On Dec. 30, a group of Boise State students will pack their bags for a five-day, four-night trip to the Grand Canyon.
According to Grace Beltramo, trip leader and staff member at the Rec Center, the price of the trip is $395. This includes transportation, food, gear, backpacks, sleeping bags and water filtration systems.
Jordan Frank, coordinator of the outdoor program, mentioned that students are also paying for instruction from trip leaders.
“This trip, in particular, will have three trip leaders on that side: knowledge base, risk management… and wilderness medicine,” Frank said.
All trip leaders are also trained in first aid.
On this trip students will be driving down as a group from Boise, giving them time to form connections with one another.
According to Frank, the group will stop in Moab, Utah, for a day trip where they will explore Arches National Park. The day trip will help students prepare and familiarize themselves on what the rest of the trip will look like as they head to the Grand Canyon. This trip is all about honing in on the group experience.
“We’re all working together, we’re not really a guide service. We like to educate, and we like to instruct,” Frank said. “We are teaching people how to cook food, filter water and make decisions of the day. It’s just a part of the group process.”
Senior computer science major Carson Thompson has signed up for every trip this semester that the Rec has put together.
“I really enjoy being out in the world and seeing beautiful places, being in them and participat[ing] in moving through them with other people,” Thompson said. “It’s a really nice experience to have some discomfort and physically exert yourself.”
According to Thompson, the number one thing he is looking forward to on this trip is the sense of community it will bring.
“It’s really nice being out in the wilderness with other people and having to set up camp and cook together. It’s really special,” Thompson said.
Although this Grand Canyon trip has no open spots, students can sign up for future trips at myrec.boisestate.edu. The next extended trip available is to the California coast.
“Something we really value at the outdoor program is no experience necessary. This isn’t just for outdoorsy people already,” Frand said. “We really do want to educate and pass this information along.”
