Floating Down the Border

Going where no Semester in the West has gone before, the 2016 Westies took a trip down the Río Grande through Big Bend National Park. As we forded whitewater and rockslides, the boundary between Mexico and the USA dissolved into one incredible river canyon, the Santa Elena. We spent two nights on the river, sleeping out under the dark West Texas skies. Here are a few photos from the excursion for you to enjoy!

Geo Canoe poses before launch

Evan gets on the river a little too early

Hunter and Ysa on the Rio

Thomas gets muddy searching for birds and butterflies

Maggie helps Fields out of a sticky situation

Pulling canoes out at the end of day one

Griffin shows off his mud-based line of hair care products

Maggie, Amanda and Kenzie enjoy lunch break

Whitewater guide Phil explains Entrance Rapid to the Westies

Westies survey Rockslide Rapid

Threading the needle through Rockslide Rapid

Nina and Kenzie approaching Rockslide

Sarah and Elizabeth show off some battle scars from day two

Signe contemplates Santa Elena Canyon

Phil doing some patchwork with a fellow guide

Dawn in the canyon

Paul and Phil shove off on day three

Gardner, Nina, Elizabeth, Maya and Amanda scope out the canyon

Field Manager Ysa gets her sea legs

The end of Santa Elena Canyon

Griffin relaxes after finishing the canyon