Grand Canyon Whitewater Rafting Trip
August 3-12, 2017
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The Lower Grand Canyon 9 Day Whitewater Rafting Trip
Pipe Creek Beach to Lake Mead. A Colorado River White Water Rafting Trip through the lower Grand Canyon is the ultimate American Epic Adventure! Our private group of 4 boats of six each is an extremely rare opportunity! The self-bailing paddle boat is smaller than the oar boats providing quick response and an unmatched ride. Since it carries no camp gear or metal frame, only the day's few necessities, it is the "sports car" of the river. It is the ideal Bucket List trip for a Christian Adventure person because
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Please Click here and read the detailed information from Outdoors Unlimited about our trip. It has vital details about the trip, transportation, packing lists, forms to be filled out, etc. |
COST: For price details and physical qualifications necessary for this trip, please contact Adventure Sports Pastor and trip leader, Greg Weisman. Text/call (916) 847-4734 or email at [email protected]
There is very limited space left on this trip. Please register as soon as possible to insure you can enjoy the Grand Canyon! Registration is not complete until payment is received (please follow all instructions). The "registration and information form" button will re-direct you to a contact page for the BAS travel agent, Paula at Ships and Trips. Please fill out that form (note which trip you are interested in) and Paula will email you the link for appropriate forms and payment information. Ask Paula for an insurance quote to cover for baggage protection, cancellation fees, emergency evacuation and medical expenses
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Concerned about how safe this trip is? Please remember that there is always inherent risk in white water rafting, especially in a wilderness setting like the Grand Canyon. But Outdoors Unlimited has been in business for 45 and has an amazing safety record. They carry a satellite telephone, ground-to-air transceivers, complete first-aid kits, and their staff is qualified in intermediate, advanced or EMT levels of wilderness first- aid. Good equipment, the best of guides, and responsible passengers are the key ingredients in the maintenance of their excellent record. Anyone participating should be in good physical condition and review the information on the rafting requirements and hikes (we can help you determine your fitness level and suggest a training regimen).
A principle to remember when we are talking about any of these adventure sports, "If you treat it as dangerous and are therefore cautious and respectful of the environment, it is really quite safe. If you treat it as safe and you don't stay aware of your surroundings and potential risks it becomes extremely dangerous."
Thousands of people raft the Grand Canyon every year! Let's prepare for our adventure with physical training (click here for a good article on some tips for getting into shape for this type of trip) with proper respect of God's magnificent creation!
A principle to remember when we are talking about any of these adventure sports, "If you treat it as dangerous and are therefore cautious and respectful of the environment, it is really quite safe. If you treat it as safe and you don't stay aware of your surroundings and potential risks it becomes extremely dangerous."
Thousands of people raft the Grand Canyon every year! Let's prepare for our adventure with physical training (click here for a good article on some tips for getting into shape for this type of trip) with proper respect of God's magnificent creation!
DESCRIPTION: Day 1 of your Lower Grand Canyon whitewater rafting trip begins with a hike down the beautiful Bright Angel Trail from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to Pipe Creek Beach (one mile below Phantom Ranch), where you'll be served lunch at the river. The whitewater rafting trip starts with a whirlwind of rapids on this section beginning in the heart of the ancient rock of the Upper Granite Gorge. All of the paddle boats feature the latest in whitewater rafting technology. Our guide service runs only self-bailing Avon Expeditions, custom designed for Outdoors Unlimited for use in the Grand Canyon. You will plunge through the mountainous waves of Horn Creek, Granite, and Hermit rapids on your first afternoon. Infamous Crystal rapid and the rest of "The Gems" follow the next morning with Deubendorff, Upset and Lava Falls awaiting us in the days to come.
Whitewater rafting is only part of the story on this lower stretch of the Grand Canyon. The Canyon is criss-crossed with hundreds of side canyons, each with its own personality and attraction. While it would be obviously impossible to explore each and every one, even in a lifetime, we make the most of our time to visit some of the most outstanding little corners on earth. Typical stops include the fern covered intimacy of Elves Chasm, hiking above Deer Creek Falls, and winding our way up Matkatamiba. Conditions permitting, we will swim in the turquoise pools of Havasu Creek and hike the talus to where Thunder River gushes out of a rock wall, several miles and a thousand feet above the Colorado River.
Downstream, basalt outcrops alert us to our proximity to Lava Falls and soon we hear its thunder reverberating from the canyon walls. Passage here always demands a good long look before dropping into one of the biggest of the "Big Ones". Below Lava Falls the river takes a breather and opens up to big skies and further vistas, but this is only temporary as some miles below the walls close in one last time as we descend into the Lower Granite Gorge. As the first explorers learned, to their dismay, the sheer walls of resilient bedrock create large rapids and we get a great last set of rapids bracketed by highly polished walls.
Our last night's camp lies deep in the Lower Gorge where the river meets the upper reaches of Lake Mead. On our last morning a large jet-boat takes us safely and swiftly through the rest of the Canyon, past the Grand Wash Cliffs where the Canyon comes to a dramatic end on Lake Mead. At that point an air-conditioned motor coach provides transportation to the Las Vegas area.
Whitewater rafting is only part of the story on this lower stretch of the Grand Canyon. The Canyon is criss-crossed with hundreds of side canyons, each with its own personality and attraction. While it would be obviously impossible to explore each and every one, even in a lifetime, we make the most of our time to visit some of the most outstanding little corners on earth. Typical stops include the fern covered intimacy of Elves Chasm, hiking above Deer Creek Falls, and winding our way up Matkatamiba. Conditions permitting, we will swim in the turquoise pools of Havasu Creek and hike the talus to where Thunder River gushes out of a rock wall, several miles and a thousand feet above the Colorado River.
Downstream, basalt outcrops alert us to our proximity to Lava Falls and soon we hear its thunder reverberating from the canyon walls. Passage here always demands a good long look before dropping into one of the biggest of the "Big Ones". Below Lava Falls the river takes a breather and opens up to big skies and further vistas, but this is only temporary as some miles below the walls close in one last time as we descend into the Lower Granite Gorge. As the first explorers learned, to their dismay, the sheer walls of resilient bedrock create large rapids and we get a great last set of rapids bracketed by highly polished walls.
Our last night's camp lies deep in the Lower Gorge where the river meets the upper reaches of Lake Mead. On our last morning a large jet-boat takes us safely and swiftly through the rest of the Canyon, past the Grand Wash Cliffs where the Canyon comes to a dramatic end on Lake Mead. At that point an air-conditioned motor coach provides transportation to the Las Vegas area.
Transportation to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as well as transportation on the way back from Pearce Ferry is not included, as well as lodging at the South Rim the night of Thursday, August 3rd. We have a meeting that evening at 8pm with Outdoors Unlimited. We begin hiking down the Bright Angel Trail at 6am on August 4th. Below is important information about Transportation, Lodging, and the Hike.
TRANSPORTATION
You must be at the South Rim and in the Maswik Lodge cafeteria on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at 8pm for a mandatory meeting with our Outdoors Unlimited OU Hiking Escort. This is the official beginning of our trip.
Options for getting to the South Rim to begin the trip:
1. Drive your own car all the way there. It is approximately 825 miles, 12.5 hours of driving. If you do this, then you will also have to pay for the River Runner's Shuttle Service to drive your car from the South Rim to Pearce Ferry (our Take Out Point) which is $285 (258 miles). If you choose to do this and want to offer rides to others on the trip (carpool), that is up to you.
2. Fly to Las Vegas, take the shuttle to South Rim. Southwest Airlines has multiple flights to Las Vegas. There is a shuttle from Las Vegas to the South Rim that leaves at 6:30am and 12:30pm, costs $99, and takes about 5 hours. Transportation back to Las Vegas at the end of the trip is included with Outdoors Unlimited. See details on the detailed pdf from Outdoors Unlimited. If you are going to fly to Las Vegas, make sure you are there early enough to catch the 12:30pm Shuttle. For flights home from Las Vegas, we will be getting back there, by shuttle, between 3-5pm. Schedule your flight home no earlier than 6:30pm to make sure you can catch your flight.
3. Fly to Las Vegas, take another short flight to the South Rim. For $237 you can take a 1 hour flight to the South Rim. See details on the detailed pdf from Outdoors Unlimited. You will take the provided shuttle back to Las Vegas at the end of the trip.
LODGING AT THE SOUTH RIM
Because we must be at the South Rim for our 8pm Meeting in the Cafeteria at the Miswek Lodge on Thursday, August 3rd and we begin our hike down the Bright Angel Trail by 6am August 4th, we must have a place to sleep that night. Greg Weisman secured the last 9 hotel rooms in the South Rim and also reserved 3 campsites at Mather Campground. He has 6 rooms at the Miswek Lodge, 3 rooms at the El Tovar Hotel. You can read about these hotels at https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/lodging.htm Option A, Miswek Lodge: Greg has six Standard Rooms with 1 King Bed. These rooms have the option of adding a Rollaway for $10. Cost of each of these rooms is $229.84. If you were to put 3 people in one of these rooms, you could split it for about $77 each. This is the location where the meeting will take place Thursday Night.
Option B, El Tovar Hotel: Greg has three Standard Rooms each with 1 Queen Bed on the Terrace Level. Each room is for a maximum of 2 people. Cost is $281.15 for the room, or $140.63 each. The El Tovar Hotel is an Historic Hotel right on the Rim of the Grand Canyon - a beautiful place.
Option C, Camp out at Mather Campground: Greg has three campsites reserved, #194, #196, and #197. These are just $18 each per night and can handle 2 cars and 6 people each. The three are all next to each other. As a reminder, we must be ready to hike on Friday morning at 6am so if we are camping it means getting up very early to break camp. We suggest sleeping in cars/trucks or simply putting a tarp down with a pad and sleeping on it under the stars (that's Greg's plan).
TRANSPORTATION
You must be at the South Rim and in the Maswik Lodge cafeteria on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at 8pm for a mandatory meeting with our Outdoors Unlimited OU Hiking Escort. This is the official beginning of our trip.
Options for getting to the South Rim to begin the trip:
1. Drive your own car all the way there. It is approximately 825 miles, 12.5 hours of driving. If you do this, then you will also have to pay for the River Runner's Shuttle Service to drive your car from the South Rim to Pearce Ferry (our Take Out Point) which is $285 (258 miles). If you choose to do this and want to offer rides to others on the trip (carpool), that is up to you.
2. Fly to Las Vegas, take the shuttle to South Rim. Southwest Airlines has multiple flights to Las Vegas. There is a shuttle from Las Vegas to the South Rim that leaves at 6:30am and 12:30pm, costs $99, and takes about 5 hours. Transportation back to Las Vegas at the end of the trip is included with Outdoors Unlimited. See details on the detailed pdf from Outdoors Unlimited. If you are going to fly to Las Vegas, make sure you are there early enough to catch the 12:30pm Shuttle. For flights home from Las Vegas, we will be getting back there, by shuttle, between 3-5pm. Schedule your flight home no earlier than 6:30pm to make sure you can catch your flight.
3. Fly to Las Vegas, take another short flight to the South Rim. For $237 you can take a 1 hour flight to the South Rim. See details on the detailed pdf from Outdoors Unlimited. You will take the provided shuttle back to Las Vegas at the end of the trip.
LODGING AT THE SOUTH RIM
Because we must be at the South Rim for our 8pm Meeting in the Cafeteria at the Miswek Lodge on Thursday, August 3rd and we begin our hike down the Bright Angel Trail by 6am August 4th, we must have a place to sleep that night. Greg Weisman secured the last 9 hotel rooms in the South Rim and also reserved 3 campsites at Mather Campground. He has 6 rooms at the Miswek Lodge, 3 rooms at the El Tovar Hotel. You can read about these hotels at https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/lodging.htm Option A, Miswek Lodge: Greg has six Standard Rooms with 1 King Bed. These rooms have the option of adding a Rollaway for $10. Cost of each of these rooms is $229.84. If you were to put 3 people in one of these rooms, you could split it for about $77 each. This is the location where the meeting will take place Thursday Night.
Option B, El Tovar Hotel: Greg has three Standard Rooms each with 1 Queen Bed on the Terrace Level. Each room is for a maximum of 2 people. Cost is $281.15 for the room, or $140.63 each. The El Tovar Hotel is an Historic Hotel right on the Rim of the Grand Canyon - a beautiful place.
Option C, Camp out at Mather Campground: Greg has three campsites reserved, #194, #196, and #197. These are just $18 each per night and can handle 2 cars and 6 people each. The three are all next to each other. As a reminder, we must be ready to hike on Friday morning at 6am so if we are camping it means getting up very early to break camp. We suggest sleeping in cars/trucks or simply putting a tarp down with a pad and sleeping on it under the stars (that's Greg's plan).
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