SUU Outdoors began their final month of adventures for spring semester on April 2 with a canyoneering trip to Diana’s Throne near Kanab, Utah.
Also known as “The Huntress,” this remarkable area just off Highway 89 offers several exciting and beginner-friendly rappels as well as mesmerizing slot canyons to climb through. Ten Southern Utah University students and their trip leaders had the opportunity to work their way through this red rock gorge—tackling descents of up to 80 feet.
“I had a great time and learned some more about a sport I’d really liked to get into,” said 31-year-old biology major Jake Dath with a minor in outdoor recreation in parks and tourism. “I met several cool people that I plan on doing more things with in the future.”
Each semester, SUU Outdoors offers a variety of adventure trips from canyoneering to river rafting. Students often report these as great opportunities to discover new skills and meet friends that share similar interests with whom they can then take their adventuring beyond the school-affiliated organization.
“The guides are just students like you and I. Each of them has a different set of technical skills that allows them to guide different kinds of trips,” said Dath, who has had the opportunity to be a trip leader himself. “Because students keep graduating and new students keep coming in as guides, the types of trips that are offered change over the course of the years.”
The final two trips of the semester will be the popular San Juan river rafting and paddleboarding at Sand Hollow State Park.
“Step right up and don’t be shy,” Dath said. “No prior experience is necessary and there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about the trip beforehand in case there are any concerns.”
While registration for these trips has passed, the organization is planning on offering trips over the summer with more details to come.
For more information on adventure trips or for help planning any personal adventures, stop by Basecamp in the Sharwan Smith Student Center, located near Chick-fil-A.
Articles and Photos by: Jared Clawson
outdoors@suunews.net
