Why Hire a Commercial Colorado River Rafting Outfitter for a Grand Canyon Rafting Trip?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
By Stephen Daniels
A Colorado River whitewater-rafting trip is an experience like no other. Scores of legendary rapids, unrivaled natural landscapes and billion-year-old rock formations are just a few things people will experience when they hit the water and start their journey through the canyon. The people who utilize the services of commercial rafting outfitters do so for a variety of reasons. There are over a dozen of these outfitters that offer trips lasting anywhere from a few days to two weeks or longer depending on how much of the canyon is traversed and the type of raft used (motorized or oar powered).
However, commercial outfitters are not inexpensive, averaging anywhere from $2,400 to $3,500 per person for a full canyon trip. If the cost is a deterrent, private trips are possible, but keep in mind that the competition for actually getting a permit to run the river is stiff. Only 500 of these are issued annually on a lottery basis. Additionally, so much gear is required to take such a trip that when all the costs are added up for a private journey, most groups will find they have spent almost as much as hiring the pros.
Most consumers are somewhat taken aback when they hear the price for the guided journey, but the high cost per person is really quite reasonable considering all that is included. Just the cost of permits and fees per person is considerable. And of course, we can't forget that a commercial outfitter provides all food and water purification supplies, camping gear, and sanitation and first-aid supplies; not to mention the rafts, oars, personal flotation devices (PFDs) and, of course, experienced guides. They also transport your group to the put-in and take you back once the trip is done, often via helicopter - which we all know is expensive.
Still want to run the river privately? No problem, but there is a lot more to it than simply getting a group of friends together, filling a cooler and putting in. First, there is the lottery system to acquire the necessary permit to run the river. Grand Canyon rafting is an adventure in high demand, and the National Park Service is tasked with not letting it get overrun with annual visitors. Thus, every year they offer only 500 private group permits and it is estimated that this will transport approximately 5,000 people. As one can imagine, there are more entries than permits, so actually winning the lottery is the first challenge. The lottery is weighted as well. For instance, smaller groups have a better chance of winning because they don't compete with the commercial outfitters for camping space along the river. Those who have never rafted privately or who have not rafted for several years have a priority in the lottery as well.
In addition to the weighted aspect of the lottery, there is the time component to consider. Just because an individual wins a spot doesn't mean his group can launch at will. The winning ticket comes with a time slot, which may or may not be convenient for the group the ticket was purchased for. But, when an individual wins a permit, he is required to place a $400 deposit immediately to hold his spot. Failure to do so in a timely basis will cause forfeiture, and ending up at the back of the line for the next year's lottery drawing.
The $400 is applied toward the final $100-per-person cost. Then, there are all of the preparations that must be made for the trip itself including obtaining a backcountry camping permit for the group. This costs $10 for the permit plus $5 per person per night. (So for a group of eight on a 14-day trip, the permit cost alone totals $570.)
Diamond Creek Road is the access used to pick people up at the end of the rafting trip. It is owned by the Hualapai Tribe, who charge $64 per vehicle and per person, so picking up a group of eight costs over $600 (don't forget to include the person driving the van).
Let's pause for a moment and do a little math. Assuming a group of eight will pay $2,400 each for a 14-day, all-inclusive trip, that's almost $20,000 in total. In contrast, once the permits and fees are taken care of for the same size private party, the cost will be a little over $2,000. But now consider all of the other expenses.
First, there are the boats, oars and PFDs. It is recommended that 16- to 18-foot oared boats be used, but there are regulations that must be adhered to. For a very small group of only two people the minimum raft size is 12 feet. An additional two feet is required for each extra person. Assuming a private party rents 16-foot boats, for a group of eight they will need two boats plus the oars and a PFD for each rafter. Other basic supplies include dry bags, tie-downs, and rescue throw bags. Helmets are advisable given the inherent dangers of the river. And, because the water is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, wet or dry suits are also a good idea, as hypothermia can take as little as five minutes to set in. Other must-haves include a GPS tracking unit for those day hikes away from the river, and a satellite phone in case of emergency.
Additional non-consumable supplies a private group must bring along include a water purification system, sanitation systems, camping gear, cooking gear, and personal items including plenty of warm clothing, sunscreen, etc. These things, of course, must be provided for everybody in the party. Food packed for the entire trip must be appropriate to the conditions of the high desert. For those who want to eat reasonably well, fresh fruit, vegetables and meats are provided on commercial trips, but this means the rafts are extra large to accommodate carrying adequate ice chests full of dry ice to avoid spoilage. Otherwise, most foods will have to be freeze-dried and/or dehydrated goods. There are suppliers who sell "special" dry ice that can keep food fresh for up to two weeks, but of course, getting your provisions from these businesses is more expensive than packing regular coolers with a block of ice, which in most cases, will keep food fresh no more than a couple days.
Other issues that must be considered include experience and expertise in rapids rated as high as those that will be encountered on a trip through the Grand Canyon. It is illegal (punishable by steep fines and even imprisonment) to hire a guide to take a private party down the river, thus every private group must include at least one rafter who has solid experience with big water rapids. They needn't have gone down the Colorado before, but they should be able to read the conditions and determine the best course. In case a raft overturns in heavy rapids, the ability to get the boat righted is of paramount importance. And in the event of injury, having someone along with working first-aid knowledge is just plain common sense. Every member of the group should be in good health given the thrill of the ride, the desert conditions, and the strenuous hiking that will be required (unless your group has the means to hire your own helicopter for transport).
Added up, all of these items will cost a pretty penny. It may not total the amount a group of eight will pay a commercial outfitter, but remember that the pros take care of everything before, during and after. They serve as transport to and from the river. They do the navigating, and they cook very good meals made of fresh food - not packaged.
They also provide entertainment, can tell stories along the trip and help to make the adventure fun and relaxing. They know all the side canyons and items of historical significance that rafters should see and can help all rafters get to these locations during breaks from the river. And finally, they make sure that all waste is packed out and the river is left in as good, if not better, condition than it was found.
For those who still want the private experience, there are also commercial businesses that will equip a group with as much or as little as they need. For example, an all-inclusive package for a private group of eight on a 16-day trip can cost $850 or more per person. This includes rafts, gear, all meals, a portable kitchen, portable sanitation facilities, safety supplies, water filtration supplies, transportation, and more. Considering this will run roughly $14,000, plus the $2,000 for the permits, the cost of private Colorado River raft trips is almost as much as a commercially guided tour, without the experience and expertise of the guides.
On a commercial trip, a group is equipped with everything they need to safely enjoy the river and the canyon, with no fuss, no bother, and no time necessary to devote to planning and organizing. When one factors in the time needed to obtain the permits, gear and necessary supplies, as well as coordinate the arrival and departure from the river, the real value of hiring a Colorado River whitewater rafting outfitter with all their know-how becomes apparent.
Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2011 All Rights Reserved.
However, commercial outfitters are not inexpensive, averaging anywhere from $2,400 to $3,500 per person for a full canyon trip. If the cost is a deterrent, private trips are possible, but keep in mind that the competition for actually getting a permit to run the river is stiff. Only 500 of these are issued annually on a lottery basis. Additionally, so much gear is required to take such a trip that when all the costs are added up for a private journey, most groups will find they have spent almost as much as hiring the pros.
Most consumers are somewhat taken aback when they hear the price for the guided journey, but the high cost per person is really quite reasonable considering all that is included. Just the cost of permits and fees per person is considerable. And of course, we can't forget that a commercial outfitter provides all food and water purification supplies, camping gear, and sanitation and first-aid supplies; not to mention the rafts, oars, personal flotation devices (PFDs) and, of course, experienced guides. They also transport your group to the put-in and take you back once the trip is done, often via helicopter - which we all know is expensive.
Still want to run the river privately? No problem, but there is a lot more to it than simply getting a group of friends together, filling a cooler and putting in. First, there is the lottery system to acquire the necessary permit to run the river. Grand Canyon rafting is an adventure in high demand, and the National Park Service is tasked with not letting it get overrun with annual visitors. Thus, every year they offer only 500 private group permits and it is estimated that this will transport approximately 5,000 people. As one can imagine, there are more entries than permits, so actually winning the lottery is the first challenge. The lottery is weighted as well. For instance, smaller groups have a better chance of winning because they don't compete with the commercial outfitters for camping space along the river. Those who have never rafted privately or who have not rafted for several years have a priority in the lottery as well.
In addition to the weighted aspect of the lottery, there is the time component to consider. Just because an individual wins a spot doesn't mean his group can launch at will. The winning ticket comes with a time slot, which may or may not be convenient for the group the ticket was purchased for. But, when an individual wins a permit, he is required to place a $400 deposit immediately to hold his spot. Failure to do so in a timely basis will cause forfeiture, and ending up at the back of the line for the next year's lottery drawing.
The $400 is applied toward the final $100-per-person cost. Then, there are all of the preparations that must be made for the trip itself including obtaining a backcountry camping permit for the group. This costs $10 for the permit plus $5 per person per night. (So for a group of eight on a 14-day trip, the permit cost alone totals $570.)
Diamond Creek Road is the access used to pick people up at the end of the rafting trip. It is owned by the Hualapai Tribe, who charge $64 per vehicle and per person, so picking up a group of eight costs over $600 (don't forget to include the person driving the van).
Let's pause for a moment and do a little math. Assuming a group of eight will pay $2,400 each for a 14-day, all-inclusive trip, that's almost $20,000 in total. In contrast, once the permits and fees are taken care of for the same size private party, the cost will be a little over $2,000. But now consider all of the other expenses.
First, there are the boats, oars and PFDs. It is recommended that 16- to 18-foot oared boats be used, but there are regulations that must be adhered to. For a very small group of only two people the minimum raft size is 12 feet. An additional two feet is required for each extra person. Assuming a private party rents 16-foot boats, for a group of eight they will need two boats plus the oars and a PFD for each rafter. Other basic supplies include dry bags, tie-downs, and rescue throw bags. Helmets are advisable given the inherent dangers of the river. And, because the water is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, wet or dry suits are also a good idea, as hypothermia can take as little as five minutes to set in. Other must-haves include a GPS tracking unit for those day hikes away from the river, and a satellite phone in case of emergency.
Additional non-consumable supplies a private group must bring along include a water purification system, sanitation systems, camping gear, cooking gear, and personal items including plenty of warm clothing, sunscreen, etc. These things, of course, must be provided for everybody in the party. Food packed for the entire trip must be appropriate to the conditions of the high desert. For those who want to eat reasonably well, fresh fruit, vegetables and meats are provided on commercial trips, but this means the rafts are extra large to accommodate carrying adequate ice chests full of dry ice to avoid spoilage. Otherwise, most foods will have to be freeze-dried and/or dehydrated goods. There are suppliers who sell "special" dry ice that can keep food fresh for up to two weeks, but of course, getting your provisions from these businesses is more expensive than packing regular coolers with a block of ice, which in most cases, will keep food fresh no more than a couple days.
Other issues that must be considered include experience and expertise in rapids rated as high as those that will be encountered on a trip through the Grand Canyon. It is illegal (punishable by steep fines and even imprisonment) to hire a guide to take a private party down the river, thus every private group must include at least one rafter who has solid experience with big water rapids. They needn't have gone down the Colorado before, but they should be able to read the conditions and determine the best course. In case a raft overturns in heavy rapids, the ability to get the boat righted is of paramount importance. And in the event of injury, having someone along with working first-aid knowledge is just plain common sense. Every member of the group should be in good health given the thrill of the ride, the desert conditions, and the strenuous hiking that will be required (unless your group has the means to hire your own helicopter for transport).
Added up, all of these items will cost a pretty penny. It may not total the amount a group of eight will pay a commercial outfitter, but remember that the pros take care of everything before, during and after. They serve as transport to and from the river. They do the navigating, and they cook very good meals made of fresh food - not packaged.
They also provide entertainment, can tell stories along the trip and help to make the adventure fun and relaxing. They know all the side canyons and items of historical significance that rafters should see and can help all rafters get to these locations during breaks from the river. And finally, they make sure that all waste is packed out and the river is left in as good, if not better, condition than it was found.
For those who still want the private experience, there are also commercial businesses that will equip a group with as much or as little as they need. For example, an all-inclusive package for a private group of eight on a 16-day trip can cost $850 or more per person. This includes rafts, gear, all meals, a portable kitchen, portable sanitation facilities, safety supplies, water filtration supplies, transportation, and more. Considering this will run roughly $14,000, plus the $2,000 for the permits, the cost of private Colorado River raft trips is almost as much as a commercially guided tour, without the experience and expertise of the guides.
On a commercial trip, a group is equipped with everything they need to safely enjoy the river and the canyon, with no fuss, no bother, and no time necessary to devote to planning and organizing. When one factors in the time needed to obtain the permits, gear and necessary supplies, as well as coordinate the arrival and departure from the river, the real value of hiring a Colorado River whitewater rafting outfitter with all their know-how becomes apparent.
Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2011 All Rights Reserved.
About the Author:
If you are interested in booking a high adventure Colorado River raft trip, author Stephen Daniels recommends Hatch River Expeditions. Their skilled guides will take you on the adventure of a lifetime, showing you the river and canyon as few see it, while making sure that all your senses are well stimulated, including your taste buds.
Posted byBertie at 5:53 AM
0 comments:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)