Summer Expeditions

• Overview
• Outfit Expedition (Coed 10-13)
• Wild Country Trek (Coed 13-15)
• Prairie Trek (Boys 13-15)
• Turquoise Trail (Girls 13-15)
• Mountain Desert Trek (Coed 15-18)
• Trek Institute (Coed 14-18)
• Adult & Family Trek
• What to Expect
• How to Apply
• Downloadable Forms
• Making Travel Plans
• Summer Calendar
• Request Brochure

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P.O. 25106
Albuquerque, NM 87125

1-800-2-Go-Trek

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2009 Trek Institute

Co-ed, ages 14-18

10-15 members

July 7 - July 24

Tuition $1,875

Highlights: 18 days living on a nature preserve, meet other people who share your interests, hands-on exploration of art, ecology, and archaeology, surveying and studying archaeological sites, and pit-firing your own pottery.

This small group expedition is for older Trekkers looking to experience the close bonds of a longer expedition while exploring the art, archaeology, and ecology of the incredible Southwest. As a member of the Trek Institute, you will live at the Gulch, waking up to the birds and falling asleep under the stars. Together with your fellow Trekkers, you will cultivate your curiosity and try new things. Have you ever found a 1,000 year-old piece of pottery outside your door in the morning?

The Trek Institute takes place on or near Cottonwood Gulch. The cabins, dating from 1934, are non-electric and open to the air. The Gulch utilizes state-of-the-art composting toilets and solar-heated showers to offer creature comforts while maintaining a low-impact presence on the nature preserve. Each afternoon, you can cool off in the pool before showers. Meals are prepared and eaten in the Mess Hall by our expert cook, using a great deal of fresh fruit and produce. With its 540 acres bordering the Cibola National Forest, the Gulch invites Trekkers to both imagine and participate in a life separate from the one created by our constantly plugged-in and paved society.

Each day, members of the Trek Institute will choose from several different hands-on projects. Since there are several archaeological sites on the Gulch, many activities involve mapping and identifying the many artifacts still lying on the surface. Back in the Lab, you can restore 800-year-old pots for our collection and try your hand at experimental archaeology, such as making yucca cordage, grinding corn, and making spears and atlatls.

Trekkers interested in ecology can explore the impact of an extensive forest fire, track wildlife, and inventory native and non-native plants. Trekkers work with our ecologist on a pioneering restoration plan for the Gulch, which includes thinning the forests and building check dams in Sawyer Creek. Exploring ecology at Cottonwood Gulch is much more than a field trip. Trekkers will work directly on real projects that have been commissioned by local land managers, including the National Forest Service.

For Trekkers interested in art, the Gulch’s Native Arts Studio and resident artist offer the chance to learn traditional techniques for creating jewelry, weaving, and ceramics. If you’re new to art and want to design a silver ring or leather belt, our artist will teach you to use the same techniques professional artists use today. We encourage Trekkers to consider the ways in which art can help us to both question and understand our relationship to the land. Our resident artist can provide individual guidance for Trekkers who want to research and plan a portfolio-ready piece in a range of media.

But there’s also lots of time to relax at the Gulch; you can go for a nature walk, hike to the mesa or wander along Sawyer Creek. Some Trekkers will opt for a day trip to do some rock climbing on a nearby sandstone face. After dinner, some people play a bit of Ultimate Frisbee while others hang out on the porch. As guitars are strummed and the sun sets, be sure to spend some time simply taking it all in.

Based on the interests of the group, the Trek Institute may venture further afield on a 2-4 day excursion to places such as Chaco Canyon, the lava tubes of El Malpais or to nearby Zuni or Acoma pueblos. These adventures will add context to the Trek Institute’s exploration of the ecological and cultural history of the Southwest.

Like other fieldwork experiences, so much of the fun is found in the spaces between all of the fascinating things we are doing. You will get to know other people with similar interests from all over the country. As you work alongside a practicing archaeologist, ecologist and artist, you will indulge your curiosity and explore new ideas and experiences.

For many, the Trek Institute is a rare introduction to living and learning outside. For others, it provides an opportunity to further explore interests in art, ecology and archaeology that may become life-long passions.

The Trek Institute concludes with a final banquet and a night of laughing and reflecting under the stars. Taking with you the beginnings of great friendships, you will return to your homes having done things you never thought possible.

Although you will only be with us for two and a half weeks, at the end of it you’ll know what we know: living outside and doing meaningful work changes the way you see the world.

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