subject: Celebrate Your College Graduation With A New Adventure: Whitewater Rafting In The Grand Canyon [print this page] Graduating from college is a big dealGraduating from college is a big deal. A student no more, it marks the time when you head out into the world to make your mark. But don't kid yourself. You've just spent four, maybe even six or eight years working hard to earn your degree, so you owe it to yourself to take a break. Before embarking on a professional journey, do yourself a favor and go to the Grand Canyon for a Colorado River whitewater rafting getaway.
Of the nearly Two million college graduates in 2012, what percentage of them will get to say - after it's all said and done - "I just rafted the Colorado River!"? Chances are, not many.
The Grand Canyon is not only one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World; it is also home to one of the world's wildest, most exciting rivers. There you'll discover rock formations that are billions of years old, regal natural beauty unlike anything else you've ever seen, and a challenging desert landscape nonetheless filled with all manner of wildlife. Stretching 277 miles, the Canyon has an average depth of 5,000 feet and is home to five biological life zones and three North American desert varieties.
Around 4.7 million individuals will visit the Canyon this year, most of them at the famous South Rim. They'll stare in amazement, perhaps do some hiking, take some pictures, etc. White water rafting the river, though, takes you to areas of the Canyon typically inaccessible. A Grand Canyon river rafting trip literally places you in the center of everything. And in so doing, you'll get to ride some of the world's wildest white water rapids, like the 60-foot wide, 25-foot-tall (at peak flow) Crystal Rapid, Lava Falls and up to seventy others. To say it's thrilling is an understatement.
The best way to go is with a professional river-rafting outfitter. While these guided tours may have waiting lists years long, when you finally get out there, it's like you're a king on a floating throne. Commercial trips last anywhere from one to 18 days. The longest takes you the entire way from Lee's Ferry all the way to Lake Mead. A commercial outfitter provides you with everything aside from personal goods, including sleeping gear, food, water and all the equipment you will need on the water. You can take a private, self-guided trip down the river, but keep a few things in mind. First, you'll need to have a permit of which only about 5,000 are handed out per year. A lottery system establishes who gets permits, and it might take many years before you do. Second, private trips are not permitted to hire a guide. Lastly, you'll need to collect all the equipment, food and other supplies yourself.
A commercial trip manages all that, plus it takes care of all permits, plus transportation for putting in and hauling out. Some outfitters even bus tourists back to Las Vegas at the end. More than that, though, you have the benefit of a guide who knows the river, is armed with all kinds of facts and stories and does all of your cooking for you. What could be better than that? Hiking in the Grand Canyon is another fantastic experience. Backcountry permits, like private rafting permits, are restricted. A river-rafting trip, in comparison, generally involves numerous side hikes from stopping points along the way. Any given day you'll wake up, eat breakfast, pack up camp and set out down the river. Upon stopping for lunch, your guide might lead a hike to a spectacular area. Then it's back in the water before hauling out again for supper and sleepy time. You'll do it all over again the next day, too, but no two days will be alike.
Even with a commercial trip you will want to book early, as they do fill up. If you're graduating in May or June and haven't made any plans, it's worthwhile to inquire with a host of outfitters, as you can't predict what's available. Guaranteed, you'll never forget your Colorado River rafting trip. Like the river, which is never the same in the lifetime of its continual flow, you'll never be the same after experiencing it.
