You choose. It’s an adventure that can last one, two or three days. It’s civilized, and will give you a taste of what John Wesley Powell experienced in 1869, during his exploration of the Green and Colorado Rivers that flow through Utah’s Canyon Lands. So, who was John Wesley Powell? He was a Civil War veteran and a Major in the Union Army. He lost an arm at the battle of Shiloh, but nonetheless, at the direction of the USGS and the Federal Government, led nine men on a three-month expedition to map and explore the Green and Colorado Rivers. In the process, Powell and his men would navigate through the river canyons of what today are the states of Utah and Arizona. Putting their wooden-hulled dory boats into the waters of the Green River in what is now the state of Wyoming, they drifted, white-water and at times barely survived the 1,000 miles of uncharted rapids that lay in front of them. Boating down through Desolation Canyon to the confluence of the Colorado River, then on through Cataract Canyon and finally through the Grand Canyon itself, the story of Powell’s Expedition is one of epic proportion. Only five men, including Powell, completed the trip, which ended at the mouth of the Virgin River. Some left the expedition early saying, “we’ve had as much fun as we can stand.” A couple of men chose to abandon the expedition and walk out of the Grand Canyon, only to be killed by people indigenous to the region. Powell himself would later return to make this same trip again. "Located in Green River, Utah, Holiday Expeditions has for years been professionally guiding river trips throughout the West." Today, those same kinds of breathtaking, white-water thrills and the same panoramic vistas described by Powell in the entries he kept in his daily journal, can be enjoyed in a gentile fashion by linking up with the professional river rafting company, Holiday Expeditions. Located in Green River, Utah, Holiday Expeditions has for years been professionally guiding river trips throughout the West. They have made a science of providing their guests a safe experience that includes providing all of the creature comforts that feature gourmet breakfasts, lunches and dinners, as well as first-rate riverside camps (comfort zones on soft sandy beaches). They know how to cater to—and take care of—the needs of those who come seeking the solace of Utah’s canyon country and the thrills of river rafting. For all, the experience is enriched by Holiday’s well-trained guides who are knowledgeable about the natural and geologic history of the area, the history of those who lived here 10,000 years ago, and as the written history dating back even prior to Powell’s journal. We recently joined one of their two-day civilized expeditions and from beginning to end our experience was one that we whole-heartedly endorse. It’s one that everyone can enjoy. Our odyssey began at the Holiday Expedition headquarters in Green River, Utah. As for the security and safety of our RV, we had several choices we could make. We found that the parking area at the Holiday Expeditions headquarters can accommodate parking for the largest of RVs. However, should you want to park your Monaco at a RV campground, there are three in the town of Green River to choose from. One is immediately across from Holiday Expeditions, on the main street that runs through Green River. At any one of these campgrounds you’ll be able get full hook-ups for your RV. In any case, security is good. "We found that the parking area at the Holiday Expeditions headquarters could accomodate parking for the largest of RVs." Upon checking in at 8:00 am at the Holiday headquarters, we found coffee and pastry waiting. Now that’s a great way to kick-off a pre-trip orientation. We met our river guides and trip assistants and were given a very understandable explanation of what we could expect and what they needed to expect from each of us. We were then each provided a large waterproof bag to keep our personal items in, items that wouldn’t be needed until camp was set up that night along the river. We were also given a small waterproof bag that we would keep with us throughout the day. In the small bag, personal items such as suntan lotion, cameras, film, and our Holiday Expeditions drinking cup were kept. This waterproof bag system is a great system, for even when water from the rapids splashes over and into the large inflatable rafts, the contents inside the bags remain dry. Also available at the headquarters (for those of us who hadn’t brought them) were sleeping bags, ground cloths and pads. Pop-up tents are also taken along, just in case anyone might want to use one at night. We didn’t use a tent, for reasons soon to be explained. Next, we boarded the air-conditioned vans that were also the tow vehicles for the river rafts (the rafts are stacked three-high on trailers behind the vans). To begin the river trip we had chosen (it’s called Westwater), we headed east on I-70 toward the Colorado State Line. This is where we would “put in.” Now, the terms “putting in” and “taking out” are river terms that indicate where the rafts are first put into the river and where they are taken out when the adventure is completed. Our take-out location was near a mysterious little town called Cisco. If Cisco looks familiar, it’s probably because you saw the movie Thelma and Louise. Part of the movie was filmed here. The town is right out of the Old West. Its character is like none other we had seen. There are several ways to navigate the Westwater portion of the Colorado River. They include rafts with a Holiday oarsman, rafts where everyone has a paddle with a Holiday guide on board, individual inflatable kayaks, and yes—for those who want to—you can jump in the river and float along in your life vest (you’re required to wear one at all times). On a hot summer’s day, this is an option many eventually choose to enjoy. Most of the initial Westwater stretch of the Colorado River is smooth, with exciting rapids lacing the canyons as you near the end of the trip. However, the character of the river does change depending upon the season. In late spring or early summer, while the snow pack in the Rockies is melting, the runoff that’s carried by the Colorado River is high. Later in the summer, the level of the river drops as the snow pack in the mountains disappears. At different water levels you will find different rapids. Some appear when the water level is high, while others appear as the level of the river drops. What this means for those seeking this kind of adventure is that throughout the river rafting season there’s always exciting—as well as placid—stretches of river to be enjoyed. The window of opportunity for enjoying a float trip lasts about five months—from May through September—and river conditions do change. " The window of opportunity for enjoying a float trip last about five months - from May through September." Every raft carries coolers with ice water and iced drinks. Granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit and energy snacks are always available between meals. And the meals are fantastic. Breakfast includes omelets, bacon, hotcakes, and juice, plenty of hot coffee, fresh fruit and cereal. Lunch can feature an assortment of deli cuts (cheeses, turkey, roast beef, fresh vegetables), an assortment of breads, salads, fresh fruits, cookies and cold drinks. Supper may feature filet mignon, chicken fajitas, hors d’oeuvres, fresh salad, salmon steaks, halibut, you name it. If it’s offered somewhere in a gourmet eatery, Holiday probably offers it at one time or another on the banks of the Colorado River. Oh, yes, for those who need their caffeine, there’s always fresh, hot brewed coffee at the beginning of each day. Spending the night under the desert stars is an experience unto itself, one that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Laced with billions of brilliant diamonds dotting a never-ending black velvet background, the sky is frequently smeared by a shooting star as it streaks across the heavens in a final but brilliant ending. The river flows softly near by and through the night the sound of an owl or a coyote wining for its mate can be heard as you surrender to the forces of the Sandman. In many ways things have not changed along the river in a 150 years, since Powell and those who followed him, white-watered to points then yet to be discovered. The final day on the river is the most thrilling of all. We would engage several Class III and a Class IV rapids. Everyone screamed with delight as the ice cold Colorado River water splashed in over the bow of the raft and we thrilled to the Disneyland kind of white-water ride these rapids yield. For the last couple of miles the journey turns into a leisurely drift. We would stop one final time for our last gourmet lunch before landing at the place where we would “take-out.” Here the Holiday vans were waiting to take us back to Green River and our RV. The only caveat with an adventure such as this is that you run the risk of getting bit by the river-rafting bug. You may end up wanting to enjoy an even longer, more challenging river adventure. Should that happen, Holiday Expeditions can accommodate that as well. They have river trips that last up to seven days, that include Desolation Canyon, Cataract Canyon, the GooseNecks of the San Juan and others too numerous to mention. Yes, for those who get bit by the bug, it’s true, “There is so much water and so little time.” Enjoy. J. Martin Kohler is a freelance writer based in Northern,
California, and author of several Lifestyles and |
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