Rafting the Grand Canyon

By Contributor - December 6, 2012
  • Whiskey in hand, trip leader Ariel Neill is considered one of the Grand Canyon's top river guides.

    Whiskey in hand, trip leader Ariel Neill is considered one of the Grand Canyon's top river guides.

  • An aerial view of the Colorado River and the rafts' take-out point near Bar 10 Ranch, 300 kilometers downstream from Lee's Ferry.

    An aerial view of the Colorado River and the rafts' take-out point near Bar 10 Ranch, 300 kilometers downstream from Lee's Ferry.

  • A pit stop at Redwall Cavern.

    A pit stop at Redwall Cavern.

  • Billy Shores on the river.

    Billy Shores on the river.

  • Turquoise waters at the mouth of Little Colorado River.

    Turquoise waters at the mouth of Little Colorado River.

  • One of the more easy-going stretches of the river.

    One of the more easy-going stretches of the river.

  • Prehistoric Pueblo Indian granaries in the northern face of Nankoweap Canyon.

    Prehistoric Pueblo Indian granaries in the northern face of Nankoweap Canyon.

  • The rafts sharing a beach with other boats.

    The rafts sharing a beach with other boats.

  • An eddy in the river.

    An eddy in the river.

  • The view downriver from Nankoweap Canyon, at river kilometer 85.

    The view downriver from Nankoweap Canyon, at river kilometer 85.

  • Looking over the Colorado Plateau near Lee's Ferry on the post-float flight back to Page, with 142-meter-high Navajo Bridge in the background.

    Looking over the Colorado Plateau near Lee's Ferry on the post-float flight back to Page, with 142-meter-high Navajo Bridge in the background.

  • Tools of the river guide's trade.

    Tools of the river guide's trade.

  • Billy Shores, the trip's lead swamper.

    Billy Shores, the trip's lead swamper.

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THE DETAILS
Grand Canyon

Getting There

Encircled by Lake Powell, Glen Canyon, and Grand Staircase Escalante national parks, the Arizonan city of Page is a popular jumping-off point for Grand Canyon trips. Its airport is served by Great Lakes Airlines with direct flights from Denver, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. From Page, it’s about an hour’s drive to the raft put-in at Lee’s Ferry.

When To Go

Commercial trips down the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado River run from April through October. The weather can be unpredictable and cold for the first two months of the season, while June and July can be scorching, with temperatures pushing 40°C, which makes the frigid waters all the more refreshing. Monsoon rains in August tend to make the waters brown and muddy and the boating more comfortable.

How To Do It

Sixteen companies hold concessions to guide Grand Canyon river adventures, and the trip options are extremely varied. Wilderness River Adventures is consistently ranked as one of the best. Once you’ve selected an operator, the next choice is between motorized rafts, oar boats, or dories—the beautiful flat-bottom wooden rowboats favored by Grand Canyon legend and environmentalist Martin Litton and still in use by a handful of companies. Motorized rafts tend to be more economical because they carry more clients; they also allow guides to speed through uneventful sections of river and maximize side trips. Oar boats, which a guide pilots and clients paddle, generally take longer and, because of the smaller size of the craft, are more adventurous. Trips range from three to four days to see either the upper or lower half of the Grand Canyon all the way up to 18-day paddling excursions from Lake Powell on the Utah border to Lake Mead, just outside Las Vegas.  –AG

Originally appeared in the October/November 2012 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“The Grandest Adventure”)

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