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After my trip to Arizona in June of 1995, I knew I had to
experience the canyon from the bottom. A few other friends and I booked a 5-day rafting
trip through the canyon with Outdoor Adventure River
Specialists. OARS proved to be an excellent outfitter. I would wind up using them
again the following year and I've referred many friends to them as well.
My friends wound up backing out a month or two prior to the trip. I found myself in
a quandary.
Should I go alone? It didn't take long to find the answer and the answer should be
obvious even to the most - well, if you haven't anything nice to say...
The good folks at OARS were awesome. I'm writing this page 5 years after the trip. I wish
I could remember everyone's name. The trip leader was an experienced man whose name
is Lester. His real name is Allister, but I'm fairly certain we called him Lester. Every
guide was experienced in the history, wildlife and layout of the canyon. The food they
prepared each night was awesome. The tents we slept in were just right - little 1 to
2-man tents. Well, let me put it this way. If you're not sleeping with your significant
other, then it's a one-man tent. It would be just a bit too cozy to share with another
man. No. I'm not a homophobe, but I refuse to sleep with another man just a few inches
away from me.
The only way to experience the canyon is to float down it. We used 5-man rafts that were
oared through the canyon. Do not go down the canyon in a big 30-foot, motorized boat.
Some of the best parts of the canyon are the sounds it makes and the stillness it breeds.
We only saw two motorized boats on the river the entire trip, but you could hear them
coming and you could smell them going.
This particular trip took us from Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch. Lee's Ferry is where all
river trips begin and is located just a few miles south of Glen Canyon Damn. The Glen
Canyon Damn is what creates Lake Powell and provides water and electricty to the vast
majority of Arizona. Basically, it brings life to the Arizona desert. Phantom Ranch is
just below the South Rim of the canyon. So this was the first part of the canyon.
The most difficult part of the trip was the hike out on the last day. It's a 9.5 mile
hike out with 4800 feet of elevation change. The first 4 or 5 miles were OK. This gets
you to a place called Indian Springs. The remaining 4 or 5 miles is like climbing stairs
the entire way. It's switch-back after switch back of one foot before the other. I'm
just thankful there was water along the way because I must have drank about 20 gallons
throughout the day. All in all it took me 8 hours to climb out of the canyon. I cried
when I reached the top. Not because I made it, but because the first thing I heard after
5 days of peace and quiet were whining voices.
When the trip was over, I took a bus back to Flagstaff, spent the night, hopped into my
rent-a-car and drove back to Los Angeles where I was working at the time. Within two weeks
I had called OARS to book a trip through the second part of the canyon. This occurred
in September of 1997 and proved to be the best trip of all.
Here are some pics from this milestone in my life.
click to enlarge
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