Located in Easter Utah, USA, Moab is the country seat and largest city Grand County. The city attracts a large number of visitors each year. Most tourists head to Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Known for its world-class mountain biking, Moab also boasts incredible canyoneering routes that take you from carved sandstone slot canyons to ancient ruins and water-filled pools.

There are many outfitters serving the area, but you might want to consider booking with Red River Adventures, who offer guided canyoneering routes, including the moderately easy Ephedra's Grotto and Chamisa Canyon, both of which feature hiking, scrambling and a couple of rappels each. You can pair canyoneering with rafting down the Colorado.

The landscape surrounding Moab, Utah, has many surprises in stores for explorers, such as beautiful water carved canyons you can only reach with the right skills. “Since 2004,” states Red River Adventures' official website, “our professional AMGA certified SPI's have been introducing people to these amazing Moab Canyoneering routes. We back up every rappel on a separate safety system so these trips are for anyone with a bit of fitness and a sense of adventure.”

The most popular adventure is Morning Glory (also known as Ephedra's Grotto). “This 3 mile adventure is only made possible by doing two of the areas best rappels and a bit of scrambling. A step up from your typical hike, yet doable by almost anyone with the help of our incredible guides.” This adventure is rated from easy to moderate difficulty, it lasts from one to two days, it spans over three miles, it has two rappels, and you need to be at least 8 years old to join.

Guides favourite is Chamisa Canyon, which is tight and technical: “this route has potholes, some easy scrambling, rappelling, lots of wading and sometimes a short swim thrown in for fun. This trip is a favourite of our guides. Exploring this water carved sandstone slot canyon is a “cool” thing to do for summer fun.” The level of difficulty is easy to moderate, it lasts from one to two days, the length is 2.5 miles, there are two rappels, you need to be at least 8 years old to join.

The longest route, spanning 5 miles, is called Rock of Ages. “Moab Canyoneering at its best, this route features three rappels a tight ‘slot', potholes, some easy scrambling, views of seldom seen arches, ancient ruins and pictographs. A hike through this route will leave memories that will last a lifetime.” The level of difficulty is from moderate to heard, it takes four to six hours to complete, it has three rappels, and you need to be at least 12 years old to join.

You can also pair canyoneering with rafting, a Red River exclusive. “Spend an unforgettable day with Moab's best guides by combining an AM Morning Glory canyoneering trip with an afternoon of rafting the beautiful Fisher Towers section of the Colorado River.” The difficulty is from easy to moderate, class varies from II to III during May and June. After hiking for three miles, you get to raft for seven miles.

Located in the western Sierra Nevada of California, Yosemite National Park is a United States national park known as one of the best rock-climbing destinations in the world. Covering an area of 747,956 acres, the park is internationally celebrated for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity.

Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1984, the park is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, supporting a diversity of plants and animals. In fact, nearly 95 percent of the park is designated wilderness. With an elevation range from 2,127 to 13,114 feet, the park houses five major vegetation zones: chaparral and oak woodland, lower montane forest, upper montane forest, subalpine zone, and alpine.

While California is home to 7,000 plant species, 50 percent of this figure occur in the Sierra Nevada and more than 20 percent within Yosemite. The park provides a suitable habitat for more than 160 rare plants in the park, with rare local geologic formations and unique soils characterizing the restricted ranges many of these plants occupy.

Yosemite Park attracts nearly 4 million visitors every year, and in 2016 it set a record by surpassing 5 million visitors for the first time in its history. The park takes its name from the Miwok language, meaning “killer”. This refers to the name of a renegade tribe which was driven out of the area (and possibly annihilated) by the Mariposa Battalion. Before that happened, the area was called “Ahwahnee” by indigenous people, which means “big mouth”.

The park is home to the shockingly sheer 3,000-foot Dawn Wall of 7,569-foot El Capitan, the popular 8,839-foot-tall Half Dome, and easier summits such as Washington Column, with its 1,000-foot rout.

If you want to climb the summits, booking a tour with the Yosemite Mountaineering School & Guide Service is your best bet. Ever since the late 1960s, the Yosemite Mountaineering School has guided tens of thousands of climbers, ranging from novice to experts. “Our guides are the only ones authorized to lead and teach climbing at Yosemite National Park. They're passionate climbers, patient teachers and know Yosemite's cliffs better than anyone. Every guide is a wilderness First Responder or holds a Wilderness EMT certification,” states the school's official website.

You need to call the Mountaineering school to make a reservation. Classes are generally seven and a half hours long and start at 8.30am at the Mountaineering School in Half Dome Village or in Tuolumne Meadows.

Lessons options vary from beginners to intermediate and expert levels. The beginner lesson option is called Welcome to the Rock and it costs $172.00. “Designed for beginners, you'll learn the basics, as you begin climbing and repelling at heights up to 60 feet. Our expert guides make it a fun and memorable experience, with safety as the first priority.”

Intermediate lessons are known as Crack Climbing, and they cost $175.00. “The second class in our series focuses on different climbing techniques, expanding on what you learned in the first class. You'll learn the basics of crack climbing, protection techniques and simple anchors. Throughout the day, you'll be climbing and repelling under the watchful eye of our expert guides.”

Another intermediate lesson is called Anchoring and is also priced at $175.00. “The third class in our series is essential for anyone who someday hopes to climb on their own. It's also excellent for helping you assess your partner's abilities and confidence. This intensive class focuses on anchoring techniques, covering top-rope and more advanced anchors. Anchoring is the most fundamental and essential skill for climbing safety.”

The advanced lesson, Leading/Multi-Pitch Climbing, is priced at $215.00, and “will cover leading and multi-pitch climbing. Your expert instructor will teach you the techniques used to get the rope up and continue past one rope length. Once you learn to lead, you'll be the one responsible for orchestrating the pitch, protecting for the follower, aiding moves and leading strategies. It's critical that anyone who hopes to climb without an instructor takes this course.”

Pitchfork Music Festival

is organised by independently focused music source Pitchfork Media, hence the name. This three day event caters to music lovers of every genre, from rock, hip-hop, electronic, jazz, punk, among others. The event is a cultural delight, featuring an exciting fair, food, art, and beverages from local and national vendors.

Union Park, Chicago. July 19–21, 2019.

2018 headliners include Tame Impala, Fleet Foxes and Lauryn Hill. Apart from the headliners, the lineup is varied and out of this world, featuring local as well as international artists: Alex Cameron, Courtney Barnett, Mount Kimble, Big Thief, Earl Sweatshirt, Syd, Julien Baker, Saba, Open Mike Eagle, Julie Byrne, Joshua Abrams & Natural, Information Society, Lucy Dacus, Melkbelly, The Curls, The War on Drugs, Blood Orange, Raphael Saadlq, This is Not This Heat, Moses Sumney, Girlpool, Kaitlyn Aurella Smith, Circuit des Yeux, Zola Jesus, berhana, Paul Cherry, Chaka Khan, DRAM, Noname, Japandroids, (Sandy) Alex G, Smino, Japanese Breakfast, Kelly Lee Owens, Ravyn Lenae, Kweku Collins, Irreversible Entanglements, among others.

2018 marks the festival's 13th anniversary, and to celebrate “the internationally recognized Pitchfork Music Festival presents 40+ acts over the course of three days each summer in Chicago's Union Park. The festival highlights the best in new and emerging music. Since 2006, this independently run festival has consistently proven to be one of the most welcoming, comfortable, reasonably priced, and rewarding weekends of music around,” is written on the festival's website.

“Hosting 60,000 attendees of all ages from 45 states and 26 countries, Pitchfork Music Festival offers a wide array of activities beyond the music. With 50 individual vendors, as well as specialty record and craft fairs, the festival works to support local business while promoting the Chicago arts and food communities as a whole. We maintain a commitment to keeping ticket prices low, providing new and useful amenities, and working with the city's best local vendors each year. Stay tuned for more line-up and festival feature updates.”

The main gate for the event is located on Ashland Avenue, on the west side of Union Park. For all festival attendees, the secondary gate is at Washington Blvd. and Ogden Ave., on the east side of Union Park. Gates open at 12pm, as well as the Box Office, which remains open until 7pm before the festival, and from 11am until 9pm during the festival.

If you are wondering how to get to the festival, here is some advice you should consider. If you are planning on getting there by car, beware that the festival does not provide any parking for festival goers. There are no sanctioned parking lots for public use either in the Union Park area associated with the festival

If you opt for getting there by train, the Ashland stop on the Green and Pink lines is at the northwest corner of the park. If you decide to take a bus instead, the Ashland number 9 bus runs north/south and stops right on the western edge of Union Park. The Madison number 20 bus runs east/west and runs just south of the park, it also runs directly from Ogilvie station and is a short walk from Union Station downtown.

One of the best ways to the festival is by biking as organisers have a spacious and secure bike parking available located near the north gate of the festival.

As Pitchfork Music wants to remain a welcoming summer festival and community, they have a strict code of conduct that runs along the lines of common sense. As an attendee, you are expected to create an enjoyable and accepting environment for your fellow attendees, which includes the duty of speaking out when you see unacceptable behaviour.

The website states, “Pitchfork has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination of any kind, including but not limited to: race, colour, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, and disability status.”

The website also lists what they consider offensive behaviour, which include but is not limited to: “acts of physical assault or battery; verbal abuse' racial or ethnic slurs; groping, sexual assault, or unwanted sexual remarks; stalking; and threatening language.” If any attendee incurs in one of these offenses, they will be removed from the festival.

Commonly known as EDC, Electric Daisy Carnival is an annual electronic dance music festival held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although the event incorporates all kinds of electronic music, the event mainly features electronic dance producers and DJs the likes of Armin van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Yellow Claw, and Tiesto.

Ever since EDC made its debut, it has been a hit, which have prompted its expansion to other venues in the United States and abroad, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, the UK, Brazil, Japan, and India. In 2011, EDC went from being a two-day to a three-day event, that attracted 230,000 people. This figure nearly doubled in 2015, attracting over 400,000 attendees over three days.

Its success continued all up until 2017 when EDC won the Festival of the Year award at the Electronic Music Awards. Today, EDM is a carnival of neon decor and walkabout performers that keeps pulling in a record attendance every year. 2018 headliners included Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix, and Eric Prydz.

“Under the Electric Sky, we come together to celebrate life, love, art, and music,” the organisers stated. “From the stages and the sound to the pyrotechnics and the performers, so many unique elements go into bringing this world to life. We invite you to wander, explore, interact, and connect. Imagination and positive energy are the currency of this place.”

The official website also explains the event's stages and art cars. “Each area contained within EDC represents a distinct union of technology and nature, where elements mix to ignite the senses and inspire the imagination.”

The festival spans over 8 stages: The first one is kineticFIELD, which is described as “always in motion, forever evolving, this sacred space has known homes across the globe, continually transforming itself as much as it has those who experience it. What grand new form will it take this year? Search your heart, for in love lies the answer.”

A second stage is named cosmicMEADOW: “Long known for its lush greenery, stellar views, and bold musical experimentation, this majestic meadow will be transformed into a holy site for enchanted ritual, performed each day in the opening ceremonies of EDC.” A third stage is called circuitGROUNDS: “As much as we worship the night sky, we are rooted to the land on which we dance. We are connected, one to another, to the past and to the future, and to the energy all around us. Look to circuitGROUNDS to spark your passion for epic melodies.”

The next stage is called neonGARDEN: “Here, we grow together, under the glowing light of the crystal moon. Music is our nourishment. The beats are the soil and the soul, as the deepest forms of techno and house take root. Reach for the sky, and let your flowers bloom.” The fifth stage is called bassPOD: “Something massive this way comes. A primal frequency rumbles beneath the foundation of EDC, a harbinger of unforeseen forces that approach. Prepare to be shaken by the purest forms of dubstep, trap, and drum & bass.”

The sixth stage is called wasteLAND: “A savage sound has ravaged this land, laying waste to everything in its path. Do you have the fortitude to survive another onslaught? The harder styles of dance music live here. Come test your mettle.” The seventh stage is called quantumVALLEY: “A new world is about to unfurl - one where the sky has no limits. Welcome to our utopia, where ethereal beats and timeless trances melodies transport you to a higher state of consciousness. This is your destination.”

The last stage is called stereoBLOOM: “Insomniac Records curates a wide array of established and emerging talent on a brand-new stage that brings a club atmosphere to the heart of the desert. Get in on the ground floor of this new music movement.”

The website exposes what they believe in, which is “our values represent the cornerstones of our culture. Rooted in a rich history and future-focused, we are led by principles that define our decisions and inspire us day after day.” They also state that their beliefs are fueled by positivity. “We create unforgettable experiences driven by imagination and positivity, where music and art can inspire transformative moments around every corner.”

The website also stresses the importance of love, care and connection. “Everything we do comes from a place of love, striving to create safe spaces where people can connect on and off the dancefloor.” EDC also cares about inclusivity. “Our community stands for unity, celebrating and welcoming everyone. No matter you shape, size or colour - All Are Welcome Here.”

The event also emphasizes the importance of creativity as the cornerstone of the whole festival. “From the stages to the art, we ignite the senses with relentless creativity. We see no boundaries in what we can create, and neither should you [...] We don't chase trends, we create culture. We push the envelope to make things you've never experienced before.”