Field Trips and Special Events

SINGLE DAY FIELD TRIPS       MULTIPLE DAY FIELD TRIPS

WORKSHOPS

Rocky Mountain Ski Expeditions

Arapahoe Basin - Monday, April 4, 2005 - 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Take advantage of the opportunity to visit Arapahoe Basin and its impressive 13,050 feet summit elevation. Since 1946 the basin has been attracting skiers from Colorado and around the world. With over sixty-five trails and five chair lifts, A-Basin offers a variety of fantastic rides for skiers of all levels. With its high elevation and average snowfall over 350 inches, A-Basin boasts one of the longest ski seasons in North America - November to July!

Space is limited so sign-up today to find out why A-Basin's motto is "Ski Above All". Your $65 expedition package will include transportation to and from A-Basin and a lift ticket. The bus will leave the Adam's Mark at 7:00 am, lifts are open from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, and the bus will leave A-Basin to return to the Adam's Mark at 4:30 pm. For equipment rental information and additional information about A-Basin, please visit www.a-basin.net. See you at the summit!

Winter Park Resort - Tuesday, April 5, 2005 - 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

Don’t miss your chance to ski the oldest continually operated ski resort in the Colorado Rockies! Winter Park Resort, celebrating its 65th year of operation, receives the most snow of all Colorado destination resorts. Winter Park is a haven for family skiing with its beautifully-groomed cruiser runs, terrain parks, halfpipe and a host of popular learn-to-ski programs. With over 100 designated trails, something can be found for everyone!

Space is limited so sign-up today to find out why Winter Park is Colorado's favorite destination for snowboarding and ski vacations. Your $90 expedition package will include transportation to and from the resort and a lift ticket. The bus will leave the Adam's Mark at 7:00 am, lifts are open from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, and the bus will leave Winter Park for the Adam's Mark at 2:30 pm to return in time for the opening session. For equipment rental information and additional information about the resort, please visit www.winterparkresort.com. See you on the slopes!

Winter Park Resort: Winter Park is open for skiing through mid-April. The resort has over 100 ski trails, receives the most snow of all Colorado destination resorts and is the oldest continually operated ski resort in the Colorado Rockies. Slop side and village lodging options are available. For information on lodging, lift tickets, ski rentals and more visit www.skiwinterpark.com or call 1-800-979-0332. Keystone and Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin): For the chance to access two resorts, visit Keystone Mountain and A-Basin. The resorts are only 5 minutes apart (shuttle provided) and lift tickets can be used at both locations. Keystone plans to close in early April, but you can enjoy their established ski village with over 30 restaurants and shops and ski at A-Basin whose high elevation allows ski trails to stay open into the summer. For information about Keystone visit www.keystone.snow.com or call 1-877-625-1556. For information about A-Basin visit www.arapahoebasin.com or call 1-888-ARAPAHOE.

Disclaimer:

AAG makes no guarantee as to quality of ski conditions. Participants should be aware that ski conditions and weather are unpredictable in the Denver area in April, and no refunds will be given for inclement weather or poor ski conditions. Additionally, the Colorado Legislature has established as a matter of law that certain dangers and risks are inherent in the sport of skiing and snowboarding. To this end, AAG takes no responsibility for injuries sustained during these ski trips. All participants ski at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.

AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after February 11, 2005 cannot be processed. All refund requests must be received in writing by the stated deadlines.

SINGLE DAY FIELD TRIPS

Please sign up for single Day Field Trips on the web or fax/mail in this form.

MONDAY, APRIL 4

Military Geography at the US Air Force Academy Monday, April 4: 8am – 4pm Organizer/Leader: Rich Dixon, Texas State University Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $60 (includes transportation and lunch) CANCELLED

Join the Military Geography Specialty Group for a trip to the Department of Economics and Geography at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. We will visit the Applied Geography Laboratory and be briefed on the unique challenges and opportunities facing Air Force geographers. The trip will include the opportunity to view Pike’s Peak and historic Colorado Springs. The trip is restricted to US Citizens. A government issued form of picture identification is required (drivers license, military ID, passport, etc.) for admittance. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after February 11, 2005 cannot be processed.

Urbanization of the Colorado Front Range – Past, Present, and Future Monday, April 4: 8am – 4pm Organizer/Leader: Beverly Friesen, US Geological Survey; Mark Feller, US Geological SurveyTrip Capacity: 20Cost/person: $80 (includes transportation, admission fees and lunch) FULL

Key sites will be visited to illustrate the dramatic story of landscape change in the Colorado Front Range. The field trip will include a walking tour of colorful LoDo (Lower Downtown) in Denver and lunch at the spectacular Red Rocks amphitheater in Morrison. Water and air quality, geologic features, and urban redevelopment will be addressed by experts from the city, state, and U.S. Geological Survey. The tour will end at the Oxford Hotel, where participants can relax in the Cruise Room, a historic bar in the heart of old downtown Denver. Please note that this is a companion trip to the paper session with the same name. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after February 11, 2005 cannot be processed.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5

Tour at ESRI Denver Regional Office and GeoFrisbee Tuesday, April 5: 7:45am – 12pm Organizer/Leader: Esther Worker, ESRI - Denver Trip Capacity: 20 Cost/person: $30 (includes transportation, no meals included) View Image

The ESRI Denver training Staff, Trimble Navigation, and National Geographic Maps will host a Frisbee Golf Tournament at the ESRI Denver Regional Office. Tour attendees will have a quick tour of the Regional Office, and then go outside for a fun and easy field experience to become acquainted with ArcGIS, ArcPad, GPS, and field data collection. Learn the fundamentals of data check-in/check-out from a Geodatabase and data collection with ArcPad and Trimble GeoXT GPS unit while playing a round of frisbee golf. Participants will take the field data they've collected back to the ESRI Denver Training Center for a hands-on post processing experience using ArcGIS 9. Awards will be presented to the best (and worst) players! Dress appropriately for the weather, and be prepared for walking on rough terrain. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

The Many Geographical Landscapes – Past and Present – of Summit County, Colorado Tuesday, April 5: 7:30am – 4:30pm Organizer/Leader: Sandra F. Mather, West Chester University Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $80 (includes transportation, lunch, admission fees and handouts) CANCELLED

Gold was discovered in what would be Summit County in 1859. That discovery brought tremendous changes to the landscape. The day will begin with an introduction to the geologic base on which the mining landscape developed. A walking tour of Breckenridge, founded in 1860, will focus on the many functions of that mining town in the 1880s. The two narrow gauge railroads that served the county beginning in 1882 and the problems presented by high altitude winters will be highlighted. In 1965, the Denver Water Board completed construction of Dillon dam and reservoir. The final stop of the day will focus on the building of the dam and the transformation of the town of Dillon from an agricultural supply town to a resort town dependent for its economic survival on the water of Lake Dillon. Please note that much of the day will be spent outdoors, possibly walking on snow-covered terrain. Participants should dress warmly and may want to carry water and snacks. Snow boots or waterproof hiking boots are also recommended. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

A Landscape Transect in the Boulder Valley Tuesday, April 5: 8am – 4pm Organizer/Leader: Paul W. Lander, City of Boulder/University of Colorado Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $75 (includes transportation, lunch and handouts) CANCELLED

This trip will travel from east to west, to introduce participants to a few of the natural and cultural resources- the landscape of the central Boulder Valley. Stops include: 1) Boulder County Open Space Park; 2) County recycling facility - a ‘green building’; 3) the Pearl Street Mall (award-winning pedestrian mall); 4) Chautaqua Historical Park. The topics to be presented by the field trip organizer and local government staff include: nationally-recognized city and county open space programs; water resources and water quality; sustainability programs; planned growth and mixed-use development; cultural landscape preservation. Participants will be spending many hours outside and should dress appropriately. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

Denver International Airport Wednesday, April 6: 9am – 1pm Organizer/Leader: Julie Cidell, California State University – Sacramento; Andy Goetz, University of Denver Trip Capacity: 30 Cost/person: $25 (includes transportation, no meals included) FULL

This field trip will consist of a tour of Denver International Airport, led by airport staff, and a bus tour of the redevelopment of the former Stapleton Airport site (time permitting). As the only new major airport in the United States in the last thirty years, DIA has had a major impact on land use in the city of Denver and surrounding communities. It is also an interesting facility in its own right due to its large size and scale of operations. This tour will enable participants to get a “behind the scenes” look at how it operates. A valid photo ID is required (drivers license, passport, etc.) for admittance and a copy of this identification must be provided to AAG two weeks prior to the field trip. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

The Denver Metropolitan Region: including the Core, Edge City, “Exurbia” and Gambling in the Foothills Wednesday, April 6: 9am – 4pm Organizer/Leader: Keith A. Ratner, Salem State College; Paul Sutton, University of Denver Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $60 (includes transportation and lunch)

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Denver MSA now stretches east into the plains, south towards Colorado Springs, north towards Fort Collins and west into the mountains. For this field trip, attendees will be shown the southern, southwestern, and western parts of this region. To the south, is Denver’s newest Edge City, which is made up of the “Tech Center”, the Park Meadows Mall and the Highlands Ranch master-planned community. To the southwest, the large recreational areas of Chatfield Reservoir and the Red Rocks Natural Amphitheater are found interspersed among new commercial and residential development. Directly west and into the foothills, is Denver’s “Exurbia”. This area, which includes many of Denver’s early “mountain” parks, also today includes high cost houses dotting the hillsides, small mountain towns bustling with activity, and an environment that is a constant concern. Even further west and into the mountains, the two early mining towns of Blackhawk and Central City have recently become more important to the overall Denver metropolitan region. This has occurred due to the legalization of limited stakes gambling in 1991 in these towns, and their being less than 50 miles from Denver. We will be traveling by bus to all of these areas, while eating a box lunch at O’Fallon Park along Bear Creek. Participants must wear good walking shoes and dress warmly for being in the mountains. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

At Lilac Evening: Jack Kerouac in Denver Wednesday, April 6: 3pm – 5pm Organizer/Leader: Audrey Sprenger, University of Denver Trip Capacity: 20 Cost/person: $5 FULL

“At lilac evening I walked with every muscle aching among the lights of 27th and Welton -- in Denver -- feeling that the best the white world had offered was not enough ecstasy, not enough life, joy, kicks, darkness, music, not enough night.” - Jack Kerouac in Denver. On this short field trip we will venture out into Denver's Lower Downtown and Curtis Park neighborhoods to some of the place sites where Kerouac set, and in many instances, actually sketched out the notes for, several key passages of On The Road, as well as several of his other writings, most notably, Visions of Cody. Doing this will crack wide open the nearly fifty year old iconography surrounding this novel and, perhaps even more importantly, make it possible to lay bare it's story, poetics, and rhetorical power. The field trip will start with a 30 minute live documentary to introduce, or in many cases, re-introduce On The Road and Jack Kerouac to field trip participants and to situate both the novel and the author in the city of Denver. This will include a discussion about some of the central characters in the book, as well as the lives and writings of the people who inspired them, namely Dean Moriarty (Neal Cassady), Camille (Carolyn Cassady), and Carol Marx (Allen Ginsberg). Attendees will be walking so comfortable shores are recommended. If possible, attendees should bring a portable CD player. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

Colorado Rockies at Coors Field Wednesday, April 6: 4:30pm tour/6:35pm game time Organizer/Leader: AAG Trip Capacity: 25 Cost/person: $10 (includes admission ticket)

One, two, three strikes your out! Don't miss the opportunity to join AAG attendees for a baseball game at Coors Field. Game time is 6:35pm for the Colorado Rockies vs. the San Diego Padres. Space is limited so sign-up today using the AAG 2005 Registration Form. We expect for this event to sell out! Once you have registered, you can pick-up your ticket at the AAG Registration Desk located on the concourse level of the Adam's Mark on Wednesday, April 6th between 7am and 7pm. Participants interested in a guided tour of Denver on the way to the game, should wear walking shoes and meet at 4:30 pm at the AAG Registration Desk.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7

Rocky Mountain National Park Thursday, April 7: 7am – 6pm Organizer/Instructor: William C. Rense Workshop Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $75 (includes transportation, lunch, admission fees and handouts) FULL

This field trip will focus on the spectacular scenery and natural history of Rocky Mountain National Park. Participants will experience the fascinating geology, vertical zonation of environment, climate, wildlife and ambiance of the Colorado Front Range. We will pass through the resort community of Estes Park stopping at the Rocky Mountain National Park Visitors’ Center, Bear Lake (elevation 9,500’) and Moraine Park. Elk and Bighorn sheep may be observed. Other stops are planned time and weather permitting. Lunch (included) will be at an Estes Park microbrewery. Participants should dress for chilly weather and expect deep snow cover at Bear Lake. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

USGS National Water Quality Laboratory – Denver Federal Center Thursday, April 7: 8am – 1pm Organizer/Leader: Gary Cottrell, US Geological Survey Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $15 (includes transportation, no meals included)

The USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) is a full-service laboratory that specializes in environmental analytical chemistry. The NWQL’s primary mission is to support national USGS programs requiring environmental analyses that provide consistent methodology for national assessment and trend analysis. This mission directly supports the USGS, which, in part, is charged with providing the Nation with reliable, impartial earth-science information to help decision-makers manage the Nation’s water resources. The NWQL has a highly trained and talented work force, and a history of quality leadership in development of analytical methods for water, sediment, and tissue. The NWQL offers comprehensive services through a state-of-the-art facility designed for efficient and safe operation. The combination of high capacity, low detection levels, and strong quality assurance draws visitors from around the world to the benchmark laboratory processes at the NWQL. The Denver Federal Center requires participants show a valid photo ID (drivers license, passport, military ID, etc.) for entry. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

USGS Rocky Mountain Mapping Center, National Ice Core Lab, Rock Core Research Center – Denver Federal Center Thursday, April 7: 8am – 1pm Organizer/Leader: Joseph Kerski, US Geological Survey Trip Capacity: 50 Cost/person: $15 (includes transportation, no meals included) http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/public/outreach/ FULL

Do you love maps? Tour the world’s largest map depository at the USGS Rocky Mountain Mapping Center. Over 50 million maps, books, and CDs are housed in a 17-acre facility. Your tour will also include the USGS Spatial Data Production Facility, where elevation, land use, and hydrologic data are created, the USGS Geographic Research Group, Biological Informatics, and the Central Region USGS Visitors Center. The tour will also include the National Ice Core Laboratory, where ice from Antarctica and Greenland are examined as part of global climate research studies. Lastly, you will see the nation’s largest single rock core depository, where 1.5 million linear feet of granite, oil shale, and other rock core are scientifically analyzed for earth processes and energy research. The Denver Federal Center requires participants show a valid photo ID (drivers license, passport, military ID, etc.) for entry. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

Rail Transit and Transit-Oriented Development in Denver Thursday, April 7: 9am – 1pm Organizer/Leader: Andy Goetz, University of Denver; Keith Ratner, Salem State University Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $5 (includes walking tour)

This half-day field trip will feature the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD)’s current light rail system, several examples of transit-oriented development, and a preview of the future 155-mile rail transit system. Denver made national headlines in the November 2004 referendum by approving the FasTracks program, the largest transit expansion in the nation. FasTracks will add 119 miles of light and commuter rail in six additional corridors to be completed in 12 years. The field trip will start with a ride on the 16th Street Mall shuttle to RTD headquarters, where Mr. Cal Marsella, RTD General Manager and architect of the FasTracks program, will provide an overview of the current and future system. Then, we will visit Denver Union Station, which will be the intermodal hub of the system, and ride the current Southwest corridor light rail line to visit some examples of transit-oriented development, including the new Englewood City Center project. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

The Urban Landscape: A Walking Tour of Downtown Denver and Platte Valley Thursday, April 7: 1pm – 4pm Organizer/Leader: Samuel Thompson, Western Illinois University Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $5 FULL

This is a walking tour of downtown Denver and adjoining Platte Valley. The tour will cover most of Lower Downtown as well as the redevelopment in the Central Platte Valley. The 16th Street Mall shuttle busses will transport the group from the Civic Center to Lower Downtown and the Commons Park area. The tour will focus on many aspects of urban redevelopment. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8

Fire and Forest Management in the Colorado Front Range Friday, April 8: 8am – 6:30pm Organizer/Leader: Rosemary Sherriff, University of Colorado – Boulder; Thomas Veblen, University of Colorado - Boulder Trip Capacity: 32 Cost/person: $70 (includes transportation, lunch and handouts)

On this field trip you will travel to multiple sites to explore the natural variability of fire behavior within montane forests of the Colorado Front Range. Key questions addressed in this trip are: 1) has fire exclusion of surface fires resulted in unusually high tree densities and a shift in relative abundance from ponderosa pine towards more shade-tolerant species? And 2) how different are modern fire regimes from historic fire regimes? These questions will be addressed in context of the spatial heterogeneity of the abiotic environment that influenced historic fire regimes and forest conditions. Presentations and discussion will follow the field exploration in Jamestown, Colorado. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

Terrestrial Paleoenvironments of the Front Range Near Denver, Colorado Friday, April 8: 9am – 5pm Organizer/Leader: Joanna Wright, University of Colorado - Denver Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $70 (includes transportation, lunch and handouts)

We will visit several rock exposures along the Front Range near Denver each of which shows a different terrestrial ancient environment. The localities will be visited in stratigraphic order and the emphasis will be on interpreting the environments from the rock types and fossils preserved. The localities reveal late Paleozoic to Mesozoic terrestrial paleoenvironments of the Front Range west of Denver. These sediments were deposited as a result of cycles of uplift of the ancestral Rocky Mountains and subsidence of the plains to the east. Participants will visit some classic fossil bone and footprint localities, including the site of the only known ceratopsian trackways. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado Friday, April 8: 9am – 3pm Organizer/Leader: Dennis Ward, UCAR/NCAR Trip Capacity: 50 Cost/person: $35 (includes transportation and lunch)

Come visit the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado! Built in the early 1960’s, NCAR’s Mesa Laboratory was designed by well-known architect I.M. Pei. Your visit will include a VIP tour of the lab, including the supercomputing facilities and 3D Visualization Lab. You will also have the opportunity to explore the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) and the GLOBE Program. Lunch in our cafeteria looking out at the Flatirons – red sandstone rock formations towering above the mesa to the west – is included in your tour. Participants should wear walking shoes because the tour will include an optional ½ mile weather trail. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

The Urban Landscape: A Walking Tour of Downtown Denver and Platte Valley (This tour also offered on Thursday) Friday, April 8: 1pm – 4pm Organizer/Leader: Samuel Thompson, Western Illinois University Trip Capacity: 40 Cost/person: $5

This is a walking tour of downtown Denver and adjoining Platte Valley. The tour will cover most of Lower Downtown as well as the redevelopment in the Central Platte Valley. The 16th Street Mall shuttle busses will transport the group from the Civic Center to Lower Downtown and the Commons Park area. The tour will focus on many aspects of urban redevelopment. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9

The Geology and Physical Geography of the Garden of the Gods – Colorado Springs Saturday, April 9: 9am – 5pm Organizer/Leader: George Bolling, UCCS; Curt Holder, UCCS Trip Capacity: 30 Cost/person: $50 (includes transportation and handouts, no meals included) FULL

There is a spectacular display of geologic structures and strata exposed near the mountain front in the Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs area. Our trip will include a drive south from Denver along the Front Range over Monument Hill into the Arkansas drainage basin and into the Pikes Peak area of southern Colorado. Colorado Springs lies over 6,000 feet above sea level at the base of 14,110-ft. Pikes Peak. Within a ten-mile radius, centered at the junction of north-south Interstate 25 and east-west Highway 24, nearly two billion years of geologic history are exposed. We will look specifically at formations from early Cenozoic to late Paleozoic in age in beautiful exposure in the Garden of the Gods and much older units in Manitou Springs to the west. This area attracts more than 1.5 million visitors a year and stimulates the interest of local residents and visitors alike. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Refund requests for this field trip received after March 16, 2005 cannot be processed.

MULTIPLE DAY FIELD TRIPS

Multi Day trips are not available for signup on the Web. Please fax or mail in this form.

Ranching Heritage and Ski Resort Development: Two Different Tales from the Colorado High Country Saturday, April 9: 7:30am – Sunday, April 10: 5pm Organizer/Leader: Rudi Hartmann, U of Colorado – Denver; Arianthe Stettner, Historic Routt County Cost/Person: $175 shared hotel room or $210 single hotel room (includes transportation, handouts, lodging Saturday, lunch Saturday and breakfast Sunday, other meals are not included)

This two-day (one night) trip will take participants to Vail Valley and Steamboat Springs. The trip will begin with a walking tour in core resort areas (Vail Village and Beaver Creek) and discussion of issues and problems of a sprawling ‘down valley’ in Eagle County. The group will stay overnight in downtown Steamboat Springs, a mountain town with two distinct legacies: ranching community and ‘Ski Town USA’. The trip will also include discussions about historic preservation/open space efforts and visits to several local ranches. The trip cost includes transportation, lodging, handouts, lunch Saturday and breakfast Sunday. Attendees should bring money for dinner Saturday and lunch Sunday. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Attendees will be contacted by AAG by February 11, 2005 to confirm the field trip will take place. AAG does not suggest making travel arrangements to Denver until this final confirmation has been received. All refund requests must be received in writing by the stated deadlines. Requests received through January 26, 2005 will incur a $50 cancellation fee. Requests received after January 26, 2005 will incur a $70 cancellation fee. Refund requests received after February 10, 2005 cannot be processed.

Exploring Colorado’s Ute Legacy (Sponsored by the Indigenous Peoples Specialty Group) Saturday, April 2: 8am – Tuesday, April 5: 4pm Organizer/Leader: Helen Ruth Aspaas, Virginia Commonwealth University Cost/Person: $470 shared hotel room or $565 single hotel room (includes transportation, admission fees, handout and lodging, meals are not included) This four-day (three night) tour that takes participants into the southwest corner of Colorado and high into the San Juan Mountains, will provide opportunities to understand the physical geography, history, culture and current economic and social challenges faced by the Ute Indians. The tour will also help participants to understand the day-to-day interaction between the Ute people and their Anglo, Hispanic and Navajo neighbors in the Four Corners area. Highlights include tours of the Ute Cultural Museums in Ignacio and Montrose, a visit to the research library and museum at the Center for Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College, guest presentations by Ute women famous for their traditional crafts, visits to Ute operated casinos, a glimpse of Ute ethnobotany and spectacular mountain scenery throughout the trip. Helen Ruth Aspaas, the tour leader, is a fourth generation descendant of the first white pioneers into the San Juan Basin of Southwest Colorado. The trip cost includes transportation, lodging, admission fees, and handouts and does not include any meals. Attendees should bring money to cover the cost of all meals. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Attendees will be contacted by AAG by February 11, 2005 to confirm the field trip will take place. AAG does not suggest making travel arrangements to Denver until this final confirmation has been received. All refund requests must be received in writing by the stated deadlines. Requests received through January 26, 2005 will incur a $50 cancellation fee. Requests received after January 26, 2005 will incur a $70 cancellation fee. Refund requests received after February 10, 2005 cannot be processed.

Grand Canyon Field Trip Saturday, April 9: 5pm – Sunday, April 10: 11pm

(participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging after arriving at Denver Int’l Airport at 11pm)

Cost/Person: $745 shared hotel room or $775 single hotel room (includes transportation, round-trip airfare to Las Vegas, lodging Saturday, breakfast Sunday, lunch Sunday and tour of canyon - other meals are not included)

Don’t miss the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon! Participants will travel together from the Adam’s Mark Hotel Denver to the Denver International Airport on Saturday evening. From Denver, the group will fly via a commercial airline to Las Vegas for an overnight stay. On Sunday morning, participants will depart via a small jet to the Grand Canyon. Once at the Canyon, participants will board a helicopter for a 30-minute narrated air tour. This helicopter ride provides a perspective incomparable to any other method of seeing this “Wonder of the World.” Your tour takes you over the deepest portion of Grand Canyon, through the “Dragon Corridor,” and continues to the North Rim where you view the incredible geographical differences between the North and South rims. During your return to the South Rim, enjoy breathtaking views of temples, shrines and rock formations sculpted by time while flying above the widest portion of the mighty Colorado River. After the helicopter tour, participants will take ground transportation to the Bright Angel Lodge for a box lunch at the rim of the Canyon. After lunch, two hours will be allowed for participants to explore independently. Participants will return to Las Vegas together via a small jet and then from Las Vegas to Denver via a commercial airline. Participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging after arriving at Denver International Airport at approximately 11:00 pm. AAG reserves the right to cancel any field trip due to low enrollment. Attendees will be contacted by AAG by February 11, 2005 to confirm the field trip will take place. AAG does not suggest making travel arrangements to Denver until this final confirmation has been received. All refund requests must be received in writing by the stated deadlines. Requests received through January 26, 2005 will incur a $50 cancellation fee. Requests received after January 26, 2005 will incur a $70 cancellation fee. Refund requests received after February 10, 2005 cannot be processed.

Please direct all queries to:

Association of American Geographers 1710 16th Street NW Washington, DC 20009 Voice: (202) 234-1450 Fax: (202) 234-2744 E-mail: meeting@aag.org