Kate Bradshaw

The top of the Grand Canyon is so far from the river below that it can be hard to see. Hikers joining the rafters midway through the trip had to hike a long way down to the meeting point at Phantom Ranch. (Courtesy Kali Smolen)

Floating down the Colorado River offers new perspectives, ancient rocks and abundant fun

By Kate Bradshaw

This story was first published in The Mercury News on June 3, 2024.

Nearly a year ago, when my friend Nina told me she’d scored a noncommercial permit to raft through the Grand Canyon, I had no idea how lucky she was – or how lucky I would be, after she invited me to join her Colorado River expedition.

The National Parks Service uses a weighted lottery system each February to award these noncommercial rafting permits, just 495 of them last year. (There are also, of course, park-approved commercial raft trips through portions of Grand Canyon National Park that last anywhere from 1 to 18 days). Nina’s permit authorized her to rally a group of 16 people at a time — more on that in a sec — to traverse the 225 miles between Lees Ferry and Diamond Creek in 16 days.

Hailing from across the U.S., our group of rafters convened in snowy Flagstaff just before St. Patrick’s Day, packed up our gear with our outfitters, Moenkopi Riverworks, and headed for Lee’s Ferry. It was remarkable how much food and gear could be crammed into four, inflatable 18-foot rafts and one 15-footer. We even brought a propane-fueled fire pit. Each raft had a seasoned captain, and four had rafted through the Grand Canyon several times.

Full story here.