Mountain Biking Moab: Exploration of the Colorado Plateau

Make your Winterim an outdoor experience to remember. Come mountain bike and explore the famous Utah red rock canyon ecosystem with us. We will be exploring 80 miles of the renowned White Rim Trail near Moab, Utah. This trail travels through Canyonlands National Park from the top of “Islands in the Sky” to the valley of the Green River and back. We won’t just be mountain biking either, but also exploring natural arches, slot canyons, archaeological sites, and camping along the way. Side trips and stop-and-gawk opportunities abound. We will spend time each day observing, discussing, and sketching the ecology, geology, and human history of the area. 

This will be an active Winterim where students will spend much of the time living and playing outdoors. While the local day at school will include research and learning about the environment, human history, and ecology of the Moab area, we will also be getting on our bikes and doing some hands-on training. This Winterim is open to intermediate and advanced mountain bikers. If you do not have a mountain bike or helmet to use, you will need to arrange to rent one for this trip. Technically, this trail is fairly easy, but the riding length and climbing mean students should be in good physical condition. This Winterim will be a challenge, adventure, and wonder for all.  

Educational Goals:

  1. Learn and build your basic mountain biking skills.

  2. Practice good habits of mountain bike maintenance and learn how to fix basic problems.

  3. Read about and explore desert and canyon ecosystems. 

  4. Learn and practice basic survival skills while incorporating “Leave No Trace” ethos.

  5. Study the history of different cultures that survived in the Utah desert.

*If you need to rent a bike for the trip, this will be an additional cost for the participant.

Instructors: Malcolm Tassi and Peter Devlin (support vehicle: Paul Rapinz)

Open to: Grades 9-12

Limit: 10 students    

Cost: $950

Local Day: Friday, March 5

Depart: Monday, March 8

Return: Friday, March 12