Questions: Please direct any non-registration related questions you may have about the trip to: David Zeiss, Director of Outdoor Recreation at zeiss@grinnell.edu or 641-269-3816 (please note that Dave Zeiss travels a great deal during the summer, especially the first three weeks of June, so he may not be able to answer questions at this time immediately).

Registration: Registration for the August 2009 trip is now open. Register by contacting Jodi Hansen in the Office of Student Affairs 641-269-3714 or hansen5@grinnell.edu. The $300 registration fee is due within two weeks of sign-up and is non-refundable. Participants will be selected on a first come, first serve basis. Students, please be prepared to give your parent's e-mail address so they will receive a copy of any communications regarding this experience. Participants will receive an e-mail from the GORP Director with more trip details in late July.

Also of note: PFDs are provided free of charge, but if you have your own, feel free to bring it. GORP will provide all backpacks and stuff sacks to trail use. You may wish to bring a small book backpack for the bus ride.

A note on footwear: Trail shoes will be wet the entire trip which is why we recommend canvas sneakers as an affordable alternative that will hold up to water. However, old hiking boots or running shoes are fine as well. The nature of the trails, does not require hiking boots. Campsite footwear generally stays dry, but we like to see camp footwear that can double as trail footwear in an emergency. Open toed footwear such at river sandals are not acceptable.

A note to contact lens users: We strongly urge you to consider wearing eye glasses instead. It is hard to keep contact lenses clean. Although we are aware of many people who have successfully used contact lenses on the trail we are also aware of one very serious eye infection that was most likely related to contact lens use.