3 OR 6 DAY CATARACT CANYON TRIP
5 DAY DESOLATION CANYON TRIP
WESTWATER CANYON TRIP
GRAY CANYON DAILY TRIP
SCHEDULED FOR____________Launch Date____________________
WHERE TO MEET US
You need to get to a town called Green River, Utah
HOW TO GET THERE
Traveling from home by private vehicle
Consult a Utah road map and locate I-70 running east and west across the state. The town of Green River is located approximately in the eastern 3rd of the state right on
I-70, 105 miles west of Grand Junction, Colorado and about 160 miles east of the junction of I-15 and I-70. The distance from Salt Lake City to Green River is about 185 miles south east (take I-15 to exit 256, thence east on US 6 up over the Wasatch Plateau to Price and Wellington and continuing on to Green River). Plan on arriving in Green River in time for a 6:30 PM orientation meeting at the John Wesley Powell museum on the night BEFORE the launch.
Traveling from home by air
Book a flight to Salt Lake City and rent a car and drive to Green River, Utah. (See above) OR, book a flight to Salt Lake City to arrive in time to utilize the services of Big Horn Express, www.bighornexpress.com, a van shuttle service departing SLC daily at 2:00 PM to points south, including Green River. OR, book a flight to Grand Junction, Colorado, rent a car and drive to Green River, Utah (see above) OR contact American Spirit Shuttle www.gisdho.com/ for service between Grand Junction and Green River. (If you are arranging transportation with Big Horn or American Spirit to get to Green River, don’t forget to also make reservations for a return at the end of your trip on the last day of the trip.) You should plan on arriving in Green River in time for a 6:30 PM orientation meeting at the John Wesley Powell museum on the night BEFORE the launch.
In addition to the above, charter air service is available between SLC / Green River and between Grand Junction / Green River. Contact Red Tail Aviation at 435-637-9556 or 800-842-925. A three passenger minimum fare usually applies.
WHERE TO STAY WHEN YOU GET THERE
You may choose from a variety of accommodation options in Green River, some of which are listed here:
Holiday Inn Express Best Western River Terrace Super 8
965 E Main 885 E Main 1248 E Main
435-564-4439 435-564-3401 435-564-8888
800-465-4329 800-528-1234 800-800-8000
Comfort Inn West Winds Rodeway Inn Sleepy Hollow
1065 E Main 525 E Main 94 E Main
435-564-3300 435-564-3421 435-564-8189
The Holiday Inn Express is located directly east of the John Wesley Powell Museum. The others are within walking distance.
There are also four campgrounds in Green River:
Green River St. Park KOA Shady Acres Shady Acres A OK Campground
150 S G. R. Blvd 910 E Main 360 E Main 570 N G. R. Blvd
435-564-3633 435-564-8195 435-564-8290 435-564-8372
800-322-3770 800-562-5734 800-537-8674
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU GET THERE
We will meet you at the John Wesley Powell Museum at 6:30 PM the evening prior to the river trip for a short pre river trip orientation meeting. (Except for participants on the one-day Gray Canyon or Westwater Canyon trips for which the orientation will be accomplished the morning of departure.) At this meeting, we will pass out water proof river bags for you to pack your gear into that night. General questions and concerns will be addressed along with a brief overview of what to expect during the following two to six days.
The following morning we will meet you at our warehouse parking lot (if you have your own vehicle) or pick you up at your motel and transport you to the airport (in the case of the Desolation or Cataract Canyon trips) or to the launch site (in the case of the Westwater or Gray Canyon trips).
If you have booked the Desolation Canyon trip, you should be prepared, footwear wise, for a short, steep hike from the Sand Wash airstrip to the river.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE RIVER TRIP
At the end of all of the above listed trips, we will return you to Green River, Utah. If you have you own vehicle, we will take you back to our parking lot. If you arrived in Green River via Big Horn Express or American Spirit Shuttle, we will take you to your motel (for which you should have pre-arranged a room).
WHAT TO BRING
25 LBS./PERSON IS THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT YOU MAY BRING
(THE WEIGHT LIMIT IS ENFORCED BY THE AIR SHUTTLE OPERATORS FOR THE CATARACT CANYON AND DESOLATION CANYON TRIPS)
Pack your gear in a duffel bag.
Clothing (amounts will vary based on trip length):
2-3 shorts* 1-2 long pants 2-3 shirts
1-2 long sleeved shirt underwear/sox 1-2 swimsuits
Sarong** 2 hats with tie strings bandanas
rain gear jacket or sweatshirt sandals & tennis shoes
thermals/wet suit booties (spring and fall trips)
*Shorts/pants with pockets that close with Velcro or a zipper are good to have
**A sarong or light weight cloth is handy to use for a cover up on the boat and provide some privacy while changing clothes Personal Items:
toothbrush/toothpaste lip balm heavy moisturizing lotion
comb/brush soap/shampoo sunscreen
deodorant razor (optional) medications
fem hygiene products water bottle/canteen sunglasses/”chums”
towel camera book/journal
small back pack carabiner flashlight/batteries
(Flashlights with red light mode are good)
Shoes should provide support for hiking. 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. Strap-on sandals are appropriate. The best rain gear is pants and a jacket. Ponchos are not effective and are very difficult to wear under a life jacket. For trip clothing, 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.
Line your small daypack with a heavy weight garbage bag to keep contents dry. 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 an expensive climbing certified model, but it should be full size (about 4”X2”). The only cash you will need will be for accommodations, meals and drink purchases in Green River, Utah and guide gratuities (8-10% of trip fare recommended). A credit card may prove handy for unforeseen emergencies. If you bring liquor, please transfer it to plastic bottles. If you bring wine, make it the boxed variety. We provide plenty of water/lemonade. You bring your own canned drinks. There are limited fishing opportunities mainly for catfish. If you choose to bring a rod, make it a compact model. You will need to purchase a non resident temporary license. Go to: www.wildlife.utah.gov Click on: Buy Fishing & Hunting Licenses Online.
WHAT NOT TO BRING
Do not bring:
radios cell phones 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 bring will be used for your rain gear, extra shoes and other items you will need during the day.
Soft “mini” bag Carabiner* River Bag
TRIP INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
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!
www.insuremytrip.com (comparative quotes)
www.travelsafe.com 800-885-7233 www.csatravelprotection.com 800-873-9855
www.travelguard.com 800-826.4919 www.sevencorners.com 800-335-0611
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
Once you launch on the river, communication from/to family is very difficult. For emergency contact from a family member, leave the following telephone numbers with appropriate persons:
Moki Mac River Expeditions: (800) 284-7280 or (801) 268-6667
Moki Mac Green River Warehouse: (435) 564-3361
NPS/Canyonlands National Park (Cataract Canyon): (435) 259-3911
BLM/Moab Field Office (Westwater Canyon): (435) 259-2116
BLM/Price Field Office (Desolation Canyon & Labyrinth Canyon): (435) 636-3600
WEATHER
April/May: Average temperatures are in the low 70’s/mid 80’s (20-27 C) during the day and the low 50’s/mid 60’s (8-16 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 us usually dry.
July/August: Average temperatures are in the high 90’s/low 100’s (33-38 C) during the day and mid 70’s (23 C) at night. Thundershowers are likely.
September/October: Average temperatures are in the mid 80’s/low 90’s (27-30 C) during the day and the mid 50’s/low 60’s (10-14 C) at night. Rain showers.
SUGGESTED READING
Desolation River Guide or Canyonlands 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 it’s Canyons, by John Wesley Powell, Dover Publications, Inc., New York
A Canyon Voyage; The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition, by Frederic S. Dellenbaugh, The University of Arizona Press
The Four Corners Anasazi, by Rose Houk, San Juan National Forest Association
Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey, Ballantine Books, New York
Ghosts of Glen Canyon, by C. Gregory Crampton, Cricket Productions, SLC, Utah
Cadillac Desert, by Marc Reisner, Penguin Books
Run River Run, by Ann Zwinger, The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona
