Active Pursuits

Rafting down the Colorado River as it roars and tumbles through the mile-deep gorge of the Grand Canyon is the adventure of a lifetime. Ever since John Wesley Powell ignored everyone who knew better and proved that it was possible to travel by boat down the tumultuous Colorado, running the big river has become a passion and an obsession with adventurers. Today, anyone from grade-schoolers to grandmothers can join the elite group of people who have made the run. However, be prepared for some of the most furious white water in the world.

Numerous companies offer trips through various sections of the canyon. You can spend as little as half a day on the Colorado (downstream from Glen Canyon Dam) or as many as 19 days. You can go down the river in a huge motorized rubber raft (the quickest and noisiest way to see the entire canyon), a paddle- or oar-powered raft (more thrills and, if you have to help paddle, more energy expended on your part), or a wooden dory (the biggest thrill of all). In a motorized raft, you can travel the entire canyon from Lees Ferry to Lake Mead in only 8 days; however, you'll have to listen to the outboard motor whenever you aren't in the middle of a rapid. Should you opt for a dory or an oar- or paddle-powered raft, expect to spend 5 to 6 days getting from Lees Ferry to Phantom Ranch, or 7 to 9 days getting from Phantom Ranch to Diamond Creek, just above Lake Mead. Aside from the half-day trips near Glen Canyon Dam, any Grand Canyon rafting trip will involve lots of monster rapids. Variables to consider include hiking in or out of Phantom Ranch for a combination rafting-and-hiking adventure.

Most trips start from Lees Ferry near Page and Lake Powell. It's also possible to start (or finish) a trip at Phantom Ranch, hiking in or out from either the North or South Rim. The main rafting season is April through October, but some companies operate year-round. Rafting trips tend to book up more than a year in advance, and most companies begin taking reservations between March and May for the following year's trips. Expect to pay between $250 and $300 per day for your white-water adventure, depending on the length of the trip and the type of boat used.

The following are companies I recommend checking out when you start planning your Grand Canyon rafting adventure:

• Arizona Raft Adventures, 4050 E. Huntington Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (tel. 800/786-7238; www.azraft.com); 6- to 16-day motor, oar, and paddle trips. Although this is not one of the larger companies operating on the river, it offers lots of different trips, including those that focus on natural history and others that focus on tales from the canyon. They also do trips in paddle rafts that allow you to help navigate and provide the power while shooting the canyon's many rapids.
• Canyoneers, P.O. Box 2997, Flagstaff, AZ 86003 (tel. 800/525-0924 or 928/526-0924; www.canyoneers.com); 3- to 7-day motorized-raft trips and 5- to 14-day oar-powered trips. Way back in 1938, this was the first company to take paying customers down the Colorado, and Canyoneers is still one of the top companies on the river.
• Diamond River Adventures, P.O. Box 1300, Page, AZ 86040 (tel. 800/343-3121 or 928/645-8866; www.diamondriver.com); 4- to 8-day motorized-raft trips and 5- to 13-day oar trips. This is the only women-owned and -managed rafting company operating in the Grand Canyon.
• Grand Canyon Expeditions Company, P.O. Box O, Kanab, UT 84741 (tel. 800/544-2691 or 435/644-2691; www.gcex.com); 8-day motorized trips and 14- and 16-day dory trips. If you've got the time, I highly recommend these dory trips -- they're among the most thrilling adventures in the world.
• Hatch River Expeditions, HC 67 Box 35, Marble Canyon, AZ 86036 (tel. 800/856-8966; www.hatchriverexpeditions.com); 4- to 8-day motorized trips. The 4-day trips involve hiking either into the canyon or out of the canyon. On the 7-day trip, a helicopter lifts you out of the canyon at the end of the trip. This company has been in business since 1929 and claims to be the oldest commercial rafting company in the U.S. With so much experience, you can count on Hatch to provide you with a great trip.
• Outdoors Unlimited, 6900 Townsend Winona Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (tel. 800/637-7238 or 928/526-4511; www.outdoorsunlimited.com); 5- to 13-day oar and paddle trips. This company has been taking people through the canyon for nearly 40 years and usually sends them home very happy.
• Wilderness River Adventures, P.O. Box 717, Page, AZ 86040 (tel. 800/992-8022 or 928/645-3296; www.riveradventures.com); 4- to 8-day motorized-raft trips and 6-, 7-, 12-, 14-, and 16-day oar trips. The 4-day trips (actually 3 1/2 days) involve hiking out from Phantom Ranch. This is one of the bigger companies operating on the canyon, and it offers a wide variety of trips, which makes it a good one to check with if you're not sure which type of trip you want to do.