Flashback Friday: Trivia on The Dusty Dozen

Flashback Friday: Hatch River Expeditions Trivia on The Dusty Dozen

The legacy of Bus Hatch is an important one at Hatch River Expeditions. Did you know that Bus is the grandfather of the current owner, Steve Hatch? This remarkable carpenter turned adventurer helped shape the face of river running as we know it. His first venture down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon was with a ragtag crew affectionately referred to as “The Dusty Dozen”. Below are some trivia questions regarding The Dusty Dozen’s first trip through Grand Canyon to test our guests’ knowledge of their outfitter that has been in business for 90 years.

How many years after John Wesley Powell’s infamous expedition did the “Dusty Dozen” run the Colorado River?

65 years. John Wesley Powell’s first expedition launched in May of 1869 from Green River, Wyoming and traveled all the way through Grand Canyon to the confluence of the Virgin River. Bus Hatch and the Dusty Dozen launched from Lees Ferry in July of 1934 with only one member of the party having been through the Canyon before – Clyde Eddy.

When Bus Hatch and the “Dusty Dozen” launched on their rafting trip how many had preceded them through Grand Canyon?

Less than 50. Some notable people to go before them were: 

• The Powell Expeditions
• The “Honeymoon Couple” Glen and Bessie Hyde whom disappeared on their trip
• Nathaniel Galloway – the father of the man from whom the Hatch cousins received their river running inspiration
• USGS Dam Survey including boatman Emery Kolb and H. Elwyn Blake – The latter’s knowledge of boats from this trip inspired the boats used on Bus Hatch’s first Grand Canyon trip.

What were the names of the boats on this expedition?

There were 4 boats on the expeditions. Three of those boats had names: What’s Next?, Don’t Know/Who Cares and Lota Ve. The Lota Ve was named for the daughter of one of the boatmen.

What interesting find did Bus Hatch make in a cave near Vasey’s Paradise?

Split-twig figurines. These are willow twigs twisted into shapes of an animal such as bighorn sheep or deer. They can date back from 2000 to 4000 years.

About Hatch River Expeditions

Bus Hatch launched his first trip through Grand Canyon in 1934 and Hatch River Expeditions has been running rivers ever since. In fact, his two sons – Don and Ted – are bring inducted into the River Runners Hall of Fame next month! If you’d like to join us, you can get tickets here.

Book your expedition with Hatch today!