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You are one of our valued guests at Dreamland Safari Tours. Thanks for being along for the adventure.
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Hello again to all you hikers, explorers, and backcountry enthusiasts whose love of the desert Southwest makes our ongoing outdoor endeavors possible! We’re still doing what we do best here in Utah and Arizona as the summer months march along, and each day’s weather, tours, and overnight explorations bring a plethora of new tales and excellent memories for all of us on the Dreamland staff… and for all of our guests (you!) whom we love to guide to amazing new horizons.
Read on for a taste of summer out West;
from protecting local wildlife
to living it up in a small-town setting,
Dreamland has got it all…
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Being lucky enough to spot a massive California condor riding the thermals or perching on surrounding cliffs has always been a special treat for Dreamland guides and guests alike, and awhile back, our staff had the opportunity to learn more about this amazing raptor from one of the original experts on the long-term rewilding project that has been endeavoring to bring the titanic species back to full strength since 1993. Although the Condor Recovery Program has achieved a significant amount of success since its inception and has had a huge role in increasing the condor population from a mere 22 to well over 500, there is still a long way to go before these magnificent birds will be able to soar free of their longtime endangered status.
In some ways, it has been a losing battle even amongst the wins. Why? Even as captive-bred condors begin to thrive and reproduce independently in the desert wilds of northern Arizona and southern Utah, nearly 67% of condor deaths are caused by yet another man-made, invisible scourge: lead poisoning. Because lead-based ammunition shatters into countless fragments within the body of a hunted animal, and given that condors base their diet entirely upon carrion, they inevitably ingest those fragments with their food and suffer the long-term consequences.
Fortunately, a number of states and organizations have been making inroads to encouraging a switch to copper-based ammunition; California has banned lead ammunition outright, and Utah and Arizona have adopted a voluntary non-lead ammunition program and have been providing hunters with extra incentives to participate. If you’re curious to learn more about current efforts to increase and protect condor populations throughout the desert Southwest, check out this comprehensive overview by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
As a special treat, you can watch the 2022 Condor Release on September 24 - either online via a live-stream, or in-person at the Condor Viewing Site on House Rock Valley Road in Northern Arizona-- a frequent stop on our White Pocket and South Coyote Buttes Tours! Click here for more information.
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Dreamland’s daily adventures & tours are still going strong as we enter the height of the yearly monsoon season, and our guides are masters at rolling with the changes in terrain and itinerary that these much-needed rains can bring. Although Cottonwood Canyon Road is currently impassable and has put our picturesque Grand Staircase tours on hold for the moment, we still have plenty of room to roam throughout our usual stomping grounds. In fact, all of our Vermilion Cliffs tours are more popular than ever, especially since White Pocket and North and South Coyote Buttes are all sporting the ephemeral pools and dramatic skies that make summer treks and desert photography so unexpectedly magical this time of year.
For more insights on appreciating and protecting the truly unique landscape of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, take a look at this informative video narrated by Rachel Carnahan at the Bureau of Land Management (though, to be sure: we do NOT recommend trying to take a Camry out to White Pocket!).
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Small-Town Fanfare… One of the best things about being based in a small (yet historic) town like Kanab is its ambitious schedule of festivals, the crowning jewel of which is the traditional Western Legends Round-Up—a multi-day celebration that rocks our world every August. Designed to celebrate the essence of the “Old West” lifestyle, as well as the many famous movies that were inspired by it (not to mention Kanab’s unique place in Hollywood history), Western Legends delights both locals and tourists alike with its colorful and varied attractions. From visiting movie stars and the infamous Battle of the Bands, to rodeo events, vendor fairs on Main Street, and an honest-to-goodness High-Noon Longhorn Parade through the center of town, this lively event is a great way to make some extra-special memories during your epic adventures out West. If you missed it this time around — festivities for this year just wrapped up this past Sunday evening — don’t worry. Kanab hosts this awesome shindig every single year, and as always, Dreamland will still be running plenty of tours during the round-up to complete your “Wild West” experience.
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Meet the Dreamland Team, Episode 26: Dasher. That’s right, Dreamland has its very own mascot, and if you’ve hiked with us in the last year or two, you may have even been lucky enough to have this handsome husky co-leading your tour. Rescued by Best Friends Animal Society and eagerly adopted by Dreamland co-owners Paul Gagner and Sunny Stroeer, Dasher is a much-loved member of the staff and a frequent presence around the Dreamland office and shop… and beyond. Many a guest has requested a Dasher-guided tour, and as long as the weather is cool enough, this intrepid wanderer is happy to oblige; she loves heading out on tours to the Wave, South Coyote Buttes, and White Pocket during the refreshing temperatures of spring, fall, and early winter. As you can see from her action photos, she even accompanies her human family on camping, canyoneering, and kayaking trips whenever it strikes her fancy: a true adventure-dog. The Dreamland team just wouldn’t be the same without her.
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Here’s what our guests have to say about Dasher:
"Everyone at Dreamland was incredibly helpful! They also had an adorable door greeter, Dasher, upon arrival. Our guide was very informative and passionate about making sure we were able to get the full experience of Coyote Buttes North. I’m so happy that we went with a guide for the experience. It took the anxiety and panic away from the whole day."
"My wife and I did White Pocket. It was just an excellent, super experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area, and while he led the way, he let the 5-person group set the pace. Well worth it all the way around. And Dasher at the office is a great experience in itself!"
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Congrats to Andrea Jasper for winning the photo competition for the cover of our guide-inspired Dreamland 2023 calendar! Well over a hundred votes were collected at the “polls,” and by the end of the campaign, it was a true “photo-finish,” (bad pun intended). Many thanks to everyone who submitted a vote, and of course a huge shout-out goes to all of the guides who submitted their excellent photos for consideration; we couldn’t have made this calendar without your keen eye for desert beauty! Sporting a myriad of tantalizing glimpses into our guides’ daily world, the new calendar is now available to order online, and for purchase at the Dreamland Safari Tours' office in Kanab. Don’t forget to get your copy - the 2022 sold out!
Be bold and keep on adventuring!
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