 Zion Adventures® has been around since 1996.
Which means we’ve been guiding people through Zion for about 30 years—exploring canyons, watching the weather, learning the nuances of the desert, meeting incredible people from all over the world, and collecting more stories than we could ever fit into just one blog post. This also means we’ve learned a few things. Want to know how it all started? Read Our Story to learn more about the people, ideas, and experiences that shaped Zion Adventures®. Some things we learned through experience. Some came from experienced guides who generously shared what they knew. Some came from the guests we’ve had the privilege of guiding or outfitting. And some simply came from spending a lot of time outside, paying attention, and learning as we went. Some things were learned the hard way. Actually, if we really think about it, many were learned the hard way! Here are a few lessons that have stuck with us: 1. Adventure and safety go hand in hand. Understanding risk is what makes great adventures possible. The goal isn’t to eliminate risk; some risk can not be eliminated. It’s to understand the conditions, prepare thoroughly, recognize what we can and can’t control, and make good decisions along the way. Sometimes the best guiding decision is knowing when to say, “Not today.” That can be a tough call when everyone is excited or when guests have just one day to spend in ZIon. But knowing when to change the plan is a critical part of taking care of people. The canyon will be here waiting for us - and you - another day. 2. The best guides are really good at listening. A good guide knows the area, the canyons, the weather, the equipment, and the variables that come with spending time in the outdoors. A good guide is personable and fun to be around. A great guide needs to know when someone is nervous, when a kid is ready to try something bigger, when a guest needs encouragement…and when someone just needs a snack. Every person who walks through our door brings a different experience and perspective with them. Some are very accomplished adventurers. Some are trying something completely new. Some have all the confidence in the world and others need time to find their footing. A great guide learns to recognize the differences. Sometimes someone needs encouragement; sometimes they need patience. Sometimes someone wants to learn it all; sometimes they want to slow down and just enjoy the view. We’ve learned to listen for all of those things and more. 3. The best plans leave room for the unexpected. Anyone who spends time outdoors learns this pretty quickly. And this is particularly true in the desert. Nature has the last say. Weather changes. Water levels change. Trails close. And conditions change quickly. Being prepared means having a carefully thought out plan. Being experienced means knowing when and how to adjust it. The ability to adapt is just as important as the ability to plan. 4. Sometimes you have to believe in an idea before everyone else does. Not every good idea looks like a good idea at first. When we first came up with the idea to rent gear for people to hike the Narrows, there were plenty of people who told us it wouldn’t work. At the time, it was a pretty basic idea: make it possible for visitors to experience the Narrows by providing the equipment needed to hike more comfortably and safely. Before us, visitors could only hike in the summer when water and air temperatures were warm. Even then, they either water-logged their own boots or stubbed their toes in sandals. Some did hike in fall or spring when air temps were warm, but they couldn’t stay as long as they liked because the water was too cold. Renting equipment was obvious to us. It didn’t sound quite as obvious to everyone else. But we tried it anyway. And a few people rented the gear. Then more people rented the gear. And eventually, Narrows gear rentals became an important way for thousands of visitors to experience one of ZIon’s most incredible adventures with the equipment they need to stay as long as they want. That experience reminds us: Sometimes you have to take a risk if you believe in something strongly enough. Not every idea will become a success. We’ve certainly had our share of failures too. But that’s learning. That’s innovation. 5. The little things matter. High quality equipment. Well-maintained gear. A friendly voice on the phone. A welcoming smile. A guide or outfitter who takes the time to answer one more question. These things might not make it into the vacation photos, but they are an important part of helping guests have the best possible experience. And that matters to us. 6. We never stop learning. You might think that after 30 years, we’d have everything figured out. We don’t. We certainly know a lot more than we did in 1996, but we’re glad we don’t know it all. Zion has a wonderful way of reminding us that we don't know everything. Every season brings new conditions, new guests, new employees, new challenges and new lessons. And honestly, that’s one of the reasons we’re still here. Thirty years later, we’re still learning, still exploring, still laughing, and still occasionally getting a little dirt in places where dirt really has no business being. Thirty years later…. Three decades of adventures. Three decades of relationships and friendships. Three decades of helping people discover places they may have dreamed about visiting for years. We’ve watched families - countless families - experience the desert together. We’ve seen first-time adventurers discover what they’re capable of. We’ve welcomed people back to Zion again and again. And we’ve been privileged to share amazing days with some really amazing people. Some days are challenging, I’m not going to lie. But there are countless moments that remind us why we do what we do. Being up with the sunrise to prepare for a trip. A guest rappelling for the first time. A child feeling empowered. A couple returning Narrows gear and e-bikes glowing about a magical day. A group sitting together at the end of an adventure, happy, tired, and laughing about moments that happened during their trip. These are the moments that live with us. Thirty years later, we’re still learning, still exploring, still laughing and still finding new ways to share this incredible place we call home with you. And we’re still excited to see what comes next. Here’s to 30 years of Zion Adventures® - and to everything it has taught us - and to everything the next adventures have yet to teach us. Comments are closed.
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