Posts by Brennan Gillis
Build your own River Trip Library
Wondering what to pack in your river trip library? Check out CFI’s staff picks for our favorite books about the Colorado Plateau. We firmly believe that no trip is complete without a solid river trip library. From field guides, to poetry, to cultural history, stuffing your ammo can with words of wisdom from experts across…
Read MoreExperience the CFI Educational Journey through Film
“The River has a story to tell.” Take a journey down the San Juan River to see CFI’s educational methods firsthand. In October of 2021, Canyonlands Field Institute teamed up with Visit Utah and Local.Studio to create a film that tells the story of CFI Education on the Upper San Juan. This project is part…
Read MoreThe outdoors, a place of….Accessibility?
Part 1 of our series on Accessibility in the outdoors. Read part 2: Professor Valley, Place of…Accessibility. All of us have access needs, we all have things that we need to do or have access to, to be able to interact and engage with the world, to feel comfortable with the world, to be able…
Read MoreProfessor Valley, Place of…Accessibility
Part 2 of our series on Accessibility in the outdoors. Read part 1: The Outdoors, a place of … Accessibility? Anyone who has spent a few nights at Professor Valley Field Camp will testify that it is a magical place. Located along the Colorado River, it is surrounded by public spaces, peppered with leafy cottonwoods,…
Read MoreNational Parks are public, but are they for everyone?
Join Misha Euceph, and CFI’s Michele Johnson, for a introspective journey through Arches National Park In 2021, Misha Euceph set out on a road trip adventure across America to answer the question: “If the National Parks are public, aren’t they supposed to be for everyone?” Through her journey she is able to uncover often untold…
Read MoreWhy bring office staff into the field?
Lots of laughs, some burnt coffee, and positive learning outcomes for the whole team! “Swimmer, Rope!” Called CFI’s Reservations and Contracts Officer to a swimming Education Director. In Ruby Horsethief Canyon, Michele Johnson tagged Alex de Moor with a throwbag, braced for the inevitable tug, and was anchored in place by Jory Macomber as she…
Read MoreVideo: Good Things Happen When Kids Play Outside
Splash fights ensue. When CFI teamed up with the BLM and Clayton Middle School for Operation Adventure Utah, good things happened. In 2018, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to bring these energetic middle schoolers into Arches, down the Colorado River, and to Ken’s Lake. Thanks to everyone involved for their insightful perspectives on…
Read MoreOutdoor CEO Diversity Pledge Annual Report
The In Solidarity Project is centered around “bringing the outdoor industry together to build a more inclusive future.” The Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge is a framework designed to help organizations operating within the outdoor industry to critically examine their own roles and influence in the intersection of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the outdoors. This…
Read MoreStudent Perspectives: Desert Nights
A Poem by CFI Student Carter Reynolds written at Professor Valley Field Camp Desert Nights Welcome,Welcome – Lovers, haters, givers, takersWelcome – to all those who dance and sing, tothose who dip and dodge on foot andwingWelcomeTo the desert night. Unwelcome, Unwelcome–to the Jeep-filled roads, to your Unkempt little trash pile loads Unwelcome you foul…
Read MoreVideo: Uintah River High Schoolers Replaced Classroom Walls with Canyon Walls
Twenty two Uintah River students embarked on an educational adventure in the Canyon Country of Southeastern Utah. Their expedition took place along the Colorado River from Dewey Bridge to the BLM Takeout. As students navigated the twists and turns of the river, theyembraced the world of outdoor learning. Students cooked meals, camped under the stars,…
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