Grand Canyon Rafting Trips
How To Get Ready For Your Trip
9 day rowing trip - Phantom Ranch to Diamond Creek
Be prepared and know what to expect on your Grand Canyon rafting vacation!

Stuff you need to know, after you have made your reservation.
We may have mailed a printed copy to you.
Feel free to call us with questions!
(Download as a PDF file to print.)

For 9 DAY Grand Canyon Oar Powered Trips

Where Does My Trip Begin?

• SOUTH RIM of the GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA.

• Plan on arriving at the South Rim village in time for a 6:00 PM orientation the night prior to your hike down the trail.

How Do I Get To The South Rim?

• Travel by vehicle

Take US180/AZ64 northbound from I-40 and arrive at the south entrance station to the South Rim.

You can also reach the east park entrance by taking AZ64 heading west off of US89 between Page, Arizona and Flagstaff, Arizona.

• Travel by air (Our Vegas & Return package)

Book a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada.
The rate for your 9-day “lower” Grand Canyon trip includes a flight from Las Vegas (Boulder City airport) to the Grand Canyon (South Rim) airport.

The flight is generally scheduled to depart at 12:30 pm.

You need to be in Las Vegas in time for a 9:00 am pick-up time at McCarran Airport for van shuttle to the Boulder City airport.

You may be picked up at McCarran International or many of the close-by casino hotels/motels.

Transportation from Grand Canyon Airport to South Rim Village is available from Xanterra Taxi, 928-638-2822.

H When entering the Park for this river trip, you will be responsible for paying the NPS entrance fee at the gate. If you have an NPS America the Beautiful Pass, bring it with you to present to the taxi driver.

What Other Arrangements Must I Make?

• Rooms at South Rim:

The night before you hike into the canyon, you will need accommodations.

Call Xanterra at 888-297-2757, select “Reservations on the South Rim”. Book a room at any of the South Rim facilities for the evening before your hike out.

Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins - closest to the trail head.
Thunderbird or Kachina motels.
The historic El Tovar - in the center of South Rim Village.
The Maswik - ½ mile across the train tracks to the west.
Your Xanterra operator can help you with all of these properties.

• HIRE THE DUFFLE SERVICE!

You have to carry everything you bring into the canyon. A good alternative is to hire a mule to carry your stuff! Bring a duffle bag with dimensions of about 36” x 20” x 13”, maximum weight 30 lbs. You’ll drop it off at the Mule Barn by 4:00 pm the day before your hike. It will be loaded on a mule and will arrive at Phantom Ranch early morning the day of your hike.

Do not underestimate this hike. The trail is rugged. THE HIKE down is almost ten miles in length with a five thousand foot elevation drop. Be very skeptical of anyone making claims that this hike is “a piece of cake”.

Call Xanterra at 888-297-2757 and select “Reservations on the South Rim”. Make reservations for “inbound duffle” for the same day as your hike. You will need to drop off your bags at the Mule Barn before 4:00 pm the day before. The charge for this service is about $70.00 (surcharge for bags over 30 lbs).
Do not procrastinate in making these arrangements. There are a limited number of duffles available per day.

• Vehicle Shuttles:

If you drove to South Rim, you’ll need to pre-arrange car shuttle services to have your car driven to the takeout. The best option is;

River Runners Shuttle Service
PO Box 61, Meadview, AZ 86444.
928-564-2391
Fax 928-564-2781
info@rrshuttleservice.com

What Will Happen At The South Rim?

• We will meet you at 6:00 PM in the lobby of the Bright Angel Lodge the evening prior to THE HIKE.

• We will answer questions, help you get the snacks, juice, water, etc. you need for morning, and designate the meeting place and time the next morning for THE HIKE. General questions/concerns will be addressed, along with a brief overview of what to expect during the following 9 days.

• If you missed the 4:00 pm duffle turn-in deadline, we’ll help you remedy that. Extra charges may be incurred.

• We’ll again meet you in the lobby of the Bright Angel Lodge early the morning (little before first light) of THE HIKE. Do not underestimate this hike. The trail is rugged. Be prepared for this almost ten mile, 5000 foot decent into the Grand Canyon.

What Will Happen At The End Of The River Trip?

• The river trip will end at Diamond Creek/Peach Springs. (Some trips may end at Pearce Ferry/Lake Mead. You will be notified well in advance if the takeout location changes.) Ground transportation is provided to take you back to Las Vegas, arrival time no later than 4:00 PM. If you plan to fly home that day, make your flight reservations for no earlier than 5:00 PM.

• Located in the McCarran International terminal, there is a business called “Fitness Beast” where you can shower for $10/person. Find the entrance on Level 2 near the east end of the terminal (just above baggage claim area).

If you had driven a vehicle to the South Rim, you will have made arrangements for a car shuttle (see “Vehicle Shuttles” above), and will be taken from the river to where your vehicle is parked.

Packing List

Pack your gear in a duffel bag.

Gear Suggestions
Protect yourself from the sun! Clothing and hats work best. Sunscreen is also very important, however, it will wash off when you get wet. Some people have had allergic reactions to heavy duty sunscreen they haven’t used before. Bring good quality products you have experience with. Remember lip products, too!

Our climate is VERY DRY! Your skin will dry out quickly. Moisturizing lotion is very nice to have at the end of a long day in the sun.

Shorts & pants with Velcro or zippers at the pockets are good. Keep your small items from getting lost. Convertible pants with zip off legs are a great, versatile clothing option.

A sarong or light weight cloth is handy. It can be used for sun shade on the boat; provide some privacy while changing clothes in camp; and be used for a sheet.

Shoes for hiking should provide support. Some hikes require stream crossings so your hiking shoes will get wet. During the day on the rafts, your feet will be wet so strap-on sandals are appropriate. Some kind of open shoe or cheap flip-flop is great in camp at night, to let your feet dry out. Foot fungus can become an issue.

The best rain gear is pants and a jacket. Ponchos are not effective or durable, and are very difficult to wear under your life jacket.

Some people prefer synthetics that are quick drying and some like the evaporative cooling of wet cotton. During the cooler months you will want quick-drying clothes and during the hottest months you may want to bring some cotton clothes.

Mornings and evenings can feel cool, bring a cozy polarfleece jacket. It will also be good to wear under a rain jacket if the weather is inclement, as synthetic fleece dries quickly.

The small backpack is used for storing rain gear and items you may want during the day. Line your daypack with a contractor weight garbage bag to keep contents dry. It is also handy for use on hikes.

A carabiner is an oval shaped metal ring with a one-way gate, and is useful to quickly fasten your small daypack to the raft. You do not need an expensive one but it should be full size (about 4”X2”).

The only cash you will need will be for drink purchases at Marble Canyon, incidentals at Phantom Ranch, and guide gratuities (5%-10% of trip fare recommended). A credit card may prove handy for unforeseen emergencies.

If you bring liquor, please transfer it to plastic bottles. Beer, soda and wine can be purchased at Marble Canyon Lodge.

There are limited fishing opportunities. If you choose to bring a rod, make it a compact model. Catch and release (barbless hooks) apply. You will need to purchase a 5-day out of state fishing license at Marble Canyon Lodge if you want to fish during the river trip.

What Not To Bring
Please do not bring; radios, expensive jewelry, electrical appliances, pets, firearms.

The River Bags For Your Gear
Your clothes and sleeping bag will fit into two waterproof river bags we provide. Tents and pads will be packed into large communal waterproof bags each day. We will also provide a soft river bag for your day use items. The daypack you may bring can be used for your rain gear, extra shoes and other items you will need during the day.    

Soft “mini” bag	Carabiner*	River Bag

Emergency Contact Numbers
Once you launch on the river, communications from or to the outside are very difficult. For emergency contacts, leave the following telephone numbers:

         Moki Mac River Expeditions: (800) 284-7280 or (801) 268-6667 or (801) 631-3127
         Moki Mac Arizona Warehouse: (928) 355-2504 or (928) 355-2285 or (928) 707-0162
         National Park Service: (928) 638-7804 (Dispatch)


Trip Interruption - Vacation Insurance
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT! We urge you to purchase vacation interruption insurance to protect you in case you find you must cancel your trip. Policy purchases may be time sensitive. Plan ahead!

Please contact your choice from the list below.

http://www.travelex-insurance.com/Home.aspx
http://www.insuremytrip.com/
http://www.travelguard.com/            

Weather
April/May: Average temperatures are in the high 70’s/low 90’s (22-33 C) during the day and the mid 50’s/60’s (10-16 C) at night. There may be rain showers.
June: Average temperatures are in the high 90’s/low 100’s (33-38 C) during the day and the low 70’s (22 C) at night. It is usually dry.
July/August: Average temperatures are in the high 90’s/low 100’s (33-38 C) during the day and mid to high 70’s (22-25 C) at night. Thundershowers are likely.
September/October: Average temperatures are in the mid 80’s/high 90’s (27-33 C) during the day and the mid 50’s/high 60’s (10-16 C) at night. There may be rain showers.

Suggested Reading
Grand Canyon River Guide, by Bill Belknap. Westwater Books, Evergreen, Colorado
(Waterproof map, great to have with you on the trip. We have these maps for sale through our office)
The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons, by John Wesley Powell, Dover Publications, Inc., New York
The Kolb Brothers of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Natural History Association
Lee’s Ferry, Desert River Crossing, by W.L. Rusho and C. Gregory Crampton, Cricket Productions, Salt Lake City
The Four Corners Anasazi, by Rose Houk. San Juan National Forest Association
The Fourth World of the Hopi, by Harold Courtlander, University of New Mexico Press
An Introduction to Grand Canyon Geology, by Michael Collier. The Grand Canyon Natural History Association
Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey. Ballantine Books, New York
Ghosts of Glen Canyon, by C. Gregory Crampton. Cricket Productions. Salt Lake City
Grand Canyon Wildflowers, by Arthur M. Phillips, III, Grand Canyon Natural History Association
Archaeology of the Grand Canyon: The Bright Angel Site, by Douglas Schwartz, Michael P. Marshall, Jane Kepp, School of American Research Press, Santa Fe
The River That Flows Uphill, by William H. Calvin, Sierra Club Books, California
Downcanyon: A Naturalist Explores the Colorado River Through Grand Canyon, by Ann Zwinger, The University of Arizona Press, Tucson