Crystal Rapid - 1977

Hey everyone,

Finally... after 12 or 13 years on the waiting list, my time has come. Despite all the commercial trips I've worked, I'm really looking forward to a private trip, especially for 21-days during a wonderful time of year.

What follows is a letter of introduction, expectations, and some early logistics. Many more details will follow over the next several months. I have a couple of favors to ask - that you read all information thoroughly, and that you reply promptly and completely when necessary. If you decide to join this trip, you will be responsible for understanding and complying with the trip’s vision and philosophy.

For those that don't know my boating history, my very first river trip was down the Grand Canyon in 1977. I went to see the Canyon having done a couple of backpacking trips there during college. A year later, I realized I really enjoyed the "river" aspect of the trip and decided to buy a raft. By accident I met a California commercial company owner that winter and he invited me to join his whitewater school the spring of 1979. I was offered a job and began guiding commercially on California and Oregon rivers that summer. I did my first Grand Canyon commercial training trip in 1982 and by the end of 1983, began working commercially in "the Ditch. I worked in the Canyon full-time (this meant 6 - 7 trips a year in those days) through 1988. I returned for a trip each in 1993 and 1994. I was also busy in California as I owned and managed a small commercial company on the Class V "Forks of the Kern" section of the Kern River in the Southern Sierra from 1983 - 1993. A nine-year absence followed before returning to do a private trip in 2003 and a commercial trip in 2004. In all, I've been down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon 37 times. I've organized many private trips; the last being the Yampa this past May.

The put-in date is Sunday, October 23rd. The takeout will be Saturday, November 12th. If you are unable to join us for the entire trip, there are two options - the "Top Half" - Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch and the "Lower Half" - Phantom Ranch to Diamond Creek. For those doing the top half, you'll be hiking out from Phantom Ranch after nine days, which would be October 31st. Those joining for the lower half, you'll start hiking down to the river early in the morning to join us for Halloween on the river and will be with us for eleven days.

The Grand Canyon limits trips to 16 people and I would very much like to fill all those spots. I’m envisioning 6 rafts to get all our equipment and us down the river.

There will be a lot of hiking on this trip. While the river corridor is spectacular, much of the magic of the Grand Canyon is found in the side canyons.

For those of you available for only the top or lower half, here’s a brief description of each. Please be flexible in your preference. As we are limited in numbers, I’ll have to balance out those that are just able to do one half to where there are openings.

Top Half: This is from Lee’s Ferry to Phantom Ranch, 88 river miles. The beauty of the top half is you’ll be descending through the various layers of rock throughout the nine days. I personally believe the most beautiful section of the trip is through a section called Marble Canyon. This is where the Redwall limestone is at river level. There are very few rapids in Marble Canyon, and it doesn’t matter to me one bit. The name rapids encountered in the top half are: Badger, Soap Creek, House Rock, the Roaring 20’s, President Harding, Unkar, Neville’s, Hance, Sockdolager, and Grapevine. Side hikes include: North Canyon, South Canyon, Stanton’s Cave, Vasey’s Paradise, Redwall Cavern, Silver Grotto, the Eminence Break, Nankoweap, Little Colorado, Carbon Creek – Lava Chur Loop, Unkar Della, 75 Mile Canyon, and Clear Creek.

Lower Half: Phantom Ranch to Diamond Creek, 138 miles. Many of the more well know rapids are below Phantom Ranch. There is also exceptional hiking. Rapids include: Horn Creek, Granite, Hermit, Crystal, The Jewels, Waltenberg, Spector, Bedrock, Deubendorff, Upset, Mile 205, Mile 209, and of course, Lava Falls. Hikes include Elves Chasm, Tapeats Creek – Thunder River – Surprise Valley – Deer Creek Loop, Deer Creek Chasm, Matkatamiba, and Havasu Canyon.

Expenses

My trips are cost sharing. Some people provide boats and camp equipment, others will provide for the majority of the food, other consumables, etc. The managing agencies have generally accepted these arrangements, as long as profit is not made nor wages paid. This is bartering and cost sharing at its best. For those doing just the top or lower half, your expenses will essentially be prorated for the number of days you are with us plus adjustments for various expenses associated with the upper or lower half.

I'm really trying to keep the trip cost to between $800 - $900/person for the full trip. To keep the cost in this range, we will need to plan, purchase, and pack our own food. However, if there ends up being less than 16 people, this amount will rise. The trip cost will include:

• River equipment
• Trip food
• Permit fees for the National Park Service and the Hualapai Indians (takeout at Diamond Creek)
• $50/person “deposit” that will go into a pool to cover any damaged or lost equipment due to mishap.
• Vehicle shuttle

Whatever is not spent will be refunded after the trip. I'll get the refunds mailed out as soon as possible after returning home (be sure to save any trip expense receipts you incur).

Credit to those that bring their rafts and other equipment

Those that bring a 15 ft or larger raft, and are capable of carrying four days or more worth of food, will be credited approximately 50% of the total cost. The credit for smaller boats will be adjusted accordingly IF we have the luxury of bringing them. Getting all our gear down the river is the greater priority. The purchase and maintenance of a raft is time consuming and expensive. In addition, boat owners will put more effort into the trip before it starts and after we return home than everyone else will for the whole time, thus their monetary cost for the trip will be less. Credit for other pieces of necessary equipment (kitchen equipment, stoves, groovers, tables, major first aid kit, etc.) will also be given.

Equipment

Raft owners - I’m holding one space for you to bring a guest. In addition, Park Service Regulations, or essential equipment we will need for the trip, require you to bring:

• one extra set of oars
• a life jacket for your guest
• repair kit for your boat
• throw bag
• minor first aid kit
• two bail buckets whether a self-bailing boat or not (these can be purchased at Home Depot)
• a spare life jacket for your boat
• a 150 qt or bigger cooler
• a Colorado river map
• the ability and willingness to carry a fair share of the trip equipment including several metal boxes

Kayakers - the permit requires:

• Waterproof river bag for personal gear (one large or two small per person). If you need to purchase one, you can check out what REI has to offer here
• All personal clothing (both on and off-river) – the weather could be iffy this time of year, so be prepared for rain/cool temperatures.
• Camping equipment (sleeping bag, tent, pad, etc.)
• Personal water bottle
• Eating cup, plate, bowl, and silverware
• Alcoholic, pop, juice, or other beverages (no glass containers) - amount you are able to bring will be limited -amount to be announced later
• If you bring a camp chair, it must fold up and be compact
• One 20 mil Rocket Box – each person needs to bring one rocket box. These can be purchased at most military surplus stores. They cost $20 - $25 each. Each one will be used for packing one days food; it will then become the garbage container for that day. Since we’ll be on the river 21-days, we’re going to need 21 of these boxes.

Expectations & Trip Etiquette

Over the years, I’ve boated with many different people, personalities, and boating etiquettes. My trip leading style is very flexible provided people communicate and are considerate of others on the trip. Therefore, to make this trip as smooth as possible and to avoid any miscommunication from the start, I’d like to go over a few things.

• The trip motto will be: "River first; Group second; Self third.” Longer trips tend to fall apart for one of several reasons. One is when the trip leader is a dictator. That will not be happening on this trip. Another is people become selfish. For example, someone goes off to do their own thing without communicating to the trip leader causing everyone else to have to stand around and wait for them. Another big one is someone does not pull their weight with camp chores or packing/unpacking the boats. River trips can be trying and hard work. The weather can get the best of you. Everyone will be experiencing the same conditions, so make sure YOU are doing your fair share. Also, no one should have the attitude that they are on vacation expecting to be waited on. There is a common saying on trips “You have to expect at least one asshole out of a trip of sixteen.” Don’t be that asshole.
• A trip down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon needs to be led. Almost all decisions will be "group" influenced but someone has to have the final say. Courtesy dictates the permit holder/trip leader makes the ultimate final decision on issues.
• On the water, safety will be the priority. Feel free to take the safest route or the most exciting, just keep your personal limits in mind. For safety and permit requirements, all boats, including kayakers, will need to stay within sight of each other at all times. Exceptions will require my approval.
• My trips are work sharing. Everyone will be expected to assist with the unloading AND loading of the boats at the put-in, at each and every camp, and at take-out.
• Each person will be assigned to a cooking crew – crews will rotate.
• I am adamant, as is the Park Service, about environmental sensitivity. Proper health etiquette and procedures will be covered before the start of the trip.
• I enjoy a cold beer as much as the next person, but if your intention is drink and get drunk and stupid during the trip, do not accept this invitation. Also, recreational drugs will not be tolerated.

Food:

We will plan, purchase, and pack our own food. Each person will be required to submit a menu for one full day of healthy food along with his or her deposit. Once your menu is accepted, you will be responsible for the purchasing and packing of the dry food in the rocket box you will supply.

Meal Guidelines – meals cannot be precooked or premixed. Thus you will be planning and then purchasing the ingredients. Keep quality, quantity, ease of preparation, and the volume of the ingredients in mind when you plan your meal – space is limited. Also keep in mind there are going to be vegetarians on the trip. Most if not all of the ingredients will need to fit in the rocket box you provide. There will be some overflow containers but try not to abuse that. The exception to this rule is from Day 15 on should be no-ice meals as we shouldn’t count on ice past this point. There is no way a full day’s ingredients will fit in one rocket box. Larger foodstuffs like bread will have their own separate container so they won’t need to fit in your rocket box. Fresh food will be purchased and then packed the day before the trip.

The planned food budget is:

• Put-in breakfast: $2.50/person
• Breakfast: $3.50/person
• Lunches: $4.00/person
• Dinners: $5.75/person

This is high but it allows us some flexibility. Everyone will need to stay within the budget. Feel free to include a box of wine for your dinner if it fits in your budget.

Logistics:

The group will meet in Page Arizona on Friday night, Oct. 21 st. On Saturday morning, the final food buying and packing into coolers will happen. Once completed, we’ll drive down to Lee’s Ferry (less than an hour drive). We’ll then unload the gear and organize the shuttle.

Shuttle: I am leaning towards a two-part shuttle. Part one will be each vehicle with one person driving will drive to Flagstaff to a storage facility. One roomy non-gear carrying vehicle will then bring all the drivers back to Lee’s Ferry and will park in the long-term parking area. While the shuttle is happening, everyone else will be rigging and loading the boats. We’ll then camp at Lee’s Ferry in the campground. After the take-out, the passengers of the vehcile parked at Lee's Ferry will be dropped of to pick up their vehicle.

Part two of the shuttle will be from take-out back to Flagstaff. To avoid strangers driving our cars or them being beaten up by the Diamond Creek Road, I will contract with Canyon REO to pick up us and all our gear in two of their vehicles to bring us back to Flagstaff. We’ll retrieve our cars from storage, load up our gear, and be on our way. I would plan on staying in Flagstaff or nearby that night as it will be late in the day by the time all of this is done.

If you are doing either the top or lower half of the trip, you will be responsible for finding your way to and from the South Rim. What would work is to coordinate vehicles so that if you are hiking down, you make good notes of where you car was parked and pass off the keys to someone who is hiking out. They can then drive your car back to Flagstaff, leaving your car in the storage yard while retrieving theirs.

Money Matters

As the Park Service requires fees and deposits well in advance of our trip date, and to spread out the cost of the trip for you, I will be requiring a $300 deposit from everyone to hold your spot. Please understand this deposit will be non-refundable if you cancel UNLESS a replacement is found to take your place. The deadline for this deposit and your menu submission is July 15th. After this date, the Park Service charges an additional $100/person late fee.

The balance of your trip cost will be due October 1 st.

I will send out more detailed logistics periodically as we get closer to the trip. These notes will also be posted on the Updates page of this website. It is imperative that you check your email consistently as this is how all trip communications will occur. Everything will also be posted on the trip website. However, feel free to contact me if I missed something.

Please understand that I have more important things to do than bug people for their deposit/balance to go on THE BEST RIVER TRIP IN THE WORLD! So please make a note of the deadlines and plan accordingly. I’ve organized too many river trips and am tired of chasing people down for their money to have any patience to do that anymore. I do a lot of work to make sure these trips are well organized, so please do your part by following my simple requests.

Please mail check(s) to:

Finally, please do not announce this trip to your friends. I am not interested in receiving emails from complete strangers asking to join the trip. Feel free to let me know if you have a friend who is interested, but it will be a while before I will know if there are open spots. If there is, I will let the entire group know.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Paul

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