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Adventuring in Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks, by Amy Anslinger & Ashley Butler
February 10 @ 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm
| Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches and Capital Reef National Parks make up Utah’s Mighty 5. Amy and Ashley will share some of the best day hikes these parks have to offer as well as tips to navigate the permit and parking process. From the top of Angels Landing to the Virgin River, from Devils Garden to Delicate Arch, past hoodoos and the China Wall, verdant orchards, petroglyphs, slick rock, white domes, arches, and canyons. They will slip in a little 4 wheeling, rafting, and rappelling along with camping and glamping, State Parks, and roadside attractions. There is a lot to cover and limited time, so bring your questions and sense of adventure! Utah’s Mighty 5 is a bucket list adventure that doesn’t have to break your budget. |
Amy Anslinger, an Explorer Chick Guide, boasts over 30 years of exploring the wilderness. Her passion for the outdoors ignited during an Outward Bound (OB) Course in Maine, which set her on a lifelong adventure. Subsequently, she completed another OB course in Utah and a semester NOLS course in Alaska before earning a degree in Natural History and Outdoor Education from Northland College along Lake Superior’s shore. Among Amy’s personal highlights are thru-hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada and being the first woman to thru-hike the 1,300-mile Buckeye Trail around Ohio.
Since her initial foray into the outdoors, Amy has resided in various parts of the country, leading and inspiring others in adventurous destinations such as western North Carolina, California, New England, Maryland, and Glacier National Park, Montana. For eleven years, she led the Wright State University Outdoor Recreation Program in Dayton, Ohio, where she crafted the trip program, training student leaders, and guiding trips to diverse locales like the bottom of the Grand Canyon, backpacking in the Wind River Range, multi-sport adventures in Vegas, Appalachian Trail backpacking and trail work, sea kayaking in the Ten Thousand Islands of Everglades National Park, and more.
Since 2008, Amy’s personal adventures have often included her now teenage daughters and husband. They’ve explored 49 states and numerous National Parks, engaging in paddling trips along the Rio Grande and Boundary Waters, summiting Mount Katahdin, descending into the Grand Canyon, and sharing backcountry campsites in Glacier National Park with moose and bears. When not guiding, Amy serves as the Wellness Coordinator for a Montessori School, spearheading yoga, gardening, and wellness programs for grades pre-k-12.
Ashley Butler is a Explorer Chick Guide who discovered her strength in the mountains. Driven by curiosity and her two willing legs, she departed her small Ohio town to explore Red River Gorge, KY, where solo backpacking introduced her to the wilderness. Through backpacking, she not only built her hiking muscles but also cultivated her confidence as an outdoorswoman, propelling her to explore National Parks nationwide. Her favored adventure spots include the Smokie Mountains, Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest, her ultimate favorite region. Ashley holds training in Wilderness First Aid.
Memorable adventures for Ashley include navigating glaciers in Alaska and solo climbing Mt. Si in Washington. When not scaling mountaintops, she finds joy in adrenaline-pumping activities like rock climbing, skydiving, rafting, kayaking, parasailing, canyoning, horseback riding, and caving.
Moreover, Ashley is a professional oil painter with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Her artwork draws inspiration from the breathtaking places she explores. Having predominantly worked in female-dominated environments, Ashley is on a mission to empower women, helping them recognize their true strength and fostering a supportive community throughout their challenging journeys