Day 18 Salt Lake City, Utah- Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania

While some of us paid for our night before we all were at the vans on time and ready for a 7-hour drive to Salt Lake City Airport. The last drive in the van was spent by most of us trying to finish our notebooks or try to get some sleep. Finally we arrived at the end. The vans pulled up and there we left the trip of a lifetime. We all said our thank you to Tait and Hossay and then made our way to the gates for our flight. After landing in Philadelphia we all stood waiting for our bags. As the bags came strolling across we each said our sad goodbyes to each person that left. We all left that airport that day leaving a new found family. A family that over the past 18 days we had a chance to share laughs with, fight with, see amazing sights with, and learn about the impact we all have on the environment. It was sad to say our last goodbyes, but it was nice to know we would see each other again once school started back up; and no matter how far apart we lived we all shared a great experience with each other.

House outside Glacier National Park

The group at Mt. Saint Helens 

The group at Bryce Canyon

Things to Note:

• Stay in contact with the friends you make on the trip.
• If you want to see some breath taking sights while learning a lot about the environment and issues that plague the western part of the United States, go on this trip

Day 17 Hoover Dam, Arizona- Las Vega Nevada

The Parabolic Mirrors at Nevada Solar One

Inside Hoover Dam

The hydraulic turbines. 

With most of the events of our trip now in the past there was certain somberness to our morning. We all packed our bags and headed on out to Hoover Dam. With a rather interesting and rushed tour of the dam we hurried to get to Nevada Solar one Project and then to our guided tour of Corn Creek given by Amy Lavoy. The Nevada Solar One Parabolic Mirror Power Plant Is a huge facility where they use the suns light to reflect off of mirrors and heat pipes of oil The super heated oil then passes into water towers that then heat water and create steam. The steam then spins turbines that produce energy. We then took a drive through Las Vegas and to Corn Creek where we were given a tour. We learned about the local springs that produce very fragile and unique ecosystems. Amy Lavoy and her associates work at Corn Creek to teach people about how fragile the ecosystems are and to try to preserve the local plants and animals that call the spring’s home. After our tour of the ground we said our goodbyes and made our way to Las Vegas. After Tait and Hossay laid out some ground rules for us we were free to do what we wanted for the night, we just had to be back in our rooms at midnight. After enjoying the area and having a great time in the city all of us went to our respective rooms and called it a night.

Corn Creek, Nevada.

Things to Note:

• When Tait and Hossay set up rules follow them. If they have gone our of their way to make the trip fun for you have respect and abide by there rules. It will make the trip better and help with your grade.
• Sometimes you will be really behind schedule on the trip, just do your best to not slow the group down.

Day 16: Route 66 Motel, Arizona

The long path to the top.

After my own painful shivering night of sleeplessness the group all woke up around 6 am to try to beat the heat of the desert and complete most of the hike out. We made it within and hour to the area where we left the other group. With no one in sight we all made our own pace up and out of the canyon. Switch back after switch back, legs burning, and heart pounding each step felt heavier than the last. As we passed visual markers that we noted along the way that and the idea of air conditioning kept us moving. The first of us made it up at an increasing rate as we saw more people unsuited for a long hike making their way down the trail, we knew we were getting close to the top. With a few more pictures taken before our final accent we caught our breath and enjoyed the area. Four hours later with the sun burning down our backs already the very first of us made it to the top. I’m sure we looked near death to people at the top, but the smiles on all our faces told the story of our accomplishment. Over the next five hours more of our group would come drudging out of the canyon. Finally we all made it and the vans were on the way to get us. Our energy increased as we each told stories of the nights events, and finally we were back in the vans cooling off and back to our usual selves. A short drive later that was taken up mostly by napping, we arrived at our motel. Unloading our bags we all did what we wanted for the evening. Finally at night we had a meeting to go over the trip a whole and talk about what we did and didn’t like. We all stayed up rather late that night having fun with our classmates. Finally as the night went on we all made our way back to our rooms and fell fast asleep.

The last photo before we came out of the canyon. 

Things to Note:

• When doing long hikes keep a pace that is good for you. If you are a slower hiker don’t worry about it, just do not complain.
• As sick of the vans as you may be, once you are done with a hard hike, they seem like the perfect place to be. 

Day 15 Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

At the start of our hike, our camp is actually to the left of the ridge behind me

Quarter of the way down.

It was before 10 am that we were heading down the trial to enter into the expanses of the Grand Canyon. We packed up our tents and minimally packed our backpacks the night before for our decent into the canyon. While trying to keep a good quick pace while taking pictures and soaking up the landscape we made it half way down within an hour or so. There everyone that descended into the canyon met up and every gathered their energy. Half of the group of more experienced hikers gathered our bags and continued our further hike towards our camp. We stopped to have lunch overlooking the Colorado River. Well within the first section of the canyon but still with the lower portion far below our lunch spot, a lot of us wanted to make our way down to the river. The area we were told to hike though did not allow access to the river though. We hiked another hour to our camp and dropped our bags off to explore around. We found little pools of water that were still flowing so our evenings consisted of soaking in the cool pools and venturing around the area. Night fell fast within the canyon and we all ate our pre-made dinners and laid down for bed. With all of us lying on the ground with nothing but the stars overheads we all talked about past experiences and the events of the day. Slowly the conversations dwindled and sleep fell over the group.

Colorado River and the reason we could not get down to it.

The freshwater pools

Things to Note:

• When you hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, bring plenty of water and iodine tablets just incase you need to find extra water to drink.
• Bring a sleeping bag down with you. I failed to do so and I paid with a sleepless shivering cold night.
• If you have the energy explore the area. 

Day 14 Glenn Canyon Dam, Arizona- Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Glenn Canyon Dam, Arizona

Everyone got up rather quickly the following morning because of prospects of what the next couple days would hold. We spent the first couple hours in a lecture with Hossay where we learned about all the impacts humans have had on the local plants and animals of the Grand Canyon area. Ever since humans have constructed the dams the landscape has been dramatically altered in the surrounding areas. Tassel eared squirrel, white owls, California condors and many native plants are impacted by these changes. Humans have also changed the natural floods and erosion of the canyon, further altering the landscape. Many people want to take down the dams, but then people will have to find a new source of power for the area. After the lecture concluded we all got up and drove right outside the camp where we spent the next couple hours showering, doing our laundry, and making lunch. Like always we were back on the road heading off to another location. About six hours later we finally arrived to see lake Powell and the Glenn Canyon Dam. With only a few moments spent to take in the sights we were back in the vans to take a look at horseshoe bend. We spent a couple hours eating and taking in the views, and it was then that we began to see how huge the Grand Canyon would really be. A short drive later and we were at the Grand Canyon. We did a small lookout point where some of us hiked down a little ways to see the massive size of the canyon. Even more excited about the hike we went to camp and enjoyed an evening of showers and dinner. Within the next 24 hours we would be settling down at the bottom of the canyon looking up at the night stars.

Horseshoe bend, Arizona

Finally at the Grand Canyon

Things to Note:

• Two things you must never pass up when you are camping, a chance to shower and a chance to do laundry.
• Easy meals like hot dogs or freeze dried food are a wise choice before and after big hikes.

Day 13: Zion National Park, Utah- Dixie, Utah

Morning in Zion National Park

Sunset at Dixie, Utah

Several hours later by first day light we were back up again to packing up the vans and starting yet another busy day. We had another lecture at the Zion visitor center to learn about the green architecture the park used to minimize their impact on the surrounding area. The park uses simple techniques in their visitors’ center to make it both comfortable for people, but not invasive to the area. Also there is a public shuttle that you have to take around the park, which further minimize human’s impact on the area. We took one last look around the area to take in the natural beauty and we were off to Pacific Corp Energy to view their geothermal power plant. Mike Smith showed up the control room of the power plant and where the uptake wells were. He told us how they pull out all the gasses that come up with the water before it hits the turbine, mainly because one the gases expand it could be detrimental to the turbine. He went on to show us the second faze of the power plant where they pass the cooler water to spin yet another turbine. The water passes over liquid isopentaine, which has a lower flash point. The isopentaine spins another turbine and both the water and isopentaine are allowed to cool and re-condense in separate cooling/condensing towers. The water is then sent back into the ground via two injection wells. After the tour of the facility they showed us some open geothermal features much like the ones that were around Yellowstone. After the tour concluded we pilled back into the vans and headed on out to Dixie, right outside of Bryce Canyon, to set up camp. We had a meeting to talk about the day’s events and were amazing by a brilliant sunset that concluded our meeting. Each group made their dinner and slowly everyone made their way to bed.

Things to Note:

• Whenever you can get some extra sleep take advantage of it.
• Participate with group discussions it shows that you are learning and know what you are talking about. 

Day 12: Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah- Zion National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah Prairie Dog town.

The Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon.

I finally made it out

After a great night sleep in the dry Utah air we all got up bright and early and packed up the vans to start the marathon of a day. We started the morning learning about the Utah prairie dogs. The prairie dogs have been pushed to the brink of extinction because local farmers use to kill them because of their pestilent burrows. If the farmer’s cattle walked through the prairie dogs towns they would slip their huffs into the burrows and break their legs, the farmer would then have to put their tainted cattle down. This mass extermination almost wiped out the Utah prairie dogs, but environmentalists were able to protect them under the endangered species act. Now with the last town located in Bryce Canyon National Park we were able to see the harmful effects humans can have on yet another species. While trying to reintroduce the species is proving difficult because the animals needs a large population to thrive and they like to live and feed on particular grass roots, some dedicated environmentalist are still trying to save and relocate some of the species. After the lecture we went to on a hike through the towering hoodoos that symbolize Bryce Canyon. A few hours after our decent we emerged back at the vans to head over now to Zion National Park. Two hours later we were surrounded on all sides by towering red rocks. We parked the vans and embarked on one of the hardest but most rewarding hikes offered at Zion called Angels Landing. After countless switchbacks we arrived at the top to take in the view of the land. We all took some time at the top to take in our accomplishments and enjoy the end of the hike. Excited and revitalized by the magnificent views that canyon had to offer the group made their way down to get back to do one more hike then set up camp. Setting up camp in the sun was a nice change of pace and the evening would get even better with savory camping food, good conversations, and a picture perfect sun set. After working in the journals we all went to bed, gazing up at the night sky.

Zion National Park, Utah

Just the start of the switch-backs going up to Angels Landing.

Top of Angels Landing, left-right: Mike, Me, Donny. 

Our View from camp. Perfect.

Things to Note:

• If there is any hike you think is too hard to complete, don’t do the hike. But you should push yourself on this trip because chances are there is at least one other person on this trip that is at your hiking level that you can hike with.
• If there is a clear night that you know it will not rain, camp under the stars.
• Don’t forget to stretch before and after each long hike.
• Once you are in the desert you will be loosing a lot more water, drink plenty of water.