A signed release (waiver) will be required of all participants. A parent or guardian release is required for students under the age of 18. These can be obtained in advance by contacting our office or downloading from our website.