Symbol of Place Women's Wilderness Retreat on the Colorado River Thursday-Sunday June 9-11, 2011 “’Now, where exactly were you?’ I have been trying to honor this question knowing that ‘exactly where we were’ defies an answer.   For me, our days on the river transcended and continue to transcend time, place and, yes, words.  With gratitude in my heart for a gift that I be unwrapping for some time to come, thank you all.”                            Charis Caldwell, 2009 “Symbol of Place”

"Symbol of Place"  Photo by Margaret L. Turner.

            Come on an expedition to two long redrock canyons, Horsethief and Ruby, that begin in Loma , Colorado , through the Black Ridge Canyon Wilderness, to Westwater , Utah . 

           Five highly experienced women rafters will be taking us down another “Symbol of Place” expedition on the Colorado River . The marvellous Martha McCoy and Suzi Potratz will join us again to teach painting & yoga, with great joy. 

            This will be a slow trip, with three full river days to float and swim and kayak on an exquisite stretch thick with cottonwoods, wildlife and ancient canyons. This stretch of river holds just one Class II rapid at Black Rocks, which is pre-Cambrian, the oldest exposed rock in Utah .  It’s a beautiful, deep-water place our guides know well. 

            We’ll stop to paint and write, and to hike into grottos and windswept side canyons with wildflowers and petroglyphs.  Our meals will be high-quality, grilled and whole-grain, with fresh vegetables & fruits.  We plan to spend all day Friday at a beautiful campsite, with ample time to raft leisurely on Friday, take out at Westwater, and do the short drive home to Grand Junction .

            Let us know if it’s your birthday, so we can celebrate it on the trip!

            We’ll supply all equipment & food & drinks, art & writing supplies, guides & boats & kayaks, wetbags & life jackets.  You can choose to float on a raft, or kayak!  You’ll need to bring your own sleeping bag and pad, yoga mat and tent (we encourage you to share tents to minimize the carried equipment, or share one of the tents we bring), and a minimum of clothing & toiletries (see packing list below).  

Cost:  $365, plus minimum $50 cash for a guide tip. 

Cost includes an excellent travel insurance policy for the group, with $10,000 of accident insurance per participant.

Registration deadline:   April 25.

To register, send $125 deposit with registration form & signed waiver to Sandra Dorr, 2529 Grand Overlook Drive , G.J. , CO   81507 .

            Balance of $250 due June 3^rd.

We hope you can come!

Art & Writing Supplies

We are providing the following for each of you:  One moleskin 4" x 8" watercolor notebook, a set of 12 Prismacolor watercolor pencils, and a #8 Watercolor Brush.  Bring a pencil or pen to write, and other art supplies you might wish to use:  again, please keep to the minimum in terms of rafting weight.  Thanks!

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

Yoga questions?
create_suzi@yahoo.com or (970) 623-3913

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

PACKING LIST!  (All essentials in bold face)

Keep it simple & easy; you’ll have less to haul around.  Keep to the minimum on this trip. Put clothes & small items in a pillowcase or other light sack.

Clothes

• Hat/visor for sun protection
• One pair nylon/synthetic fast-drying shorts and/or swimsuit
• One nylon or synthetic fast-drying long sleeved shirt – white ones are nice
• One pair fast-drying long pants
• One pair warm long pants for night
• One or two t-shirts
• Polypro or fleece or wool jacket (e.g. something WARM)
• 1 pair of tennis shoes, boating shoes or sandals for the boat
• 1 pair hiking/walking shoes
• 2 pair socks
• 1 rain parka & rain pants
• 1-2 pairs underwear
•  Wool or fleece hat & gloves
• sarong or party dress, if you like!

Camping & Sleeping under the stars

• Tent - lightweight with fly or ground sheet
• Sleeping pad – Thermarest or equivalent
• Sleeping bag - lightweight, compact, not down
• Yoga Mat
• Collapsible, small, lightweight camp chair

(Note:  we have some extra tents & tent space; email us if you need this)

Other Items:

• Personal toiletries
• Small skin lotion
• Tiny biodegradable soap and small hand towel
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm
• Prescription medications
• Sunglasses
• Bug dope (lavender & other herbal oils also work well if we have gnats or mosquitoes)
• Earplugs
• Flashlight or head lamp
• Retainer strap for prescription glasses or sunglasses
• One book
• Plastic containers with liquor, extra soda, beer in cans (we supply wine at dinner)
• Small snacks of choice (we’ll have gorp & bars on the rafts)
• Camera (disposable or waterproof)
• 1-liter water bottle
• Small pack, like a waist pack, to fit art supplies & water bottle, for hikes