Compare Southwest Lightweight Backpacking by National Outdoor Leadership School vs Roaming Western Trails by Tours of Distinction
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 14 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 3,655 | $ 3,789 |
| Price Per Day | $ 261 | $ 474 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
Prepare yourself for a fast-moving, skills-oriented experience in the American Southwest. The course begins with you and your instructors carefully selecting and weighing your gear and food so that you start your course with only a 22- to 28-pound pack. Then, you’ll head into the Gila National Forest. The Gila Wilderness was the first federally designated Wilderness area in the United States, and the Gila National Forest is the largest National Forest in the lower 48 states. You can still see signs of some of its early civilizations, including the Mogollon, in the form of potsherds and rock art. The Gila was also inhabited by bands of Apaches at various times. This course will challenge you with long hiking days, off-trail travel, and the opportunity to lead your peers. You’ll also learn essential skills like cooking one-pot meals on an alcohol stove, staying warm and dry with a minimum of gear, and backcountry navigation using a map, compass and GPS. You will leave this course with the skills and background necessary to plan and execute your own lightweight adventures. |
Blaze an unforgettable trail experiencing the legends and lore of America’s Wild West. This trip includes a medley of manmade and natural attractions – of gargantuan proportions - from Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons, to Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Channel your inner pioneer spirit as you meet a colorful cast of characters in Cody, and the rough and tumble town of Deadwood. Unwind in the splendor of Jackson Hole’s profoundly beautiful landscape brimming with wildlife. Watch herds of buffalo graze against majestic mountain ranges as you float on Snake River, marvel at the timely precision of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, and have a close encounter with the nation’s first National Monument, Devil’s Tower in this small group guided tour. |
Leave your hiking boots and water bottles at home; trail shoes and hydration bladders are all the rage these days. We are proud to offer this cutting-edge course in the deserts of the Southwest. Your adventure starts in the equipment room as NOLS instructors inspect and weigh your lightweight gear and pull together a specialized ration for your expedition, helping you shave ounces for the lightest possible load without compromising functionality. Then, for the next two weeks, you'll explore the Gila Wilderness, one of the Southwest's most remote ranges, in a way you may never have thought possible: with only a 22-28 pound pack. The only thing we won't go light with on this course is our core curriculum. You'll still master the leadership and outdoor living skills that NOLS is built upon while learning the specific skills of lightweight backpacking. Expect to leave this course with the skills and background necessary to plan and execute your own future lightweight adventures.
Features
- Duration: 14 days
- Route length: 80-100 miles
- Average group size: 10-13 students / 2-3 instructors
- Average age: 29 / minimum age: 18
- Average pack weight: 22-28 pounds
- Elevation range: 6,000-10,770 feet
- On and off-trail hiking
- Emphasis on lightweight travel and camping techniques
- Notable wildlife: elk, black bear, birds, coyote, mountain lions, deer, wolf, javelina
Day 1 - Arrive Salt Lake City, Utah
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to be an early Frontiersman, now is your chance! Transfer to the airport for your flight to Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our local guide and our awaiting motor-coach. Enjoy a city tour of Salt Lake City, where we will see downtown, the Capitol, Temple Square and more. We will check into our hotel before our ‘welcome’ dinner.
Day 2 - Salt Lake City - Jackson, WY
This morning, we will head over to Temple Square after breakfast. Here we will have a chance to see the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast performance. After, we say goodbye to Salt Lake City as we travel north along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. We will travel through Logan Canyon to beautiful Bear Lake for an included lunch. We will arrive into the fun town of Jackson, WY. Once we check into our hotel, the evening is free to explore the many shops, art galleries and restaurants on your own.
Day 3 - Jackson - Yellowstone National Park
This morning after breakfast, we are in for a wonderful experience as we are introduced to Grand Teton National Park on a half day scenic float trip on the Snake River! Enjoy amazing views of the Teton Mountains and wildlife viewing opportunities as your guide explains the geology and history of the area. After the float trip, we continue sightseeing of Grand Teton which will include: Jenny Lake, Colter Bay and Jackson Lake. Next, we enter into Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first National Park, for sightseeing including the heart of the park, Old Faithful. There will be time to witness an eruption and explore Old Faithful Village and the many thermal features in the area. Later this afternoon, we travel to West Yellowstone and check into our hotel. This evening is free to explore and have dinner on your own.
Day 4 - Yellowstone National Park - Cody, WY
After breakfast, we head back into Yellowstone National Park for another day of sightseeing. We will visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and pass through Hayden Valley and along the shores of Yellowstone Lake. As we exit the park, we enter into the historic town of Cody, where we will tour the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which is five museums under one roof. Tonight, we enjoy food and entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company with a chuckwagon style dinner, traditional cowboy music and some laughs. Then, there is exciting cowboy action at the Cody Nite Rodeo!
Day 5 - Cody - Rapid City, SD
We will depart Cody after breakfast and continue East crossing the Bighorn Mountain. Our first stop is at Devil’s Tower National Monument for sightseeing of the country’s first National Monument. Later this afternoon, we will arrive at the historic town of Deadwood for sightseeing. This is a rough and tumble western town famous for outlaws, gunslingers and lawmen alike. There will be time to explore the town and have dinner, on your own, before continuing on to Rapid City, SD for a two night stay.
Day 6 - Rapid City
After breakfast, we take a short drive to Badlands National Park for sightseeing. This famous park consists of nearly 243,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. After lunch, we travel to Custer State Park and the historic State Game Lodge to get up close and personal with the residents of this park as you head out on a Wildlife Jeep Safari to view the buffalo herds and much more. Next, we make our way to the Crazy Horse Monument for sightseeing of the unfinished mountain carving and insight into the Lakota culture. Then, join the group for an included dinner followed by a wonderfully patriotic and inspiring event as we attend the Mt. Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony!
Day 7 - Rapid City - Cheyenne, WY
We start our day after breakfast with a beautiful drive to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, where we will have morning views of this magnificent monument. Depart the Black Hills and take your journey south returning to the plains of Wyoming. We make a stop at Fort Laramie National Historic Site for sightseeing and a picnic lunch. This afternoon, we continue to the capitol city of Cheyenne and check into our hotel. After, we have time to freshen up, we will enjoy a ‘farewell’ dinner, at the hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Cheyenne
After breakfast, we take a Trolley Tour of Cheyenne. After, a nice introduction to the city, we arrive at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds to experience a ‘Behind the Chutes Tour.’ The Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena is the home of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo each July. Get a first-hand look at what goes on during the rodeo from behind the scenes. This exiting tour follows the path of the bulls and broncs as the animals are rounded up and threaded through the maze of gates on their way to the chutes and out into the arena with cowboy in tow. A special experience awaits as we step into the chutes and finish the tour by walking across the arena. This afternoon, we will enjoy a western lunch before departing Cheyenne for the Denver International Airport for your departing flight.
