Welcome Reception & Registration/Orientation/Evening Program. Please check into the hotel prior to 4:30 pm in order to unpack and arrive at the Sage Room of the hotel (located behind the casino lounge) at 5:30 pm.

Note: The hotel restaurant and meeting room are both non-smoking venues; therefore, you will be in non-smoking rooms during meals and evening programs.

Arrive To: Please check into hotel between 3:00 4:45 PM. Welcome Reception will be held in the Sage Room, located behind the Casino Lounge, and will begin at 5:30 PM. You will check into the program, receive your name tag, receive your information packet for the week's hikes and have a chance to greet and meet the other participants. Introductions will follow, along with some data about the program, then dinner at approx. 6:15-6:30 pm. Followed by the Orientation Program. Conclude at approx. 8:30-9:00 pm. Please be flexible.....some conditions may require that we change or alter details of our itinerary; we'll keep you informed of any changes and thank you for your cooperation. For any additional information or comments, please contact the program provider at www.gohike.org

Dinner: Dinner will be at 6:15-6:30 pm. Dinners are hearty with Salad, Soup, Bread, Main Course (meat, chicken, fish) along with vegetables and rice, potatoes, or pasta. If you have special dietary needs, you will need to bring special items with you. The hotel kitchen staff cannot accommodate for special meals, other than those already mentioned above. If you have any questions at all, please contact the program administrator at 775-835-8708 or via email at www.gohike.org in advance of the program dates. Dinners are buffet style and you have choices of meat or meatless meals.

Evening: We regularly hold the Orientation Program in the Sage Room, following dinner. However, please be flexible......many outside conditions can determine that we change our schedule, but we will keep you apprised of any changes, if and when they occur. Yoru Orientation Program is a "Must Attend" event and is vital to the understanding of the week's Level 6 Program activities. Please do your best to arrive rested and ready for a busy and great week.

Lodging: Stagecoach Hotel/Casino

Meals Included: Dinner

Note: Return to hotel for dinner instructions and recap of day, then discuss next day's hike(s).

Breakfast: The cafe is open 24 hours daily. Breakfast is anytime you choose, providing you can be ready to depart the hotel at 8:00 AM daily.

Morning: Leaving the hotel at 8:00 AM we'll drive through Hell's Gate and on to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, then to Golden Canyon. This canyon gets its name for the colorful and golden terrain and is a beautiful way to begin the hike. Then traverse under stately Manly Beacon (so named after William Lewis Manly, hero of the Death Valley 49'ers) up and into the Badlands of the Black Mountains, south of the Furnace Creek Wash. You'll have lunch at Zabriskie Point, one of the most photographed sights in Death Valley (a place that most visitors consider a 'must' on their itineraries). After lunch, you'll head down Gower Gulch! You'll hike thorugh this water-carved canyon up close and personal.....see the geological features, color, and the various exploratory borax mines of the late 1800's. As you exit the canyon, you'll experience a breathtaking view of this magnificant park known as Death Valley! Then hike across alluvial fans to the Golden Canyon parking lot and prepare for the return trip home......this is where you can acknowledge your accomplishments of the day! On this hike, you'll traverse approximately 7+ miles with an elevation gain of about 900'. A stop at Furnace Creek Ranch may be scheduled in during your return trip to Beatty. You will need to carry your lunch and two liters of water on this hike. If you have any special dietary needs, you will need to bring them with you. We're sorry, but we cannot accommodate these requests.

Lunch: Staff will pick up lunches in the morning and transport them for you. Lunch will be while on the hike. You will each be required to carry your sack lunch and a minimum of two liters of water on this hike. You will have lunch at Zabriskie Point.....one of the most beautiful vistas in the Park. About the lunches......Lunch sacks contain the following items: sandwich with meat and cheese, separate bag of lettuce and tomato, bag of napkin/salt/pepper/plastic utensils/mustard and mayonnaise, fruit (usually an apple or orange since soft fruits 'crush' in packs), granola bar or similar item, and fruit roll or similar item, and pretzels or similar item. If you are on special diets and require special foods, you will need to bring them with you daily. We cannot accommodate special dietary needs. For more information, contact the program provider at www.gohike.org or at 775-835-8708

Afternoon: Continue hikes; see morning detail of day's hike.

Dinner: Dinner will be at the Stagecoach Hotel Casino. See Day One for details. Dinner is served at approx 6:30 pm daily.

Evening: All participants are asked to attend the beginning of the Evening Programs. At that time, we'll discuss the day's activities and discuss the upcoming day's hikes, elevations, etc. All Evening Program that follow these brief recaps and talk, are optional. You can stay for all or part of the presentations, movies, etc.

Lodging: Stagecoach Hotel/Casino

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Salt Creek to Burned Wagon Point/Mosaic Canyon/Stovepipe Wells Resort, return to hotel for dinner.

Note: We'll make a brief stop at Stovepipe Wells Resort (formerly known as "Bungalette City") to enjoy the views of Death Valley near the Dunes. Then we head back to the hotel; then dinner and prepare for the next day's hike(s). Brief review of today and discuss the next day's hikes.

Breakfast: Completed and ready to depart by 8:00 AM for Death Valley.

Morning: Arrive at Salt Creek, below sea level. During 1849, pioneers arrived in Death Valley. Follow their trail through Salt Creek and beyond. Along the way, look for sights such as, birds, animals, plant life and experience some of the terrain that the lost 1849'ers saw and experienced, and how the Jayhawkers travelled over salt flats and rolling hills to finally arrive at what is now known as Burned Wagon Point. Continuing on we'll take the northern route round-trip to the beginning of the trail, over the mounds and through the trails! All times and itineraries may vary.

Lunch: Sack lunches will be passed out at Stovepipe Wells Village on Bob Eichbaum's original Toll Road into Death Valley. All times and locations may vary.

Afternoon: We'll drive up an alluvial fan to the entrance to this magnificant canyon......one of the most beautiful canyons in Death Valley. This is where you can actually touch and experience 750-million year old marble-like rock!! See the breccia formations, hike through beautiful carved narrows, to dry falls and beyond, and beyond and beyond! This canyon is a geological wonderland with its miles of twists and turns and its striking beauty. This is one of the areas of the park where you can see a variety of plant life and where we have had an occassional sighting of Desert Big Horn Sheep. All times and locations may vary.

Dinner: We'll dine at the Stovepipe Wells Resort restaurant for dinner. This is a special day. After hiking all those miles, prepare for a great dinner at the resort restaurant. Perhaps you'll bring your bathing suit, too! Those wanting to take a dip in the hotel pool are welcomed! There is a $4.00 fee per person for the use of the pool, showers, bathrooms, etc. This includes a towel, as well. You'll need a bathing suit and personal toiletries. There is no need to "dress up" for dinner here.....everything is very casual and they are used to having "hikers and travellers" in the restaurant. (Of course, shoes and shirts are required.) Bottom line, after a good day of hiking, here's a chance to dip into the pool, cool down, shower, change clothes and have a relaxing dinner in another historic location of Death Valley National Park. Learn about Bob Eichbaum and his endeavors to bring tourism to Death Valley and the successes over the years. Selected menu choices will be made in advance. All times and locations may vary.

Evening: No formal evening program. Brief talk at the restaurant to prepare for the next day's hiking schedule. Back to Beatty for a good night's sleep!

Lodging: Stagecoach Hotel/Casino

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: We'll return to the hotel and meet for a recap of the day and discuss tomorrow's hikes and itinerary. Dinner, then a night off and get ready for the next day's hike.........this is the last big hike of the week and you can take time to prepare and get a good night's rest!

Breakfast: Completed and ready to depart by 8:00 AM.

Morning: Hike up a rugged alluvial fan into Jayhawker Canyon and head for the springs where there are several Native American petroglyphs, along with inscriptions from some of the early pioneers. Some participants will choose to stop and have lunch there, or continue beyond into a canyon where you'll see the black volcanic narrows and have lunch at that stop. This is believed to be the route that the Jayhawkers of 1849 took to finally leave Death Valley and make it to civilization. Return the same route, "in-and-out" hike.

Lunch: Hikers will carry their lunches and water with them on the hike. See morning session for details on locations.

Afternoon: The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (also known as the Death Valley Sand Dunes) are located near Stovepipe Wells Village. Hike to "Star Dune" the tallest dune in this dune system, and go through the dunes if you want still more hiking; fantastic 360 degree views of not only the sand dunes, but the mountains beyond that helped to create them. Identify a wide ariety of animal tracks including those of insects, mammals, birds, and reptiles. The beautiful afternoon shadows are a great way to wrap up the day's hikes and avail yourselves of the wide array of photo opportunities. Return to hotel. All times and locations may vary.

Dinner: Dinner will be at the Stagecoach Hotel/Casino unless otherwise noted.

Evening: There is no evening program tonight! BUT, we do have a variety of movies to watch in the meeting room, from geology, natural history, to the old ranger's "Death alley Days"! This is a chance for everyone to take time to relax, watch movies, wash out those "dirties", read, meet with other participants, walk the town of Beatty.....just do whatever it is you wish to do, relax and have an evening off to prepare for the big, big hike of Thursday! Some participants head for local restaurants for a change of pace, or have dinner and head for their rooms! You choose.

Lodging: Stagecoach Hotel/Casino

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The Final Day's Hike! We've been building you up to this finale and will announce the details on the evening prior, saving some of the best for last!

Note: The location of this hike is determined upon group's hiking skills, weather factors in the Park during this week and road conditions. Please be flexible regards all planned itinerary events. This is a grand-finale day to your week and we work hard to be sure to have a well-planned hiking agenda throughout the week, culminating in a spectacular concluding hike!

Breakfast: Completed and ready to depart by 8:00 AM for Death Valley.

Morning: This is what you've been working for all week! This physically challenging hike is at Wildrose Peak! Hike to the top and look East to Badwater, then look West to Mount Whitney......the tallest mountain in the lower 48! Magnificent vistas! (providing weather cooperates!). This higher elevation hike begins at 6,900' and reaches approximately 9,100' and you'll be among pine trees in Death Valley! This is truly a fabulous way to end your hiking experience in Death Valley National Park! Some of the most fantastic views of Death Valley can been seen from this location. Some comments from past participants have been that this was one of the most exhilarating and fulfilling hikes they've ever done! Remember, of course, that all times and locations can change due to weather, etc., but you will have a great final hike!

Lunch: Hikers will carry lunch & water on hike.

Afternoon: Continue hike. See Morning hike description.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: A special surprise evening program is planned for you in the meeting room at the hotel at 7:30-7:45 pm. This is a must and you won't want to miss it! We'll also talk about the Friday, lunches, depatures, etc. We will be making a stop at the historic Furnace Creek Inn on Friday, so we'll discuss those details as well.

Lodging: Stagecoach Hotel/Casino

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart hotel in the morning and head to the Park, or other location (dependent on weather, etc.). Part of the group will head back to Las Vegas in the vans and the others will head to their next destinations on their own. Lunch included, if desired.

Note: Make a last stop in the Park for a non-hiking event......tour the Furnace Creek Inn on your own, or head to the Visitor Center, stop at the Harmony Borax Works site or Museum, see some of the sights that have been "eluding you" throughout the week. Enjoy your last look in the Park, then program concludes and we all head home, or to the airport. Those in the shuttle to Las Vegas will have their lunch enroute; others will have theirs enroute to their next destination, too, if desired.

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room.

Morning: We'll leave the hotel in Beatty for our last stop at the Furnace Creek Inn for a glimpse into its design, grounds and history. The Furnace Creek Inn is known as the "Oasis of Death Valley". It's a fabulous hotel with a rich history to match its grandeur! How was it built? When? Why was it located here? ......Who are some of its famous guests? Where does the water come from to support this resort? Spend a little time wandering its lush grounds and visiting its lobby and gift shop. Then prepare to leave the program. The shuttle vans will depart for Las Vegas no later than 1:30 pm and they'll go through Death Valley Junction and Pahrump, NV enroute to the McCarran Airport Rent-A-Car-Center in Las Vegas. Participants driving their own vehicles will depart the from the Inn and head for their next destination.

Lunch: Lunches will be provided for all who complete the program on Friday, including the stop at the Furnace Creek Inn; this stop concludes the program. Those leaving the program early and not going to the Inn will be responsible for their lunch enroute to their next destination. We wish each of you a safe journey to your next destinations!

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch