HIKING UTAH'S NATIONAL PARKS

HIGHLIGHTS HIKING UTAH'S NATIONAL PARKS APRIL 20-27, 2019 TRIP SUMMARY Exploring the Emerald Pools Trail system in Zion National Park Walking among the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park Slithering through the slot canyons of Little Wild Horse Hiking to some of the many arches in Arches National Park Enjoying the remoteness and solitude of Capitol Phone: 877-439-4042 Outside the US: 410-435-1965 Fax: 410-435-3084 Email: info@goodadventure.com

TRIP AT A GLANCE Dates: Apr 20-27, 2019 Location: National Parks in Utah Cost: $2,550.00 Activities: Hiking Arrive: Plan to arrive in Las Vegas by 4:00 pm on April 20 Depart: At the Grand Junction, Colorado airport (GJT) April 27 at 10:30am; you can plan to fly out after 11:30 am or from DEN after 6:30pm. TRIP OVERVIEW Southern Utah is home to four of the most well-known National Parks, each with its own special magic and unique attractions. Zion National Park is famous for its soaring red Navajo Sandstone cliffs. Nearby Bryce Canyon is a testimonial to the erosive power of ice and rainwater, carving its colorful limestone into windows, fins, and soaring spires called hoodoos. Capitol Reef is a monument to the amazing power of uplift. Goblin Valley State Park demonstrates just how bizarre rocks shaped by erosion can get and also the magic of slot canyons. And Arches National Park lives up to its name with over two thousand sandstone arches of all shapes and sizes. While we need to drive between parks (on some of the most scenic highways you will ever have the pleasure to drive on), this is not primarily a driving trip. We will hike between 3 and 6 hours every day. Maximum group size: 10 RATING We have rated this trip as a 3 and a 4 because of the choice of a longer and shorter hike on most days. This trip is a great choice for women in very good physical condition with some hiking experience who are looking for hiking, some of it challenging, in a desert environment. If you are looking for a trip in this area with shorter hikes or have very limited prior hiking experience, please look at Exploring the National Parks of Utah. Rating: 1 2 [3] [4] 5. WHAT'S INCLUDED * Two experienced AGC guides * Seven nights of double occupancy accommodation * All meals from dinner on Saturday to breakfast the following Saturday * Transportation during the trip * National Park entry fees Not included: Airfare to Las Vegas or from Grand Junction, alcoholic beverages, guide gratuities and trip insurance

OUR ITINERARY Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests. D A Y 1 APRIL 20, SATURDAY Our trip starts today in Las Vegas where you can arrive anytime before 4 pm. Catch the convenient shuttle to our hotel, in time to meet everyone at 5:00 pm. We'll start getting to know each other and review our plans for the trip, before sharing our first dinner. The evening is free for you to get to bed early or wander the strip: watching the dancing fountains at Bellagio is always a treat. D A Y 2 APRIL 21, SUNDAY The drive to our first destination, Zion National Park, is about 3 hours. Our first stop is our picnic area where you can explore the area or take a break while your guides prepare lunch. After the first of many delicious picnic lunches and some instruction on how to hike happily and safely for the week, we'll explore the Emerald Pools Trail System. The 3 mile hike (we take about 2.5 hours) to the Upper Pool passes through pinyon-juniper habitat as we visit the lush environment of the lower pool and gaze at the soaring canyon walls of the upper pool. Along the way we'll talk about how Zion Canyon was formed and see evidence that it is a process that is still quite active. Our lodging tonight is right in the bottom of Zion Canyon, in one of the most beautiful and peaceful settings in the entire park system. Overnight Zion National Park.

D A Y 3 APRIL 22, MONDAY Today our choice of hikes starts on the trail to Scout's Landing. This paved trail switchbacks up on a wide trail for about 2 miles. For those who have no fear of heights and want a mental challenge, we offer Angels Landing, one of the classic hikes in Zion. From Scouts Landing, the trail follows a narrow ridge (there are chains there for support) out to a fantastic overlook high above Zion Canyon. For many, however, this will be far enough, and you can either wait (the view is amazing) or return to the trailhead and walk along the Virgin River trail. Hiking up to Angels Landing is about.5 miles out and back. In late afternoon we'll drive to Bryce Canyon. We'll arrive in Bryce in time for dinner. Our lodging tonight is about a 5 minute walk from the rim. Hiking: 5 miles, 4 hours. Overnight Bryce Canyon National Park. D A Y 4 APRIL 23, TUESDAY Another park, another choice of classic hikes: the Peekaboo or the Fairyland Loops. No matter which you choose, we'll start by descending into Bryce Canyon. The Peekaboo Loop is a 6 mile trail, which follows an up and down loop around a major formation with constantly changing views, provides an excellent opportunity to see hoodoos from the bottom up. For those wanting a bit longer hike, the Fairyland Loop is an 8 mile trail. The trail starts with 2.5 miles along the rim before plunging down into the hoodoos of Fairyland Canyon. The scenery is spectacular: along the way we get a great view of the Chinese Wall, hike past Sinking Ship Mesa, and take a short spur to Tower Bridge. With much less traffic here than other trails in the park, it may be one of the park's best kept secrets. That evening we'll have the chance to watch the sunset over some of the most amazing geology you'll ever see. Bryce is known for having one of the most glorious nighttime skies of anyplace in the U.S. and if stargazing appeals to you, this is the perfect place to do it. Hiking 6-8 miles, 4-5 hours Overnight Bryce Canyon National Park

D A Y 5 APRIL 24, WEDNESDAY Our three hour drive this morning to Capitol Reef National Park is one of the most scenic of the whole trip as we drive though Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, crossing over vast stretches of slickrock before climbing up and over the Boulder Mountains. Capitol Reef is a small section of the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long wrinkle in the earth's crust comprised of colorful canyons, buttes, mesas, and monoliths. We explore only a small portion as we hike on the Frying Pan trail, a 6 mile primitive trail through Cohab Canyon to Cassidy Arch and out Grand Wash. This hike offers more solitude and wilderness than any other on the trip as we follow it across country that is typical of the entire Park. Alternatively, for a shorter hike one can do an out and back hike from Grand Wash up to Cassady Arch, packing significant elevation gain and spectacular scenery into 3 miles. We stay overnight at a motel in Hanksville, a small Utah town that is home to the world famous Blondie's (it's in a Chinese guidebook so it must be world famous) where we'll have a great breakfast the next morning. Hiking 3-6 miles, 3-4.5 miles Overnight Hanksville, UT D A Y 6 APRIL 25, THURSDAY Today's hike is the Little Wild Horse/Bell Loop. The entire loop is about 8 miles and goes through two slot canyons that can be as high as 250 feet and as narrow as 2.5 feet. For a shorter hike, an out and back through one canyon is a great option. Hiking in slot canyons is always dependent on weather but these are two of the most accessible in Utah. Depending on how far we go and how long it takes us, we may have time to visit Goblin Valley State Park. Gobin Valley is one of those state parks that is so spectacular, it would be a National Park in any other area. It gets its name from the thousands of mushroom-shaped pinnacles that have been carved by wind and water over the centuries. After finishing our hike we continue on to our condos in Moab. Moab is one of the most charming small towns in Utah, known for its great shops and limitless outdoor opportunities. If you want a chance to explore the many restaurant options in Moab, this is the night. Alternatively the guides will get some take out pizza and salad and if you want to just kick back at the condos after the day, you are welcome to join them. Hiking up to 8 miles, 5 hours. Overnight Moab.

D A Y 7 APRIL 26, FRIDAY Due to Arches National Park's unique geology, this park contains the largest concentration of arches of anyplace in the US. Again we offer two choices. One is to start with Delicate Arch trail, a classic Arches hike and not to be missed. We'll take the short spur trail to a Ute Indian Petroglyph and then walk up gradually sloping slickrock to a small valley surrounded by red rocks on the way to the arch. Just when you think you must have taken a wrong turn, the arch suddenly appears and you immediately understand why it is the most photographed arch in Utah. There are several other short hikes to different arches so some of us may decide to continue with more hiking while others will want time in Moab, the most fun place to shop in Utah. Alternatively the 8 mile Devil's Garden Trail is a more challenging hike that passes seven arches before following a primitive route down washes past some more arches. Tonight we celebrate our week of hiking with a final farewell dinner at our condos. Hiking up to 8 miles, Overnight Moab. D A Y 8 APRIL 27, SATURDAY This morning we share a final breakfast, pack up, and say our goodbyes to Utah. We will plan to leave Moab for Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT) about 8:30 am for the 2 hour drive and you can plan to fly out anytime after 11:00 am (it's a small airport and an hour is plenty of time to check in). Alternatively, we can drive you directly to the airport in Denver, CO (DEN) for an additional $45. We will have you to the airport for flights out after 6:30PM.

ADDITIONAL TRIP INFORMATION GETTING THERE Plan to fly into McCarran Airport in Las Vegas (LAS). All major airlines as well as many of the lower cost competitors fly into LAS. Like most of the Vegas hotels, the Tuscany Inn and Suites does not have an airport shuttle. However, there are continuous and inexpensive shuttle services available just outside the baggage claims area of the airport. For a complete list of current shuttles at the McCarran airport, check out the following website: https://www.mccarran.com/go/shuttles.aspx. Please note that some shuttles service only those hotels located on the strip (which ours is not). **This trip ends in Grand Junction so remember to book return flights out of Grand Junction airport (GJT).** ACCOMMODATIONS We stay at a variety of accommodations on this trip, starting with one night at a Las Vegas hotel. We then stay at lodges that are located right inside the parks, one night at Zion Park Lodge and two nights at Bryce Canyon Lodge, a very short walk from the rim. Then there is one night at a motel in Hanksville, before finishing the trip with two nights in Moab in beautiful new condos, each with three bedrooms and a private hot tub. One bedroom has a private bathroom and the other two (one bedroom has a queen, the other has twins) share a bathroom. Women who have paid for a single get the mistress bedroom and otherwise the rooms are assigned randomly. WEATHER Depending on which Park we are in and the altitude, the weather varies. Highs are typically in the 70s and 80s during the day and the lows are 40-55 at night. You will want to be prepared for rainy and cool weather. TRAVEL INSURANCE WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND TRIP CANCELLATION/TRIP INTERRUPTION INSURANCE, WHICH COVERS YOUR COST IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL OR INTERRUPT YOUR TRIP for medical reasons, trip delay, lost baggage, and other unforeseen emergencies. Adventures in Good Company will send you information about travel insurance with your registration information, or you may purchase coverage through your own insurance company. In order to avoid disappointment and expense in the event that you must cancel your trip we strongly urge you to purchase some type of insurance coverage. You can also sign up for it online at Travelex Insurance. To get the best rates, use 20-0016 as your location number on the Get A Quote page.

PACKING LIST FOOTWEAR 1 pair of lightweight hiking boots or shoes well broken in 1 pair of comfortable shoes for walking around our accommodations or in town. 2-3 pairs of hiking socks (wool or synthetic equivalent: Smartwool, Thorlo, Darn Tough) CLOTHING 1-2 pair of comfortable supplex/nylon long pants for hiking - zip-offs work well 1 pair of shorts (one should be quick-drying nylon) 3 synthetic or lightweight merino wool T-shirts or short-sleeved shirts 1 lightweight, long-sleeved shirt for hiking - button up front is the best 1 pair lightweight long underwear top and bottoms: silk, wool or synthetic equivalent (Capilene, Smartwool, MTS, or polypropylene) 1 medium-weight top layer synthetic or wool pull over - fleece works well for this layer 1 rain jacket and rain pants waterproof/breathable fabric like Gore-tex - Underwear/nightwear 1 pair lightweight wool, Capilene, or Polartec gloves 1 lightweight wool or fleece hat a buff also works well for this 1 wide brimmed or baseball style hat for protection from the sun/rain 1 swimsuit (for hot tub) 1 2 changes of casual clothes to wear at end of day TOILETRIES (small everything) Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, hand sanitizer, shampoo, contact lens paraphernalia, sanitary supplies Sunscreen and lip protection with sunblock of at least SPF 15 Personal first aid/patch kit - Band-Aids, 1 safety pin, moleskin, compeed (or blister bandages), ibuprofen, any personal medications Please note: Individuals who have had or have the potential for a severe allergic reaction to insect stings, specific foods or medications must bring an epi-pen. Please consult your physician and tell your guide. EQUIPMENT/ESSENTIALS 1 pair Trekking poles (strongly recommended) 1 daypack (see notes on packing list for recommended capacity) Capability to waterproof your backpack. A rain cover or a heavy-duty plastic bag to line your pack. Capacity to carry 2 liters of water (Please see Notes on Packing List). Sunglasses (100% UV protection) w/retention strap Small headlamp or flashlight 1 2 bandanas/buff Ear plugs (for a good night s sleep!) Wristwatch/travel alarm clock Tupperware-like container for sandwich/lunch OPTIONAL (personal preference, not required) Camera (extra battery) and film/memory card Book, notebook, journal, pencil/pen Binoculars Your favorite snack (snacks will also be provide

NOTES ON PACKING Adventures in Good Company's packing list covers everything you need to assure your safety and comfort. You may not use everything you bring; however, you need to come prepared for all possible weather conditions. At the same time, you must be able to carry your own luggage, sometimes up and down stairs. Bringing a duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase with wheels, rather than a hard-sided suitcase, is easier for packing in the van. Daypacks: Your daypack should be large enough to hold the following items: 2 liters of water, rain gear, lunch/snacks (for the day), sun screen, warm layer (fleece pullover or vest), personal first aid kit, lightweight gloves, warm hat and personal items such as camera,etc. We recommend a daypack with a capacity of between 1800 and 2400 cubic inches with a hip belt, padded shoulder straps, and lifters. Line your daypack with a durable plastic bag to keep your belongings dry, or have an elasticized pack cover that fits snuggly over it. Before you leave home check to be sure that it is comfortable to wear all day and has sufficient space for all of your items. Note: Fanny-packs and hydration packs are not large enough to hold all of the items you will need for the day. Footwear: Well-fitting, sturdy boots or trail shoes are very important to your safety and enjoyment. If you plan to buy new boots, break them in by wearing them around town and taking some short hikes before your trip. For general hiking, lightweight or midweight cordura or leather boots with a Vibram sole work well. If you have weak ankles or are recovering from an ankle injury, get boots that come above the ankle you ll find that this will give you more support in uneven or slippery terrain. Remember to waterproof your boots before the trip. Even boots billed as waterproof need to be treated with a waterproofing product. Personal First Aid Kit: Bring a small first aid kit with familiar medicine and first aid supplies you might need. Recommendations include the following: blister or foot remedies like moleskin, Compeed, blister bandages, or similar, a small role of duct tape (always useful!), remedies for respiratory ailments, stomach ailments, sore muscles or joints. The guides will have a first aid kit but having what you know works well for you is a good idea. Clothing: The clothing listed on the packing list has been chosen for your specific trip conditions and for its versatility for layering. NO COTTON for your active wear! It should all be made from synthetic/synthetic blends, down/down blends or wool/wool blends. Layering is the most practical and efficient method of insulating the body. Several layers of varied weight materials provide better insulation than one thick Layer of clothing. Also, adding or subtracting layers allows you to adjust to the temperature at your particular level of activity. Rain Gear: You will need a parka or jacket made of a coated nylon or a waterproof/breathable fabric like Gore-tex, HellyTech, Membrane, H2No, or Ultrex. Be sure it keeps water out. Before making this important purchase, be sure that it fits you properly. It should be large enough to fit over all your layers. In particular, the hood needs to be effective. It should shield your face from the rain and turn with your head. Movement of your arms must not interfere with the hood. Put on your daypack; can you still raise your arms? Your wind/rain pants should be comfortable, allow enough room for your layers, and permit free movement of your legs (for example, can you crouch comfortably?). Partial or full-length leg zippers are useful for easily putting your pants on over your boots. An inexpensive plastic poncho will both leak and tear easily and is not recommended. Hydration: Being able to easily access your water without assistance, so that you can drink frequently, is important to your safety and enjoyment. One method is to have a water bottle attached to your waist strap. Another option is to use a HYDRATION SYSTEM such as CamelBak, Platypus, and MSR bladder bags, which are collapsible water bags with a hose attachment that you drink from. The bags fit inside or outside your pack with the hose positioned over your shoulder so that you can access your water as you hike. Bladder bags can hold 1-3 liters of water. Trekking Poles: Trekking poles are strongly recommended for this trip. Trekking poles contribute to your safety by improving your balance and stability, and to your health by saving stress on your hips and knees. If you are not familiar with trekking poles, read this blog post that addresses the most commonly asked questions: http://blog.adventuresingoodcompany.com/blog-women-travel/bid/154714/trekking-poles-for-hiking-trips-the-4-mostcommon-questions.