This was a post I had began writing shortly after returning this summer intended as a recap of our trip, but the beginning of the Fall 2018 semester hit hard and abruptly, so the blog post kept getting pushed to the bottom of the ever-growing “to do” list. I’ve included at least most of the important details from the end of our trip out west this summer below.
Day 10: Tuesday, 8/7 (Bryce Canyon NP→Grand Canyon NP via Buckskin Gulch)
Our Tuesday travels led us down some more dirt roads to the Wire Pass Trailhead where we began our Buckskin Gulch hike.
It’s hard to describe the mud we had to walk through to explore the gulch. You have to see and hear it to understand that it wasn’t just water on top of some mud (the way it looks in some of the pictures), but rather a semi-liquid, almost putty-like homogeneous mixture that swallows shoes whole.
Some parts were more solid than others, but that’s where you were most likely to wipe out! Everyone made it out with all their shoes and brought with them some highly coveted Buckskin Gulch mud.
Walking single file in the canyon 
At times the canyon was wide and sandy 
Teaching about and searching for brachiopod fossils 
Other times it was narrow and rocky 
And sometimes it was just completely submerged 
The only way forward is through the mud! 
Trying not to fall on my face in the mud 
Still all smiles! 
What looks like my tan skin is actually dried mud… 
Just waiting (and drying) for everyone to get back 
We altered our plans a bit after the gulch so we could rinse off, so we made a few hour detour to be able to rinse off in Lake Powell at Page ‘beach’. The ‘beach’ was merely a hike down some sandstone where we could have water access. It was awesome to be able to rinse the dirt off! We also had a beautiful view of the Glen Canyon Dam.
Once clean, we headed to Demotte Campground where we enjoyed our 1/2 Chili 1/2 Mac and Cheese dinner by the fire. It was weird to me that they allowed fires in Grand Canyon National Park while there were forest fires all around us, but our diligent students made sure to fully extinguish every ember.
Day 11: Wednesday, 8/8 (Grand Canyon NP)
Our day at the Grand Canyon split us into two groups, the “long hike” group and the “mostly rim trail” group. At this point in the trip, every day was filled with something new and exciting that it was getting hard to top each exciting endeavor and landscape. I have fewer photos from the latter part of the trip, but we made sure to take a #Wolfpack photo with the NC State flag before leaving GCNP.
Day 12: Thursday, 8/9 (Grand Canyon NP→Zion NP)
Our drive to Zion was another spectacular viewing experience (and exhausting for the drivers). Exhaustion coupled with the ~110 degree heat and a planned early start to the next day, we gave the students some free time to explore town that was a walkable distance from our campsites.
Day 13: Friday, 8/10 (Zion NP→Hoover Dam)
A 5am start to our morning got us on the first bus into the park. We had initially planned to hike Angels Landing, but unfortunately it was closed for trail maintenance. Instead, we hiked Hidden Canyon trail and were rewarded with a beautiful view of the sunrise and the satisfaction of being the first people to summit the trail for the day.
We stopped at Echo Bay for a swim, a town that had been abandoned due to falling river levels, then headed to Boulder City for much needed SHOWERS!
Our day ended with an evening (but still hot) self-guided walking tour of the Hoover Dam.
Day 13: Saturday, 8/11 (Hoover Dam→HOME)
The end to our trip was so bittersweet. We were all excited to be going home after almost two weeks on the road, but sad to be leaving the beautiful landscapes for the North Carolina summer heat. It was great getting to know this group of students and seeing how their knowledge and friendships on this trip. I am eager to see how they progress through their college careers and to see where life takes them.