Colorado River

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Trip Overview

While canoeing, camping and hiking, we’ll investigate the natural environment of the river and desert canyons and learn how human, plant, and animal life in these special areas have adapted to this unique environment. During our explorations, we’ll study how people and the passage of time have changed the region. And, like the native peoples, we’ll be inspired by our natural surroundings to create art and poetry, and learn how to gather and prepare plants for food and utilitarian uses. We will also consider how the night sky has influenced various cultures. Join us for an experiential and holistic approach to learning on one of the West’s most beautiful classrooms, the Colorado River.

Centennial teams up with the Colorado School of Mines (303-273-3303) to offer this class for teachers (K-12) and for general interest to the public. This combined one-day class session and 3-day canoe trip earns 2 continuing ed credits for teachers. The pretrip class for students will be at the CO School of Mines, from 9 am to 5 pm, on Wednesday, July 14, 2010. Non teachers may take the full course for the student price and have a reserved seat. Non credit, discounted seats, for the canoe trip only (at regular canoe trip prices), are based on space availability. Ages 15 and up.

Teachers who successfully complete this course will receive background material and resource contacts. A resource kit of materials and connections to help you teach the activities you participated in will also be provided.

This spectacular canyon country of the Colorado Plateau, including Ruby and Horsethief Canyons, features majestic walls of red sandstone and offers some of the best Colorado canoeing and Colorado sea kayaking. The river is gentle with occasional small Class I+ rapids to add spice to the journey (Class I is easy and Class V is difficult). Roads do not bound this portion of the river and the steep-walled canyons are accessible only from the river, giving the area a true wilderness setting.

You’ll be amazed at stands of shiny granite sculpted by water through the ages while paddling or floating in your life jacket past the remnants of ancient metamorphic rock, called Black Rock. Camping along the river’s banks and exploring a deep box canyon will leave you awed by the immensity of geologic time and the silence of the wilderness. This is BIG COUNTRY and a geologist’s paradise. Many of our educational classes focus on this area. This stretch of river near Grand Junction, CO, can accommodate either a canoe trip or sea kayak trip.

Special Information

The Instructor, Karen Caddis, is a field biologist for an environmental consulting firm based out of Durango, Colorado. She specializes in sensitive species and wetland evaluations.  Karen brings over 20 years of experience in:

• Biological and Geological Field Studies Coordination and Implementation
• Wetland Delineation and Mitigation
• Special Status Wildlife and Plant Species Surveys
• Environmental Permitting and Compliance Preparation, Evaluation, Implementation, and Monitoring
• Coordination and Management of Multidisciplinary Environmental Plans and Programs
• Design, Implementation, and Supervision of Environmental Education Programs
• Cultural Resource Evaluation Oversight