Rafting the Grand Canyon is among the wildest water adventures that exists on this planet. When it comes to unspoiled panoramic beauty and hair-raising rapids, the trip is hard to beat. Colorado River raft trips weren't always for entertainment, though. The earliest men to navigate the river were explorers and surveyors. Commercial white water rafting didn't become a business until the early 1950s, and even then the number of people who braved the river paled in comparison to today.
The earliest documented white water rafting expedition took place in 1811 on the Snake River in Wyoming. It wasn't until nearly sixty years later in 1869 that John Wesley Powell became the first to test his skills and watercraft against the mighty Colorado River. With a team of nine men, he embarked in hard-hulled wooden boats complete with decks. It was an adventure in the truest sense, for they had absolutely no idea what lay in store around each bend.
In 1929, Bus Hatch began rafting the Green River in Utah in wooden boats similar to those used by earlier rafters. Three years later, Hatch and party made their first foray on the Colorado. Soon, word of his Grand Canyon rafting trips spread far and wide. Ever-increasing numbers of explorers, geologists, hunters, fishermen, engineers and adventure seekers wanted to experience it on their own. After WWII, Bus started purchasing and outfitting military-style rubberized rafts for use on the river. Realizing that people were willing to pay for the adventure, together with his growing expertise, a commercial rafting business - the first of its kind - was born.
By 1940, fewer than one hundred people had braved the Colorado through the Grand Canyon, and all of them - save for Bus and his crew - were government surveyors and adventure hounds. Today, roughly 19,000 people make the trip every year. Most of rafters utilize the equipment and experience of the professional guides, but around twenty percent make the trip privately. Private rafters need a permit to run the river, and these are meted out every year via a lottery system run by the National Park Service. It used to be one might have to wait a decade to acquire a permit. With the weighted lottery system, one has a chance to win every year.
The numbers are kept low deliberately for the sake of preservation - both of the river and the Canyon. It's a beautiful place, largely unspoiled, and quite a few conservation groups aim to ensure that it stays that way so it will be equally awesome and magnificent as when Bus Hatch ran the river in 1929.
Commercial rafting expeditioners use a variety of boats. Nearly all are made of extremely durable neoprene. Most commercial businesses offer either oared or motorized trips, depending on the wants and needs of their customers. Generally speaking, the oared trips use 18-foot rafts, suitable for four to five people and a guide. For those who'd prefer to kick back and not worry about rowing and steering, 17- to 36-foot motorized raft trips are available as well. These larger boats hold about 14 travelers and up to two guides, plus all of the equipment and provisions. In addition, several of the expeditioners allow kayakers to join a guided tour, which allows an added safety feature for the kayaker, and a means of transporting gear from campsite to campsite.
However one goes about it, be prepared for the adventure ride of a lifetime. While taking in the stunning beauty of the Grand Canyon, make sure you remember Bus Hatch and the others whose early efforts paved the way for everyone else.
Reproduction permitted only if all active links are maintained and byline is preserved, and/or your byline is omitted. 2011 All Rights Reserved.
The earliest documented white water rafting expedition took place in 1811 on the Snake River in Wyoming. It wasn't until nearly sixty years later in 1869 that John Wesley Powell became the first to test his skills and watercraft against the mighty Colorado River. With a team of nine men, he embarked in hard-hulled wooden boats complete with decks. It was an adventure in the truest sense, for they had absolutely no idea what lay in store around each bend.
In 1929, Bus Hatch began rafting the Green River in Utah in wooden boats similar to those used by earlier rafters. Three years later, Hatch and party made their first foray on the Colorado. Soon, word of his Grand Canyon rafting trips spread far and wide. Ever-increasing numbers of explorers, geologists, hunters, fishermen, engineers and adventure seekers wanted to experience it on their own. After WWII, Bus started purchasing and outfitting military-style rubberized rafts for use on the river. Realizing that people were willing to pay for the adventure, together with his growing expertise, a commercial rafting business - the first of its kind - was born.
By 1940, fewer than one hundred people had braved the Colorado through the Grand Canyon, and all of them - save for Bus and his crew - were government surveyors and adventure hounds. Today, roughly 19,000 people make the trip every year. Most of rafters utilize the equipment and experience of the professional guides, but around twenty percent make the trip privately. Private rafters need a permit to run the river, and these are meted out every year via a lottery system run by the National Park Service. It used to be one might have to wait a decade to acquire a permit. With the weighted lottery system, one has a chance to win every year.
The numbers are kept low deliberately for the sake of preservation - both of the river and the Canyon. It's a beautiful place, largely unspoiled, and quite a few conservation groups aim to ensure that it stays that way so it will be equally awesome and magnificent as when Bus Hatch ran the river in 1929.
Commercial rafting expeditioners use a variety of boats. Nearly all are made of extremely durable neoprene. Most commercial businesses offer either oared or motorized trips, depending on the wants and needs of their customers. Generally speaking, the oared trips use 18-foot rafts, suitable for four to five people and a guide. For those who'd prefer to kick back and not worry about rowing and steering, 17- to 36-foot motorized raft trips are available as well. These larger boats hold about 14 travelers and up to two guides, plus all of the equipment and provisions. In addition, several of the expeditioners allow kayakers to join a guided tour, which allows an added safety feature for the kayaker, and a means of transporting gear from campsite to campsite.
However one goes about it, be prepared for the adventure ride of a lifetime. While taking in the stunning beauty of the Grand Canyon, make sure you remember Bus Hatch and the others whose early efforts paved the way for everyone else.
Reproduction permitted only if all active links are maintained and byline is preserved, and/or your byline is omitted. 2011 All Rights Reserved.
About the Author:
If you're looking into an exciting Grand Canyon rafting trip for your next vacation, author Stephen Daniels recommends Hatch River Expeditions. Their guides know well the history of the Canyon and the many moods of the Colorado River. They have all the best and safest equipment available, and will escort kayakers as well; and their expert boatmen will guide you through the rapids and educate, pamper and entertain you along the way.
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