From the Grand Canyon National Park River Information Center
The information in these audiocasts was updated in 2011. Below are links to mp3 files of 3 audiocasts made from the parks Non-commercial River Trip Orientation Video. To view or download the video chapters themselves, jump to River Trip Orientation Videos. The videos are closed captioned.
Any new Grand Canyon river audiocasts will be made available on this page.
iPod users, these programs are also available through the Grand Canyon RiveriTunes Podcast Channel
Three Mp3 audiocasts made from Grand Canyon National Park's Non-commercial River Trip Orientation Video may be played through you device or downloaded via the links below.
Lee's Ferry to Diamond Creek Audiocast 38m:48s
Here's the audio track from the park's non-commercial River Trip Orientation Video. Listen to valuable tips and information for boaters running from Lee's Ferry to Diamond Creek. Topics include: water temperature, low impact camping, personal hygiene and river illness, setting up the kitchen, food and hydration, accidents, wildlife, location restrictions, and day use areas.
Hi. We hope the information in this video helps to answer some of the questions that you might have about running the Colorado River. As users of this river corridor, we all have a vested interest in preserving this place for future generations. And on behalf of the National Park. Service. I'd like to thank you for watching this video. Ever since humans took their first peek over the edge of the Grand Canyon, it's influenced a tangible respect from anyone who's seen it. No matter what their background or motivation, none could discount the power of its sheer scale or the extremes in temperature, geology, and beauty that make up its personality. To this day, people come from all over the world just to see it firsthand. There's a certain group of visitors that seek a more intense journey into the core of the canyon, to be part of the dance of water on the Colorado River as it drops almost 2000ft on its way to Lake Mead. It's what the Hualapai tribe calls Hackatai, or the backbone, and running its length through Grand. Canyon National Park is surely one of the prime outdoor experiences available anywhere in the world. Many of those who run the river have little in common except their passion for these giant waves, and the nomadic experience of floating down these corridors of time. Most people on private trips who venture down Grand Canyon are already accomplished whitewater boaters. Even so, the challenges and adventures of the next days will prove to be, at times both awe inspiring and challenging. This section of the Colorado River is one of the top ten of the world's whitewater runs. It also provides for the rare experience of drifting through one of the seven natural wonders of the world. No doubt you've committed time and resources to support your intention to go on this trip. Now that your opportunity has arrived, we hope that the river users have gone before you have traveled lightly so that your experience can be as enjoyable as theirs was. Not only is it your turn to run the canyon, but it's your turn to be a steward in a continuous team approach to protecting the cultural and natural resources of the canyon ecosystem. The Grand Canyon is a world of extremes and contradictions. It's tough to truly understand the contrast between its geologic power and the fragile resources that exist here. While this stretch of the Colorado River was known to indigenous tribes for more than 10,000 years, the 277 mile section through what is now Grand Canyon National Park hadn't been navigated until John Wesley Powells 1869 expedition set out to document the run. Powell and his team wrote about their first person account of the journey, and help focused national attention on the area. What his group experienced was a wild river with no dams controlling its flow and no other river runners to compete with for camp spots. Today's reality is a bit different. The river is dam controlled, and the run has become so popular that today roughly 29,000 boaters float the Colorado River each year. Modern boaters face some of the same challenges that Powells team did, but with the advantage of modern equipment and detailed maps, the new challenge is to minimize our collective impact. While the Colorado River and GrandCanyon may affect you physically and mentally, you will affect the canyon just by your presence there. And since there are so many of us now. We've learned a few tips over the years to both protect the resources and help make your trip successful. It's a delicate balancing act for the Park Service, and one that we continually improve upon. Lee's ferry, located some 15 miles below Glen Canyon Dam, marks the starting point for all trips through Grand Canyon. Before you arrive at Lee's Ferry. Be sure to check all your equipment, especially the required equipment as listed in your permit packet. The Lee's Ferry Ranger will be checking your equipment before you start your trip, so make sure it's accessible. Remember, there are no river equipment suppliers or repair facilities near Lee's Ferry, so be sure your equipment is in working order before you leave home. 150 people may launch on any day in the summer. The launch ramp becomes a very busy and potentially dangerous place due to constantly arriving and departing vehicles. Mountains of baggage, ropes and equipment. Extra caution needs to be exercised to make sure your trip doesn't end before it starts. We recommend that private trips arrive a day before their launch to rig and camp at the private River camp. To get an early start on launch day, look for checking instructions on the bulletin board on the downstream side of the ramp from the mouth of the Perea River. You'll enter Grand Canyon National Park and the start of your journey. Until 1963 and the construction of Glen Canyon Dam. The Colorado River's summer water temperature was a warm 75 degrees, and the river level fluctuated on a seasonal basis. Water is now released from 200ft below the top of the dam. The water is very cold, ranging from 45 to 60 degrees, and only warms one degree every 20 miles you travel down river. The water temperature is also dependent on Lake Powell water level and time of year. The extremely cold water is one of the prime reasons for Grand Canyon's lifejacket regulation. Simply, if you're on your boat and it's not tied to shore, you will wear a properly fitted lifejacket 100% of the time. At 47 degrees, even in flat water, you have about 5 to 10 minutes of muscle activity to rescue yourself. In ten minutes, your muscles stop working and your chances of rescue are very poor. While death is the ultimate penalty for not wearing a PhD, there are also significant fines for being caught not wearing them. Some people will experience hypothermia after a long period in the cold water. These people must be warmed up if one of your party members exhibits signs of hypothermia. It is recommended that you handle them gently. Remove wet clothing.Hyper insulate them with multiple sleeping bags, protect them from further exposure, feed and hydrate them with drinks and carbohydrates if possible, and allow them to rewarm. Much like the ocean, the Colorado River experiences tidal changes. These fluctuations are controlled by water releases from Glen Canyon Dam. Since the water flows at about five miles per hour, releases from the dam will take varying times to reach different areas. A dam release will take 12 hours to reach the Little Colorado, and about 18 hours to reach Phantom Ranch. Tables are available that will help you calculate when the river will rise and fall in specific areas. The fluctuations have certain side benefits for the ecosystem, as the water rises and then recedes. It removes any human impacts below the high water mark to have as little personal impact as possible on the environment. Use the low water areas for activities such as bathing, dishwashing, or eating a meal. Any impact above the high water mark will last a very long time. The water levels will also affect your daily planning. At low water, there will be plenty of beach to conduct your activities in camp. But remember, this is low water. When it rises later, anything left in the low water zone will be washed away and headed for Lake Mead. Without you. The water levels will also affect where and how you tether your boat at night. If you don't adjust the position of your boat periodically during the night, you might find yourself high and dry when the water goes down. Possibly sitting on a rock that was several feet underwater the day before. It's always a good idea to scout larger rapids, as the best run through the rapid could change at various water levels. Seek out up to date information on changes in rapids, and compare it with what you see during scouting. Be sure to check with the least ferry ranger for predicted river flow patterns that may occur during your trip. After you beach the boats at the end of the day, camps along the river offer a chance to relax with friends and get a better understanding of the canyon. As roughly 29,000 people camp in the inner canyon each year. The impact on the camping beaches can be severe. There's nothing better than arriving at a pristine beach after a day on the river, and nothing worse than finding that inconsiderate groups before you have left the beach covered in trash, which has attracted unwanted animals and insects, and the smell of human waste. A few simple protocols will help preserve the beaches for the next person. Where you camp will actually help determine how long that area will remain undamaged. It's really important that you identify the historic high water line and encourage your entire group to camp below that. The easiest way to identify the historic water line is to look for the mesquite and the fragile sand dunes that they often grow on. Walking or setting up camp in those areas tramples vegetation and creates trails that other people might follow. It can also damage the crypto biotic soils that help maintain these fragile slopes. If you see areas where vegetation or rocks have been used to block a trailer campsite, please respect these efforts and avoid these areas. We ask that you camp down by the river near the tamarack and willow trees, and don't create new trails or damage the vegetation to keep the campsites clean. Everyone is required to remove all organic waste, including garbage, human waste, and even ashes. This waste is to be carried out and disposed of outside of the Grand Canyon. There is no provision for trash pickup at either Phantom Ranch, Diamond Creek, or Lake Mead. Just remember to remove everything you bring with you. Since not everyone cares as much as you about the canyon. You'll occasionally find trash on the beach. If you have an extra garbage bag and room, please carry it out. Large pieces of trash are, of course, an obvious eyesore, but even small pieces of micro trash can create a major impact if allowed to accumulate on the edges. Candy wrappers, napkins, paper towels, and cigaret butts all impact the look of a beach. It can also create a serious nuisance. Normally, red ants live in the bushes and eat vegetation, but over time have been attracted by human food and have moved down onto the beaches. While the ants are a problem for you when you're cooking and eating, they also deliver a vicious bite that will hurt for days. You'll find the cleaner, the beach. The fewer ants are attracted. A tarp located under your kitchen and dishwashing station will catch any food that might fall off the table. Simply remove the tarp when you break camp. Putting large food chunks in the garbage and then shake what is left into the river. Less food equals fewer pests. The glow and the warmth of a campfire blazing and then dying away as your group wanders off to sleep is a fond memory of most camping experiences. It's often warm at night, and fires are rarely necessary. However, if you're going to have a fire, they are allowed in the canyon, but only in a fire pan. By raising the fire pan off the beach with legs or cans, you'll avoid scarring the beach, leaving it in good shape for the next group. A fire blanket is also needed under each fire pan. In the summer season, the collecting of wood is prohibited. You may bring your own if you wish. In the winter season, driftwood may be burned, but only driftwood, dead and downward in the bushes is off limits. Driftwood found above the old high water zone is not to be collected. It needs to stay in place for the stability of this fragile area, as there's no guarantee that you'll find driftwood in your camp. Driftwood should be collected while you're still on the water and not in your camp. This will prevent people from collecting dead and downward above the old high water zone. Due to changing water levels, there may not always be driftwood available for collecting. It's a good idea to bring your own firewood or an alternative source of heat if you're on a winter trip, such as a portable gas fire. A trip down the river. Less days for some weeks for others. But the last thing anyone wants is to get sick on the river or become very unpopular by spreading an illness. One of the most effective and easiest ways of preventing an illness from ruining a trip is for all members of the group to wash their hands often. Anytime you set up a table, wash your hands with soap and water any time you prepare a meal. Wash your hands any time you eat a meal. Wash your hands after setup or breakdown or use of the toilet. Wash your hands. You may have guessed it by now. It's really important to wash your hands. You're conveniently located next to a giant hand-washing system. Always have soap handy, both in the kitchen and at toilet facilities. Hand washing should be done with treated water, so if you wash your hands with untreated river water, you should then use hand sanitizer afterwards. The river water running next to camp will be useful for all sorts of activities.. One of the most important of these will happen when you get the call of nature. Peeing in the river is essential for a healthy beach. The Grand Canyon desert ecosystem gets little rain and has limited amounts of organic material in the soil to process your urine. The river, on the other hand, does an excellent job of diluting and processing it. Plus, the view is terrific at night. Peeing in the river can be dangerous, so always wear a headlamp and consider using a pee bucket. While the river will process the pee well, the wet sands in the tide area will not. A consequence of not hitting the water is an ugly green algae that grows on the beaches when going hiking. Plan ahead. Do you have to go before leaving camp and the river? You should not pee in a creek or drainage. Since most of the hikes are in drainages. Your opportunity to pee off river will be limited. If you don't plan ahead, you need to get 100ft away from the drainage, which unfortunately may prove impossible in a narrow slot canyon. If you have to defecate while away from the river and your toilet system, rather than digging cattles, we recommend the use of wag bags or the rest up kit for dealing with human waste while away from your boat. The kitchen will become the major hub of activity once you get off the river for the day. It can also be the most likely place for illness to spread. You guessed it, wash your hands before handling any food or dishes in the kitchen. Try to set up in the low tide zone. This will wash away any spilled food. Use a tarp under your table in any area. Setting up in the low tide zone will also make straining dirty dishwater into the river more convenient. Remember to use a screen and remove the large food chunks and only return water to the river. One of the most important areas of the kitchen will be the dishwashing station. We recommend a setup that's worked well in the past. The four bucket system. The first bucket is a pre-wash or a slop bucket with just cold water. The middle two buckets need to be hot water. One is for washing and one for rinsing. The fourth will be cold water sterilized with a cap full of bleach, and the dishes will soak in the bleach water for several minutes. Air drying is the best final step as the dishes will stay in contact with the bleach longer. It's also a good idea to put your dishes away at night to reduce mice and the effects of blowing sand. As with most activities, remember to crush cans and scrub pots in or at the water's edge in the low tide zone. The dishes are washed and the trash has been sealed away, but a distinct odor still hangs over camp. The odor is probably you and your companions. The Colorado River offers a convenient bathtub soap up in the low tide area and go into the river feet first. No diving. There are large hard rocks just under the surface. If you're like most people, you'll make short work of it in the cool water. When the river turns brown after a rain, bathing in a clear side stream will look mighty tempting. But please don't. The rule is no soap in any side stream after bathing several times in the river. You may become a firm believer in the solar shower. The warm water will feel great. Just set it up so it drops into the river water so soap doesn't end up in wet or dry sand in your camp. The Grand Canyon offers a variety of temperature extremes, from the very cold river to extremely hot and dry days. Since you'll be traveling through a desert, the summer temperatures will be very hot. They're equal to Phenix or Las Vegas. It can, and often does, get up around 120 degrees. When you're hot, you really don't feel like eating much. But food is just as important as water to keep you going. Simply munching on food throughout the day is one of the best things you can do. Hydration on this trip is a primary goal every day. Good liquids like water, Gatorade, and fruit juices will keep you hydrated. Everyone needs to drink at least a gallon of these every day. More if it's really hot. Other drinks like coffee, soda, and alcohol are diuretics and actually lead to dehydration. If you're going to consume diuretics, please do so in moderation. Eating frequently and drinking good liquids every 15 to 30 minutes will keep you in good shape to enjoy the trip. One overall safety precaution each of us needs to carry with us relates to our own egos. We need to consider our location when taking chances and realize that if we take personal risks. Deep in the canyon, the outcome can affect everyone else in the group. You know that running the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon has its risks. Some of those risks might surprise you. For instance, most injuries don't occur in Thundering. Rapids like these. In fact, 90% of all accidents happen off the river. For example, getting on or off the boats or hiking up one of the many side canyons. So you need to be careful and plan ahead before you venture away from the river. We recommend that you hike with a buddy or in a group. One of the leading contributors to injuries in the backcountry is hiking alone. Ready? Statistically, given time, accidents do happen. If for any reason you find yourself in an emergency situation that you can't handle yourself, the Park Service is here to lend a hand. But first, you need to contact us. There are many different ways to do so. Hiking out is the least desirable method in that it subjects you to the rigors of the canyon. If you're anywhere near Phantom Ranch, a ranger is usually on duty and there is a pay phone to contact 911. All commercial trips are required to carry satellite phones, so if you can find a commercial trip or another private with a satellite phone, they might be able to help you with communications. SAT phones with fresh batteries are the best of all contact tools. Call the Park Service Dispatch number that's in your permit packet. However you communicate what the Park Service needs to know is the exact location of the incident, including river, mile and side of the river. Whether the patient is stable or critical. If the problem is trauma or medical, and whether the incident involves a private river trip, a commercial river trip, or a hiker. If the problem is serious, it may require a helicopter evacuation. If this is the case, there are certain things you'll need to do to keep yourself and the helicopter crew safe. The orange panels you carry are used to mark a landing zone. First, wet the landing zone down with buckets of water. The more you wet the area, the less the sand blows. Place a landing marker on the beach so that the helicopter crew can find you. A safe landing area 75ft across before the pilot lands. Remove the marker panels. Be sure to secure anything that might blow away when the helicopter lands. Keep your group together and at least 100ft from the landing zone. The pilot may or may not use your particular landing zone. That's up to the pilots discretion. When the helicopter lands, don't approach it. A crew member will come to you. They'll help you go through the next steps to get the situation in hand. In an emergency, it's always best to respond with aggressive self rescue first. But sometimes the circumstances become too great alone. And that's when we can try to assist. Lists of rules won't really ensure a safe trip. Your good judgment will. It's one of the best tools you can bring along. For you'll be traveling through what to most of you will be a remote and unfamiliar environment. But there are many inhabitants of the canyon that call it home. For the most part, the wildlife of the canyon are tolerant of your presence. For two of the animals to be aware of are scorpions and rattlesnakes. While these creatures are not particularly dangerous, while left alone, they can deliver a vicious sting or bite if provoked. Scorpions like dark, damp and cool environments. Clothes left on the beach or the underside of tabletops are favorite resting places. Be sure to shake out clothing, sleeping bags and life jackets and look before you reach for anything. Rattlesnakes are, for the most part, very docile and would rather avoid you. Snake bites usually occur when people try to pick up the snake. Keep in mind that all wildlife in the canyon is protected by law, even if the more prickly types may get your skin crawling. That doesn't mean you should harm them in any way. The only ones to make note of are Africanized bees. If you happen to see abnormally aggressive behavior, please report the location to the Park Service. You'll become aware of the birds that inhabit the canyon. Sightings of osprey, blue heron, and peregrine falcons may become daily occurrences. If you're extremely lucky, you may see one of the California condor that were released near the Grand Canyon. These birds are endangered species and you should keep your distance even if they visit you in camp. Keep going downstream if you encounter them along a shoreline while on the river. These birds are easily habituated to humans and their food. This is one of the reasons for their near extinction. Two other birds, the common raven and the boat tailed grackle, will be constant visitors to your camp as they see humans as two legged vending machines. Any food left unattended on your boats, as well as in camp, will quickly vanish. Because of the fragile desert ecosystem of the inner canyon. Minimum impact camping practices are a must. Around 900 people a day will be camping along the river on any given night during peak season. There's significant potential for damage to everyone's favorite camps, but if we all work together, we can help preserve the camps for future visitors. Humans have left their mark in the canyon long before we started running the rapids. These prehistoric and historic resource areas are all part of the canyon record, from Ancestral Puebloans to the miners and explorers. Each site is a protected area, and everything from the smallest flake of stone to pieces of pottery. Even more recent historic artifacts are a significant part of the canyon's history. All are protected by law and should be left as they are found. If you're out hiking on a trail, encourage everyone in your group to stay on the trail. This will lessen the cumulative effects of traveling in this fragile desert environment. Remember, when you hike on river left, you may be entering the Navajo, Havasupai, or Hualapai Indian reservations. This includes the Diamond Creek takeout. If you are planning on visiting these areas, please apply for permits well in advance before entering reservation land. Consult with the main park office for the specific boundaries of these reservations and any applicable fees. While exploring areas off the river, you'll discover a wealth of archeological sites. They're all fragile and serve as a connection to the canyon's past, as well as a valuable study resource. Native Americans have been in the canyon for over 10,000 years because of the dry desert environment. Many of the artifacts they left are still intact throughout the canyon. Many are of significant religious importance to today's tribal people. Archeological sites come in many varieties, from walls and foundations to granaries to large areas dotted with ruins and roasting pits.These sites have endured decades and sometimes centuries, but with one misstep an area can be damaged or eliminated over time. Always stay on established trails and don't enter any of the sites. Most of them are very delicate and can be degraded or destroyed very easily. Something as simple as leaning against a wall can cause it to collapse. Grand Canyon covers over 1.2 million acres.Most of the space is open for you to explore. There are certain areas, though,where you will need to show some caution or simply avoid. Stanton's cave is at River mile 30.You can hike up to the cave opening, but are restricted from entering the cave by a gate. This gate was constructed to preserve the archeological site inside, and allow a colony of bats to fly in and out of the cave. The artifacts that were once here were excavated by archeologists long ago. Just down river in view of Stanton's Cave is Base's. Paradise. Base's is home to the Kanab amber snail that live in the vegetation. It's best to stay five feet away from any plants for the protection of the snail and yourself.Poison ivy abounds at this site. Due to the fragile nature of the remnants of Anasazi Bridge on the cliff face at river mile 42. This archeological site is closed to all stopping or visitation. Another area off limits to all stopping is the Sacred Salt Mine, just below the confluence of the Little Colorado River. This is a religious site of great value to Hopi and other tribes of the Four Corners.And out of respect, we ask you not to stop here. Hood River, mile 52.You will see the Nankoweap granaries in a small alcove in the cliff face. Hiking up the stabilized trail is permitted,but please stay on the ledge below the actual granaries. The Furnace Flats area is located at river mile 71.5.The site has undergone severe erosion and is closed to any visitation. While the park tries to stabilize the area, please don't stop there. Hood River mile 72 is one of the largest archeological sites in the canyon. Uncar Delta is perched on a large shelf above Uncar Rapid. This area covers many acres and was inhabited some 1000 years ago. There are dozens of structures, foundations, as well as pottery pieces and other artifacts. So take some time to explore this unique area. When visiting any archeological site, please don't enter any of the structures. If you want to examine an artifact more closely, you may pick it up, but please return it to the exact spot where you picked it up. You'll notice collector's piles throughout the site where visitors have stacked artifacts for display. It's far more rewarding for you and those who will follow to make their own discoveries. Please don't pile artifacts on rocks or walls. The canyon has been host to several eras of human occupation and activities. The late 1800s saw a flurry of mining activity. One of the richest minerals taken from the canyon was asbestos because of the potential health hazard. Both Hance and Bass mine sites are close to visitation. In addition to outright closures, there are certain heavily visited areas that are restricted to day use only. The first five miles from Lee's Ferry to Navajo. Bridge are for day use. The first easy place for you to camp is at River mile six. John Wesley. Powell describes in his journals a large red wall cavern big enough to fit 50,000 people. A closer estimate may be 5000. It's still quite big and a popular spot. You're welcome to have lunch at the cavern, but you need to move downstream before camping. Nanakuli is known for the granaries located on the cliff above the river at mile 52, and has three campsites. The first area along the beach is not a camp and should be used for day use only. Just below the rapid is the upper camp. If you plan to camp at Nanakuli, it's a good idea to pull into the upper camp and scout the other campsites below to see if they're available. Once you commit to go down, it's difficult to return the boats to the upstream camp at the confluence of the Little Colorado. River. The two beaches on river right are available for camping, but river left and the island at the mouth of the Little Colorado offer day use only. No fishing is allowed in the LCR. Fishing is also restricted in this section of the Colorado. From a half mile up and downstream of the confluence, in order to protect the humpback chub that spawns here. Swim only on river right and steer clear of the riparian sedges on the left. Crossing of the lcra should be done upstream of this area. Boats are not allowed to enter or park in the Little Colorado River. Please check with the least ferry ranger for seasonal swimming restrictions at the LCR. As well. Planning campsites ahead of time is vital, especially around the Phantom Ranch area. There's only one usable campsite between mile 77 and 81. At mile 81 is great fun. This is a huge campsite with plenty of room for several trips. Be aware that you may have neighbors before spreading out too far. For that matter, be open to the possibility of sharing almost any camp on your trip with others. Most times it's not necessary, especially if small groups use small camps and leave larger areas for larger groups. But as beach sizes change, we sometimes need to get along in tighter quarters. Doubling up at a campsite is a last resort,but when it does happen in a pinch. Try to make the best of it. When passing other commercial or private trips during the day, be open to discussing camp planswith the trip leaders for the next part of the trip. The more we keep communication lines open, the better off everyone will be. Beautiful unawareness of other's plans can alleviate congestion. Where are you guys planning on camping tonight? Oh, we're. We're headed down to Galloway or Stone area. One of those can be looking at our lives and setting up for deer Creek tomorrow. So that sounds like our work. For everyone's safety, it's important that your party travel together while on the water. Keep all boats in sight. And don't send boats ahead to snag camps. If the boat behind you stops or slows down, you should pull over to wait. You are responsible for the boat behind you. If another trip is moving faster than yours on the water, keep your boats together and let that trip pass. This will prevent any on river collisions and will give you another opportunity to communicate with other trips. After several days on the river. A little bit of civilization is sometimes welcome. Phantom ranch will appear on river right marked by the Black Bridge. Straight ahead is Boat Beach.You may tie up there and enjoy the conveniences of the ranch area.However, you're not allowed to camp in the ranch area. There are campsites in the cremation camp area on river left, but these two campsites are only to be used by trips with passenger exchanges at Phantom Ranch.
If hiking out in the summer, be familiar with where you can find water along the trail. Hike early or closer to dark with a flashlight. Avoid hiking in midday sun. Mile 91 will be the next campsite below Phantom Ranch. In general, avoid camping in the Hance to Phantom Corridor. If you don't have a passenger exchange, there are many day use sites throughout the canyon. Each of the sites is unique in its scenery and activities. Cinnamon Creek Royal Arch Creek, Tapeat's creek. Deer Creek. Kanab creek. Matkatamiba,and Havasu. Canyon are all considered day use sites. Some of these areas are often crowded and parking can be difficult. Keep all the boats in your group together and be prepared to share space for some commercial passengers. The trip ends at the Whitmore helipad on the Hualapai Indian Reservation near river mile 187. There are limited camps below Lava Falls and above Whitmore. Please consider leaving these camps free for those groups with an exchange. This will also help you avoid the noise impact from these helicopter exchanges. Most trips end at Diamond Creek on the Hualapai. Indian Reservation. Diamond Creek can become very congested if several trips are dragging at the same time, so try to keep your equipment consolidate. The best time to arrive is after 9:30 a.m.. You should plan your take out for early in the day, as Diamond Creek and Diamond Creek. Road are one in the same. Flash floods do occur and the road may close for days. Planning, rules.Regulations. That's not primarily what you came here for, but they are important for your comfort and safety as well as for the preservation of this unique resource. Following these basic guidelines has helped us all minimize our collective footprint on the river corridor. There's no practical need for people to travel the river through the Grand Canyon. You can drive a car to both ends. It's all about the journey. It's the intangible rewards of doing this. The personal challenge and excitement of it that brings people here. And that's important to remember. No matter who you meet down here, we're all in it for similar reasons. This experience is powerful because it takes us outside the pattern of our daily lives and creates a feeling of renewal, discovery and achievement. It's one of the key benefits of a national park. Once you've run a boat through here, you'll understand why people are held in its trance until they return again. Thanks for helping us keep that experience alive. If you have any questions, you'll find many of the answers on the other sections of this DVD and on our website. Thanks for listening and enjoy your trip.
Wind is blowing in the juniper trees and this beauty took hold of me. I fell on my knees and this broken soul just took on wings of a hawk. And I'm soaring high over the old red rock. I got dreams Girl is changing. And my life always needs some rearranging. But I feel at ease when I see it flow, the muddy water of the Colorado. But I feel at ease when I see it flow, the muddy water of the Colorado. But I feel at ease when I see it flow, the muddy water of the Colorado. But I feel at ease when I see it flow, the muddy water of the Colorado.
Diamond Creek to Lake Mead 04m:00s
Additional information from Grand Canyon National Park for boaters running the lower end of the Colorado River from Diamond Creek to Lake Mead. Includes Pearce Ferry boat ramp and Pearce Ferry Rapid. Updated 2011.
When traveling the lower canyon, from Diamond Creek to Lake Mead,
there are a few things to consider.
This short section of the video
will go over a few additional details
for this part of the Colorado River
through Grand Canyon National Park.
If you are continuing on to Lake Mead,
please try to leave camps immediately above Diamond Creek
available for those groups taking out here.
The first thing you may notice about this lower section
is that campsites are pretty limited.
Many of the sites are heavily overgrown, or eroded, or have very high banks.
Camp sharing may be more frequent down here.
Remember that no camping is allowed
within the Columbine Falls Cove area.
You may run into shallow water and sandbars
from river mile 248 at Surprise Canyon,
all the way to the takeout,
so keeping an eye out for those
can save you a lot of hassle.
Sandbars aren't the only collision risk down here.
You may encounter speed boats traveling upstream from Lake Mead.
To reduce any potential for collision,
try to keep your boats close together.
For those of you who choose to night float
through the Lower Granite Gorge,
if your trip doesn’t have a motor,
you must have someone ready to signal oncoming boats with a flashlight.
If your trip has a motor, you must have
United States Coast Guard approved navigational lights displayed.
In 2010, the National Park Service extended the road
and built a ramp to allow river trip takeouts
above Pearce Ferry Rapid.
This allows boaters to take out above the newly formed Pearce Ferry Rapid,
and to avoid navigating through the mud flats,
lake level dependent rapids,
and lake sections between Pearce Ferry and South Cove.
The Pearce Ferry ramp area is small,
and boaters need to keep a small footprint
to allow all users access to the takeout.
Boats need to be de-rigged
in the compacted dirt area on either side of the paved ramp.
This will leave the paved ramp open for boats
that will be put directly onto trailers and not de-rigged.
In the summertime, early morning takeouts are suggested
as temperatures often exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Camping is not allowed at Pearce Ferry takeout,
so plan your trip accordingly,
and camp above the takeout the night prior to your takeout day.
The only facility at the Pearce Ferry takeout is a restroom.
2 miles from the current takeout,
at the traditional Pearce Ferry takeout,
is a dry campground and emergency phone.
If you choose to run-out to South Cove,
it's suggested that you scout Pearce Ferry Rapid.
We don't recommend night-floating this section,
and please make sure that everyone in your group is wearing a life jacket.
When you get onto Lake Mead,
it becomes readily apparent
that travel across the lake is easier
with a small outboard motor.
The lake often has a 10-15 mph wind
which makes rowing or paddling more difficult.
There's an unmaintained river runners takeout
a quarter-mile down lake of the paved boat ramp at South Cove.
The SCAT machine is often available on Pearce Ferry road,
about 10 miles away from Pearce Ferry or South Cove.
This machine will clean river toilet systems
that use 20-30 mm rocket boxes.
There's a regular dump station there
for other toilet system cleaning.
The SCAT machine is closed from November through March.
Other than the SCAT machine,
and the toilet dump station,
which are reserved for SCAT,
There are no dumping facilities for river trip garbage.
With changing lake levels,
takeout information could change in the future.
Check with the Lees Ferry ranger for more information.
These are just a few reminders
for the lower section of the canyon.
It is a bit more rugged, but has its own character,
and far less visitation than the upper section.
As is the case anywhere in Grand Canyon
its best not to make assumptions but expect surprises.
Enjoy your trip.
Native American Perspectives
Loretta Jackson-Kelly of the Hualapai Tribe, Roland Manakaja of the Havasupai Tribe, and Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma of the Hopi Tribe, talk about the cultural significance of Grand Canyon and the Colorado River and ask recreational boaters to treat what has been created with respect.
The Hualapai people just want everybody to know, that those who experience the Grand Canyon, coming down on the river - that - we have a presence here in the Grand Canyon.
The river itself is considerd sacred for most Hualapai people. It's a healing water for them; so in that sense the river is very sacred. The springs that are located in and around Grand Canyon, they are very sacred waters as well. the ancestrial homelands in the Grand Canyon itself (that you see as archeological manifestations) are also very important for the Hualapai people, and they would like to see those places preserved and protected, and, you know, just be respectful when you go hiking.
If you happen to go hiking, do it with that realization that - that's what you are doing, and I think that recognition, and respectfullnss for the Hualapai people will be greatly appreciated.
Roland Manakaja (Havasupai Tribe)
Our church is usually the earth, the land, the wind, the vegetation, the environment. This we believe including the wildlife the birds that fly, the fish that swim, crawl, is the face of the creator, all this is the face of the creator, right before us. Because creator lives in everything. So, in that way the whole grand canyon is very significant for my people and the ways of ceremony, gathering herbs - to sustenance, to respect for the elders. Respect for the past. That's very significant to my people.
But to you boaters that are enjoying the scenery in the grandeur of this mother earth, you've got to understand that this being that we're on, that has sustained and our ancestors for all these thousands of years must be respected as an individual. We must treat it as if it were our own flesh and blood mother, with a lot of respect, and as if it was our child. Treat it with a lot of love, nuture it, respect it.
Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma (Hopi Tribe)
The place that the public refers to as the Grand Canyon perhaps among the most significant places for all of the Hopi people simply because our emergence stories refer to the canyon. Also, in our belief system it is also our final spiritual home. which our spirits go to when we pass on in this life. well, part of what we hope can contribute to the experience of many people who go down into the canyon is to recognize the reverence that many tribes hold for the grand canyon and that includes the Hopi people, and the fact that the Hopis consider this a very, very, special place and should be recognized by the visitor because of its significance to a living culture, and this living culture still holds in reverence this place we call (_Hopi Word_) or what we call the Salt Canyon in the Hopi Language.
So, as visitors go down and experience the canyon, you will find evidence that Hopi people indeed lived here. In terms of the archaeological evidence in terms of some of the petroglyphs, pictographs that Hopi people left down there. So, the presence of the Hopi, will never end, as far as I'm concerned.
I think probably... one thing I would also like to encourage all people to acknowledge is really the management responsibilities of the National Park Service and their work with the Hopi Tribe in trying to protect the importance of the canyon for others to enjoy, so I encourage all visitors to carefully acknowledge that the Park Service has a pretty serious responsibility on behaf of all of us, Hopi people and others.
The Grand Canyon is very special to all of us, to all people. Hopi and others who go into the canyon. And as the traveler precededs into this journey, I hope that we can all appreciate this wonder that someone created for us to enjoy, to hold special, and also to revere the canyon for what it is. It is a testament to the the awesome place we call earth.