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Lake PoweLL & Colorado River Flat Water Float
Middle and/or High School Field Trip
Date: Choose the dates
Fee: Prices vary
Students base camp on Lake Powell with variety of day hikes and smooth water float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry.
Class Overview
This class addresses environmental & political issues created by the Glen Canyon Dam. The landscape of slickrock plateaus and deep slot canyons provides an excellent backdrop to discuss and understand the environmental and geopolitical context of Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Students tour the dam, then spend two days camping and hiking at Lake Powell and then take a smooth water raft trip from the dam to Lees Ferry.
Class Schedule
Day One: Afternoon tour of Glen Canyon Dam; evening slide show
Day Two: Water shuttle from Wahweap Marina to base camp on the lake; day hikes and classes
Day Three: base camp & day hikes on Lake Powell
Day Four: Morning water shuttle to Wahweap Marina, Flat Water Float to Lees Ferry
Goals/Objectives
- Glen Canyon Dam tour and discussion of how the dam operates
- Impacts of the Flood of 1983
- Slide show of the many aspects of Lake Powell: effects of fluctuating lake levels, comparisons between a full lake of the past and low lake levels of 2004-2005, graph of fluctuating lake levels since 1963.
- Hiking trips to examine the effects of fluctuating lake levels—vegetation changes, unusual erosional features, rockfalls and landslides.
- Smooth water float trip from dam to Lees Ferry
- Impacts of dam on native species and new & introduced species
The following is partial list of destinations visited during this class, and used to accomplish class objectives:
- Weathering pit ridge
- Cookie Jar Butte
- Glen Canyon Dam
- Sandy Inlets on North Side of Padre Bay
- Glen Canyon from dam to Lees Ferry
Vermilion Cliffs / Colorado River Flat Water Float
Middle and/or High School Field Trip
Date: Choose the dates
Fee: Prices vary
Base Lodge at Lees Ferry Lodge in Vermilion Cliffs with variety of day hikes and smooth water float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry
Class Overview
This class provides some physical exertion for the students~ without the camping element. Students hike and explore in the Lees Ferry area, while learning about geology, botany, condors and river ecosystem issues. They explore a bit of Glen Canyon on a smooth water float from the Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry, after touring the dam. Before returning to Vermilion Cliffs, they tour historic Lonely Dell Ranch. The students learn about the California Condor Reintroduction Project and hopefully see condors in the field.
Class Schedule
Day One: Arrive Lees Ferry Lodge. Hike to Badger Point for geology talk; cookout, evening star talk
Day Two: Glen Canyon Dam Tour & Flat Water Float to Lees Ferry; Tour of Lonely Dell Ranch. Evening Condor Talk
Day Three: Morning geology hike; guided bus trip to Grand Canyon
Goals/Objectives
- Provide students with background on river ecosystem issues caused by the presence and operation of Glen Canyon dam
- Discuss local geology
- Learn about reintroduction of endangered condors
The following is partial list of destinations visited during this class used to accomplish class objectives:
- Lonely Dell Ranch
- Badger Overlook
- Smooth water float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry
- Cameron Trading Post
- Grand Canyon Desert View overlook