Afternoon: Arrive at Salt Lake Plaza Hotel. (rooms may not be ready for check-in until 3:00 PM 5:45 Meet Group Leaders in the assigned conference room. (Check with Hotel Front Desk for assigned conference room) for program registration.

Dinner: 6:00 PM Dinner at hotel JB's Restaurant

Evening: 7:00 - 8:30 PM Program introductions and orientation

Lodging: Plaza Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Travel to Capitol Reef National Park with stops at Freemont Indian State Park and lunch at "Big Rock Candy Mountain"

Breakfast: Breakfast Buffet in hotel JB's Restaurant.

Morning: Load bus with luggage Travel to Fremont Indian State Park. Explore Museum and Rock Art of the people occupying the area until 1,200 AD. During construction of Interstate 70 in the early 1980's, ruins from a large ancient Fremont Indian village were uncovered. This museum was built to preserve treasures from the site, including pottery, baskets and arrowheads. The ancient people decorated many nearby cliff walls with unique rock art. Spend time exploring the museum and examining the amazing rock art which is one of the top rock art sites in the southwest.

Lunch: Lunch at the famous Hoover's Restaurant at Big Rock Candy Mountain. Yes, the place you always heard about in the folk song, 'Big Rock Candy Mountain', attributed to Harry 'Haywire Mac' McClintock and made famous in the 1950's recording by Burl Ives does exist! Haywire Mac wrote the lyrics while working in the area as a Brakeman on the railroad. Geologic Information: Located a few miles north of Marysvale in Piute County, Big Rock Candy Mountain consists of altered volcanic rock in various shades of yellow, orange, red, and white. Approximately 22 to 35 million years ago, a cluster of stratovolcanoes (volcanoes similar to Mount St. Helen's) erupted, depositing large volumes of lava and ash. Known as the Bullion Canyon Volcanics, these volcanic rocks are more than 3,000 feet thick. Approximately 21 million years ago, at least six magma bodies intruded the overlying Bullion Canyon Volcanics. Through a complex chemical process involving hydrogen sulphide, steam, ground water, and oxygen, the original volcanic rock was partially altered or totally replaced. The vivid colors that one sees at Big Rock Candy Mountain are the direct result of this mineralization. The yellow, orange, and red colors are from the presence of iron minerals, such as jarosite, hematite, and pyrite. The white color is due to the presence of alunite and kaolinite, minerals rich in potassium. Over the past 15 million years, erosion has removed the distinct shapes of the former volcanoes, and within the past several million years has exposed the altered volcanic rocks in Marysvale Canyon along the Sevier River.

Afternoon: Continue traveling to Capitol Reef National Park, check into Capitol Reef Resort and settle into rooms. Meet our expert Hopi Potter, Alice Dashee and learn of the Hopi Traditions of pottery making then receive an overview of the week-long pottery making project.

Dinner: Dinner in hotel's Chimney Rock Restaurant

Evening: In our conference room at the hotel (where all the molding, sanding, polishing and painting of our pottery takes place), learn from our Hopi teacher and expert where your clay was gathered on Hopi lands and the number of filtering and drying processes it has gone through over many days to get it to the point of where you can now work with it. See sample designs and various artistic samples of things you may choose to make during your week.

Lodging: Best Western Capitol Reef Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Receive clay then begin to design and start coiling your 1st pottery project with the help of our Hopi Potter. After lunch, design and start your 2nd pottery project. Finish first phase of molding your two pottery projects by the end of the day.

Note: You will get clay on your hands and clothing, but this will wash out fine.

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel restaurant

Morning: Receive clay and start coiling 1st pottery project into something you desire while learning about the traditional ways of Hopi Pottery Making from our expert guide. Alice Explains: 'Working with the clay becomes very spiritual, because you are taking a part of Mother Earth in every process of the pottery making, from collecting the clay, straining, molding, sanding, polishing, painting, and the final process of firing. Only natural materials are used throughout the process. The pottery is formed through hand coil upon hand coil, formed and molded into various shapes and sizes. The pottery must be completely dry. It is then scraped, sanded to a smooth surface using white sand stones, which gives the pottery its final shape. It is polished to a nice smooth and polished shine, using small river rock. Then it is designed and painted, using natural dye made from local plants and natural clay rocks of various color, utilizing small brush made from the narrow slender leaf of the Yucca plant. The designs come from the various Hopi clans; such as: the Sun, Eagle, Water, etc. and much by inspiration. Sheep manure is used in the final phase of firing. Fire clouds are considered beautiful and have spiritual significance with the uneven heat.' Alice feels she has been blessed with this beautiful talent for which she is grateful, and she loves to share her talent with those who want to know more about the traditional art of Hopi pottery.

Lunch: Break for lunch

Afternoon: Start on 2nd pottery project and spend the afternoon working on both pottery projects

Dinner: Take a break from your pottery projects and have dinner at local restaurant.

Evening: While finishing the 1st phase of molding your pottery, learn of the fascinating 275 million year old geologic history of Capitol Reef National Park with a geology professor during his DVD presentation. Complete the molding process of your pottery projects by evening's end.

Lodging: Best Western Capitol Reef Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

While our pottery dries, take a fascinating field trip into Capitol Reef National Park and explore the geology, the first Mormon Settlers, the one-room school house, Griffin Homestead, Fremont Indian rock art and enjoy an optional hike to Hickman Bridge.

Note: The optional 2.5 mile round trip hike to Hickman Bridge is one of the highlights of Capitol Reef. It is a large, elegant natural arch (measuring a span of 130 feet and 125 feet in height) and is located in a scenic side canyon far above the Fremont River. It is surrounded by the great white domes of Navajo sandstone that characterize the national park.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel restaurant

Morning: Field Trip to Capitol Reef National Park Visitors Center. Learn how geologic forces made this amazing National Park with an expert-led geology discussion with a Park Ranger. The Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long wrinkle in the earth's crust known as a monocline, extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain to the Colorado River (now Lake Powell). Capitol Reef National Park was established to protect this grand and colorful geologic feature, as well as the unique natural and cultural history found in the area. Geology The Waterpocket Fold defines Capitol Reef National Park. A nearly 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust, the Waterpocket Fold is a classic monocline: a regional fold with one very steep side in an area of otherwise nearly horizontal layers. A monocline is a "step-up" in the rock layers. Cultural History The area of Capitol Reef National Park has been a homeland to people for thousands of years. Archaic hunters and gatherers migrated through the canyons. Fremont Culture solidified around 500 CE, from food foraging groups, to farmers of corn, beans and squash. Fremont populations peaked in the 1200s. These farmers transformed again in the fourteenth century. Petroglyphs etched in rock walls and painted pictographs remain as sacred remnants of the ancient Indians' saga. Explorers, Mormon pioneers and others arrived in the 1800s. They too left their inscriptions on rock walls. This was their home. Ten Mormon families settled what is now the Fruita Rural Historic District. They planted and nurtured orchards of apples, pears and peaches. Nearly 700,000 visitors enjoy this history annually. Visit the old one-room school house and learn of its history with our Interpretive Park Ranger then discover the Griffin Homestead and Fremont Indian Rock Art

Lunch: Boxed Lunch at picnic area

Afternoon: Drive through the scenic waterpocket fold of the National Park with various photo stops along the way. Then enjoy an optional 2.5 mile round-trip hike to the Hickman Natural Bridge. This is a very relaxing and scenic trail in Capitol Reef National Park. A trail brochure, available at the trail-head, points out 17 things to observe along the hike. Notable among these are an Indian granary, a small natural bridge called Nels Johnson Bridge, and, of course, Hickman Bridge. The Hickman Bridge trail is not difficult and can be completed by any healthy adult or child. No special gear is required other than footwear suitable for walking over rough ground. The hike involves walking approximately 1.2 miles each way over a well maintained trail with an elevation gain of 400 feet. The route will require approximately two hours round trip to complete. Much of the route is exposed to the sun and there is little shade available. Bring your water bottle and a good pair of sneakers or hiking shoes. For those who choose to not go on this hike, you will be shuttled back to the hotel to relax for a couple of hours. After the hikers finish their hike, we will return to the hotel and start sanding our pottery if it has dried properly.

Dinner: Dinner at local restaurant.

Evening: Continue sanding your pottery projects in preparation for polishing and painting the following day.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Polish your pottery with ancient river stones then begin painting your pottery using a paint brush made out of a yucca leaf. Understand various Hopi symbols and other Hopi Clan designs provided as samples of what you can use for your design and patterns.

Note: You may get some paint on your clothing so wear older clothing.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel restaurant

Morning: Polish Pottery with ancient river stones passed from generation to generation in the Hopi Clans. Learn the intricacies of obtaining just the right polish using the right amount of pressure, friction and proper polishing patterns.

Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant

Afternoon: Gain an appreciation of what natural wild plants such as wild spinach and minerals are used to make traditional Hopi paint and how long it takes to make just a small jar of paint. Learn of the various symbols and Hopi Clan designs used for many generations on pottery. Make your own paint brush using a yucca leaf and chewing on the end to make the brush hairs then between your yucca brush and a modern paint brush, begin painting your pottery.

Dinner: Dinner at local restaurant.

Evening: Finish designing and painting your pottery pieces. Then learn about Hopi Corn and the importance it has played in the Hopi Culture for hundreds of years including today. Learn from our expert instructor the process of making the traditional bread called piki which begins as a batter made of blue cornmeal, ash and water greased with animal fat or sunflower oil. It is baked on stones heated by burning pinyon or juniper wood to bake. The same batter can be rolled into balls and cooked in boiling water to make a breakfast dish called bivilviki or monokviki. Hopi wrap corn husks around dough made by combining sugar-sweetened blue cornmeal with ash. The dough bundle is then boiled. Then enjoy the real thing prepared by our Hopi instructors.

Lodging: Best Western Capitol Reef Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Prepare for firing of both pottery projects, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Between the firing processes, learn about the Kachina

Note: The Hopi firing process uses dried sheep manure which will make clothing smell. Hence wear old clothing this day.

Breakfast: 7:00 - 8:30 Breakfast at hotel restaurant

Morning: Prepare for the 1st pottery firing. Learn of the importance of the Hopi traditional process using sheep manure and how this gives the pottery the beautiful tan color when finished. Then begin firing. While your pottery is firing (about a 3-hour process) Learn of the Hopi Kachina. Within Hopi religion, the kachinas are said to live on the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona. The most important Hopi kachinas are called wuya. Among the Hopi, Kachina dolls are traditionally carved by the uncles and given to uninitiated girls at the Bean Dance (Spring Bean Planting Ceremony) and Home Dance Ceremony in the summer. The function of the dolls is to acquaint children with some of the many kachinas. In Hopi the word is often used to represent the spiritual beings themselves (said to be connected with the Fifth World, Taalawsohu), the dolls, or the people who dress as kachinas for ceremonial dances, which are understood to all embody aspects of the same belief system. Among other uses, the kachinas represent historical events and things in nature, and are used to educate children in the ways of life. See paintings of Kachinas and learn from our Hopi Expert Instructor the purpose each Kachina plays in Hopi life traditionally and today.

Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Prepare for and complete 2nd firing as soon as coals have died down from first firing. While this batch of pottery is firing, continue to learn about the Hopi people and culture from our Expert Instructor. When the firing process is complete uncover our final project and admire each others completed Hopi Pottery.

Dinner: Group program finale and dinner at local restaurant.

Evening: Prepare pottery for shipping or package for flights home. Clean up and pack up supplies used during the pottery making process. Boxes, bubble wrap, and tape is provided.

Lodging: Best Western Capitol Reef Resort

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Say our goodbyes to our Hopi Instructor, Alice Dashee. Leave for Salt Lake City. Lunch at restaurant on way to Salt Lake City. Independent departures from airport after 3:00 PM or stay another night on your own at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel.

Note: Load suit cases and pottery boxes into van and U-Haul trailer for departure.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel restaurant

Morning: Pack up van and trailer, say our goodbyes to our Hopi Instructor, Alice Dashee, load the van around 9:00 am and start 4-hour drive back to Salt Lake City.

Lunch: Lunch at restaurant during trip back to Salt Lake City

Afternoon: Arrive at Salt Lake City International Airport around 2:00 PM for those choosing to fly out on Saturday late afternoon or evening. Please book departing flight later then 3:00 PM because there is no guarantee we will make it to the Airport until after 2:00 PM. You are encouraged to relax and stay an extra night at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel and leave from the airport on Sunday. If you choose this option, you might consider a flight after 12:00 noon so you can walk across the street from the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel and listen to the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir's live performance at 9:30 AM Sunday morning (nice casual dress) and you must be in your seat by 9:15 AM. After dropping off any participants at the airport who are flying out Saturday afternoon or evening, the rest of the group will be taken back to the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel for the evening. Individual Hotel Reservations are made by calling Rich Williams, the Hotel Sales Manager (the front desk staff can not offer the special Road Scholar rate of $72 plus tax) at (801) 521-0310. Dinner on your own in hotel JB's Restaurant or local restaurant (many within walking distance of hotel).

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch