Check out the March 2009 issue of National Geographic Adventure, which highlights domestic adventures in Deer Hill’s “backyard”, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Their “Best of the Southwest” cover story highlights 20 of the top adventures in our area. From paddling the Colorado River, to exploring Moab’s redrock landscapes, to seeking out petroglyphs carved in New Mexico cliffs, to hiking remote canyons in Southwestern Utah that are only accessible by boat, many of these experiences are part of our summer programs for adventurous teenagers.

This issue of Nat Geo Adventure also includes a fascinating article, written by David Roberts, about a journey to Arizona’s incredible Canyon de Chelly: “a Four Corners anomaly: a Navajo stronghold in a national monument … one of the most sacred locales in the Navajo universe. This was the dwelling place of Spider Woman, who taught the Navajo to weave and who gave the Hero Twins the power to overcome monsters”.

Roberts description of Canyon de Chelly is spot on: “To my mind, Canyon de Chelly is far more appealing than the Grand Canyon and, thanks in large part to the Navajo, far more evocative of ancient mysteries. The labyrintine folds give the place a certain intimacy, yet its clean, soaring cliffs of orange sandstone proclaim the sternness of a fortress.”

Many tourists are surprised to hear that the canyon is actually occupied by around 500 Navajo. In fact, for many years Deer Hill groups have been engaging in cross-cultural service deep in the Canyon with a family of Navajo farmers, who are harnessing the power of the Arizona sun for electricity, and working with the land according to sustainable principles.