Got our Dates: Grand Canyon raft May 2013!

[heathpack]

Believe it or not, if you want the best chance of getting the date you want, you need to send your deposit on 2013 trips by Nov 2011! The pairings of individuals with trips happened Monday & we found out yesterday we got our desired trip for May 2013, which is supposedly the best month to be on the river.

We were very torn on rafting the whole river (long trip, expensive, but you see the whole thing) vs. Half the river (can be done in a week, more affordable, most have to hike in or out Bright Angel trail). We finally settled on the half trip, as we've never done a multiple-day rafting trip (although we've gone camping plenty). Our biggest problem was that Mr. H has bad knees and although he probably *could* hike in or out of the canyon, he really *shouldn't.*

So we found a trip on the lower half of the river where you are helicoptered in at Whitmore Wash and raft down to Lake Mead. The scenery is not as spectacular, as I understand it, but I'm sure we will be duly impressed. Anyway, we figured if we really loved it, we could sign up to do the whole thing some other time. There's no in/out hiking on the whole-canyon trip.

It is crazy though that I now have all my travel planned through May 2013 with the exception on one winter trip Dec 2012-Feb 2013. See what timesharing and rafting will do to you?

H

 

[MommaBear]

Fantastic! This trip is on my bucket list for sure- maybe 2014!

 

[amycurl]

I rafted the Colorado in May when I was 19, doing the one-week trip, and hiking out. Quite the hike out after the end of a fantastic week!

The bonus is that Judge Wapner and his wife were on the trip...but they were doing the full two weeks.

The next day, walking around the rim of the canyon, my legs certainly felt every little uphill!

 

[riverdees05]

Where do you look to find trips and qualified outfitters?

 

[pranas]

Rafting the Colorado River was a great trip. Did it about 14 years ago. We got on the river at Lee's landing. A truck dropped us off there. No need to hike in. We did hike a mile up the canyon to see Phantom Ranch and down again to get back into the raft. Highly recommedn the trip if you like outdoor adventures. if I recall correctly the outfitter's name was Hatch.

 

[heathpack]

We are going with O.A.R.S. A friend who's daughter runs private raft trips in the GC suggested this outfitter as a good bet. They seem to be highly regarded.

H

 

[JudyH]

So cool, everyone I've known who did it loved it. They all said helicopter is the way to go.

 

[MuranoJo]

We're whitewater rafters and always do our own private trips, with this one exception. DH has done the Grand Canyon twice, once with a commercial outfit and once with our extended private rafting group.

Both times I just couldn't afford the time away from work and I really regret somehow not making it happen at the time.

Congrats and I know you'll just love it.

 

[suesam]

This is on my bucket list! I had no idea I would have to book that far in advance. I need to get on it! Time slips away way too fast!!!!!

Sue

 

[Clemson Fan]

Dad almost died on this trip

I did this trip with my Dad in 2001. We left from Lee's Ferry and rafted the whole river and exited on Lake Powell. My Dad didn't make it that far because halfway through the trip in a side canyon (Havasu Canyon) he fell and got caught under a fallen tree under a waterfall. I witnessed him fall and get trapped and I jumped in and swam over that waterfall and I felt myself bounce off his body. When I got up I miraculously found his head lodged under the tree and I tried to push him out against the force of the oncoming water.

Fortunately a bunch of my raftmates joined me by trying to pull him free while I pushed. We did this for about 2 minutes and I thought he was dead and we would never free him in time. Then all of a sudden he popped free. He wasn't breathing, barely had a pulse and was blue. We pulled him to the side of the river and were able to resuscitate him. He was then strapped to a backboard and hiked out of that side canyon which was a feat by itself. When we got back to the Colorado, a NPS rescue helicopter was called in by sat phone and he was airevacuated out. It was too hot and the helicopter couldn't take me also, so I finished the trip.

Amazingly, we had an attorney as part of our boat and he was sitting up on a rock with a good vantage point when all this occurred. He immediately started to take pictures of the whole event. I posted the pictures and the story here:

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1018812656015205431XYbVgbvKja

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1018812952015205431FncXkszMiT

I'm happy to report that my Dad is still kicking and he has 2 grandkids from me that he's nuts about.

I'd like to do that trip again with my kids when they are old enough.

 

[planada]

There are not many trips I would "do over" just because there are so many OTHER TRIPS I want to take! I would do a raft trip down the Colorado again in a heartbeat. We hiked into Phantom Ranch and rafted 5 days to Peach Springs. The 1st day out of Phantom Ranch are the most intense of the rapids. The rest of the trip we had rapids everyday but not like that 1st white knuckle day! We used Diamond River Adventures (mainly because they provided the alcohol) We would have had to pack it in ourselves otherwise. Hands down one of our favorite trips. We went with a group of 14 and met 14 others that we still keep in touch with annually.(2 Pontoon boats) Enjoy.........You will LOVE IT!