Question:
months ago I agreed to be part of a group
of people that will do a week long raft
trip through the canyon in June 1999.
2 weeks ago I did a single day hike down
the S.Kaibob and then up the Bright Angel.
This was the first time I had ever gone
down to the river, and I did this hike
twice in the same week.
The reason I went the second time was
to get more of a sampling of
the rafting parties docked at the boat
beach near the Phantom.
On the first hike I was less than thrilled
with what I saw.
It seemed like all of the rafters I encountered
were...well,...bored.
And, I found this same type of atmosphere on
my second hike as well. I probably saw a
total of 7 or 8 different groups.
Could this be because many days and nights floating
along the river get monotonous?
Could this be because many days and nights in a
raft get monotonous? or perhaps the canyon itself
gets monotonous?
Or, could it be because they had previously encountered
some many great experiences upstream that the area
near Phantom is dull by comparison?
Being a physically active person who hates cruise
ships and can't stand to lay on a beach for more
than 20 minutes, I'm now considering cancelling my
raft trip ticket while I can still get a refund.
It's probably also worth noting that I do a fair
amount of hiking and occasional overnight backpacking
in the SW; mostly S.Utah. Regarding the big puddle
(a.k.a. Grand Canyon), for the most part I find it
much more spectacular from the rim than along its
trails, and I find it much less interesting than
many other areas of the SW.
I'd love to hear the experiences of others who have
done this trip.
Answer:
I've done several variations of the Canyon trip.
Yes, you (or at least most people) do have times when boredom sets in,
when monotony takes over. If you're on a paddle trip, fatigue can get
to you. Consider all to be a very small price to pay for other times
of overpowering awe.
Actually, the exhaltation to boredom ratio in the canyon is far higher
than other trips I've done.
You will enjoy the trip far more if you invest some time in
preliminary studies of the geology, ecology, early exploration, etc.
of the canyon. Also, make sure your trip leader is conversant in these
subjects. A really dumb trip leader is a world class pain after the
first 24 hours.
If you're paddling, be in shape!
Also consider the option (if available to you) of rafting from Lee's
Ferry to Phantom Ranch and then hiking out. Or hiking down and joining
the trip at Phantom Ranch. But on a first trip, I'd go the whole route
- next time you can be more selective since you'll have an experience
base.
How you go downriver is also a factor. If you're paddling, you'll be
too **** busy and tired to be bored. If you're on one of the big
motorized rafts, boredom is more likely.
