Y2Y - Road Trip Q&A

Why Utah?

I fell in love with Utah when I moved there. Geographically, Utah is a wonderland: mountains, plains, lakes, red rock desert, canyons, waterfalls, and amazing rock formations. Aside from that, Utah is a wonderful place to explore for people who have little experience with the outdoors. The main way students will train physically is by walking.

How far is Utah?

We will be on the road for three days before arriving in Utah: approximately, 2059.1 miles just to get to Salt Lake City. Then we will travel another 304 miles to begin our national parks tour.

What are the Mormons like?

Utah gets its name from the Utes, one of the Native American tribes in the region. It was settled by Mormons in the 1860s and the culture continues to be predominantly Mormon. The family values, ethical living standards and close ties to the Mormon church make Utah a very safe and friendly place to travel.

How safe will my son/daughter be?

We will exercise every bit of common sense, and safe driving and camping practice. We will also train students how to make sound decisions and be respectful of the environment.

How will I be able to contact my daughter/son?

After Day 4, students will not have access to telephones or internet. Because of the remote region, there are no cell phone signals available and small towns do not offer public internet service.

Where will they stay (sleep)?

We will sleep in designated campgrounds most of the trip.

What kind of experience do the trip leaders have?

The trip leader is a native of Utah and spent many years exploring the outdoors. We will travel to regions that are very familiar to him. Our student leader from the Office of Experiential Learning will assist students with outdoor skills. And I will provide guidance and support. I lived in Utah three years and have also traveled to all of the areas we will visit.

How will the students be received by local people?

It will be obvious that our group is not from the area since there are not many people of color out west. But I have found that people in the west are welcoming of visitors since many towns depend on tourism.

What about the wildlife?

Hopefully we will be able to see some amazing wildlife including: big horn sheep, deer, eagles, hawks, horny toad lizards, falcons, coyotes and other small wildlife. But realistically, wildlife will avoid a crowd of people. A keen eye will spot wildlife from a distance. That will be our best shot at seeing most things.

How will I know when to pick up my son/daughter?

Before we leave Utah, we will ask students to call home to check-in and to inform parents about our schedule. The day before our return, you can expect another phone call with an estimated time of arrival.