Integrated Natural History

Life is crazy when you're on an expedition with 21 people. Right now, I am an assistant on an Integrated Natural History tour of Utah. This is a brand new class at BYU that integrates 4 disciplines: Biology, English, History, and Rec. Management. We've been backpacking in western utah and snowshoeing in the Uintas (where we got about a foot of snow last week!!). Yesterday we went kayaking down the Provo River. The water levels are so high right now!!! I've never seen the Provo River running so fast. It was great fun. I've learned more about stone flys and caddis nymphs that I ever really wanted to know. I think what I've enjoyed the most about this trip is the history side of things. I've been to many of places we are visiting this month, but I don't know the history behind them. Having been a history major at Utah State, I really enjoy hearing the stories about these places in Utah....Camp Floyd, Sundance, Vernon Creek, Bear Lake, Escalante, Lake Powell. It's all very interesting. This week we are heading up to Bear Lake where we will learn about the history of the lake, check out some more bugs, then canoe down the Bear River to Salt Lake. We are heading out to Antelope Island to learn about other bugs and rocks. (We have a very enthusiastic biologist on this trip.) The week I am anticipating most is our adventures in Grand Staircase National Monument. First we are doing a 3 day trip through Coyote Gulch. Then we are hiking to the Hole in the Rock monument at Lake Powell, where our houseboat will be waiting for us. Then we get to spend 3 days kayaking the Escalante finger canyons of Lake Powell. I AM SO EXCITED!!!! Check out some of these places on Google Earth.

I have a billion picutures already, and will have tons more. I will post them as I can. Get out and recreate this summer!!!!