The Grand Canyon 5th - 23rd December 2013

Savage Wilderness embarked on a self guided rafting trip through The Grand Canyon in December last year. It was phenomenal, breath taking, cold cold cold, picturesque, once in a lifetime stuff that memories are made of. It's a challenge to describe! Fortunately we have loads of photos and Marcel Wagner to paint the picture for you in words.

For our full photo album of The Grand Canyon adventure go to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SavageWildernessKenya and take a look at our Grand Canyon album.

                     

Memories of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon 

Marcel Wagner

by Marcel Wagner

Before we get to the descriptions lets just go straight to the nub: Question: Shall we raft the Canyon? Answer: YES!
There should be no thought process involved, no inner or external debate, no worries about anything other than getting there and getting onto that river. Any worries about what to eat or where to find a raft etc. are null and void, don't waste time on it because the Outfitter, in our case the splendid Moenkopi lot from Flagstaff, will do you proud. These guys think of EVERYTHING and you will come off the river fatter than when you went on it, the food and everything else is great. But, talk to someone who has done it for the finer points concerning kit and whatever little extras they thought they might have needed. I needed nothing except a slightly warmer first four days! It was December after all. Maybe I should have taken another slab of beer?
You will be looking at U Tube, or the fantastic BBC show with Dan Snow reprising Powell's first decent in replica boats, and you will pall at the size of the rapids at times. You will pick up the gossip about Crystal and Lava Falls and Son of Lava, or Houserock, the flipper Bedrock, the swimmer Hance and the massive holes in Upset and others. Ignore all the gossip, get in the damn boat and go for it. This river is a MUST. Yes, some rapids are massive, some holes unbelievable in their jet-engine-at-full-throttle screech as you skim by inches from being sucked in and look down into the maw of utter power and destruction if you get it wrong ...... but you won't, you will have scouted it and planned it right.

You will keep saying names like: Nankoweap, Dubendorff or Sockdolager just because it is fun on the tongue, you will stop and zip up side canyons for a look, there is so much extra to see, it is not just the Colorado you are enjoying, enjoy the whole thing. Read the guide books, they are waterproof and top class, packed with information and history. And, if you plan it our way, you will enjoy spectacular 'lay-over' days to have a wash or take in wonderful day long hikes up selected canyons, many with history en-scribed, painted or constructed in them, seek them out. 


Take out a fishing permit, there be trout for supper as an extra even though the Outfitter's grub will astonish you. Enjoy the views from the competitive placing of the wonderful Groover, views that relax the bowel and make this part of the day a real treat. Get your own guides and go during the ballot season, you will be the only one on the river and that is simply magic, we saw no one for 15 days, only right at the end.

Can I wait to go again? Try me, the kit is already in the dry bag, just need to know when and then book the flight. Taking in a show at Vegas is also a great wind-down after coming off the river earlyin the morning, plan it like that. But be ready ...... it will take a few weeks for your feet to touch solid ground again, your thoughts will be ever on the experience until the seemingly dull battle of earning the monthly crust bites home again. And your street cred will be fantastic to boot.

That is why you should not think about doing it .... just go, do it! Chat James Savage up, he did a splendid job last time getting all us nervous lot to sit in the raft as it went over that first big one, after that, well, it was downstream all the way if you know what I mean?