Day 1:
Begin the trip with a scenic drive from Vernal to the put-in at the Gates of Lodore, where your boats and the rest of your O.A.R.S. crew meet you. After a thorough safety talk, the journey begins. Passing through the spectacular “Gates”, enter the high desert region where the striking scenery of the Canyon of Lodore immediately grabs your attention.
The whitewater element of the trip starts off with a bang as you challenge some of the river’s most exciting rapids: Upper and Lower Disaster Falls. Here, Major Powell lost one of his boats and innumerable provisions during his 1869 journey – hence the rapids’ ominous name.
A short hike up Winnie’s Grotto introduces you to the beautiful oases tucked away in Lodore’s side canyons. Tumbling creeks, waterfalls, and brilliant green vegetation adorn these colorful, rocky chasms; today’s hike into Winnie’s Grotto also exhibits narrow, towering walls that were explored by Major Powell himself.
The first day generally sets the pace for the week on the river. Typically, spend a few hours on the water in the morning, sometimes stopping for a great hike, a visit to a waterfall or petroglyphs, or a refreshing swim.
At lunchtime, pull over to a sandy beach and enjoy a delicious picnic. After feasting and relaxing on the beach (or perhaps a game of Frisbee or horseshoes), get back in the boats and watch the desert panoramas slowly develop in-between bursts of thrilling whitewater. Be sure to try your hand at the paddle raft and inflatable kayak!
Mid- to late-afternoon, stop and make camp. You grab your bags and set up your tent while O.A.R.S. takes care of the kitchen and “living room” – camp chairs and the site for tonight’s campfire (if permitted). This is the perfect time for you to lounge on the beach with that book you’ve wanted to finish forever. Before long you’ll be savoring pleasing hors d’oeuvres and the beverage of your choice – delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Nap, take an exploratory hike, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as O.A.R.S. prepares dinner.
After another satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish. Maybe music, stories or jokes will bring you together tonight; maybe the popping of the fire, the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, your home. Day 2:
Your day begins with the morning light turning the canyon walls the colors of sunrise. Fresh coffee and tea are waiting for you when you get up; grab a cup, sit back and take in the glory of the awakening river. Soon breakfast is served – omelets made to order, blueberry pancakes, sizzling bacon, fresh fruit, toast, and juice are among the treats you’ll indulge in each morning. Once you’ve eaten your fill, you pack up your things as the guides break down camp, then a new day’s adventure begins.
Today is another excellent whitewater day, with plenty of big thrills delivered by rapids like Harp Falls, Triplet Falls, and Hells Half Mile. Several smaller waves and riffles keep the paddlers among you busy, yet there are enough calm sections to allow you time to sit back and soak in the remote splendor of Lodore – its soaring red rock cliffs sprinkled with deep green junipers and pinyon pines.
One of the best hikes of the trip awaits at Rippling Brook. The path along this clear creek leads through a spectacular side canyon to a pure, spring-fed waterfall – the perfect place for a cooling dip. Day 3:
Today, pass the confluence with the Yampa River, winding around gigantic Steamboat Rock and into Echo Park. Here you may stop to visit some intriguing Fremont petroglyphs near the side of the river, or perhaps hike to Whispering Cave, passing magnificent sandstone formations along the way.
Back on the river, you are now traveling through some of the oldest exposed rock in the world. Descending farther into the canyon, there is the rare opportunity of seeing the river cut down through the various layers that comprise the surrounding cliffs, each layer representing a different stage of the earth’s development. Hundreds of millions of years of geological formation are encased in the walls around you.
Tonight, much like the past two evenings, make camp on a big, sandy beach that likely allows access to a great hiking trial. If guides don’t arrange a hike, you may want to enjoy a self-guided walk, or perhaps you’d rather just relax and wait for dinner – always a trip highlight, as the day’s adventures stir up a hearty appetite. Perhaps this evening you’ll enjoy grilled salmon with orange zest, wild rice, and a fresh green salad. Or maybe a lean, juicy steak with mushrooms and mixed vegetables will be the main attraction as you watch the twilight turn to dusk above the canyon walls. A savory dessert usually follows dinner – maybe peach cobbler, strawberry shortcake, or something rich and chocolaty. After the meal the group dynamic ofthe trip is at its best as yougather around the campfire for nighttime conversation and laughter. Day 4:
Reaching Whirlpool Canyon, you might take the longest hike of the trip, following beautiful Jones Hole Creek to amazingly well preserved panels of prehistoric pictographs and petroglyphs.
After a bit of flat water, pick up speed as you enter Split Mountain Canyon and the river’s gradient becomes considerably steeper. Four or five major rapids deliver plenty of whitewater excitement during the last day on the river. Reaching the take-out point at Split Mountain, take a short ride back to Vernal, returning to the Dinosaur Inn between 4:00pm and 6:00pm in the evening. |
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