Some of the rocks are so spectacular you won't get tired of them. My personal favorites, Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Sipapu Bridge(in Natural Bridges NM), Balanced Rock, 3 Gossips, Goblin Valley. My very favorite Arch is Double Arch in Arches(not to be confused with Double O Arch). Do not allow the boys to miss those in Arches. And you really don't get the full effect unless you walk up to them and under them.

Cateract Canyon would be real white water trip. If you do it, I think it would be best to do it on a 2-3 day rafting trip. I haven't done it, but I may go back and do it in 2012 or 2013 with my nephew. I did do a 4 day rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and it was really cool. The canyoneering is awesome, better than the rafting in my opinion. You might also check out a flight over Canyonlands. Slickrock Air does that. One of the pilots is a retired Chief Ranger of Canyonlands. We got lucky enough to fly with him and he can point out everything. The Confluence of the Green and Colorado River from the air is pretty cool, plus many arches.

You guys are busy - thanks for covering both posts! The boys are pretty much set on an all day canyoneering trip, so - unless I can talk DH into it - guess no rafting. I drag them whitewater rafting every chance I get - the canyoneering will be more exotic/exciting, so I can't blame them. It's good to know that Delicate Arch starts off uphill - that's encouraging. I'll look into a flight - that's a good idea.

Bellhouse,

The rafting is not describing 1 or 2 rapids, as in a quantity. They are describing "class" of rapids. 1 or 2 is hardly enough to get excited over - which for first-timers is probably just about right.

Rapids are rated from Class I to Class V (I think maybe even Class VI, but I wouldn't want to go THERE). Cataract Canyon (on the CO River south of Moab) has rapids in the Class IV category and so does the Grand (Grand Canyon portion of CO River).

Class I or II is just enought to have fun and get a little splashing. All with a life vest of course.

I seem to remember googling a description of Class categories at one time. Try it and see what you come up with!

Have fun!

Here you go!


http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/o...er-rapids2.htm

I was having fun exploring the web site above. Some of the Cataract Canyon Rapids are Class 5. You have to follow the links and read the rapids' names - gotta love those!

Grand Canyon is rated on a different system. 1 through 10 system.

Grand Canyon is rated on a different system. 1 through 10 system.

Grand Canyon is rated on a different system. 1 through 10 system.

Grand Canyon is rated on a different system. 1 through 10 system.

wow that one posted 4 times, it seems that about 1 out of 10 of my post are multiples in the past couple of weeks. and then it always pops up a bunch of errors.

Spiro,

I've had that happen a bit too. I've been having such a bad week, I thought it was me.....

I tend to like class 3 with a few class 4s mixed in - the boys, of course, want all 4s. We've never been anywhere with 5s - or, if we have, I didn't book it! I think we've decided that the boys will go canyeering on their own (I say boys, but the are 18, 21, and 23) and then we will do one of the sightseeing boats. Spiro - your trip is coming up soon, isn't it?

Yes, this trip is just going to be a long weekend trip over Memorial Day. I did Moab 4 years ago the same weekend and didn't find it to be crowded, so hopefully a repeat. My daughter and I went by ourselves last time. This time my wife is going too. The canyoneering is probably the coolest thing we have ever done.

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I think this link will work for pictures my pics of Arches with a little bit of canyoneering. And then in Oregon with a lot of Canyoneering in waterfalls. both times went with Desert Highlights out of Moab. I hope to do Granary Canyon, Medieval Chamber, and Plesiades with them at some point. These are all near Moab.

I think it just posted Oregon. We leave on the 26th. I plan on taking my nephew with me to Moab next summer and do some canyoneering with him then. I'm considering ballooning on this trip. We have never done it. My parents have and said they enjoyed it. They did it at the balloon festival in ABQ.

Did you decide anymore on what to do between Bryce and Moab? There is a ton to do in Utah.

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/v...2f2841c4d4a52e

maybe this will work for Arches

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IatW7FqybsXOQ

I think this one will work. Sorry I'm experimenting on your post.

That one worked except it does both Arches and Oregon. Arches starts at about picture #65. I'll stop now. Sorry.

Your pictures (once i finally got to them! tee hee) were great - but reinforced that the boys will go canyoneering and i will not! I loved the look on your face as you went down the slide rock place at about 30! Thanks! I've tried e-mailing Desert Highlights, but haven't heard back (maybe out of season?), so I'm going to call them. The boys want to do the Medieval Chamber Packrafting trip. The Bryce to Moab thing - we are stopping overnight in Torrey at Austin's Chuckwagon Lodge. That way we have some leeway if we want a little more time at Bryce plus maybe Calf Creek Falls - maybe Anazasi State park (have you been there? what did you think?), plus we have more time the next day for Goblin State Park. I don't think we would have any time for Arches on our way in to Moab - I was thinking of doing that when the boys are on their canyoneering adventure.

We did a brief stop at Anazasi St. park on our recent trip. It is quite small, has a small outside area with ruins. Ok if you need a break, not a destination IMHO.

Just don't let the boys miss Arches. Medieval looks cool. You get to rappel off an arch with two people there. The only negative thing is that a few other guides use that same area, so you might have a few other people there. Sometimes DH isn't quick to repsond. Keep trying and keep calling, you won't regret it. I have been with Herb twice and Matt(the owner) once. The packrafting looks interesting. Haven't been to Anazai ST Prk.