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Uncover the incredible scenery of Bears Ears National Monument while backpacking through southwest Utah’s majestic canyons. This adventure incorporates all the elements of a longer backpacking trip in a condensed timeframe. With the support of our Kent Mountain Adventure Guides, students will gain confidence in the outdoors while keeping the trip fun and rewarding. Participants will also have the chance to show off their culinary creativity by cooking backcountry meals together and will learn basic “Leave No Trace” principles to help keep these wild places pristine.
At the start of the trip, students will learn how to pack a backpack with all the necessities for a multi-day journey. Each day, we’ll hike with our gear on our backs, moving deeper into the canyons and setting up new campsites along the way. Nights will be spent under the stars—sleeping beneath tarps or in lightweight tents—offering a true backcountry experience. Along the route, students will explore archaeological sites, practice orienteering with a map and compass, and occasionally hike along shelves high above the canyon floor, where the views are unforgettable.
Day 1
Day 1
Our first day has been filled with driving and rest stops. We are looking forward to getting off the grid and setting up Our first campsite this evening and not being in a van anymore.
Day 2
Day 2
Our first night camping was very cold, proven by discovering that all our water bottles were totally frozen but once the sun came up we got moving and hiked down into the canyon and much warmer temps.
Day 3
Day 3
Tuesday was another easy hiking day in the canyon. We visited the Seven Kivas ruin, followed some bit cat and kitten tracks (happily they were going in the opposite direction from us), set up camp and played some competitive games of frisbee and uno.
Utah.movDay 4
Day 4
Wednesday was beast mode. The day started early with a lot of hiking up along the canyon shelf and then down back into the canyon. We saw pictographs and had lunch among more ruins. This time there were pottery shards everywhere. Then we started the climb up the rock formation known as “The Citadel”. We roped up and mentally prepared ourselves for what was to come. It was slow going, there were many stops on small ledges, but the crew was resilient and made it to the top.
After a short 2-mile hike along the rim we made it to our campsite and feasted on spaghetti and the satisfaction of accomplishment.
Day 5
Day 5
We woke up on the rim of the canyon and headed back to our van at the trailhead. After a short 3hr drive we were at our Moab campsite for fun along the river, delicious BBQ, campfire and, of course, s’mores.
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