IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting Spring 2023, all non-driver trip participant spots will be selected at random due to high demand. Links will accept sign-ups until 12AM Sunday.
A nice weekend getaway to the desert filled with gorgeous hikes, sunsets on sand dunes, chill car camping, spectacular stargazing and good vibes! Saturday we'll bop around the park including Badwater Basin, Artist’s Palette, and a natural bridge. After our day of exploring, we'll head to the sand dunes for sunset and then back to our campsite for dinner, campfires and s'mores. We'll wake up bright and early Sunday to go for some chill hikes and check out where lots of Star Wars scenes were filmed!
PACKING LIST:
Sleeping bag + pad
H2O — 2-3 full liters per person! hydration is cool
Mess kit (plate/bowl/utensils)
Hiking shoes & clothes
Layers! It gets cold in the desert at night!
Toothbrush & general life items
Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
WE WILL PROVIDE:
Loaner gear for anyone who doesn’t have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.
Tents
Meals & snacks (Saturday lunch - Sunday lunch)
PROFESSOR: Garrett Reisman
DEPARTMENT: Astronautical Engineering
As a former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman is truly an ~out of this world~ professor. Dr. Reisman flew on all three Space Shuttles, spending a cumulative 107 days in space, including 3 spacewalks. After leaving NASA in 2011, he joined Elon Musk at SpaceX where he served as the Director of Space Operations. In 2018, he stepped down from his full time position at SpaceX to teach astronautical engineering at USC but continues to support SpaceX as a Senior Advisor. He is also the Technical Consultant for the Apple TV+ series, "For All Mankind", an alternate-history sci fi series available for streaming now and half of the '2 Funny Astronauts' podcast with Astronaut Mike Massimino, a popular new podcast featuring behind the scenes true stories about flying in space.
You can read more about Dr. Reisman at his website https://www.garrettreisman.com/ !
PEAK: Death Valley
DIFFICULTY: 3/5
SCENERY: Hottest, driest, lowest national park! Sand dunes, rocks and desert!
FUN FACT: The Tatooine scenes in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi were filmed in Death Valley!
TRIP LEAD: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Looking for some ~cool~ people to explore this not-so-cool park with!
Contact NAME: kellyf@usc.edu
Read Kelly’s bio here!