Symbol of Place Women's Wilderness Retreat on the Dolores River Thursday-Sunday May 28-31, 2009 Come on a remote, rare, four-day women's expedition, with writing and painting, on the gorgeous Dolores River – second only to the Grand Canyon in miles of river wilderness, permitted this year due to high snowpack. It flows south from the San Juans, then, unbelievably, north, through almost uninhabited territory, away from the tiny towns of Slickrock, Bedrock, and Gateway. (See Dolores fact sheet).

"Symbol of Place" trip, 2008  Photo by Margaret L. Turner.

We meet in Naturita 2:00 Thursday to settle into the red rock country and start our first writing and painting sessions. Martha McCoy and I will again be teaching art and writing, with great joy, at all levels.

You may stay at Ray's Motel for a group price of $30/night, or camp at a free, lovely BLM campground just outside Naturita.

At 7:30 a.m. Friday, we’ll put in for three full days on the Dolores, leaving cars at the historic Bedrock General Store (where the final scene of “Thelma & Louse” was filmed).

Rafting starts just south of Slickrock in the high-altitude ponderosa pine country, with some runs through Class II-III rapids. Then the Dolores slows into the desert world of one of the most spectacular, quiet canyons in the Southwest, where we can both raft and kayak in quiet water. The weather should be perfect. We'll stop to paint, write, and hike into grottos and side canyons with petroglyphs, wildflowers and ancient ruins. We’ll camp underneath overhangs that were campgrounds for the Anasazi thousands of years ago.

Dvorak Expeditions will supply guides, boats, all van transportation, equipment and extraordinarily good food (special diets & vegetarians accommodated). All you need is a sleeping bag and tent, which you can bring (or rent half-price, with our group discount, from them).

"Symbol of Place" trip, 2008  Photo by Margaret L. Turner.

Trip will end back at Bedrock mid-afternoon Sunday. $625 trip. Limited to 19. Alumni girlfriend discount: $25 off trip for each of you. Art & Writing Scholarships: Apply by March 20 for $125 scholarship. Email sandydorr@bresnan.net 3-5 pages in poetry or prose Email marthamccoy@bresnan.net 1-2 art samples Awards will be made by March 23.

To register:

1. Fill out Women's Wilderness Writing registration form and mail with $300 deposit to Sandra Dorr, 2529 Grand Overlook Drive, G.J., Co 81507. Balance is due April 20th.
   Late registration, up to May 20th:  $645
   
   You may also use a credit card for the deposit or full amount:
   

   Dolores River trip prices

   Regular trip $625.00 Scholarship $500.00 Alumni girlfriend $600.00 Deposit $300.00

   
2. See http://www.dvorakexpeditions.com/prepare.htm for a trip packing & reading list, and two required forms: Trip Questionnaire, and Acknowledgement of Risk. Fill these out online and send directly back to Dvorak Expeditions. You're set!
   
   See also optional traveller's insurance and equipment rental on this site (any rental for our trip will be half the listed price).
   

Trip or writing questions?
Email sandydorr@bresnan.net or call (970) 257-1498.

Art questions?
Email marthamccoy@bresnan.net or call (970) 241-1609.

Rafting questions?
Email info@DvorakExpeditions.com or call Jaci Dvorak (800) 824-3795.

registration form