Our thoughts exactly. I did some rapid chasing in a canoe many years ago but decided that the j-Rig raft would be more enjoyable (and safe) for such a long route.

Being "unplugged" from social media/society/etc. for the duration was a welcome respite from a sometimes weary world and was made all the better by the people we shared the experience with. The sense of scale and time are awe inspiring as well. Aloha!

Mahalo! I think this experience changes you in never-to-be-forgotten and wonderful way. Everyone we went with felt the same. Glad you were able to go twice 😊

Aloha from Hawaii :) Mahalo for your kind words and as you describe, it was an awesome experience.

Mahalo for your kind words :) We were fortunate in that the Little Colorado wasn't brown that late in the year. We have so many fond memories of that trip and plan to do the North Kaibab and/or Bright Angle hike in and back out sometime in the future. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience for us and I'm happy you were able to relive some of your memories.

Mahalo for your kind words. We will be traveling to Maui & Kauai soon so stay tuned!

Aloha! Glad you enjoyed the recap of our trip. We hope to do the rim to rim hike in the near future. And the screams and laughing made the rapids more fun (especially when I was editing) in addition to brining back happy memories :)

Mahalo! We all agreed it was the trip of a lifetime - so unique and beautiful:)

Mahalo! It was a wonderful trip 🙂

Thank you :) Plan on making reservations at least a year out as these trips book extremely fast.

Mahalo! I have re-watched it serval times with friends and have managed to convince a few to look into booking their own adventure :)

We agree -it was one of our favorite experiences (so far). We hope to do the hike down to Phantom Ranch and/or the raft trip again in the future.

@Travel On Our Minds Funny you mentioned the hike to phantom ranch. I did do that 4 years ago with my family and in a few months I’m gonna do a rim-rim-rim hike with my kids. Hard not to love the Grand Canyon.

@Jim Shrader We are hoping to go sooner than later and have even looked into the tour where the mules carry your equipment down and back up. Age is a state of mind but then again everyone slows down at some point :P Do you have any video(s) of your trip to Phantom ranch?

Aloha! We thought about a dory trip but it was our 1st time on the Colorado and we thought it would be safer (since we are both getting older - lol) to take the jRig. A good friend of ours recommended Western Expeditions and we weren't disappointed! I've read the Emerald Mile and am making my way through "River Master" which is a good read about Powell's Expedition. My ratings were based off of internet research and Belknap's Guide. Mahalo for sharing your memories :)

Mahalo!

Couldn't agree more! The wonderment of childhood combined with a deep appreciation for what we were experiencing made the trip that much better :)

Mahalo!

We went in September and the water is always ~50-55 F

Mahalo nui loa for your kind words and Merry Christmas :)

Mahalo! It was the trip of a lifetime - so much so that we plan to return in the future and hike the Kaibab Trail. :)

Aloha - Western River Expeditions (the company we went with) offers a "photographers only" trip down the canyon that is , unsurprisingly, very popular. In fact, most trips are booked < 1 year in advance. Checked out your channel and your video presentation is very well done - subbed likewise :)

Aloha - mahalo for your kind words. We'll check out your channel :)

@Travel On Our Minds Thanks 😊 and you're very welcome

Mahalo for your kind words. Part of what makes it so special is that we are but the blink of an eye in the canyon’s existence. I wonder how much of impact we have made since your visit. 😉

not much. when i went it was hot and the river was much lower and clear. because of that the dynamics were so different

Havasu was beautiful albeit a bit crowded (other tour groups there). Fourteen days sounds wonderful to us. Our group did do the patio at Deer Creek but not the hike up to the granaries. We plan to return as well and do the Kibab Trail to Phantom Ranch. Mahalo for sharing :)

Aloha! We wondered the same thing - and how much history is written in the walls of the canyon.

We had a wonderful time and made some new friends along the way. Mahalo for your kind words, it was a wonderful experience.

Mahalo for your kinds word :) The trip exceeded all of our expectations and then some.

Merci for you kind words. It sounds like your visit was as wonderful as ours :)

Aloha - we started from Lees Ferry on 15 September.

Mahalo!

Mahalo!

Mahalo - Happy you enjoyed it :)

Aloha John - I used a GoPro Hero 9, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and a Sony A7III with a Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 lens. I prefer to shoot video in "Linear" mode and in 4K so I can sample down later if need be. Most of the photos I took with the camera are not included in the video since I didn't want to crop them to fit 16:9 ratio TRshow requires. I mounted the GoPro on a floating NuBear handheld mount/tripod for the calmer sections and used a lanyard attached (to the GoPro) to my floatation vest for the rapids ( my wife and I switched off filming depending on who was at the front of the raft). Best advice would be to take your gear out for a test run before you go if possible. Also - don't forget to bring extra batteries for the camera and a portable battery charger for your phone and GoPro batteries. I'm sure you'll have the trip of a lifetime and I look forward to seeing your results!

Mahalo :)

Mahalo for your kind words. The weather was in the mid 90's but we felt comfortable the whole time (even used our blankets at night). It only rained on us the one time and it was gone in 45 minutes. I used an iPhone 11 Pro Max and GoPro Hero 9 Black (since upgraded to the iPhone 13 and GoPro 10) for the majority of what's in the video. I actually brought my Sony A7 III and a few lenses in a Pelican case but rarely used it. I could write a small novel on our experiences and I hope you and yours enjoy your trip as much as we did!

@Travel On Our Minds Thank you! I’ve watched a ton of videos and yours is by far the best. Did you have your GoPro mounted? It’s so steady while riding rapids. We had a family situation come up, so our trip got bumped up to April.

@Alene Snodgrass I had the GoPro mounted on the floatie stick and then one of the guides fashioned a lanyard of sorts with a carbineer clip to attach it to my waterproof vest. For the shots in the front of the raft I switched between handheld and placing the GoPro in the front of my vest. Thanks for the compliments and I look forward to your video from your trip in April :)

@Alene Snodgrass I will be on one of the April 2022 trips, as well! I'm struggling a bit with gear. Would you mind a PM? I would like to hear what base layer clothing you're bringing along Thank you!

@Travel On Our Minds That is so helpful! You're the best. Thank you! I'm a little nervous about the trip, but so ready all at the same time.

It was our first experience and we cherish it. In my younger years I would have considered rafting or even kayaking (not down the higher rated rapids) but the J-Rig was both comfortable and exciting while feeling safe at the same time. We didn't notice the infractions you mentioned and there were several outfits at Havasu that day. We hope to someday do the Havasupai side of that part of the canyon and perhaps even stay in the accommodations they offer. Due to their popularity, Western trips book at least a year in advance now so it may be awhile before we return. Aloha!

Aloha! The rafts continue a further 90 miles/ 3 days down river, transported out near Lake Mead, and then driven back up for servicing if I recall correctly. More info here: www.westernriver.com/grand-canyon-river-trip

Indeed. We learned quite a bit from our guides and a copy of Belknap's (waterproof) Grand Canyon River Guide. Mahalo for sharing.

Mahalo! Perhaps one day you will return 😉

@Hawaii Through My Lens Yes sir I'm going to Vegas in June plan to visit Lake Mead again also I live it.

The prices vary by length (3 or 7 days). We paid ~$3.5K each (7 day trip) which included all meals and flights to and from Las Vegas. Booking begins each November for the following year (as far as 18 months in advance) and the tours sell out quickly. May is generally considered the best month as far as weather and heat are concerned. Go here to learn more: www.westernriver.com/

Sounds like quite the adventure. We hope to return in the future to explore many of the trails and hikes we didn't have time for. Mahalo for the kind words.

Aloha - GoPro Hero 9 Black, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and a few with the Sony A7III. Most of the photos I included had to be cropped to 16:9 to fill the (TRshow) frame. Mahalo for you kind words.

Mahalo for your kind words. I'll admit - I'd love to see it via oculus myself :)

Aloha - Thanks for the kind words and we think the laughing and occasional excited screams add to the video too :)

@Travel On Our Minds Γιασου! (Yiasou). That’s hello in Greek, my dad use to use Aloha alot haha, are you Hawaiian? I need to get to Canyon next year! I’ve been to few places in U.S.A & always wanted to go to Arizona but i want to take my time there! PS:Thanks for putting smile on my face with Aloha!

@WetTropicsOfOz Mahalo :) Not Hawaiian but we lived there for > 20 years. You won't regret a visit to the Grand Canyon - whether you raft, hike, or just take in the views from above.

Mahalo!

Mahalo nui loa ;)

@Travel On Our Minds aloha

Being disconnected from e-mails, news, and the the everyday stresses from an often weary outside world truly was s blessing. Connecting with people and the beauty of the canyon made this a trip of lifetime for us.

Mahalo :)

Aloha and mahalo for your kind words :)

Aloha - Es hermoso e inspirador :)

Mahalo :) If there ever was an argument for the hand of God at work - the Grand Canyon is prime example.

Mahalo!

Mahalo for your kind words! iPhone 11 Pro Max, GoPro Hero 9 Black, Sony A7III :P

Mahalo. There are several outfitters that run the canyon - we went with: www.westernriver.com/

Mahalo! Years ago I was stationed in Korea at Camp Carroll in Waegewan. I spent many hours hiking and exploring your country and it's many cities as well.

Aloha - thanks for the kind words!

What month/year did you go? Was the water cold? 🙏

@Michael Hatch We went in September and lucked out with clear water up until the monsoon. The water is always 50-50 F. Best time to go is May-June.

Trip of a lifetime - if you get a chance, don't hesitate!

Mahalo - and Aloha from Hawai’i 😉

Not sure what qualifies as a "round rock" :) Best estimates are that the canyon itself was "carved" over 6 million years ago - but there are exposed rocks and sediment that are much older than that :)

east of mississippi river have smooth round rocks in creeks and rivers @Travel On Our Minds

Thank you - it truly was!

Usually 2 - one with a tent around it (very private) and one with an open view farther away from the camp for privacy. Men and women can both use the river to urinate (although women have to wade in a bit). Both bathroom paths are lit at night with neon glowsticks.

Mahalo!

Mahalo for your kind words :) Sending much aloha your way.

Mahalo!

Mahalo!

Mahalo!

Mahalo!

It truly was :P

The company we chose flew us down into the canyon to the departure point - Lee's Ferry.

We all enjoyed ourselves and were excited on the rapids - pretty much everyone screamed at one point or another :)

Aloha - www.westernriver.com/grand-canyon-rafting

Aloha - the video features a combination of ambient sound, narration, and music, and notation letting the viewer know what they are seeing at various locations /parts. I suppose each creator has their own take on what suits their experience. I hope you enjoyed ours :)

Aloha - Grand Canyon rapids are rated on a 1-10 scale. Flat water is 1 while tough rapids like Lava Falls or Crystal Rapids can be rated 10 at certain water levels. The number also represent the difficulty and danger level associated with navigating the rapid by boat/canoe/etc. Hope this helps!

Without getting into the CAP and the near drought conditions, it is sad to see what is happening to one of our favorite parts of the country.

We all enjoyed ourselves and the screams and laughter were genuine :P

Exactly :)

Aloha - thanks for the compliment. As far as food handling goes ,I don’t think anyone had an issue with it. Probably better addressed to the company than ran our expedition.

Aloha Jimmy - Western River Expeditions. Check them out here : www.westernriver.com/?_vsrefdom=p.6767&gclid=CjwKCAjwiOCgBhAgEiwAjv5whKljrWUxUz_IKoWgDecoZlZQFx6ZPiJxztMY72nJysXKEs0YvVTkRxoCHHAQAvD_BwE

Not sure what you're referring to - we had a wonderful trip/experience. Aloha!

The Grand Canyon viewed from the Colorado River is breathtaking. :)

Only in the food line :P

Geez, lighten up. Did a commercial trip with a different outfitter 5/22, no masks.

@secret squirrel Enjoy

lol. C19 knows not to go right thru those N95 neck gaitors...