The canyons are at their best in October: cool nights, warm rock, and the summer monsoon is over. Two-day canyoneering descents leave Saturdays and three-day desert backpacking trips leave Thursdays.
Camp meals, permits, and group gear included on every trip.
Desert in the fall, mountains in the summer
Slot canyons, high passes, and camps at last light.
Real satellite imagery on real terrain. Take a look around before you visit.
Collected after every trip, unedited.
I had never rappelled. Sadie had me on a 40-foot drop by lunch on day one and talking her through my own anchor check by the last one. The cold swim is not a joke.
Nate turned the traverse around on day two for a storm cell and had us on a different ridge by the next morning. We still got one summit. I have never felt that well looked after in the mountains.
Great first backpacking trip and the food was far better than it needed to be. Only complaint: the drive to the trailhead is long, and the carpool list came out late, so we sorted rides on Wednesday night.
I was the slowest in the group by a lot and never once felt it. Elias walked at the back and named every plant I pointed at.
Per person, with camp meals, permits, and group gear included. The Alpine Traverse is done for 2026. 2027 dates open in January.
Who is leading
Six guests and two guides went through the slot on Saturday. The first rappel was the one everybody talked about at dinner: thirty feet in the dark, then...
We moved last Tuesday's desert day to Wednesday when a storm started building over the route by mid-morning. It cleared by afternoon, which is exactly why we...
Every trip starts with fifteen minutes on a slab before we move: the route, the turnaround time, how we communicate on rope, and what each of you should carry....
Before you book
Fitness, gear, getting to the desert, and the weather.
A handful of emails a year: when the spring desert and 2027 alpine dates open, and when a seat frees up.
