Stories from the River: What Does It Feel Like to Raft Through Grand Canyon?
This Hatch guest says you can’t know until you go!
The experience of traveling through the Grand Canyon is something you can’t understand until you do it, as this Hatch guest explains. Although her original email was directed to the guides and staff at Hatch, we asked Erin if we could share her spectacular review with all of you. Here’s what Erin had to say about her Hatch river trip after she returned home and reflected on her experience.
Hello Dan, Jackson, Emily and the Hatch Team,
Like visiting the Mona Lisa at the Louvre I had an idea of what the Grand Canyon would possibly look like but no real expectations of what the experience would feel like. Visiting the Mona Lisa, covered with a thick glass plate and viewed at some distance behind stanchions and through 4 rows of tourists, was a bit anti-climatic and underwhelming. Somehow the experience is better looking at a close up in a photo book. In contrast, the Grand Canyon was an astounding and awe inspiring experience that no photo could ever capture its whole essence: its unadulterated beauty and grandeur quietly unfolded and presented itself to us as we rafted down the river. For me, it was a profound and moving experience. I cannot think of another landscape that has enveloped me in such an impressive way laying bare the honour and gratefulness I feel for being able to participate in and experience this sacred place.
I would like to thank our guides, Dan and Jackson and our swamper extradordinaire, Emily, for their part in creating this amazing experience for our rag tag group of geologists and hanger-ons. I am impressed by their professionalism, kindness, friendliness, and just generally being really great human beings. They made their hard work look easy and effortless, although we know that it is anything but. They were extremely well organized and did an exceptional job of herding us efficiently and with a smile.
As well, the Hatch team working behind the scenes did an exceptional job of preparing us for the trip. The information packages rolled out in a very timely fashion and were extremely helpful in getting us organized and educated on what to expect. The transportation transfers and hotel accommodations were flawless and stress free. The helicopter ride and plane from Bar 10 were an exciting way to end the trip and view the Canyon and landscape from above. I am very impressed with how the food and supplies were handled and prepared. We have an off grid cabin and I know that the supplies and food end of things is one of the biggest challenges to prepare for. Well done! The food was delicious and the team were excellent grillers and pancake flippers. What a treat!!
I would like to specifically thank Dan for his calm and steadfast leadership of our group and his extremely knowledgeable and entertaining narrative as he guided us expertly through the canyon and its many challenging rapids. He did an excellent job of managing a diverse group and should be commended for his expert knowledge of the rocks and answering all of the geologists many questions. Dan really brought the canyon and all its varied histories alive for us. He helped us explore the different dimensions of the landscape and, in doing so, we gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of this amazing place.
Jackson is an impressive young man and was delightful to talk to. I was not in his raft but watched as he navigated the rapids cooly and smoothly. His confidence and depth of love for rafting and the canyon came through in all he did. I enjoyed talking to him about the flora of the area and wish him well with his Landscape Architecture thesis. He always had a ready smile and some really good jokes. Counting change will, somehow, never be the same! His back flips were pretty good too 🙂
Emily was a delightful and capable swamper. She was like the energizer bunny and always doing something to make our time in the raft or in camp even more pleasurable and did so, seemingly, effortlessly. Emily’s passion for the Canyon was infectious right from the start and this came through in everything that she did. We enjoyed getting to know her a bit more over the week and we wish her well as she adventures forth in this amazing landscape and rafting career.
I felt compelled to write this email to Dan, Jackson, Emily and the Hatch team to let you know that I think the work that you do to help people fully experience, enjoy and learn about the Grand Canyon is very important. In this day and age there are very few places you can go where you are truly off grid and can completely unplug from your day to day life. The physicality of the canyon with its immensely deep walls, fast flowing river and endless night skies allow us, perhaps even forces us, to give ourselves over to nature fully and completely even if it is for just a short time. I feel restored and more connected because of this experience.
The other surprising experience presented to us by Dan and crew was the opportunity to play. I cannot think of another time where so many adults, many of whom didn’t know each other, came together and fully gave themselves over to unfettered play. Bouncing down the Little Colorado river in our life jackets was a highlight and many people exclaimed that they felt like they were 8 years old again and kept going back for “one more time”. Wow. That just doesn’t happen every day. Hikes to the waterfalls, natural water slides and sublime places like Elves Chasm were truly magical. The “discovery” of fossils, pictographs and cool rock formations as well as jumping off cliffs into the cold river had the group fully engaged and interacting enthusiastically with this amazing landscape. Even sleeping out under the stars reminds us of when we were kids and puts our place on this earth into perspective. Thank you for creating the circumstances and the experience for us to reconnect and celebrate all that is good in life.
I will remember our time in the Grand Canyon as one of delight, wonder and gratitude. Thank you for making the trip an amazing experience and we look forward to the next time we can immerse ourselves in the grandeur and beauty of this very special place.
With gratitude,
Erin Haid
Do you have a story from your Hatch river trip that you’d like to share with the world? Send it to us!
Please use the subject header “Stories from the River,” and include any photos you would like to see posted with your story if it’s selected to share. (Note: Only send photos for which you own the rights!)
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