Join us for a Grand Canyon river trip - June 15 through 26 of 2009

We are planning a trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon for June 15th through June 26 of 2009. Note: These are approximate dates pending park service approval. We would like to invite you to join us if you are able. We are organizing the trip through Tour West, a licensed Grand Canyon outfitter. We plan to run for twelve days from Lee's Ferry to Whitmore Wash, a journey of 187 miles. We will travel in 18' oar-powered inflatable rafts. The cost of the trip is $4,000 (give or take $100, again pending park service aproval.) which includes all services on the river and transportation back to Marble Canyon or Las Vegas from the take out at Whitmore Wash.

An oar-powered rafting trip through the Grand Canyon is the ultimate and most sought-after white water adventure in North America. Other rivers may offer comparable excitement, solitude and wonder, but in much smaller doses. No other river allows you to run its length for two weeks, shedding the inessential trappings of civilization, like so much dry skin, as you float past some of the oldest exposed rocks on the planet. The Grand Canyon is one of the most recognizable tourist destinations in the world, but relatively few people see its glory from the bottom up, or experience its meandering as intimately as in an oar-powered boat, which puts you closer to the water than larger, motor-driven craft.

If you decide to join us on this trip, expect your life to be changed. You may forget what the walls of your office look like, or what it's like to wake to the sound of an alarm. You'll wake instead to the sound of Coffee and breakfast at dawn, for getting on the water early allows us to make miles in the cool and calm of the morning. We stop frequently to visit side canyons with deep narrow walls, waterfalls and swimming holes, hanging fern gardens, natural chapels and concert halls. There is ample time for hiking, swimming and lizarding on flat rocks in the sun. Lunch is served on beaches or in side canyons, wherever we can find shade. We like to get into camp early to allow time for each participant to find some solitude, and so the crew can prepare wholesome and tasty dinners. If you choose to join us on this trip, expect a degree of renewal far more profound than what you typically experience while on vacation.

We began taking private family trips down this river in 1992, and have returned many times since then. A few years ago, we began working occasional commercial trips, and this will be Joe's fifth season working regularly with Tour West. This will be our second charter trip with them, and our intention is to put together a dream crew and facilitate a truly memorable experience for our friends. The June 2008 trip was completed to great success, truly the trip of a lifetime. We are limiting the number of passengers to ensure the quality of the experience. We will design the menu ourselves, as food is for us an essential component of a good trip. You'll find no rehydrated rice and beans here, but gourmet meals from fresh ingredients; the cargo space on a fleet of 18' rafts makes this the luxury cruise of back country trips. Guests are allowed but not required to help with meal preparation. We want to serve you and help you have as relaxing an experience as possible, but we have found that, as with any group of hungry people who enjoy each other's company, come evening the kitchen is often where the action is to be found.

If you are interested in joining us on this journey, please contact Joe or Lee as soon as possible. We will be happy to answer your questions. Space is limited. We are asking a $300 nonrefundable deposit to hold your place on the trip at this point. Make checks payable to Joe Bennion. The balance will be due four months before departure. After the final payment is made there is a 50% cancellation fee deducted from your refund up to 60 days before we launch. After 60 days before launch there is no refund for cancellations. This is keeping with Tour West's cancellation policy. For this reason we recommend that you invest in a trip insurance policy to protect your payments, as some cancellations are unforeseen and unavoidable. We can provide you with trip insurance information at the time that we receive your deposit.

We look forward to sharing this trip of a life time with you.

Sincerely,

Joe and Lee Bennion
PO box 186
Spring City, UT 84662
435-462-2708
joe.the.potter@rocketmail.com

PS: If you would like to see some great Grand Canyon trip photos here are some of our favorite internet sites:
http://rosebud.moenkopi.net/pics/gc2003oct/gcoct2003.html
http://rosebud.moenkopi.net/pics/gcgal2/gallery.html
http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen3/f8.htm
http://www.pbase.com/bmcelya/grand_canyon

In addition to these sites you can go to Joe's Potter's Journal icon and select the river running category. He has posted many images from river trips in the Grand Canyon and other streams.

Interested in seeing the Grand Canyon from a special view?  Take an aerial tour from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon and see the beauty from the sky!