Getting There

The trip begins at Lee’s Ferry. We will meet, the day before we put on the river, at Marble Canyon Lodge (7 miles from Lee’s Ferry) where we will rig boats and have our pre-trip meeting. If you’re flying into Las Vegas you will need to have someone pick you up or arrange for a van shuttle to Marble Canyon (five hour drive). The cost of the shuttle (one-way) is approximately $240 per person. With a party of four or more a 20% discount will be given. Another option is to fly into Flagstaff, AZ, which is approximately 3 hours away, and arrange for a pick-up or a van shuttle from the airport to Marble Canyon. Estimated cost per person is $100. There are also flights into Page, Arizona. A 30 mile van shuttle from Page to Marble Canyon is available for approximately $40 per person. For information on shuttles contact Grand Circle Shuttle at http://www.grandcircleshuttle.com

Where to Stay

Plan to arrive the day before the trip begins. I recommend staying at the Marble Canyon Lodge in Marble Canyon, Arizona (800-726-1789). The Lodge has a restaurant and a small store for any last-minute sundries you may need , as well as a gas station. Diesel is available 15 miles away at the Sinclair Station at Cliff Dwellers.

Parking and Shuttling

There is a parking lot at the put-in where you can leave your vehicle. The take-out is a six-hour drive from the put-in. I recommend using River Runner Shuttle service so that your vehicle is waiting at the take-out ( Peach Springs, AZ). Contact River Runner's Shuttle Service at http://www.rrshuttleservice.com or (928) 564-2391 for information and prices. You will be sending keys, shuttle forms, and shuttle money directly to them, not me. All other forms and money are sent to me.  

The people at River Runner’s can be hard to get a hold of but very helpful. We will have more than two cars on our trip. Let them know that you are with the Bob Foote Group.

Starting Out

Everyone should have their boats rigged and gear packed the evening before the trip begins. We will meet at the Marble Canyon Lodge between 1 and 2 pm, the day before launching, to rig boats and have our pre-trip meeting. We'll use this time to get acquainted, discuss last minute details of the trip and to review and sign waivers. Carefully review the waivers prior to arriving at the lodge ( Hot link trip forms). Anyone borrowing dry bags will receive them at the meeting and can pack their gear that evening.

The next morning we’ll leave at 8 a.m. from Lee’s Ferry Boat Launch. After loading our personal gear bags on the raft we’ll depart on our adventure. Note: There are restrooms, telephone, and water at the boat ramp.

At the boat ramp we need to be organized and follow the rules. The Park Service has control of the ramp and it is their show. There will be 5 or 6 other raft companies loading as well as private trips. It can be quite confusing and gear can easily get mixed up or misplaced. We will drive down as a group but only have one car at a time pull down in front of the Tours West rafts and unload. The other cars will park in the parking area in front of the loading area and wait their turn to unload. When unloading gear, we can all help each car unload. Boats will be put off to the side and out of the way.

There on the beach next to the raft there will be several piles for different categories of equipment. The biggest pile will be for equipment that is called “night gear.” This is gear that is packed away and covered on the raft and is not accessible during the day. There will be another pile that is called “day gear”. This is gear and bags that will be clipped on the top of the raft and is accessible at any time during the day. These bags will get wet, so they should be water proof or have items in them that you don’t mind getting wet. There will be a “chair” pile that is for long items such as tents, folding chairs, cots, etc. There will be a “drift bag” pile for a cold drink that you would like to have at lunch. And there will be a “spare paddle” pile for spare paddles that will get stowed away. After everyone is unloaded, cars will be taken up and parked in the long-term parking lot and left there for the shuttle service. There will be plenty of time for people to unload and "fiddle-widdle" with their boat and gear.

On the River - A Typical Day

This is a group trip—an expedition in a true sense. Expect to be up and moving when the sun rises. We’ll eat, break camp, and then push off around 8 or 9 am to enjoy the river. We’ll stop for lunch about noon, possibly enjoying a short hike, and paddle until 4 or 5 pm, before stopping to set up camp for the night. You’re free to clean up, read, hike, or relax until dinner. We’ll eat, enjoy the canyon, tell stories, and fall asleep (but not necessarily in that order!). There will also be an occasional layover day where we will spend the entire day hiking or exploring. Our schedule will flex based on down river progress, weather and the mood of the Canyon Spirits!

Drink plenty (lots!) of water. If you are tired, have a headache, are cranky, or your urine is dark yellow, you may be getting dehydrated. Dehydration can also cause women to be more prone to urinary infections. You should carry at least a quart of water with you in your boat. (Add: It is recommended that kayakers wear a “Camel Back” or an equivalent to allow for easy access to water). Refills are available from the raft.

You must wear a PFD at all times while on the river, whether you are on the raft or in a boat. You must wear a helmet whenever there is a riffle or rapid. On perfectly flat water you may take your helmet off.

The raft always has the right-of-way. Remember that the raft is very large and people in boats are small. The boatman may not be able to see you. So stay out of the raft's path--you can take my word for it; you don't want to get run over. When landing on the beach, the raft also has the right-of-way in order to pick of the best spot to tie-up. Boaters should land and pull their boats up on to the beach out of the way.

When getting on the raft, please clean your feet so we can keep sand out of equipment and food. When we stop and scout a rapid, I will land at the last place to stop. Be sure to stop and do not pass me. When we are scouting, be sure to secure your boats, PFD’s, and paddles so that don't blow away. On hikes, do the same and check your air bags. A few minutes in the hot sun can over-expand air bags and cause them to burst or rip out the outfitting.

At Camp

When the raft lands at camp we wi ll all form a “bag line” and unload the raft and set up the kitchen. Loading and unloading the raft is a group effort. The quicker we do this, the quicker we can go on to other things. After “bag line” is completed you are free to set up camp and relax. Everyone wants a good campsite, but in some parts of the canyon (the Inner Gorge in particular) sites are limited and small. Please be patient and courteous when picking a site. The bathroom site always has priority. You may want to find out where it is being placed before parking your cot.

Washing - You can wash in the river. Do not wash in the side streams or within 100 yards of the mouth of a stream. Some of the streams have endangered animal and plant life and soap migrating up the side streams is very harmful. If you use a sun shower, be sure that you are using it on wet sand (on the beach) or in the river.

Bathroom – Each evening we will set up a toilet. There is a "day can" for emergencies during the day but it's best to use the facilities in the evening and morning while we are at camp. Peeing is ONLY done in the river. We do not pee anywhere on shore (dry sand) or in the toilet. If everyone did their business away from the river, there isn't enough rain to wash it away and the campsites would smell like an outhouse... Also, if we pee in the toilet, we would have to bring another raft just to haul it all out. So pee in the wet sand by the river's edge or in the river itself.

Nudity – Do whatever is comfortable for you. If you want to take your clothes off, go ahead but realize that others look. If nudity offends you, don’t look. If you don’t want anyone to see you nude, then don’t take your clothes off where others can see--common sense.

Pumping water – We will have 50-60 gallons of water that we carry in the raft and refill whenever we can. But there will be times when we have to pump water through filters. The water pump will be set up in the middle of camp and you should fill your personal water bottles by pumping and using the water jugs. When the pump is set up, everyone should take a turn. If we all pump for 10-15 minutes, it's an easy job.

Gear – Be sure to tie everything down. The wind will come out of nowhere and gust up to 20 mph. Things that are not tied down get blown away or into the river.

Leave no trace – We try and leave each place we stop at as if we were never there. If while eating, you drop a scrap of food, pick it up and put it in the trash. If we leave food scraps on the beach, we'll soon have ants all over the campsites.

The routine – We try to get into camp early enough so people can sit around, relax, and enjoy the evening. We get up when the sun comes up ( about 6am). When you hear the coffee call that means get up, get coffee, and start packing. Breakfast is usually about a half hour after coffee call. As soon a breakfast is over, we break kitchen and load the raft and are off. The goal is to be off the beach before the direct sun hits. It is way too hot to sit around or load the raft in the direct sun.

Midpoint

Midway through the trip, we will stop at Phantom Ranch. There you’ll find a pay phone and post office. Postcards and letters are postmarked showing that they are carried out by mule—one of the few places in the country that use mule to carry mail. You can purchase postcards and mail them to your friends and family from Phantom Ranch. Souvenirs are also available at Phantom Ranch. T-shirts generally cost $25.00 and hats $20.00.

The Weather

In July and August, the temperature can soar to 100 ° during the day, dropping to 70 ° at night. In September, the temperatures are a bit milder; average daytime is 93 ° and nighttime is 61°. 

Money

Once you leave Marble Canyon Lodge there is no place to spend money until we get to Phantom Ranch, about halfway down the river. There you can buy postcards (and mail them) T-shirts, candy bars, cold soft drinks and other small items. You also need money for gratuities and to pay the storage fee at Ralph’s Garage, if you had your vehicle shuttled.

Cameras/Videos

Sand and water can wreak havoc with cameras and video equipment. A waterproof equipment case is essential. I highly recommend Pelican cases. They are constructed of virtually indestructible plastic and have a neoprene o-ring gasket to seal out water and grit. I have found the 1300 series case to be ideal for carrying my SLR (or a compact video camera) in the canoe as I paddle. D-rings (with a strap) mounted in front of the pedestal keep the case handy and secure. Also bring a plastic bag (shower caps work great)to fit loosely over your camera to protect it from blowing sand and water droplets, especially if you take pictures aboard the raft.

Most point-and-shoot cameras, with their limited focal length lens, do not capture the type of pictures many paddlers wish to take. If you are serious about your photography, you need to bring equipment to fit the grand expanses of the canyon. I recommend a camera with two interchangeable zoom lenses; a 28-70mm (or thereabouts) for scenery, and something in the 100-300mm range for shooting paddlers in the rapids. Auto focus camera/lens systems can be a big plus or a major problem when shooting the fast action of a rapid. On the plus side is the near instantaneous focusing that can capture exciting moments. The down side is that in big rapids with many exploding or crashing waves, the auto focus mechanism can have a hard time staying locked in on your subject. Make sure you're fully versed in the operation of your camera. 

Bring plenty of film and anticipate shooting much more than usual. Also bring a spare set of batteries; you don't want your camera to die on this trip! Due to the blowing sand and fine gritty dust, filters on all of your lenses are a must. They are cheap insurance against the inevitable scratches from constant exposure to this harsh environment. I also recommend insuring your camera equipment. Most homeowner’s policies offer riders for camera equipment.

If you bring a video camera, you’ll be shooting frequently with the lens fully zoomed out. Plan on bringing a tripod or monopod to help steady your shooting. An umbrella is also handy in case of rain or to keep the water spray off the camera.

I will have a small generator to recharge batteries in the evening at camp.

Guidebooks

The Colorado River in Grand Canyon, A Guide by Larry Stevens is excellent. I highly recommend you purchase it and bring it along. It is waterproof and will guide you mile by mile down the river. An alternative is Belknap's Grand Canyon River Guide. Other books of interest include: A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon by Stephen Whitney, An Introduction to Grand Canyon Geology by L. Greer Price and the Audubon Society Nature Guide Deserts, Guide to the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon Lees Ferry to the South Cove by Tom Martin and Duwain Whitis.

Boat Repair Kit

I bring along a boat repair kit for the group, which includes extra canoe air bags, Royalex repair kit, screws, duct tape, and sewing awl. If you have a fiberglass or Kevlar boat, please bring your own resins and cloth for repair. I recommend kayakers bring an extra drain plug, any specialized bolts or fittings particular to their boat and a couple of air bag valves.

Gratuities for the Guides

Gratuities are earned, not assumed. For a job well done, a gratuity of about 10% ($360) is sincerely appreciated by Bob and the guides. If you choose to give a gratuity, they are traditionally given to the guides on the last night of the trip during the farewell party. In the past, groups have divided the gratuities with two–thirds going to the Tours West staff and one-third to Bob.

Physical Condition

You’ll enjoy the trip much more if you are in good physical and mental condition.

A trip down the canyon can take its toll—we’ll be paddling all day and taking side hikes as frequently as possible. Most people are not accustomed to multi-day paddling and if you're not physically prepared, it can be exhausting. The heat is also a big factor and dehydration is a constant threat.Be sure to pace yourself and drink plenty of water all day long. 

Safety and Judgment 

Safety is of paramount importance. Please have a realistic view of your skills and trust our judgment. If any leaders (myself, my assistant, or the raft guides) feel it is necessary to portage a rapid or have someone else run you through it, it will be done. For your safety and the safety of the group, the leader’s decision will stand if there is a difference of opinion.

Trip Insurance  

A trip down the Grand Canyon is a significant investment of your time and hard earned money. For that reason, you might want to consider taking out trip insurance from a reputable insurance or travel agency. There are a wide variety of plans and options out there, I'd recommend thoroughly researching the subject. 

At The End of the Trip

We will take out at Diamond Creek late morning or early afternoon on the last day of the trip. If you borrowed a dry bag (and or camping equipment from the outfitter), you’ll need to unpack your gear and return it. The Hualapai Indians will shuttle us to Peach Springs. They will drop us and our gear off in the big parking lot of the Hualapai Lodge. We then walk next door to Ralph’s Garage and pay for storage and pick up our vehicles. There is a restaurant in the Lodge as well as phone etc. We should be loaded and ready to hit the road between 1 and 3 pm. If you're heading back to Las Vegas and don't have your own vehicle, you will need to arrange for a ride or shuttle. It's about a three hour drive from Peach Springs to Las Vegas. For information on shuttles contact Grand Circle Shuttle at http:// www.grandcircleshuttle.com

If you need accommodations in Peach Springs, the Hualapai Lodge (888-255-9550) is located on Route 66 and is where the Diamond Creek shuttle drops us off. The Caverns Inn (928-422-3223) is also on Rt. 66 at Grand Canyon Caverns.