Registration Deadline: April 11, 2024 @11:59pm

Course Description:

Exploring the dramatic slot canyons of Utah is unlike any other experience on Earth! Join Women’s Wilderness and our partner, The Mountain Guides, as we spend two days rappelling and canyoneering in the canyons outside of Moab, Utah. Whether you have prior experience canyoneering, or this is your first adventure, our all-women team from The Mountain Guides and Women’s Wilderness will be with you every step of the way.

We will safely guide you as we hike up to 5 miles/day through these beautiful sandstone cliff walks, and use ropes and harnesses to descend (rappelling up to 100 ft) into the narrow canyons. We will spend the nights camping, where we’ll relax, stretch, enjoy delicious camp food, and reflect on how we grew from the day’s challenges.

Details:

• Date: Friday, April 26th-Sunday April 28th, 2024
• Time: 9am Friday-9pm Sunday
• Location: BLM Moab, Utah. When registering, you can choose to meet at WW HQ: 1206 Euclid Avenue, Boulder CO 80302 at 9 am on 4/26/24 or drive yourself and meet at the camping area near Moab by 5pm on 4/26/24
• Price: sliding scale $705/775/845, payment plans available
• Included: guiding, food, canyoneering + camping gear rental, & transportation

Activity Level:

Moderate: No prior experience is necessary. Participants should be able to hike 5 miles a day and be comfortable lowering their own body down a climbing rope. In normal conditions, the canyons might require some minor water wading. This experience may not be comfortable for those who have an extreme fear of heights (acrophobia).

This adventure will include professional guides from The Mountain Guides and Women’s Wilderness, as well as all food while at camp and while canyoneering. All technical canyoneering equipment will be provided by The Mountain Guides, including harness, helmets, rappelling devices, carabiners, and waterproof bags.

Included in your fee, for interested participants, Women’s Wilderness will provide transportation to and from Moab from the Denver Metro Area, and camping/hiking gear can be reserved through Women’s Wilderness before the trip (a separate sign up will be sent to participants).

Itinerary:

Friday, April 26

• Transportation to Moab, Utah, and BLM campground 30 minutes west of Moab. For those using Denver-area transportation provided by Women’s Wilderness, the vans will leave around 9 am. Participants will buy or bring their lunch for the road.
• Arrive to camp around 4 pm.
• Welcome: Open and ground our weekend together; set expectations
• Settle in, set up camp and tents
• Cook a nutritious dinner to fuel for our adventure
• Set expectations as individuals and as a group
• Prepare for first day canyoneering (talks, demos, and overview of gear)
• Relax and star-gaze

Saturday, April 27

• Wake up, cook and eat a hearty breakfast, enjoy coffee/tea
• Discuss day’s events, pack backpacks, pack the vehicles, and shuttle to our the canyon we will explore
• Hiking and canyoneering (5 mile hike; approximately 4-5 hours); eat lunch in a shady spot
• Transport back to camp to rest and relax
• Reflect on and debrief the experience
• Cook and eat a delicious dinner
• Relax and star-gaze

Sunday, April 28

• Wake up, cook and eat a hearty breakfast, enjoy coffee/tea
• Discuss day’s events, pack backpacks, break down camp, pack the vehicles, and shuttle to a different canyon
• Hiking and canyoneering (5 mile hike; approximately 4-5 hours); eat lunch in a shady spot
• At our cars, reflect and debrief the weekend; say our goodbyes.
• Transport back home (Women’s Wilderness van will stop for dinner on way home).
• Participants who drove themselves may arrange for additional camping or a hotel for Sunday evening.

What to Wear & Bring:

• Click on this link for a full gear list provided by The Mountain Guides. A gear list will be sent to all participants before the trip.
• Women’s Wilderness has camping and hiking gear for rental (included in registration fee). 

For any questions email info@womenswilderness.org

Your Instructors:

Holly (she/her) spent summers hustling tables and waking up early on her days off to climb in the Tetons before returning back to school in the Fall. When she finally decided to move to Jackson, she bought a van and made it happen. In the Spring and Fall, you can find her on the road traveling between Las Vegas and Moab chasing fair weather for rock climbing and guiding. She stays true to her community in Jackson during the winter and summer months working as a ski and alpine guide. As much as Holly loves being in the mountains, she also loves being in the valley reading a book or going to live music.

Cheyenne (she/her) is a certified AMGA single pitch instructor, field guide, entrepreneur, and Women’s Wilderness Program Coordinator. Her passions include cultivating mentor-mentee relationships and expanding her skill set in her interests (backcountry expeditions, rock-climbing, highlining, art and business). She’s committed to creating real change for diversity, equity, and inclusion and to share the magic of nature with people of all colors, backgrounds, sizes, gender identities, and experience levels.

Kriste (she/her) is Women’s Wilderness’ Executive Director, a writer, speaker, trail running coach and outdoorist. Her work in the field of equity and inclusion in nature combines her passions of speaking and facilitating instructional workshops that connect underrepresented communities to new, empowering narratives of engagement and adventure.