January 29, 2015

Touch of Nature outdoor trips planned for March

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Outdoor enthusiasts will have two opportunities to enjoy spring break in some of the most beautiful areas in North America through Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Touch of Nature Environmental Center. 

The trips, which feature the Moab, Utah, area and Arches National Park, are March 7-14. 

“Adventure in Arches” will offer a co-ed guided desert experience. Participants will spend time doing introductory canyoneering, along with a couple of days backpacking and climbing in some of the nation’s most sought-after climbing destinations, as well as hiking in Arches National Park. 

The “Best of the West” adventure is a women’s-only excursion. Participants will spent a day in Arches National Park, experiencing Utah’s desert, and have the opportunity to go rappelling. The group will then head to southwestern Colorado to go mountain biking and then to the San Juan Mountains to go snowshoeing. 

The cost for either excursion is $600 and includes a $200 deposit that is nonrefundable after Feb. 8. The registration deadline is Feb. 22.  Registration includes travel, accommodations, food, and gear rentals. 

Two meetings will provide more in-depth information about the trips. The first is at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the Student Center’s Mackinaw Room. The second is at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Longbranch Café, 100 E. Jackson, St., Carbondale.  Those unable to attend either meeting should contact Clayton Sheehan or Annie Linhart at Touch of Nature at 618/453-1121 or by email at tonec@siu.edu. More information is also available at ton.siu.edu/.