Our group of 4 couples, traveling together, spent 6 hours in Goblin Valley State Park canyoneering with Get in the Wild serving as our outfitter. We had a fabulous adventure, pushing ourselves and finding success doing activities many never dreamt of doing. Like rappelling. We are 55 – 75 years old, active, but again, meeting challenges never attempted before. Get in the Wild is a class operator. We highly recommend.
Combines canyoneering and photography
Learn how to take pictures at night
Full 3-day workshop
Utah’s incredible wilderness offers striking landscapes and the perfect opportunity to learn all the technical details related to landscape photography. You’ll be exposed to panoramic views, where you can play with the light at every angle. You’ll also get the chance to learn about astrophotography and take shots of the unique night skies that are considered some of the world’s most extraordinary.
$1295 per person | 3 days | Lunches included
Trip Details
Price
$1295 per person
Departure time
8 AM
Meeting point
Hanksville, Utah
Availability
May 14-16, 2021
Custom dates available for private groups. Contact us for additional information.
Duration
3 days
Group size
4-6
Experience level
No previous experience required
Participants should be in good physical condition and capable of carrying a full pack of gear up to 5 miles over challenging terrain.
Difficulty rating
2-3
Level 1
- Activity:
- Hiking: Easy hiking on well maintained trails
- Canyoneering: Easy hiking and scrambling using hands and feet for balance and support A rope may be used for handlines, belays, rappels and lowering packs
- Distances: Hike up to 2 miles
- Surfaces: Easy terrain
- Elevation Change: Little to none. Short sections of uphill travel.
Level 2
- Activity:
- Hiking: Easy to moderate hiking
- Canyoneering: Easy to moderate hiking and scrambling using hands and feet for balance and support. A rope may be used for handlines, belays, rappels and lowering packs.
- Distances: Hike up to 3 miles
- Surfaces: Flat or rolling terrain with some steep ascents/descents and uneven trails
- Elevation Change: Up to 600 ft/day
Level 3
- Activity:
- Hiking: Moderate, off-trail hiking on rugged trails
- Canyoneering: Moderate, sustained, climbing and scrambling using hands and feet. A rope is required for handlines, belays, rappels and lowering packs
- Distances: Hike up to 6 miles
- Surfaces: Rolling or mountainous terrain with some steep ascents/descents and uneven trails
- Elevation Change: Up to 1200 ft/day
Level 4
- Activity:
- Hiking: Difficult, off-trail hiking on rugged, technical terrain
- Canyoneering: Difficult, sustained, climbing and scrambling using hands and feet. A rope is required for handlines, belays, rappels and lowering packs.
- Distances: Hike up to 10 miles
- Surfaces: Rugged, exposed terrain with steep ascents/descents and uneven trails
- Elevation Change: Up to 3000 ft/day
Level 5
- Activity:
- Hiking: Very difficult, off-trail hiking on rugged, technical terrain
- Canyoneering: Very difficult, sustained, climbing and scrambling using hands and feet. A rope may be used for handlines, belays, rappels and lowering packs. May require advanced canyoneering techniques including guided rappels, multi-pitch rappels, complex ropework difficult pothole escapes, and advanced problem-solving and anchor building.
- Distances: Hike up to 14 miles
- Surfaces: Extremely rugged, exposed terrain with steep ascents/descents and uneven trails
- Elevation Change: Up to 4000 ft/day
Solitude rating
5
- Expect to be around other hikers and travelers most of the time.
- Expect to have some solitude, as much as an hour at a time without seeing other groups.
- Expect several hours of solitude at a time.
- Expect to see no more than one or two groups on your trip.
- Expect to see no other hikers or travelers on your trip.
Included
Pre-workshop
- Online video session to discuss course content and individual interests/expectations
- Information packet that covers suggested gear and clothing and how to get the most from the workshop
During the workshop
- Professional photography instruction, both group and individual
- Professional canyoneering guide and instruction
- Lunches and snacks
- Group and personal technical canyoneering gear
- Canyoneering and rappelling instruction
- Federal land permit fees
- Safety equipment, including a team first-aid kit and satellite messenger
- A commitment to make the workshop as exciting, challenging, and informative as you’d like
Not included
- Travel insurance
- Transportation to and from Hanksville
- Breakfast and dinner (you can bring your own or head to nearby restaurants)
- Lodging during the workshop
- Gratuity for your guide
Transportation
Driving time to Hanksville from regional airports:
Moab, Utah – 1.5 hours
Grand Junction, Colorado — 2 hours
Salt Lake City, Utah – 3.5 hours
St. George, Utah – 4 hours
Las Vegas, Nevada – 5 hours
Lodging
We will be operating from a central canyon basecamp during the course. Guests have the option to camp there or stay at a local motel. For those staying at the basecamp, you can either bring your own camping gear or rent some from us. Sleeping bags and pads are available for $75, and tents for $35. Just add the options you want when booking.
What to bring
- Camera equipment
- Layered clothing
- Comfortable, sturdy footwear
- Sun protection
- Small backpack
- Water bottles or bladder
- Headlamp or flashlight
A full packing list will be sent upon booking.
What Lies Ahead of You
Photoshoots at stunning off the beaten path locales
Opportunities to learn astrophotography and photograph the darkest skies in the US
Intimate experiences with a maximum of 8 participants
Technical canyoneering adventures in some of the most beautiful slot canyons on the planet
A spectacular and remote basecamp
3-Day Photography Course in a Unique Destination
Embark on our 3-day photography journey through the Dirty Devil and Robbers Roost wilderness. Explore some of the most spectacular landscapes of southern Utah while learning how to capture the views. Each day will include photography, exploration, and exciting canyoneering adventures. This way, you get the best of both worlds—experiencing the challenge and excitement of canyoneering and receiving expert photographic instruction at some of the wildest viewpoints in the US.
- Here are some of the topics that we’ll touch on in this workshop:
- Camera operation and settings
- Lenses and focal length
- Aperture and shutter speed
- Depth of field
- File formats: JPEG and RAW
- Tripods
- Composition
- Nighttime and star photography
- Revisualizing images
- Lighting
- Exposure, white balance, and understanding histograms
- Filters: polarizers and graduated neutral density
- Post-processing in Photoshop and Lightroom
- Color space
- Focus stacking
- Shooting panoramas
Itinerary
Each day will include a combination of photographic instruction and exploration at some of the most beautiful, wild and remote landscapes in southern Utah. Shooting locations will be selected based upon light, weather and course content for the day and group preferences.
A typical day will include grand landscapes at sunrise and sunset and spectacular, red rock slot canyons during the day. A short primer in basic technical canyoneering will also be included to allow guests to become familiar with canyoneering technique and gear.
The end of each day will include a slideshow and image critique. It will also include a lesson on post-processing including RAW processing and conversion, stitching panoramas, and final touches to improve an image.
Other Important Information
We offer multiple tours in the Utah wilderness. See where we guide!
If you’ve decided to stay a little longer, take a look at our list of Utah recommendations(opens in a new tab), including the nearest towns with the best accommodation and restaurants. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with us(opens in a new tab)!
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This particular adventure is designed for beginners. We’ll teach you the ropes at the beginning, and then let you put into practice all your new skills.
Wear clothes you can move in and don’t mind if they get “worn-in” by the canyons. Make sure to bring enough layers in case of cool temperatures. For your feet, comfortable medium-weight hiking shoes or boots work best. You definitely need closed-toed shoes (no Chacos!) that you’ve worn before and broken in well.
We are happy to include healthy, nutritious and delicious snacks on all of our outings. We typically bring a nut mix and dried fruit along with us. We welcome you to bring some snacks of your own if you’ve got something specific you’d like.
Please note: we are happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free diets—just get in touch with us, and we’ll chat about your needs!
Entrance fees and snacks are included in the price.
Contact us for more information.
There is usually little to no signal where we tour. It’s the perfect time to unplug and truly enjoy nature! If you need to stay connected for a specific reason, please get in touch with us, and we’ll work together to get it sorted.
Have more questions? Head to our FAQ page to read more!
Photo Gallery
My husband were able to spend a couple days with Chris gaining and practicing new skills that are necessary to safely navigate some of Utah’s canyons. Chris is knowledgable, methodical and sequential with his teaching. We are excited to come back next year to practice!! I love canyoneering!!
I had another phenomenal 2-day trip. This time I got to bring some of my friends and family on their first canyoneering trip and they had a blast. Christopher is a wonderful guide and teacher. I’ve learned so much from him on my trips with Get in the Wild. Exploring the canyons with him is one of my favorite Utah experiences, and I’ve learned so much about canyoneering from him. One of our days, Shane guided us. He did a wonderful job too teaching people through their first canyon and demonstrating safe desert hiking practices. I highly recommend traveling with Get in the Wild.
