Grand Canyon Rafting Trips - 9 day lower canyon oar powered trips
Float Notes
Be prepared and know what to expect on your Grand Canyon rafting vacation!

If you have already made a reservation for a trip, you will find important trip information, as well as travel arrangement tips here. We may have already mailed you a printed copy of this information as well. Feel free to call us if you have any questions! (Download this as a PDF file here)

9 DAY GRAND CANYON OAR POWERED TRIP

WHERE TO MEET US AND HOW TO GET THERE
You need to get to a place called SOUTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA.

Traveling from home by private vehicle
Look at an Arizona road map and locate I-40 running east and west across the northern 1/3 of the state. Note US180/AZ64 heading north from I-40. Take US180/AZ64 northbound and you arrive at the  South entrance station to the South Rim. Or locate US89 running north and south between Page, Arizona and Flagstaff, Arizona. Note AZ64 heading west off of US89. Take AZ64 westbound and you will reach the  East park entrance.
Traveling from home by air

Contact Bar10/Vision Air (800-582-4139, or 435-628-4010, email reservations@bar10.com, fax 435-628-5124) OR the Grand Canyon Airlines/Scenic/Papillon combine (866-235-9422 or 702-638-3300) to book a flight from Las Vegas over to the South Rim for the day prior to your hike down to the river. These companies operate flights between Boulder City Airport, Nevada or North Las Vegas Airport and South Rim. They include ground transportation from McCarran International to their respective airports. After confirming schedules/availability for this flight, THEN book your flight from home to Las Vegas, Nevada to coincide with the flight to the South Rim. Plan on arriving at the South Rim in time to meet us for a 6:00 PM orientation meeting (see below).

An alternative to flying from Las Vegas to the South Rim is the Car Rental option. Book your flight to Vegas. Rent a car and drive to Flagstaff, Arizona where you can turn in a “one way” car rental. (We checked with major rental companies, Budget, National, Alamo, Avis and Hertz will all allow a one-way rental. Enterprise and Thrifty will not). Driving distance is 251 miles, about 4 ½ hrs. From Flagstaff, arrange for a one way shuttle to the South Rim with Arizona Shuttle, link to their website here. Allow about 2 hours for this ride.

Transportation from Grand Canyon Airport to South Rim Village is available from Xanterra Taxi, 928-638-2822. When entering the Park for this river trip, you will be responsible for paying the NPS entrance fee at the gate.

For “back-up”, there is land transportation available between Las Vegas and the South Rim. Contact Larson Limo, 2068 Sutton Way, Henderson, Nevada, 89074, 702-456-4791 or 702-205-1021. This land shuttle option is generally cost effective for groups of eight or more. Drive time is about 4 ½ hours.

WHERE TO STAY WHEN YOU GET THERE
You will need reservations at the South Rim for the night prior to your hike down to the river. For these reservations, call Xanterra Parks & Resorts at 888-297-2757. Congenial reservationists on the other end of the line will be pleased to help you make arrangements for a room(s). Tell them that you would like lodging at – 1. Bright Angel Lodge or Cabins; 2. Thunderbird or Kachina; 3. El Tovar (for a touch of class); or 4. the Maswik. All are located close to the head of the Bright Angel Trail, your route to the river early the following morning.

While you are in contact with the reservationist to secure a room for the night, ask her/him about reservations for “In Bound Duffle Service”. Ask for drop off service to the “Hitching Rail”.  This is your opportunity to arrange to have all the stuff you are bringing for the river trip carried by mule down to the river. You may not want to carry your gear down. It is a walk of almost TEN MILES. The elevation loss is 5000 FEET. Think of your knees and your hips. For a modest charge of about $70.00, a sturdy mule will get your “duffle” (a bag you provide with the dimensions of 36”X20”X13” and not weighing more than 30 pounds) safely down to Phantom Ranch where we will retrieve it for you. Do not procrastinate in making these arrangements. Number of duffles per day is limited. The duffle bag will be “checked in” during our orientation meeting. (See below)

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU GET THERE
We will meet you at 6:00 PM in the lobby of the Bright Angel Lodge the evening prior to THE HIKE. At this meeting, we answer questions, help you get the stuff you need for morning (snacks, juice, water, etc), check in duffle bags for mules (if ordered) and designate the meeting place for early AM the morning of THE HIKE. General questions/concerns will be addressed, along with a brief overview of what to expect during the following 9 days.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE RIVER TRIP
The river trip will end at Pearce Ferry/Lake Mead or possibly Diamond Creek. From Pearce Ferry or Diamond Creek, van/bus transportation is provided to take you back to Las Vegas, arrival time 5:00 PM and possibly as late as 8:00 PM. If you plan to fly home that day, make your flight reservations for not earlier than 8:00 PM.
 For those driving private vehicles to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, you need to pre-arrange a car shuttle service to take your vehicle around to the take-out. Providers include: River Runners Shuttle Service, PO Box 61, Meadview, Arizona 86444. Phone 928-564-2391, Fax 928-564-2781, email is info@rrshuttleservice.com OR Al’s Transportation, PO Box 2289, Page, Arizona, 86040, 928-645-3420, email atcherron@yahoo.com.

WHAT TO BRING

Pack your gear in a duffel bag.

Shorts/pants with pockets that close with Velcro or a zipper are good to have. Convertible pants (zip off legs) take the place of shorts & long pants.

 A sarong or light weight cloth is handy to use for a cover up on the boat; provide some privacy while changing clothes in camp; and can 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 can be wet for long periods so strap-on sandals are appropriate.

The best rain gear is pants and a jacket. Ponchos are not very effective and are very difficult to wear under a 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.

There are many web sites that sell outdoor clothing. A couple of sites that we have found and like are www.sierratradingpost.com and www.usoutdoor.com.

The small backpack is used for storing rain gear and items you may want during the day. Line your daypack with a heavy 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 and unfasten your small daypack to the duffel load on the raft. You do not need expensive ones but they should be full size (about 4”X2”).

The only cash you will need will be for incidentals at the South Rim and guide gratuities (5%-8% of trip fare recommended). A credit card may prove handy for unforeseen emergencies. If you bring liquor, please transfer it to plastic bottles. You can preorder canned drinks with us and we will have them on the rafts when we meet you at Pipe Creek. You must make your drink order at least two weeks prior to your departure.

There is a place in McCarran International Airport called “Fitness Beast”. The entrance is on the east end of the terminal on level 2 (just above the baggage claim area). For $10/person, you can go there for a shower after your 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
         Moki Mac Arizona Warehouse: (928) 355-2504 or (928) 355-2285
         National Park Service: (928) 638-7804 (Dispatch)


TRIP INTERRUPTION/TRAVEL INSURANCE
We urge you to purchase vacation interruption insurance to protect you in case you must cancel your trip. Policy purchases may be time sensitive. Make early inquiries.
Please contact Travelsafe.com or call (800) 523-8020, or InsureMyTrip.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