2024 River's Edge Camp
Adventure and knowledge await! This June, GEAR UP students and staff travelled along the San Juan river, learning about biology, culture, and the environment, all while camping and boating in the great outdoors!
Boating down the San Juan river!
Students roasting marshmallows after a day of camp.
Exploring the River House Ruins along the San Juan river.
The camp began with the bus ride down to Monticello Utah, where students would get to know their advisors and prepare for the river trip beginning the next day. Professors from Southern Utah University accompanied them, so as to teach them along the journey. Advisors put on activities to interact with the students, and went over general safety for the rest of the camp. After dinner, the students went to bed, ready for an early start the following day.
The following day, the group travelled down to the San Juan river, and after river safety training, launched the boats to begin their journey. As they travelled, they were taught about the environments they passed through, as well as the historical locations (such as the River House Ruins) from the Southern Utah University professors. Stops were taken along the river to hike, studying the native wildlife alongside the river.
Across the next few days, the group journeyed down the river, stopping each night to make camp, then packing each morning to resume their trek. Each day, they stopped to hike and learn more about the nature they travelled through. Through this hands-on experience, the students were able to learn a great deal, as well as enjoy a memorable experience. After the group reached their final destination, they packed their gear, and boarded the buses to return home. They expressed their enjoyment of the camp, as well as how much they'd learned from the professors/advisors who accompanied them. It was an excellent opportunity to learn, and to enjoy the outdoors.