Grand Canyon
Nov 20th, 2008 | 06:38 AM
#4
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,880
Likes: 0
4 to 5 days is kind of rushing it and the shorter trips skip all the big exciting whitewater rapids and the famous side-canyon hikes, but you can find something that short on the last quarter of the river.
Here are good 4 and 5 day oar trips that starts at mile 180 or so (Whitmore Wash):
http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/raft...-lakemead.html
http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/raft...mondcreek.html
You can also do a 3 day version of this in a larger motorized raft from the same start point. I think this is the one spirobulldog did (hopefully he will chime in on this thread):
http://www.westernriver.com/trips/grand3day/
I would personally not do one of the shorter trips that start at Diamond Creek (mile 226) as these skip almost all the rapids (this is close to where the river is flooded out by Lake Mead and becomes flatwater). These are basically day trips.
If you can swing a few more days then the really good stuff (30 ft drop rapids like Lava Falls and the big drops like Crystal, Hermit, Horn Creek etc) is upstream on longer trips, with great side hikes. I think you need at least 8 days for one of these in a motorized large raft, 13 days in a smaller oar raft. Here are two companies I would recommend for those kinds of trips:
http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/
http://www.azraft.com/
I've done three of these trips and they are great if you have the time and money.
Bill
Here are good 4 and 5 day oar trips that starts at mile 180 or so (Whitmore Wash):
http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/raft...-lakemead.html
http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/raft...mondcreek.html
You can also do a 3 day version of this in a larger motorized raft from the same start point. I think this is the one spirobulldog did (hopefully he will chime in on this thread):
http://www.westernriver.com/trips/grand3day/
I would personally not do one of the shorter trips that start at Diamond Creek (mile 226) as these skip almost all the rapids (this is close to where the river is flooded out by Lake Mead and becomes flatwater). These are basically day trips.
If you can swing a few more days then the really good stuff (30 ft drop rapids like Lava Falls and the big drops like Crystal, Hermit, Horn Creek etc) is upstream on longer trips, with great side hikes. I think you need at least 8 days for one of these in a motorized large raft, 13 days in a smaller oar raft. Here are two companies I would recommend for those kinds of trips:
http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/
http://www.azraft.com/
I've done three of these trips and they are great if you have the time and money.
Bill
Nov 20th, 2008 | 08:16 AM
#5
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,977
Likes: 0
We have been down the GC in boats twice, once with Arizona River Runners and the second time with Hatch. Both were excellent. Good guides, good equipment, good food, safety stressed at all times. One voyage was from Lees Ferry to Lake Mead, and the other was from Lees Ferry down past Lava Falls.
Other than the possibility of catching a cancellation, you should plan ahead months and months. Some canyon boat trips are booked a full year in advance.
The National Park Service issues only a limited number of passages through GC. Nobody can simply stick a boat into the river and go. No way. This waterway is severely controlled, as you may already know.
Other than the possibility of catching a cancellation, you should plan ahead months and months. Some canyon boat trips are booked a full year in advance.
The National Park Service issues only a limited number of passages through GC. Nobody can simply stick a boat into the river and go. No way. This waterway is severely controlled, as you may already know.
Nov 20th, 2008 | 01:28 PM
#6
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,443
Likes: 0
We did a three day trip with Arizona River Runners. This trip started and ended in Vegas. They do 3 and 4 day trips and longer. VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE with them!!!
You fly from Vegas to Bar 10 Ranch in a small airplane and land on a very crooked dirt runway. You spend the afternoon riding 4 wheelers, shooting skeets, playing horseshoes, etc. They serve lunch and snacks upon your arrival, and then a very good roast beef for dinner. You may or may not have a choice of where to sleep, depending on how many people are there. The night we were there our rafting company was the only one using the place, but at times there may be several companies using it. We had a choice of sleeping outside in a covered wagon, or inside in bunkroom situation where girls sleep in one section and guys in another. I believe there were a couple of additional rooms. We slept in the covered wagon and it was great. They have 7 or 8 young people there that help you and server your meals and provide entertainment. They are all very nice. They have roast beef every single night the entire summer, so they it is done right, they have plenty of practice. They served us watermelon after dinner and even made an anniversary cake for a couple that was celebrating. They didn't find out about this until a couple of hours before and they made the cake without the couple's requesting it.
The next morning you eat breakfast and get an early helicopter to the bottom of the Canyon Floor. This take about an hour to get everyone to the bottom. The flight is a short 5 minute one, but is a heck of a flight. You then load everything up and you are off rafting by 9 or 930. You stop seveal times, including eating lunch, looking at petroglyphs, hikes, playing in waterfalls, jumping off cliffs. That night they served us spaghetti, french bread, and salad. The noon meal was gourmet sandwichs and snacks. They have every condiment you can imagine. Even Nutella for a PBJ sandwich. There is people from many countries and all ages on this type of trip. Our group had two rafts and about 25 people. You sleep out in the open or in a tent. Noone on this trip slept in a tent.
The next morning we had french toast and were off again. That afternoon you meet up with a jetboat and get on it to go across lake mead. You then bus back to Vegas crossing Hoover Dam.
Meals were very good. Toilet was interesting. There were 5 guides for 25 people. Sleeping in the Canyon is amazing. It is hard to describe the stars. The only negative thing I would say is that I like my drinks cold. They drag the cans in the water alongside the rafts and that is how they are kept cold. Well, they are cool, not cold. I would not want to do this trip in the heat. Go early! A 3 or 4 day trip would be plenty for me, it might be good to do one like this first. These are very big rafts and you don't really notice the rapids much. The water is very very very cold. Great Trip.
You fly from Vegas to Bar 10 Ranch in a small airplane and land on a very crooked dirt runway. You spend the afternoon riding 4 wheelers, shooting skeets, playing horseshoes, etc. They serve lunch and snacks upon your arrival, and then a very good roast beef for dinner. You may or may not have a choice of where to sleep, depending on how many people are there. The night we were there our rafting company was the only one using the place, but at times there may be several companies using it. We had a choice of sleeping outside in a covered wagon, or inside in bunkroom situation where girls sleep in one section and guys in another. I believe there were a couple of additional rooms. We slept in the covered wagon and it was great. They have 7 or 8 young people there that help you and server your meals and provide entertainment. They are all very nice. They have roast beef every single night the entire summer, so they it is done right, they have plenty of practice. They served us watermelon after dinner and even made an anniversary cake for a couple that was celebrating. They didn't find out about this until a couple of hours before and they made the cake without the couple's requesting it.
The next morning you eat breakfast and get an early helicopter to the bottom of the Canyon Floor. This take about an hour to get everyone to the bottom. The flight is a short 5 minute one, but is a heck of a flight. You then load everything up and you are off rafting by 9 or 930. You stop seveal times, including eating lunch, looking at petroglyphs, hikes, playing in waterfalls, jumping off cliffs. That night they served us spaghetti, french bread, and salad. The noon meal was gourmet sandwichs and snacks. They have every condiment you can imagine. Even Nutella for a PBJ sandwich. There is people from many countries and all ages on this type of trip. Our group had two rafts and about 25 people. You sleep out in the open or in a tent. Noone on this trip slept in a tent.
The next morning we had french toast and were off again. That afternoon you meet up with a jetboat and get on it to go across lake mead. You then bus back to Vegas crossing Hoover Dam.
Meals were very good. Toilet was interesting. There were 5 guides for 25 people. Sleeping in the Canyon is amazing. It is hard to describe the stars. The only negative thing I would say is that I like my drinks cold. They drag the cans in the water alongside the rafts and that is how they are kept cold. Well, they are cool, not cold. I would not want to do this trip in the heat. Go early! A 3 or 4 day trip would be plenty for me, it might be good to do one like this first. These are very big rafts and you don't really notice the rapids much. The water is very very very cold. Great Trip.
Dec 5th, 2008 | 10:56 AM
#7
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
A good place to start with planning a Grand Canyon trip is to get information. Even though all the companies are great, they offer very differnt trips in regards to craft, length, start and ending locations. A good place to start is this article
http://www.ehow.com/how_4511365_book...raft-trip.html
Also, to save a lot of leg work searching for trips you might try www.rivers-oceans.com they work with all the outfitters and know all the trips and canyon intimately. At no cost to you they can help you find the right trip.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4511365_book...raft-trip.html
Also, to save a lot of leg work searching for trips you might try www.rivers-oceans.com they work with all the outfitters and know all the trips and canyon intimately. At no cost to you they can help you find the right trip.
