SPECIALTY TRIPS

BOT & HS DATES:

Apr -24-May 1 8 Day Full

Apr 24-27 4 Day Upper

Apr 27-May 1 5 Day Lower

Rachel Hosna

Twelve years ago, Rachel traded in the midwest for the southwest when she got a job collecting native seeds for restoration in the Mojave desert of Nevada. Since then, she has worked on public lands all over the southwest surveying for rare plants, conducting vegetation monitoring, managing noxious weeds and collecting (more) seeds! She can’t wait to soak in the spring blooms with you!

Megan Rabinowich

Megan is a botanist with a deep love for the landscapes and plant communities of the Southwest. She holds an M.S. in Botany from New Mexico State University and a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Vermont, and has spent years conducting field research, surveying plant communities, and exploring the Mojave Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, Colorado Plateau, and the diverse habitats of New Mexico.

Originally from upstate New York, Megan works as an environmental consultant in New Mexico where she lives with her two cats, Elton and Winona. Megan is passionate about ecological restoration and helping others understand the resilience and beauty of native plants. She enjoys biking, skiing, rafting, hiking, and catching live music whenever she can.

* Travel with an engaging and informative Archeologist who will provide information and education about the Canyon’s historic archeological sites.

• Dates TBD

Kirk Anderson

Kirk will be your guide to the past cultures and landscapes of the Grand Canyon. Dr. Anderson is a geo-archaeologist who has conducted research in the southwest and Mexico for over 30 years, focusing on the interplay between ancient cultures and the natural environment. He received his masters degree from Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, investigating how cultures and landscapes respond to climate change in the Glen Canyon region.

Between 2009 and 2012 he was part of the Museum of Northern Arizona and National Park Service research team that excavated several archaeology sites along the river corridor through Grand Canyon. Participants will visit some of those sites, and others, providing a unique opportunity to be immersed in the ancient Grand Canyon landscape, learn how archaeologists go about their investigations, and achieve a deeper understanding of the resilience that the ancestors of modern Native Americans needed to live and thrive in this challenging landscape.

Louis Maez

* Grand Canyon’s truly dark sky, shooting stars and the Milky Way into focus. Our astronomer, Louis Maez will provide star talks and a scientific understanding of the cosmos, how to view stars through your binoculars. Astrophotography instruction will be offered. Louis will also discuss Hopi and Navajo astronomy through two recent indigenous murals currently on display at the Observatory.

About Louis

Louis is a Senior Telescope Specialist at Lowell Observatory. He was raised in the Southwest where the clear dark skies inspired a love for astronomy early in life. He has a decade of experience in telescope operation, education, and research, including a season at Bryce Canyon N.P. as an outreach astronomer.

At Lowell Observatory, he teaches astrophotography classes and is the coordinator for private telescope tours. He has a particular interest in the history of science, and enjoys reading about early astronomers and mathematicians. He’s published in scientific journals and pop-science magazines, and is currently writing an updated catalogue of the night sky. Louis lives in Flagstaff, Arizona with his wife and two cats. He spends much of his time outdoors, and enjoys bird watching, backpacking, and reading.

Only Spaces available:

• 9/10-9/14 Lower Canyon

* The trip is scheduled to coincide with the minimal moonlight in order to appreciate the Milky Way and beyond.

Remember to bring your bring binoculars, 7 x 50s or anything you have at home to look at the amazing dark sky.

Dates:

• 9/13/2026-9/22/2026
• 9/12/2027-9/21/2027

Dates: TBD