I'll be in a cast & my trip to Moab is in a couple of weeks. I can't change my dates. Right now, my cast is up to my elbow, but if all goes well, it will be half that size. What activities do you think I'll have to rule out? Anyone else go on vacation w/a /broken bone? Any travel tips?

What did you have planned? I think hiking would be ok still. Might sweat in the cast though. Stinky and itchy.

Many of the hikes in Arches and Canyonlands are on flat enough surfaces that you don't really need to use your arms, so go and enjoy the beautiful place.

If you fly, think about getting a seat where it won't be likely to be hit.


Sorry for your pain, have a great trip anyway.

Do you fly there? Put your arm in a sling, even if you don't need it. This will be a signal for others to be careful with you.

I hope somebody else will be driving. Even if you are feeling fine, it's an additional stress on your arm.

Will the new cast be removable? If it's hot, bring baby wipes to wipe your wrist if it gets sweaty or uncomfortable.

I would rule out activities where you need to hold on with both arms, like riding rocky roads on a 4-wheeler. Will you be able to rest during the day? I guess you'll need it.

And I wish you fun time anyway, and speedy recovery!

Don't go canyoneering. I wouldn't do a hummer tour either.
The flight over canyonlands would be ok. slick rock air, and there is another company as well that does flying tours.
No rafting.

Don't know about Mesa Verde now though. There is a bit of climbing on ladders. I would be fine with a cast, but I know my wife wouldn't.

I hear that Mosquitos really like to get inside a persons cast. LOL.

Do you think rafting is out? We could do a boat tour instead. How about the hummer tour? Wonder about the hot air balloon?

Ya, I do plan to hike.

Good idea about the plane seats. We have two flights each way w/seats reserved. There are 4 of us though so I'll have a pretty good choice.

i was typing (slowly). Nice bulldog!!

Hot Air Balloon would be fine. I think your cast is about 100% sure to get wet rafting.

Not sure which Hummer Tour you are going on. You would probably be ok, but it is a fairly jarring ride that you are going to get thrown around a bit. We did one with Moab Adventure Company. It is the scariest thing I have ever done. I still do not know how they keep from rolling. We did the one that goes up Lions Back and out to Negro Bill Canyon.

So much of rafting depends on how high the water is running, how much the guide expects you to contribute, etc. If you can go - just wrap it with some saran wrap - tape it good and hope to keep it dry.

Other than that - hope you don't use a two handed backhand in tennis?

Thanks dayenu. I won't be driving. We also switched our lodging to a house, fortuitously seems now, in Coyote Trail, which is spacious & looks pretty nice for hanging out. Well, most activities on my itinerary are likely out. Lucky I only see red rock every few years so just being there is a really big deal!

I hope the dr. will put me in a different type cast than I have now. I'll definitely be asking for least restrictive. I think it depends on how well I'm healing.

I can ask the tour people. Maybe there are tours for families w/little kids that aren't as wild. Thanks everyone!

I have "ridden the rapids" by Vail where you could safely have been in an inner tube (and they had the gall to call it Class 3 - when it was more like "glass 3"), and in other places - such as in Costa Rica - where you really had to be on your game in Cat/class 4+ rapids. Again, so much depends on how much water is flowing in/into the river and what stretch they are running, and how the raft is configured, what the guide wants you to do, or not to do, etc etc.

I would absolutely NOT raft; you will need to hold on with both hands no matter how much or how little you do [paddling or not]. The same thing for hummer tour. Any thing that will bounce you around, or jostle you most likely would require you to "hold on" would be uncomfortable and best and impossible at worst.

I went to Mesa Verde for the first time with a broken wrist, so I have been there and done that.

Not sure if you were going to Mesa Verde, but you can do Spruce Tree House tour no problem [nothing to climb], you can also do the Loop Road, and may be able to do Petroglyph Trail.

Correction: Coyote Run, not Trail, as lodging. Thanks again.

thanx debit, specific suggestions are good.

I would use a sling as much as possible. Depending on the type of cast keeping your arm up will reduce swelling.

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Camera. What kind of camera? Practice using it before the trip.

I guess the right hand is more important than the left for taking photos.

You can always do a jetboat tour (not a rafting one). If memory serves, the company I did this with was called "Canyonlands by Night and Day." If it's like the tour I took, it won't jostle your arm around like a rafting ride would and was very good. This one traveled down the Colorado River into the start of Canyonlands National Park, showing lots of interesting stuff along the way.

Agreed that if you go on the same Hummer tour I did (can't remember the name of the guy who did mine), that will yank you around pretty solidly. I definitely can't imagine it being good to take if you have an injury, and like spiro, I found it pretty scary in general (among other things, the guy running it likes to "pretend take chances" and you'll swear he's going off a cliff) -- though it was interesting in its way.

For the hike out to Delicate Arch carry a walking stick in your good hand. There are a couple of areas of slickrock but you should not have to grip anything to hike the trail. The view is worth it at the end. I also hiked the flatter trail out to Landscape Arch. Beyond Landscape, there may be steeper places that might require a handhold.
To keep a cast dry, use a grocery bag and some adhesive tape which you can keep in your pocket until needed.

I have a shoulder injury (rotator cuff tear) and so limited use of my right arm but I can get it wet!

I had no difficulty taking the Delicate Arch hike last week but there were a couple of spots in the Fiery Furnace (ranger led hike) that were a bit of a struggle but not impossible using only one arm.

I think I'm past the swelling mostly. I've had the cast for 2 wks. tomorrow & I'll also be seeing the dr. again. I see him every 2 wks. & if the healing is progressed, each time I'll get a new & less restrictive cast. I don't know what the 3rd cast would be like. I didn't really ask him much as I was in a kind of shock at finding out I had broken bones instead of having a sprain. Still have pain though, but ice packs help a lot & I still elevate & I have 2 more weeks to get well. I'll definitely wear my sling, as I'm very protective of my hand/wrist.

I can hike many of the trails (will research them more, suggestions welcome), probably go to Mesa Verde, go scenic boating, take a scenic flight, maybe the hot air balloon, and go on car tours. I can rest when my family does the rough stuff. Sounds good.

Wish me luck tomorrow! I'll be ready w/questions for doc this time. Thanks!