Whitewater Rafting on the Colorado River
Male: The scenery in Arizona’s Glen and Grand Canyons is arguably some of the most spectacular you could find along the Colorado River passage through 6 states. The sandstone cliffs of Glen Canyon tower above the river 800 feet. This deep cut in the landscape is a product that the Colorado uplift 10 million years before. Nature has over time changed the river considerably. Man however. has had the most dramatic impact on the Colorado here and along the river’s entire course before spending itself in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Glen Canyon Dam, a 700 foot monolith of concrete and steel, the second highest dam in the United States was completed in 1962, built to create energy and control flooding. The dam changed forever the complexion, personality and appearance of the one seasonal muddy flow of the Colorado conquered by John Wesley Powell and his brave cronies in 1869.
The Colorado, below Glen Canyon Dam, now runs at a constant 48 degrees year around. The water is clear from miles downstream until colored by undamped, free flowing tributaries. The Colorado River may have changed in many ways but the stretch through the Grand Canyon is still a great whitewater adventure. All right now with the dam it’s year around rather than seasonal.
This is Georgie Clark, she spent over five decades on the Colorado beginning in 1945 when she made up 30 miles swim downstream with a friend. She was the first one to swim the river and the first woman to guide people on floats down the stream. She worked her boats entertaining clients, right up to just a few months before her death from cancer in 1992. These movies were shot on a trip with her about 20 years ago. She was 76 years old and still going strong. Georgie’s rafts were large and larger. She developed the technique of leashing together more than one raft or adding extra pontoons. A style still used on 21st century river trips. Her signature craft was a huge outward power inflatable raft. Rapids change dramatically from season to season, each water flow change from the dam upstream can also affect with the best path maybe to negotiate each run.
Georgie Clark: Well, the last time—because I said something extreme, I’m not as good as swimmer, they did this run but the—because I heard it from a mother she shouldn’t allow us to cry although she said you’re on the bottom everything is up, may got good health sure and in my lifetime, just didn’t cry. And it was a really good training because it just gave you that calmness all the time time. And so I think it’s the calmness because I’m not good that good on these things, just—and takes care of me. All the—said, —and the devil won't take you so here you are because I’ve been lost actually then so now I want to come out like a rose.
Male: Georgie Clark was an extraordinary, unique individual with an indefatigable spirit, determination and vitality. She wasn’t without controversy that few interesting people are. She was married twice, had a daughter who was the apple of her eye that was killed hit and run driver on a bicycle trip with your mom. Coincidentally or not, it was just after the accident that Georgie took to the river. Georgie also trained is a pilot for the ferry command during World War II that by the time she made at three training, the war was winding down.
Of course not all the rafts on the river are large like Georgie’s many sizes and varieties negotiate the river very well with a widespread in how exciting each journey through the whitewater maybe. Whatever the graft floats down the Colorado is a trip of a lifetime. One other foot note on Georgie Clark, she was at least at that time the only gut who would take children under 12 down the river. She have loyal following of clients some who made the trip with her at lest 15 times. Georgie appeared on the Athlete Weather Show in the 60s and he asked her if she was afraid of anything. Her reply, I’m afraid of anyone driving me on the freeway. I don’t want to get an accident that cripples me up. It was all or nothing for her.
Preparation is the name of the game for a successful river trip. Commercial rafting companies may spent 3 days getting rafts some provisions and order. For those with patience, it’s also possible to get a permit for a private trip down the river. It’s said the wait can be as long as 10 years for a private permit.
David Baum: Well we’re going 21 days down the Colorado. We've both taken time off our job, it’s a private trip that you get once every 10 years if you get it. We’re going to be in the bottom of the Canyon for 21 days.
Female: Why did you choose this river?
David: Because this is the most fantastic river in the world. I’m done everything from the—float to like rivers in Alaska and this still beats them all. And it’s the best. Every corner you're going around is a different temple. It’s great it’s unbelievable. It’s the best river in the world. The best, we've been doing this for 30 years.
Female: So how many people, how many days, how many miles covered?
David: 16 people, 236 miles and we’ll go through all the major rafting, lava crystal, horn, granite it will be a fantastic trip.
Male: You’re going to go through the middle or are you can go around the edges.
David: With this thing I can go as many as I want to but I’ll try to avoid most of the big holes I’ll end up upside down. That is just making for—right here it’s just a big—with tubes and it’s kind of have a big floor and it’s got a 14 foot floor and it was designed by a guy named Eric of New York and it’s a pretty good raft. The rest of the raft down here are pretty much so tarred. They’re good rafts. And this is what we do for our big games. Oh yes, water runs up at the bottom. The other thing that you’ve really like in the Canyons is the heights, the side heights are just--.
Female: It can be a disaster if you don’t know where food specially if it’s a nasty weather, you get in late, you don’t know where food is it can have a lot of problems so it’s very organized, do you know where it is, makes it very simple. We just make a list and then the cook teams that cook for the day know where all their food is and they try to set it up so whatever cook team as cooking safe it’s when day one or day two that their food is actually on the boat, so it’s easy.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services