CATARACT CANYON RAFT TRIP
2008 Dates 6th April to 19th October 4 days and 3 nights - Departs every Sunday at 7.00 from Tag-A-Long office in Moab, Utah – return 5.00 by charter flight
£499 per person double or single £470 youth 12 – 16 , sleeping bag £16 and tent £19 pp
Colorado River 100 miles Moab
to Lake Powell 4
days and 3 nights or 3 days and 2 nights
Raft : J Rig Power : Motor
Sleeping Bags £16 each plus Tents £19 (2 person)
Rain Coats £4.50 plus wetsuits £6
Intense Class III-V whitewater, Native American ruins, geology, camping, hiking, Canyonlands National Park, unstoppable scenery! People looking for BIG thrills without fear, families with children 8+ after mid-July (May and June limited by size - 5'2" and 105 pounds).
The Big Picture
Cataract
Canyon Favourite is our very best trip! Why? Because in only four days you
experience 25 Grand Canyon-style rapids, 100 miles of river and Canyonlands
National Park! This trip delivers everything you could want in a river raft
adventure: intense whitewater, exploration into side canyons on foot,
unforgettable scenery, wildlife viewing, backcountry camping, swimming, 1000
year-old Native American ruins, geologic wonders, and three nights under more
stars than you’ve ever seen!
You’ll en
counter rapids
as intense than those found in the Grand Canyon during this exciting
4-day/3-night expedition. You’ll take hikes into side canyons to enjoy hidden
pools and waterfalls. There’s time for swimming and relaxing on the river bank
with picnic lunches on the shore as eagles soar above you. This trip delivers it
all: big whitewater rapids, concentrated time in the wilderness, and deep
exploration into Canyonlands National Park. There is a reason this trip is
called the favorite: 25 named rapids and 100 miles of wilderness!
The four day expedition departs every
Sunday during the season and the three day expedition departs every Monday.
The Itinerary
Day 1 – Lunch & Dinner
Your adventure begins at the Tag-A-Long office at 7:30 a.m. A short, scenic ride
will take you to the river where your rafts and guides await. After a thorough
safety orientation, we launch! Today you will drift upon calm waters of the
Colorado River as we wind through deep, red rock canyons. Your professional
guides will discuss the natural history, geology, and backcountry land ethics as
you float along. Watchful eyes occasionally spot eagles, bighorn sheep, mule
deer and coyote. We’ll stop for walks at several spots with views of petrified
wood, geologic wonders and historical sites from the 1920s oil prospecting days.
At noon, we’ll find the perfect lunch site along shore and your guides will
begin showing off culinary skills that you’ll continue to enjoy throughout your
expedition. Late afternoon, we stop to set up our first camp in a picturesque
spot near the river. Self-erecting tents make it quick and easy, so you can
spend your time getting to know your companions, playing horseshoes, or simply
digging your toes in the sand. Your guides will prepare a sumptuous dinner while
you relax at the river’s edge. Dinner is served with dining tables and chairs
while your guide entertains and educates you about the region. After a tasty
dessert, you’ll spend the evening chatting, meditating and stargazing.
Day 2 – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After coffee and breakfast around 7:00 a.m., we continue down the Colorado River
through Canyonlands National Park. Few people see the park from this perspective
and it’s a memorable experience. Along the way you’ll see prehistoric Indian
ruins built by the Anasazi, the same culture who built the amazing structures at
Mesa Verde National Park. You may choose to take a hike over the Loop for a
hawk’s eye view of the Colorado River or, you may just float along on the raft.
After lunch on shore we reach the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers, a
magical place where two great Western rivers join forces before tumbling into
Cataract Canyon. Just a few miles more downriver and we reach legendary Cataract
Canyon. Today we encounter the first of 25 named rapids! Tonight you camp with
the roar of the rapids in your ears!
Day 3 – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After a hearty breakfast and thorough safety instructions through whitewater,
we’ll depart camp around 9:00 a.m. and you’ll begin the adventure of a lifetime
as we encounter the big rapids of Cataract Canyon. These rapids represent some
of the most well-known and respected whitewater in North America. As we descend
the river, the rapids become more intense. You’ll meet "Capsize," Ben Hurt,"
Powell’s Pocket Watch," and the three spectacular rapids of the "Big Drop." This
is the steepest and most thrilling stretches anywhere on the Colorado River.
This is the day you’ll remember your whole life. Tonight we’ll camp near Lake
Powell with moonlight reflecting off the water to recount the day’s events.
Day 4 – Breakfast & Lunch
After breakfast we cross stunning Lake Powell, a red rock and blue water
wonderland. There will be time for swimming, relaxing, and absorbing the raw
beauty of this country. We arrive at Hite Marina by mid-afternoon where you
embark for the return trip to Moab. You may choose to board the scenic air
flight back to Moab. The flight takes you up the Colorado River above the rapids
you’ve just run and over Canyonlands National Park before landing at the
Canyonlands Airfield in Moab. We highly recommend this add-on!
Return options
1. Return by land. The ride from Hite Marina to Moab takes about four
hours through the high desert country of southeastern Utah. Your arrival in Moab
will be about 9:00 p.m.
2. We strongly recommend a scenic charter flight. You fly over the
Colorado River including some of the rapids you just conquered and, from an
altitude of 7,000 feet, you really see the amazing formations in the Maze,
Island and Needles sections of Canyonlands National Park. The flight is about 30
minutes making your arrival back in Moab about 5:30 p.m.
3. Tag-A-Long will shuttle your vehicles to Hite Marina on Lake Powell so
it will be waiting for you when you arrive at the marina early in the afternoon.
Call UK Bonded Tour
Operator American Round-Up Tel : 01404 881777 for more information or
click on our e mail quote below for your tailormade itinerary