Rockin’ in the Canyons Spring Break
Meet: Village Fountain at 8AM Saturday (3/15)
Return: 4 PM Saturday (3/22)
Member: $323 Non member: $420
Participant Driver (2): $218
Participant drivers will also have all gas reimbursed!
Activity: Hiking, Camping, Road-trip, Red-rocking, exploring, Southwesting
Difficulty: 7/10 Medium/Hard Distance: 43 miles / 69 km Elevation (ft): 8023 ft (for all hikes combined)
Recommended Prior Experience: Prior hiking experience highly recommended. Our hardest hike will be 12 miles with 3200 ft elevation gain.
Location of Trip: Zion National Park (canyon+narrows), Buckskin Gulch, Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Coconino National Forest
Native Land: Pueblos, Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute), Navajo, Ndee/Nnēē (Western Apache), White Mountain Apache, Hopitutskwa, Hohokam, Yavapai Apache
Pre-Trip Meeting: This is a huge trip, so we will be having two pre-trip meetings! You do not have to attend both, but you should! You MUST attend on. Details regarding locations and times will be sent to you.
Join us this spring break for a three-state extravaganza, jam-packed with national parks, red rocks, and one-of-a-kind canyons! We will be leaving from USC early Saturday morning (2/23), spending two nights near Zion National Park, then driving to Arizona where we’ll visit the Grand Canyon (3 nights) and Sedona (2 nights)!!! It’s going to be an epic southwestern showdown!!
ITINERARY:
*This itinerary is subject to change based on seasonal conditions, closures, road changes, or just if we all feel like doing something different!*
Day 1 - We’ll be leaving from the village bright and early on Saturday and heading for Zion National Park, stopping for lunch in Las Vegas along the way. When we make it to Zion, we’ll do a short hike, Watchman Trail. That night, we’ll camp nearby at Camp Gooseberry Mesa.
Day 2 - The following day will be spent doing some more hiking in Zion. We’ll hit the Observation Point to get a majestic view of the canyons and traverse the Emerald Pools Trail. We’ll camp at the same place as the previous night.
Day 3 - The morning of Day 3, if the weather permits, we’ll explore the famous Zion Narrows. We will be renting dry suits and waterproof backpacks (included in the cost and refunded if cancelled) so we stay dry during our journey up the gorge that can go up to waist high. We’ll then depart from Zion and head to Buckskin Gulch where we’ll hike a couple miles to see the largest slot canyons in the world! We’ll end the day by driving to our campsite in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area.
Day 4 - In the morning, we’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the Horseshoe Bend before driving to the Grand Canyon where we will explore the viewpoints along the south rim. We’ll sleep in the Mather campgrounds in the park.
Day 5 - We will hike the Bright Angels Trail which will take us from the rim of the canyon down to the Colorado River! We will not go the entire length of the hike but stop at the Plateau Point viewpoint before returning back to the same Grand Canyon campsite.
Day 6 - We’ll watch the sunrise at the rim before saying goodbye to Grand Canyon. We’ll drive south to Sedona, Arizona, for our last leg of exploration, through Red Rock Country!! With sights straight out of an old western movie, there will be plenty to take in. That night will be spent camping in Coconino National Forest, in the heart of the Red Rock land.
Day 7 - On day 7, we’ll explore Sedona’s surrounding areas, including but not limited to Montezuma Castle National Monument, Cathedral Rock, and devils bridge.
Day 8 - We will make the trek back to USC after our many adventures! We will stop by for lunch along the way.
Contact the Guides:
Delaney Carroll drcarrol@usc.edu
Andrew Choi achoi284@usc.edu
What to Bring:
*REMINDER (overnights only) : if you do not have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking pack, or other technical gear (non-clothing), do not panic, SC Outfitters has these items for you! Your guides will send out a gear-request form the week of your trip where you’ll let them know what gear you need!
* is optional but recommended
** is SCO provided if you let us know in that form thing we sent
A general note on packing: we WILL be crammed in two cars with limited space for the majority of the trip. DO bring the things on this list, DON’T bring a full sized pillow and comforter set. Feel free to drop us a line if you have questions, always super stoked to help!
Sleeping bag **
Sleeping pad **
Water storage (4L minimum, plastic preferred cuz lighter)
Mess kit (plate / bowl and fork / spoon)
Toiletries (toothbrush, paste, deodorant etc)
Medications (don’t forget your pills and potions!)
Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
Hiking shoes/boots (good tread, durable, comfortable)
Camp shoes (flip flops, chacos, crocs)*
Headlamp
Warm weather clothes x2
Shirt/tank top
Shorts
Cold weather clothes x1
Pants
Fleece/sweatshirt/jacket
Rain/wind repellent coat/jacket
Warm, cozy, stay warm in the piercing cold of night clothes x1
BASE LAYERS
Leggings/long underwear, sweats
Long sleeve shirt/light sweatshirt
Head warmth (beanie/hat/balaclava)
Gloves
Underwear and socks
Swimsuit
Small towel*
Small pillow*
Water friendly shoes (bonus points if these are your camp shoes)*
Reading material*
Camera*
Little bit of cash for souvenirs, a slimy gas station hotdog, etc
PLEASE NOTE THE WEATHER OF THE LOCATIONS WHEN PACKING! WE WILL DISCUSS MORE IN THE PRE TRIP MEETINGS
Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):
Snacks
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times (except first day lunch and last day lunch for which we will stop by a restaurant on the way)
Any technical gear required (ie. backpacking packs, sleeping bags, dry suits and waterproof backpack for Zion narrows, etc.)
All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)
Any permits or campsite reservations needed
Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers
Cost of car-wash fo
Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
Final Note:
PARTICIPANT DRIVERS: We WILL PROVIDE CAR WASH as part of the cost to clean the car after the trip
TO EVERYONE: PLEASE ONLY APPLY/SIGN UP IF YOU ARE 100% CERTAIN OF ATTENDING. Because this is a such large trip, last minute cancellation will make it hard for everyone else that is going. To join, fill out the application below by 2/19 11:59 and you’ll hear back from us by the following week!
Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:
All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.
TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM
Difficulty rating for trips
1: No physical activity.
2: Leisurely walk.
3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity
4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.
5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity
6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.
7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.
10: u gunna die
**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!