Compare Winter Backcountry Touring by National Outdoor Leadership School vs Hiking and Camping in Joshua Tree by Intrepid Travel
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 12 days | 4 days |
| Price From | $ 2,525 | $ 1,775 |
| Price Per Day | $ 210 | $ 444 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Basic |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
Enter the world of winter in the mountains. You’ll learn about winter camping, touring in the backcountry, and what it feels like to ski down untracked powder on your own mountain. If you are new to skiing or snowboarding, we recommend taking a few lessons ahead of time to get the most out of your course. You will spend the first few days of your course at the NOLS Teton Valley base reviewing gear, honing your skills at Grand Targhee Ski Resort, and learning the basics of avalanche assessment. Then, you will head into the backcountry along the western flanks of the Tetons. Famous for their craggy peaks and dramatic vertical rise, the Tetons are also known for dependable snow and excellent riding. |
Discover one of the most serene and surreal landscapes in the American West on a winter hiking and backcountry camping trip in Joshua Tree National Park where billion-year-old rocks loom above the surrounding desert, and expansive Joshua Tree “forests” blanket broad valleys. In the mornings and evenings, it feels more like a savannah than a desert, with Joshua Trees framing the horizon at the edge of the Mojave desert. Admire Joshua Tree’s must-see features like desert oases and soaring summits and gather around the well-stoked campfires at a basecamp in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park. |
This course is specifically designed for adult learners: it lasts 12 days to make it more convenient for those traveling and taking time off work, but is still packed with plenty of time to practice skills and ride some powder. The course begins with ski instruction at Grand Targhee Resort; then you’ll start your time in the backcountry, first in a yurt (a semi- permanent, soft-walled structure heated by a wood stove), then in snow shelters that you’ll build yourself. In the backcountry, we’ll have quick access to untracked powder skiing and riding. While in the backcountry, you’ll learn how to build snow shelters, hone avalanche skills, and seek fresh powder, all while integrating the NOLS leadership curriculum into your newfound riding or skiing skills. This trip is a perfect winter getaway for those craving more experience in the backcountry in the winter.
Features
- Duration: 12 days (3 days at NOLS Teton Valley, 8 days in the backcountry)
- Option to ski or snowboard (please contact us at teton_valley@nols.edu with your preference prior to the course)
- Route length: approximately 20 miles
- Average group size: 8 students / 2 instructors
- Average age: 33 / minimum age: 23
- Average pack weight: 20-35 pounds / sled weight: 40-50 pounds
- Elevation range: 7,000-12,000 feet
- Emphasis on backcountry touring technique, winter travel while towing sleds in forested mountain terrain
- Certification: Recreational Avalanche Level 1
Day 1 Joshua Tree National Park
After a morning hotel pickup in Las Vegas, take a scenic drive through sparsely populated desert expanses, picking up additional group members at the Oasis Visitor Center along the way, then drive into the heart of the park to reach Sheep Pass Campground. After lunch, hike to the summit of Ryan Mountain and take in stunning 360-degree summit views of granite rock piles that seem to melt into the surrounding plateau. Returning to camp, enjoy a delicious campfire dinner and admire the sparkling stars of the Milky Way overhead.
Day 2 Joshua Tree National Park
After breakfast, visit the Teddy Bear Cholla Garden then make your way to today’s main hike: The Lost Palms Oasis. Sustained by water seeping up through fault lines, five oases can be found within Joshua Tree National Park, and today you will visit two of them. Meander over arroyos and through sandy smoke tree washes to reach the park’s largest group of California Fan Palms where you will enjoy lunch. From here, hike back to the trailhead, soaking in views of Southern California’s largest lake, the Salton Sea, and perhaps take an additional hike to Arch Rock.
Day 3 Joshua Tree National Park
Soak in the sight of Joshua trees silhouetted against the break of day, or climb to the top of one of the monoliths surrounding camp to greet the morning before our first group hike of the day to Barker Dam. Admire the petroglyphs, learn about the Native American history of the area, and listen to tall tales from the days of gold mining and cattlemen before you head to another part of the Wonderland of Rocks: The Maze. This trail will take you through spires, granite monoliths, and rock formations to a grand finale of breathtaking views of the national park. Returning back to camp, enjoy one last evening of hearty food, good company, and a campfire beneath the desert sky.
Day 4 Joshua Tree National Park
After breakfast, break down camp and head to Hidden Valley, an ecological haven with incredibly diverse flora. Conditions permitting, you will then scramble through one or more of Indian Cove’s finest remote hollows. After soaking in the astounding landscape and enjoying one last lunch together, bid farewell to any group members departing directly from the park then embark on a scenic drive back to Las Vegas where your trip will come to an end.
