Field Trips
Saturday, August 29, 2009
One-Day Grand Canyon Tour
6:30am - 8:00pm
Whether you are a long-time westerner or visiting Arizona for the first time, the Grand Canyon – a World Heritage Site and one of the “Wonders of the Natural World” – is a “must see” experience!
We are offering an all day tour to the Grand Canyon that includes a morning stop in Sedona. The Sedona stop will allow time to explore famous Tlaquepaque, a quaint shopping enclave set in the red rocks of Oak Creek Canyon via scenic Highway 89A to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We will have approximately 3 hours to enjoy one of the most powerful and inspiring places on earth.
You’ll have time to walk along the rim trail with its scenic overlooks, visit the historic El Tovar Hotel, watch the arrival or departure of the Grand Canyon Railway trail, and dine at the one of the many cafes or restaurants.
We will be providing a box lunch, snacks, sodas, and water for this trip if you just want to sit under the pines, breathe deep, and day dream. The tour bus will pick us up and drop us off from the conference hotel. Family members are welcome and encouraged! Don’t forget the camera!
Cost: $99 per person (Adult), $75 per person (Child under 12)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Rio Salado Restoration and River Management Projects Tour
11:30am -5:00pm
Rio Salado, a.k.a. the Salt River, flowed through central Phoenix and into the Gila River until dams were built upstream during the first quarter of this century. The water diversion resulted in a loss of plant and wildlife habitat and turned the area into a mining and dumping eyesore. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the surrounding communities, designed the restoration and construction plans.
This tour will traverse the Salt River providing opportunities to witness the existing conditions and various stages of restoration. After a brief pause near the confluence of the Salt and Gila Rivers, the tour will head upstream to a constructed wetlands to experience a sample of the project concepts. We’ll take a guided 10’minute walk along the shaded riparian trail before continuing up river in the air-conditioned to observe the current river uses. Our next stop at the Rio Salado Gateway recreation area will include a background presentation by local project managers. The tour will continue with a windshield survey of the Salt River adjacent to Sky Harbor International Airport, a controversial area of the river. Our final destination will be Tempe Town Lake, where we will gain additional knowledge about its function within the river restoration plan.
Cost: $65 per person (Includes Boxed Lunch on the way)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Field Trip: CAP/Lake Pleasant Dam Tour
11:30am - 5:00pm
Curious about all those canals operated by the Central Arizona Project (CAP)? Are they manmade fishing streams or do they serve a much more important role in “Managing Hydrologic Extremes”? Is Lake Pleasant just a pleasant lake to recreate in? Find out how the CAP manages the Colorado River water allocated to a thirsty Arizona so it can reach its destination(s). We will tour the Central Arizona Project’s control center to learn how water is transported, stored, and distributed through the canal system. We will then re-board the bus and travel in style to Lake Pleasant to view the dam and tour its inner workings.
Cost: $65 per person (Includes Boxed Lunch on the way)
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