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Field Trips
Attendees who have already registered can still add field trips and workshops. Simply complete a printable registration form and submit with the correct payment. Download the Annual Meeting Registration Form»
Thursday, March 19
1. Route 66, Grand Canyon National Park, and Northern Arizona
Thursday, March 19, 8:00am – Saturday, March 21, 8:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Christina B. Kennedy, Northern Arizona University
Trip Capacity: 20
Cost/person: $650
This three-day trip through Northern Arizona takes you along portions of old Route 66 to the Grand Canyon and on to portions of the Navajo Nation. Day one will include stops at small Arizona towns and a visit to the IMAX theatre in route to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Day two includes talks by graduate students who have Park Service and river guide experience. There will be free time at the Canyon before we continue on to historic Cameron Trading Post for the night. Day three we return to Las Vegas after a short side trip onto the Navajo Nation, a visit to Wapatki Ruins and a stop in historic downtown Flagstaff. Elevation change will be over 5000 ft. Weather is variable. Be prepared for a range of conditions from the mid 80s in Las Vegas to possible snow or rain at the Grand Canyon. Expect semi-rustic lodging. Day one lodging (the Thunderbird Lodge) will include shared rooms (two people per room). Single rooms will be available for an additional fee. Day two lodging at Cameron Trading Post is single rooms. Meals are not provided.
Friday, March 20
2. The Oasis Tour
Friday, March 20, 9:00am – Saturday, March 21, 5:30pm
Organizers/Leaders: John Cloud, NOAA Central Library
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $125 (includes transportation, accommodations, dinner, breakfast, lunch, entrance fees)
Few places are as compelling as those with abundant water in a desert. This tour will make a 2-day, 300 mile circle tour of historic oases in Nevada and California, staying overnight at the legendary Zzyzx, the desert study center. We'll leave Las Vegas in mini-vans, driving to Tecopa Hot Springs oasis, for a soak and lunch in a desert bistro. Then, we travel on to the nearby historic China Ranch date palm plantation. We'll then travel on to Zzyzx, arriving in time for a catered dinner on the Boulevard of Dreams, and a walk by the restoring wetlands. Travelers will stay overnight at the Zzyzx Desert Studies Center, in historic bungalow rooms, double occupancy, on beds furnished with sleeping bag liners sufficient for the spring temperatures. Zzyzx accommodations include catered dinner, breakfast, and bag lunch. The next morning, we'll visit a 19th century railroad oasis, the historic Kelso Depot. We'll eat our catered lunches at a vista point in the botanical oasis of the New York Mountains. We'll then return to Las Vegas refreshed, with a nuanced perspective on water in the desert.
16. Red Rock National Conservation Area Bus Tour - CANCELED
19. Visit the Grand Canyon with Author Jim Powell - CANCELED
Saturday, March 21
3. Bus Trip to Death Valley National Park*
Saturday, March 21, 7:00am – 7:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Professor Norman Meek, Dept. of Geography, CSU San Bernardino
Trip Capacity: 55
Cost/person: $90 (includes lunch, refreshments, handouts, bus transportation)
This is a one day trip of scenic Death Valley and nearby Tecopa basin. The trip will visit some of the most popular visitor locales, including Badwater, the Devil’s Golf Course, Zabriskie Point and the Visitor’s Center, as well as many lesser known sites. Please bring a coat, hat, field shoes and camera, and be prepared for both hot and cold weather. The trip price includes the entrance fee, a box lunch and soft drinks. Please eat breakfast before arriving for a prompt 0700 departure. The bus should arrive back at the hotel by dusk.
*This trip is sponsored by the Geomorphology Specialty Group as part of their 30th Anniversary celebration.
Sunday, March 22
4. Wild about Mojave Wildflowers
Sunday, March 22, 8:00am – 1:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Jill S. Heaton, University of Nevada Reno, Todd Esque, United States Geological Survey
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $45 (includes transportation)
The Mojave Desert is home to the greatest diversity of endemic plant species in North America. In good precipitation years (typically sufficient winter precipitation) portions of the Mojave Desert turn into seas of colorful, blooming wildflowers. This field trip will maximize your exposure to the greatest diversity of wildflowers and will cover natural history of the flowers and area we visit. Depending on wildflower blooms we will visit one of four areas: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Valley of Fire State Park or Mojave National Preserve.
Monday, March 23
5. In John Wesley Powell’s Wake: Southwest Utah and Zion National Park
Monday, March 23, 7:30am – 7:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Paul R. Larson, Southern Utah University, Paul Br. Frederic, University of Maine at Farmington, Robert C. Corbett, Illinois State University
Trip Capacity: 36
Cost/person: $96 (includes transportation, handouts, snacks, entrance fees)
This field trip, an extension of two sessions on John Wesley Powell, focuses on Powell's interests including western water policy, geology and arid land exploration. Water issues in southwest Utah are examined with special attention to the controversial proposed pipeline from Lake Powell/Colorado River to supply growing urban water demand in the St. George area. Zion National Park, partly explored by Powell, offers geologic examples of interest to him. Brief roadside stops to view outcrops, erosion, seeps and other features are planned. Exact sites visited may vary depending on weather conditions. Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are recommended.
6. The Threatened Desert Tortoise: Ecology and Management
Monday, March 23, 8:00am – 1:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Jill S. Heaton, University of Nevada Reno, Ken Nussear, United States Geological Survey
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $65 (includes handouts, transportation)
Many of you may know that the Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus aggassiz)is a threatened species…the desert southwest “spotted owl”. What you might not know is that the desert tortoise is also the state reptile of Nevada and California. It has a rich cultural and natural history and its ecology is at times quite unusual. For example, the desert tortoise is one of a few species in which sperm storage in females has been documented. We will visit a population of telemetered tortoises in the Piute-Eldorado Desert Tortoise Wildlife Management Area, south of Las Vegas and you will be accompanied by several leading desert tortoise ecologist.
Tuesday, March 24
7. Arid Lands and Community Leadership: “Sustainability” Decisions in Las Vegas
Tuesday, March 24, 9:00am – 4:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Kathryn Zimmerman, Central Washington University
Trip Capacity: 8
Cost/person: $110 (includes transportation, admission fees, lunch)
In 2007 the Las Vegas City Manager issued the “Sustain Las Vegas” Policy #CM302, launching this city into the forefront of environmental design. This fieldtrip will explore leadership decisions related to community sustainability within Las Vegas Valley. We will tour three award-winning Green Designs (Springs Preserve, The Molasky Corporate Center, Lied Animal Shelter) and meet with the Las Vegas City Planning Department Director and design firm representatives. Fieldtrip includes admission, tours, and Wolfgang Puck catered-lunch. Recommended: comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and drinking water. Email fieldtrip leader for preparatory materials: www.lasvegasnevada.gov/files/Green_Sheet.doc.
8. THIS IS VEGAS! Or Can I Get a Deep Fried Twinkie With That?
THIS TRIP IS FULL!
Tuesday, March 24, 8:00am – 6:30pm
Organizer/Leader: Kevin Patrick, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Geography and Regional Planning Department
Trip Capacity: 47
Cost/person: $97 (includes transportation, admission fees, lunch)
From its humble frontier origins to its billion-dollar mega-casinos; from its old time brothels in Block 16 to the western hemisphere’s largest privately financed mixed-use development at CityCenter; from Downtown Fremont Street to The Strip; from the Eiffel Tower to Hoover Dam; from Bugsy Siegel to Howard Hughes to Elvis Presley; from the planet’s largest gold nugget to deep fried Twinkies and atomic cocktails –this is Vegas! Join Kevin Patrick on a full-out Vegas excursion of cultural landscapes that made this improbable desert city all that it is today. We will explore the Mormon and railroad roots of “The Meadows,” creep through a neon sign graveyard, experience downtown Fremont Street, stuff ourselves at a casino buffet, ogle at Hoover Dam, ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower, walk a mile of The Strip, and glide back on the Las Vegas Monorail. This is Vegas!
9. Discover Death Valley National Park: Its History and Geology
THIS TRIP IS FULL!
Tuesday, March 24, 8:00am – 6:00pm
Organizers: Dr. Denyse Lemaire and Dr. Richard Scott, Rowan University
Trip Capacity: 47
Cost/person: $61 (includes transportation, admission fees, handouts, lunch)
The fieldtrip will take you from Las Vegas through the Black Mountains of California into Death Valley National Park. We will observe the fossil shorelines of Pleistocene glacial Lake Manly, Badwater - the lowest point in North America - 282 feet below sea level, Devil's Golf Course at the bottom of the valley with its thick salt crust, faults, large alluvial fans, the superb Dantes View, Zabriskie Point, and the Visitor Center. Come learn about early prospectors, the Twenty-Mule Team Borax, and the Shoshone Indians occupation accompanied by geologist and geographer Denyse Lemaire and geographer Richard Scott.
18. Department of Energy (DOE) and US Geological Survey (USGS) Tour of Yucca Mountain Nevada Test Site CANCELED
Wednesday, March 25
10. Hoover Dam and Springs Preserve: Industrial and Potential Post-Industrial Dimensions of Sustainability in the Desert Southwest
Wednesday, March 25, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: William Smith Jr., University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $95 (includes transportation, admission fees)
There will be a guided tour 500' down to the power plant in the heart of the Hoover Dam, followed by time for watching a video, and exploring the visitor center and the top of the dam. We will then stop for lunch at a nearby buffet, before traveling to the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, which illustrates ways to do sustainable development in the region. There we will be lead on a 1.5 hour Sustainability tour of their Desert Living Center, after which some time will be allowed for exploration of the museum, garden and trails. Bring $8 for lunch.
11. Oxymoron Vegas: Sustainable Casinos
Wednesday, March 25, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Organizers: Chris Mayda, Eastern Michigan University, Rick Holmes, Southern Nevada Water Authority
Leaders: Chris Mayda, Douglas Rivet, Eastern Michigan University
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $30 (includes transportation)
This tour will be in American hybrid SUVs courtesy of the Las Vegas Valley Water District. We begin at one of the best buffet lunches in Vegas at the Red Rock Hotel, and then a short tour of the hotel property, which is unique because it boasts a fountain on the property (a no-no in Las Vegas). We will find out why it is allowed. We will then drive to the Red Rock Conservation Area where we will stop at the visitor center. Then we will take the 13 mile loop tour with occasional stops for short walks and discussion of the geology, vegetation, and cultural history of the area. We will continue on to Treasure Island Casino on the strip where the Pirate Show is infamous for its use of water, but all hotel water is reclaimed. We will tour the sustainable aspects of this casino complex. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring an appetite and $11 for lunch.
20. Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, and Grand Canyon
Wednesday, March 25, 6:15am – Thursday, March 26, 10:00pm - Please note the time change
Organizers: Judith F. Salvo, USGS
Leaders: Ted Melis, USGS – Flagstaff Office
Ivo Lucchitta, USGS Emeritus
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $548 (estimated cost includes transportation, admission fees, 3 meals, accommodations)
Join the USGS on a 2-day expedition to Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam and the Grand Canyon. Hoover Dam is will be the first stop. This magnificent structure is considered a National Historic Landmark and has been rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of America's Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. Next we'll visit the spectacular Grand Canyon and its fabled South Rim where Ivo Lucchitta, USGS interpretive geologist, emeritus will brief you on the canyon's geologic conditions. We'll spend the night in Cameron, Arizona, at historic Cameron Trading Post. Day two will include a stop at Glen Canyon Dam before embarking on a raft ride from just below the dam to Lees Ferry, a 15-mile trip. A USGS scientist will accompany the rafters to discuss ongoing efforts to restore the Colorado River corridor below Glen Canyon Dam and the history of human exploration of Grand Canyon. Following the raft trip the group will enjoy dinner in Kanab, Utah, before returning to Las Vegas. Conditions on the river in early spring can be cool and windy, so please dress accordingly. Appropriate clothing including waterproof layers, hooded windbreaker, and shoes that can get wet and sandy will help to make this adventure the best!
Thursday, March 26
12. WWII Desert Training Center – California/Arizona Maneuver Area (DTC-CAMA) CANCELED
13. Wine Tasting, Gourmet Lunch, and Visit of the Pahrump Winery
Thursday, March 26, 11:00am –5:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Dr. Denyse Lemaire, Rowan University; Percy Dougherty, Kutztown University
Trip Capacity: 55
Cost/person: $60 (includes lunch, winery fee, bus transportation)
This field trip will take us through the Spring Mountains, west of Las Vegas, to Pahrump, a small town in the Mojave Desert that is famous for having the first and only winery in Nevada. At the Pahrump Winery, which has won over 40 national wine awards since 2006, we will tour the production facilities and be treated to a wine tasting, followed by a gourmet lunch with wine, coffee, and dessert. On our return trip we will stop at Lee's Wine Cellar, the largest wine super-store in Las Vegas, where we will enjoy another wine tasting and a wonderful shopping opportunity.
14. Planning Las Vegas: A Profile of Urban Planning Activities in the City of Las Vegas, Courtesy of the Regional Development and Planning Specialty Group
Thursday, March 26, 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Organizers: George M. Pomeroy, Shippensburg University, M. Margo Wheeler, City of Las Vegas
Leaders: M. Margo Wheeler, City of Las Vegas, Christian Tettey, Trent University
Trip Capacity: 46
Cost/person: $35 (includes transportation)
Our traditional downtown walking tour “hits the road” this year! Via bus, the field trip will visit a number of sites of planning significance within the City of Las Vegas. Notable stops / features include Glitter Gulch, the historic Mormon Fort, and several redevelopment areas including the new baseball stadium site. Also included are several different neighborhood types (historic, distressed, and affluent). Altogether the field trip promises an intriguing perspective of what one sees behind the Strip – what locals call the “back lot” of Las Vegas, as well as selected bits of the Strip area itself.
This tour, traditionally a downtown walking tour, is a signature event of the Regional Development and Planning Specialty Group. The specialty group has organized a local planning related field in each AAG annual meeting host for over the twenty years. This year’s tour is fortunate in being ably hosted and co-lead by Margo Wheeler, Director of Planning and Development Services for the City of Las Vegas. Ms. Wheeler’s local insight and expertise provides participants with the best possible view into planning, Las Vegas-style.
15. Las Vegas: A Sustainable Culture in a Desert Environment
Thursday, March 26, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Chris Mayda, Don Lafreniere, Eastern Michigan University
Trip Capacity: 24
Cost/person: $45 (includes transportation, admission fees)
This tour will be in American hybrid SUVs courtesy of the Las Vegas Valley Water District. The field trip will begin with a tour of the Molasky Corporate Center, a LEED-certified platinum building featuring a number of sustainable features. This will be followed by a tour of Springs Preserve, an example and resource of sustainable living on the site of the original Las Vegas Springs. We will be given a full tour of the complex including the solar panels, botanical gardens, Historical Museum of Human and Wildlife Inhabitants and the sustainable galleries, which include information on the LEED rated buildings, water in Las Vegas, and the effort made keeping this desert city sustainable. We will have extra time to further explore our favorite areas in the complex. In our travels to the sites we will pass and discuss water smart landscapes. Wear comfortable shoes.
17. West to East Along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
Thursday, March 26, 8:00am – Sunday, March 29, 5:00pm
Organizers/Leaders: Richard Earl, Department of Geography, Texas State University
Trip Capacity: 22
Cost/person: $489 (includes transportation, admission fees, accommodations, meal 3/26)
The trip provides a unique view of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. After a Hoover Dam stop we cross the Joshua Tree Forest to Pearce Ferry at the head of Lake Mead and the western entrance to the Grand Canyon. After crossing the Grand Wash Cliffs we proceed to Hualapai Nation Grand Canyon West (Quartermaster Point) for the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Our first night at Hualapai Lodge in Peach Springs includes a traditional dinner. After lunch in historic Flagstaff we proceed to Grand Canyon National Park via the Painted Desert and Little Colorado River for two nights and a day to tour the rim or hike the Canyon, Elevation change will be over 5000 ft. Weather is variable. Be prepared for a range of conditions from the mid 80s in Las Vegas to possible snow or rain at the Grand Canyon. Bring money for meals.
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Cancellations
The following field trips have been canceled. You will be contacted with further information. We regret any inconvenience and invite you to consider any of the other superb field trips available.
- 12. WWII Desert Training Center – California/Arizona Maneuver Area (DTC-CAMA)
- 16. Red Rock National Conservation Area Bus Tour
- 18. Department of Energy (DOE) and US Geological Survey (USGS) Tour of Yucca Mountain Nevada Test Site
- 19. Visit the Grand Canyon with Author Jim Powell
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