Canyoneering Adventures

UTAH BASED TOURS

Overview

Come and explore one of America’s most beautiful and amazing wilderness areas; a vast and extraordinary landscape of sweeping slickrock, beautifully sculpted sandstone cliffs and narrow twisting canyons that have challenged and amazed wilderness adventurers since the late 1800’s.  Our adventures through this explorer’s paradise take us through some of the last known places to be mapped in the United States.  Travelling through this region provides a feeling of remoteness, ruggedness and awe that are unmatched in the modern world.  For many, their first experience in canyon country is transformational in nature.  It becomes an intrinsic part of their heart and soul that serves to draw them back time and time again.

Robbers Roost / Dirty Devil Wilderness:

In the heart of the Colorado Plateau, just southeast of Hanksville Utah, lies one of the truly undiscovered gems of North America.  The Dirty Devil River winds for over ninety miles through a labyrinth of red-rock canyons surrounded by some of the most rugged and remote wilderness landscapes of the American Southwest.  Over thousands of millennia this small desert stream has carved a wilderness paradise that has been home to an interesting variety of inhabitants.  The Fremont Indians lived in the canyons for over 800 years—from A.D. 500 to A.D. 1300.  Signs of their presence can be observed throughout the region in the form of pictograph panels, granaries and chiseled moqui steps.  More recent inhabitants include bands of outlaws from the late 1800’s—most notoriously Butch Cassidy and the Wildbunch Gang.  The maze of wild and remote canyons provided an ideal hideout for these fugitives and wild-west outlaws.

127 Hours Canyoneering Adventure:

Join us for an action-packed adventure in the canyon made famous by Aron Ralston in the epic Hollywood movie—127 Hours. Bluejohn Canyon is a physically challenging canyoneering adventure that includes tight narrow slots, exciting potholes, spectacular down-climbs and awe-inspiring rappels. This fun, technical slot-canyon has some of the most beautiful slots in the spectacular Robbers Roost Wilderness made famous by another Hollywood epic—Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. This amazing canyon system includes three separate forks that can be enjoyed as a single-day, or multi-day adventure.

Goblin Valley State Park:

Hidden amongst the spectacular hoodos and mesas of Goblin Valley State park lies a truly fantastic canyoneering adventure. Following a short and fun scramble through the Valley of the Goblins, we enter a beautiful slot canyon that disappears into a dark and mysterious chasm in the Earth. It is here that we put on our canyoneering gear and rappel into this spectacular and awe-inspiring chamber that resembles a gothic cathedral. The Goblins Lair and Chamber of the Basalisk is truly an unforgettable canyoneering adventure and like most of our trips is suitable for the entire family.

San Rafael Swell:

The "Swell" is a 75 mile long by 40 mile wide anticline, or uplift in the Earth's surface that has eroded the surrounding terrain into a spectacular labyrinth of colorful valleys, canyons, mesas and buttes. A myriad of new places to explore are located in this wild, remote and undiscovered landscape.

Capitol Reef National Park:

For those unfamiliar with the park, it is characterized by colorful sandstone formations, cliffs, canyons, ridges, buttes and monoliths.  It’s most stunning geologic feature is a 100 mile long warp in the Earth’s crust known as the Waterpocket Fold.  This 65 million year old fold is the largest exposed monocline in the North America.  It is comprised of younger and older layers of the Earth’s crust which were folded over each other in an S-shape.  This striking geologic feature was probably caused by the same collision of continental plates that created the Rocky Mountains.  It has weathered and eroded over melinnea to expose a fascinating amalgam of brilliantly colored sandstone cliffs and canyons, gleaming white domes and contrasting layers of intricately shaped rock and sand.

Greater Canyonlands - Horseshoe Canyon:

The Horseshoe Canyon complex of Greater Canyonlands is a vast, remote, rugged and beautiful canyon system with some of the most exquisite Barrier Style rock art in the U.S.  You can spend days exploring this incredibly expansive area and the Indian rock art and artifacts hidden within its myriad of canyons.  Two notable sites--Cowboy and Walters cave--contain some of the richest and oldest paleontological remains on the Colorado Plateau.

WASHINGTON BASED TOURS

North Cascade Mountains:

Join us on a trip to the North Cascade Mountains—one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring alpine destinations in North America. Jagged peaks, cascading waterfalls, wild and remote glaciers—these are a few of the spectacular landscapes that comprise this amazing alpine wilderness. With over 300 glaciers in an area of 684,000 acres, the North Cascades is the premier destination for alpine canyoneering in North America. It is an ideal place for a canyoneering adventure tour at one of the most beautiful outdoor settings in North America.

RESERVATIONS

Utah Canyoneering:

Book Your Reservation Today!

Washington Canyoneering:

Book Your Reservation Today!

Email us for custom itineraries, or additional information.

Beginner:

This trip is designed for beginners.  It is suitable for people of all ages who enjoy an active, adventurous, and educational outdoor experience.  No previous experience is required. 

Requirements:

• Adult participants should be able to carry a pack weighing 10-20 pounds.

Day Outings:

All day outings include a healthy and delicious lunch and snacks.  We provide great tasting smoked turkey or vegetarian sandwiches, chips and granola bars.  Condiments and handi-wipes are also included.

Overnight Outings:

We invite you to come with us and experience some of the very best backcountry cuisine imaginable.  Backcountry meals are a quintessential part of your wilderness experience and we have taken great strides to ensure you will have an unforgettable dining experience.  For more than a decade, the owners of North American Wilderness Leadership School have worked to perfect wilderness cuisine.  Each adventure is made a dash more savory with delicious food recipes that we have perfected over many years on the trail.  We take pride in serving healthy, flavorful, filling and nutritious gourmet wilderness cuisine rather than the usual camp fare and off-the-shelf backpacking food.  Regardless of the adventure, rest assured that we are committed to serving you the tastiest backcountry meals imaginable.  We trust your wilderness meal experience will be “time deliciously spent”.

Note:  We are happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, kosher and non-gluten diets on request.  Please feel free to contact us to for additional information.

Clothing:

Wear your “play” clothes.  We recommend that you wear clothes that provide flexibility, comfort and won’t rip or tear easily.  We will send you a recommended clothing list following receipt of your application and deposit.

Footwear:

Comfortable, medium weight hiking shoes or boots generally work the best.  Shoes must enclose the entire foot and toes (no open-toe sandals, or water shoes).  Whatever footwear you chose, make sure you have worn them in advance of your trip to ensure they fit well and are comfortable.

Gear:

Travel light!  Recommended items include two to three 1-liter water bottles, headlamp, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm and camera.  Unnecessary gear is often a hindrance—let the guides do the work for you.  Your guides will have all the necessary equipment to keep the group safe and comfortable.

Hiking

$99 per person per half day.  
$149 per person per full day.

Canyoneering

$149 per person per half day.  
$199 per person per full day. 
$249 per person per extended full day.

Backpacking

2 days/1 night $495.  per person.
3 days/2 nights $695. 
4 days/3 nights $870.
5 days/4 nights $1,020.
6 days/5 nights $1,170

Sunrise or Sunset Photo Tour

$195/half-day, your vehicle.  1 to 4 guests.

Vehicle Supported Canyoneering Basecamps

3 days/2 nights $1,195.  per person. 
4 days/3 nights $1,395.
5 days/4 nights $1,745. 

All Trips include guide, gear and meal(s).  Tax and gratuity not included.  Vehicle shuttles available.  Minimum Rates Apply.

Book Your Reservation Today!

Note: Single-Day Hiking, Canyoneering, and Photo Tours are available 7-Days a week.  Custom itineraries are available.  Please contact us for additional information. 

(818) 381-WILD

General:

North American Wilderness Leadership School (NAWLS) is committed to providing you with an extraordinary wilderness adventure.  Our number one priority on all trips and courses is safety.  We never compromise safety and do everything possible to ensure you have the safest and most enjoyable trip possible.  Our experienced guides manage a variety of significant weather and route related hazards, but they cannot eliminate them.  They draw from their wealth of experience and training to make sure you have the safest trip possible.

Trip Plans & Itinerary:

NAWLS’s trip plans and itineraries are subject to change based on weather, terrain, route conditions and a variety of additional factors.  While we strive to maintain all listed plans and itineraries, we reserve the right to change plans as necessary to ensure that all guests receive the safest and highest quality trip possible.

Should any trip be cancelled due to weather, route conditions, or insufficient signups, a full trip refund will be provided.

Age Requirements:

To ensure the safest and highest quality trip for all participants, NAWLS adheres to the following age-specific requirements:

• Ages 4 & Under:  No participants age 4 & under.
• Ages 5 to 14:  May participate in all Family Adventure trips.  Must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
• Ages 15-17:  May participate in all trips and courses.  Must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
• Ages 18 & above:  No restrictions.

Note:  Under-aged participants on private trips and courses are assessed on an individual basis.

Guest Responsibilities:

Wilderness adventures require both individual commitment and team unification.  To ensure the strength and success of the team we ask that each participant:

• be physically and mentally fit and properly attired and equipped.
• be honest and accurate in describing their fitness, health, skills and equipment to their guides to ensure that everyone on their team has the opportunity for a safe, fun and successful wilderness adventure.

Payments:

A 50% deposit is required to secure your reservation. Payments may be made via personal U.S. check (preferred), or by Paypal.  Please note that Paypal payments require a 3% additional fee for U.S. residents and a 4% additional fee for international residents.  Send payments by check to North American Wilderness Leadership School, 13110 NE 177th Place, Woodinville, Washington 98072, or by Paypal to:  .  Full payment is due 30 days prior to the start of your trip.

Cancellation:

If you need to cancel your reservation please let us know as soon as possible.  Cancellation policies are as follows:

• 90 days or more prior to trip start date: full refund of deposit.
• 60-90 days prior to trip start date:  guest will be charged 50% of the deposit.
• 30-60 days prior to trip start date:  guest will be charged 100% of the deposit.
• 30 days or less prior to trip start date:  guest will be charged 100% of trip cost.

Note:  We highly encourage you to consider the purchase of travel insurance.  Typical policies provide coverage for trip cancellation, delay and medical expenses.  Travel insurance provides the best possible protection for travel related illness, injury, or delay.

As you prepare for your upcoming wilderness adventure, please feel free to contact us to with any questions including trip details, itinerary, qualifications, conditioning, equipment, etc.  Our experienced guides are happy to assist you with all of your pre-trip planning needs.  We are available Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PST at (818) 381-WILD (9453), or .