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CAPITOL REEF: ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR WILDERNESS ADVENTURESOff campus Location
Fee: $299.00
Item Number: 26SCDELCR001
Dates: 4/30/2026 - 5/2/2026
Times: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Days: Th F Sa
Sessions: 3
Building: Capitol Reef Field Station (opens in new tab)
Room: Commons
Instructor: Garth Fielding

Seats Available: 14

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Ever wondered how to prepare for and confidently explore Utah’s diverse landscapes? Join us at Capitol Reef Field Station to learn the basic essentials of first aid, navigation, gear, packing, preparation, and more—all geared towards exploring the great outdoors! A mandatory pre-trip planning meeting will be held one week prior to the trip. Food and comfortable lodging will be provided. Transportation is not provided. This course is for educational purposes only and does not provide certification.

THURSDAY
Navigation in the wilderness
Using a compass and map
Using a GPS
How to find directions during the day and night without a compass or GPS (using the stars to guide you)
How to prepare for and pack your backpack for light hikes or extended hikes
Basic Hiking hiking skills
Basic Astronomy

FRIDAY
Geocaching
Obtaining potable water in the wild
Leave no trace (7 principles)
How to prevent wildfires
Wild Animal encounters: safety & prevention
Overview of Basic Gear used for outdoor adventures
Basic first aid you should know when going into primitive areas (you will not become certified through this course)
How to plan your outdoor adventure

SATURDAY
Clothing and Layering
Outdoor adventures with children
Poisonous & painful plants

Ages: 18+

CAPITOL REEF: NATIVE AMERICAN BEADING WORKSHOPOff campus Location
Fee: $349.00
Item Number: 26SCDELCR002
Dates: 6/4/2026 - 6/6/2026
Times: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Days: Th F Sa
Sessions: 3
Building: Capitol Reef Field Station (opens in new tab)
Room: Commons
Instructor: Judy Mansfield

Seats Available: 12

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Join us for an immersive Native American beading and cultural learning experience centered on traditional techniques, songs, dance, and storytelling. Participants will learn foundational beading skills while gaining cultural context and understanding of living Indigenous traditions. A mandatory pre-trip planning meeting will be held one week prior. Food, lodging, and course materials provided. Transportation not included.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Practice foundational Native American beading techniques using traditional materials and methods.
2. Recognize the cultural significance of beading through songs, dance, and storytelling.
3. Demonstrate respectful understanding of living Indigenous traditions within a cultural learning setting.
Ages: 18+

CAPITOL REEF: NIGHT SKY PHOTOGRAPHYOff campus Location
Fee: $299.00
Item Number: 26SCDELCR003
Dates: 7/9/2026 - 7/11/2026
Times: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Days: Th F Sa
Sessions: 3
Building: Capitol Reef Field Station (opens in new tab)
Room: Commons
Instructor: Prajit Ravindran

Seats Available: 16

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Experience the wonders of night sky photography in this immersive course at our Capitol Reef Field Station. Learn essential techniques for capturing the beauty of the night sky with expert guidance. Surrounded by some of the darkest skies, you'll have the perfect environment to focus entirely on enhancing your photography skills. A mandatory pre-trip planning meeting will be held one week prior to the trip. Food and lodging will be provided. Transportation is not provided.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify basic camera settings and equipment used for night sky photography.
2. Practice simple techniques for capturing stars and night sky scenes in low-light conditions.
3. Apply foundational planning skills to prepare for a night sky photography outing.
Photography Supply List:
•   Camera (Any DSLR or mirrorless made within the last 10 years would work) ( (I will have one camera that students could share)
•   Tripod (I will have one tripod that students could share)
•   Lens. Any lens between 10-50 mm range would be ideal. A lens with a fast aperture (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.8) would provide the best results. A couple of places to rent them are - Pictureline, Acme Camera, Allens Camera.
•   Wired or wireless remote camera trigger
•   Laptop
•   memory cards and reader
•   Warm clothing
•   headlamp (infra red night vision as to not pollute the dark skies)
Ages: 18+

CAPITOL REEF: OIL PAINTING EXCURSION
Fee: $299.00
Item Number: 26PCDELCR002
Dates: 4/27/2026 - 4/29/2026
Times: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Days: M Tu W
Sessions: 3
Building: Capitol Reef Field Station (opens in new tab)
Room:
Instructor: Kirk Henrichsen
THIS CLASS IS FULL. Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button below.
Whether you are a novice or intermediate painter, gain skills in color harmony, mixing, tinting, and shading. As we focus on outdoor painting, learning how to capture the geological wonders surrounding the Capitol Reef Field Station. Instruction will focus on oil painting methods. If you are an experienced painting in watercolor, you will still gain even more knowledge in this oil paint medium. A mandatory pre-trip planning meeting will be held one week prior to the trip. Food and lodging will be provided. Transportation is not provided.

Supply List:
- Easel- collapsible, lightweight
- Palette - (recommend 12”x16” glass pallet in a plastic snap lid container)
- Small metal cup that clips to palette
- Brushes – “flats” (no soft nylon)
  
  #4 width – 1 flat bright, 1 flat filbert
  
  #8 width - 1 flat bright, 1 flat filbert
  
  #12 width - 1 flat bright
- Palette Knives - metal triangular shaped tips - 1 small, 1medium
Oil Paints
- Titanium White - 1 Large tube
One medium size tube of each of the following:
- Cerulean Blue, Hue OK
- Ultramarine Blue
- Permanent Alizarin Crimson
- Cadmium Red Medium
- Cadmium Yellow Medium
- Cadmium Yellow, Hue OK
- Yellow Ochre
- Burnt Sienna
- Odorless Mineral Spirits / Paint Thinner (Gamblin brand, Gamsol Recommended) in metal can
- Metal brush washer can with leak proof lid. (Glass OK in classroom but not outdoors)
- Medium- (Gamblin brand, Galkyd Lite recommended). This is to add to oil paint to thin and speed up dry time.
- Painting surfaces - solid panels with heavy gesso texture, not stretched on canvas (bring several panels, recommend: two - 8x10, two 14x11 for vertical, two 11x17 for horizontal)
- Primed Canvas Paper Pad, for color mixing exercises
- Tight fitting examination gloves, Latex or Nitrile - to keep your hands clean.
- Paper towels and/or cotton rags and plastic trash bag
- Camp stool or folding chair & brimmed hat, for outdoor painting.
Suggested text:
Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting, by John Carlson. Dover reprint Paperback edition available on online, $12.00
Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne (optional) Hardcover $50.00 online
Ages: 18+

CAPITOL REEF: PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPOff campus Location
Fee: $299.00
Item Number: 26PCDELCR003
Dates: 4/20/2026 - 4/22/2026
Times: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Days: M Tu W
Sessions: 3
Building: Capitol Reef Field Station (opens in new tab)
Room:
Instructor: Ellen Kowallis

Seats Available: 3

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Join us for three days of incredible camera techniques, and breathtaking landscapes. Learn how to change night into day with long exposures; then wake up early to photograph the sunrise! Some light hiking required. Focus on composition, learning to see, post processing, lens choice, camera settings, metering, both color and black and white conversion, etc. A basic knowledge of DSLR camera operation such as changing shutter speeds, apertures, and ISO will be helpful. A mandatory pre-trip planning meeting will be held one week prior to the trip. Food and lodging will be provided. Transportation is not provided.

Supply List:
- DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual controls that can photograph in RAW format.
- Tripod
- Batteries
- Battery charger
- Hiking shoes or boots
Ages: 18+

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