(bird song)
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 has 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 first-hand.
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 2000 feet
on its way to Lake Mead.
It's what the Hualapai tribe calls the Ha'yitad,
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
7 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 who
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 two hundred and seventy seven mile section
through what is now
Grand Canyon National Park
hadn't been navigated until
John Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition
set out to document the run.
Powell and his team wrote about
their first-person accounts
of the journey
and helped focus 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 Powell's 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 Grand Canyon
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.
Lees Ferry, located some 15 miles
below Glen Canyon dam,
marks the starting point
for all trips through Grand Canyon.
Before you arrive at Lees 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 its 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 check-in instructions
on the bulletin board
on the downstream side of the ramp.
From the mouth of the Paria River
you will enter Grand Canyon National Park
and the start of your journey.