Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Moving....
I am sorry for the inconvenience but I have moved my blog to weebly.com, the new address is:
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The Beginning
Legends of obtaining a river permit for the Grand Canyon can be intimidating for those interested in the classic whitewater float from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead. Rumors of decades on the "Waitlist" permeated any conversation before 2006. Now, non-commercial boaters are required to enter a "weighted lottery" the winter before the desired launch year. In the 2010 lottery this entailed more than 3800 applications for less than 275 launch openings.
For the flexible and patient there are follow-up lotteries almost every month. These unscheduled drawings are held in the event of canceled trips or reservations with unpaid fees; they are the delight of opportunistic boatman like myself. The follow-up lotteries often involve less than desirable dates for the average boaters and are therefor less competitive. That said even winter dates are not sure things, but the odds are surely better.
On April 29th, 2009 I was notified that I had won my first pick in a 2010 follow-up lottery. I can't explain how excited I truly was at winning this launch. Quite simply, I was giddy, a word I don't often speak. For three years now I have had the dream of graduating early and participating in some form of an expedition within the boundary of GCNP. At the time of inception it didn't matter if that was a thru-hike or boating trip. But over the past 18 months I have had developed a growing passion (i.e. obsession) with whitewater boating. And now, on my first ever lottery attempt, I had won this coveted experience.
To anybody remotely interested in whitewater rowing, the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is the pinnacle of any North American experience. The trip is an expedition involving almost 300 miles, more than 80 rapids (a dozen of the West's biggest), and more than four weeks during the winter. It is the only chance to float through one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World (cheezzzy alert) and one of the few remaining multi-week whitewater adventures left anywhere on the continent. It is a chance of a lifetime for the average adventurer. Now, I am one of the few who get to participate in such a journey.
Our Date....first week of Janurary, 2010. We will embark on what will likely take 30 days from Lee's Ferry to Pierce Ferry on Lake Mead. This will be my first trip of such length (>10 days) and only my second winter multi-day whitewater adventure. The following post will detail the expectations of the experience, difficulties of a winter float, logistical planning, and the cast of characters with whom I will be privileged to share this experience. After the trip it will become a clearinghouse for journal entries and photographs.
I look forward to sharing this rare opportunity with friends, families and strangers alike. So sit down and enjoy......(Countdown to Right)!!!!