The evening before our trip, we were walking across the historic Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon when Evan spotted something large and black on the new bridge, “What IS that?” he wondered.  As we got closer, we realized it was a California Condor.  We had seen pictures of this rare bird before, but seeing it up close and watching such an enormous creature take flight was awe-inspiring and started our trip off on an exciting note.

The first two days of our trip were surprisingly windy.  Our lead guide, Troy, stressed that we were on a “wilderness expedition” and should be prepared for anything.  The wind made Vasey’s Paradise look even more incredible as it sprayed water clear across the canyon.

On day three, we stopped at the Little Colorado River, my favorite stop of the trip.  It’s not every day that you get to see a bright turquoise river in the middle of the desert (see pic!)!  We wore our lifejackets upside down like diapers and floated down some “baby” rapids.

The rest of the rafting trip is one big blur of amazing food, fun rapids, epic side-hikes, and getting to know my fantastic fellow passengers and guides.  The experience is one all never forget and I am very glad I got to share it with my dad and brother.

-Emma
Grand Canyon Whitewater Reservationist