From the rim, the Grand Canyon seemed like a big, impressive hole in the ground. But a 187-mile rafting trip on the Colorado River opened my eyes to the canyon's beauty, geological wonder, and ancient history. We began our six-day adventure in late May, an ideal time to avoid the chill of spring and heat of summer.
We arrived at Marble Canyon Lodge the night before, after driving five hours from Phoenix. The lodge is located on Highway 89A, one mile from the Navajo Bridge, down river from Glen Canyon Dam. Others in our group of 25 flew to Marble Canyon from Las Vegas.
Across from the lodge, we were each given waterproof bags for our belongings. Then we shuttled by van to Lees Ferry and boarded two rafts.
Brian Hanse was the group leader and motorman. Hansen is a fourth generation Arizonan from Wilcox with many years of river experience. Swampers were students from nearby universities. The entire crew worked from dawn to dusk so we could enjoy our trip.
During orientation at Lees Ferry (mile 0), Hansen said to "take nothing out and leave nothing in, including human waste." The canyon's cleanliness is a tribute to the 22,000 annual visitors who adhere to this rule.
Feeling anxious and apprehensive, we headed down river, beer and soda submerged in separate bags on opposite sides of the raft. Ample lemonade and drinking water remained within easy reach.
We navigated some 60 sets of rapids in six days. Our group rated the rapids as "Ooh," "Wow," or "Yee-Ha." On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being a big, screaming Yee-Ha, the four most exciting rides were Sockdolager (mile 78), rated 7, Granite (mile 93), rated 8, Hermit (mile 95), rated 9, and Lava Falls (mile 179), rated 10. These ratings vary with the water level, which fluctuates according to the power needs of Phoenix.
The water in the Colorado River is 48 degrees at Glen Canyon Dam and 50 degrees near Phantom Ranch. Even the whimpiest "Ooh" rapid splashed the first four people on both sides of the raft. (Bring a good set of two-piece rain gear. Long sleeves and pants under the rain gear will keep the cold plastic off of your skin.)
Redwall Cavern (mile 29) revealed a vast chamber, carved by the river, that Maj. John Wesley Powell (the first person to navigate the entire Colorado River in 1869) said could hold 50,000 people. Powell exaggerated. It might comfortably seat 200 people.
We hiked to a grainary in Nankoweap Canyon (mile 52). It was used in the winter by the Anasazi Indians when they migrated to a warmer climate. Hand prints inked onto precariously high rocks hint of the small yet sturdy stature of these "ancient ones" who lived along the river 1,000 years ago. The Anasazi were ancestors of the Hopi.
Elves Chasm (mile 116) is a cave surrounded by green moss and ferns, dripping water into a clear, cold pool. People peeking through a natural window triggered a subliminal message that elves were baking cookies inside.
In Blacktail Canyon (mile 120), the Grand Canyon is home to the world's greatest known unconformity--one billion years of rock missing between 570-million-year-old Tapeats Sandstone and 1.8-billion-year-old Vishnu Schist, representing a 17,000-foot mountain range reduced to absolutely nothing.
"Geologists from around the world pilgrimage to the Great Unconformity just to have their pictures taken touching it," said Hansen.
Water falls dot the Deer Creek (mile 136) and Havasu (mile 156) trails. The 150-foot Deer Creek Fall cascades in view of the river. The remaining falls only can be seen by hiking up steep trails.
At mile 61, the Little Colorado merges with the Colorado. I stood at the junction with one foot in the green, cold Colorado and the other foot in the blue, warm Little Colorado.
In awe, we watched an eagle catch a fish then fly to a high perch to feed. Desert big horn sheep and mule deer fed along the banks of the river. The fishermen in our group supplied trout appetizers before dinner, cooked to perfection by the crew.
We stopped to camp each afternoon between 3 and 5 p.m. Each person is responsible for finding a spot to set up a tent, if you want one. The tour company supplied all the camping gear, a portable toilet called the "biffy," and tasty, well-prepared food. Nature supplied ample stars nestled between the steep canyon walls. Manmade technology sent satellites streaking through the dark skies.
Lava Falls was the last rapid on our six-day tour. After successfully maneuvering around Vulcan's Anvil, a huge lava cone located smack in the middle of the rapids, the crew passed around champaign. We river runners, strangers five days earlier, toasted to the crew and each other. Then we agreed to exchange addresses and share photographic memories.
But the adventure was not yet complete.
On the morning of the sixth day, we were shuttled out of the canyon, in groups of four, on a twelve-minute helicopter ride to the Bar 10 Dude Ranch. Porcelain toilets (and hot showers for those who had time) at the ranch were a dream come true.
Next we boarded a small airplane for the final leg to our cars at either Marble Canyon or Las Vegas. There were no peanuts or drinks on this flight, only brief glimpses of the fabulous river as we made our way across country.
