My Grand Canyon Rafting Trip August 2000

River Day 7 Saturday 8/26/2000:

Our last moments together on this trip...

We took some group photo’s before we got underway, had a bit of extra time with a later start – time to chat & remember the week. Seemed like we had been together for a long time.

We shared email addresses & promised to stay in touch… Which we did for a while... at least long enough to share some trip photos back & forth.

Departed:  We left camp 6 after some extra packing – splitting back out all the ARR gear (bed-rolls, sleeping bags, pillow etc) from our personal stuff.  

Final River Stop :  (Mile 188)

We stopped at our pick-up point at Whitmore Wash to await the helicopters. It took about an hour to complete the trips.
 
I was on one of the later trips since I was heading back to Marble Canyon Lodge - and didn’t have a connecting flight to meet in Las Vegas.

It was time to say goodbye to the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon - for now...

Helicopter:       

We arrived by helicopter at Bar 10 Ranch – about a 15 minute trip straight up towards the North rim, pretty wide-open country. Spent about an hour waiting for my flight by buying some souvenirs, drinks, candy. Oh to be back in civilization…

Plane:

Drove out by truck to the airfield and aboard a small plane (~ 8 seater) for the flight back to Marble Canyon Lodge. Fantastic views on a gloriously clear day as we skimmed across the expansive north plateau not quite at the rim. Crossed over some deep long canyons headed down towards the river. We could see for a huge distance all around.

Car:   

I decided to head straight home from Marble Canyon Lodge, In hindsight I should have stopped for a shower & change of clothes, like Steve & Tary did, because I got mighty “saddle sore” on my drive home due to the sand etc. A lesson for next time!

Home:

Boy was it weird being back home…! seemed like I’d been gone for about a month. Very nice to have a hot bath and a real bed to sleep in though…

Recommendation:

I recommend Arizona River Runners as an outfitter based on my experience, good gear, good food, great boatmen and good stewards of the canyon.

I used a book: "The Colorado River In Grand Canyon - A Guide" By Larry Stevens which is a guide to Canyon Geology, Natural & Human History, Flora & Fauna and a mile-by-mile Colorado river map/guide - highly recommended.

Rafting the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is a great lifetime experience - I hope to do it again with my kids - when they are old enough to fully appreciate it. Its the kind of place that makes you slow down & think, you can feel natures power in a very real way - in the impossibly twisted rocks, in the power of the rapids, in the depth & enormity of the canyon. Indeed  its enough to make you feel insignificant - yet you just feel privileged instead...

Oh what a special place!                 I have no doubts that I will return here again.

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