Would You Like A Kilt Rendezvous That Went Downriver Through The Grand Canyon?

[Riverkilt]

I've a friend who arranges Grand Canyon raft trips for her special interest group. I've helped out by taking pics of their launching at Lees Ferry, Paria Riffle, and floating under Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon. Woke up this morning wondering if the deal she has with a raft company would work for kilties too?

Basic deal is we'd rendezvous in Las Vegas at a hotel for the first night. Next day be flown to Marble Canyon. Stay at Cliff Dwellers Lodge that night. Next morning launch at Lees Ferry on a regular commercial raft, or two, and head down canyon. Seven days later we'd be flown back to Las Vegas for a final night good bye dinner. The hotel stores the stuff you don't need on the raft while you're gone.

Rough cost about $3,000 USD per person. All inclusive - including the shuttle flights, hotel nights and lodge. If there was an interest could firm up that and other details.

Big thing I have to investigate is how much space each person gets for dry bag(s). Would there be enough room for a kilt in the dry bags and still be able to take the "stuff" personal needed. Being kilted on the raft in the rapids probably isn't wise. But being kilted on the beach and for hiking the side canyons seems perfect. And the fellowship of a beach full of kilties sipping their favorite beverage sounds like fun and comfort.

Would be talking 2014 or 2015 depending on availability.

Of course raft company provides all the grub and camping gear. If you do "need" your booze you have to supply your own booze.

Its expensive, but one of those lifetime experiences....would any of the rabble be seriously interested in trying to work this out? Obviously anyone can sign up with any of the raft companies...the only perk for this would be the fellowship of a group of us, and family members, doing it together....kilted flash mob the canyon...



The river is that thin green line through the center of the pic.

[pbutts]

My neighbors are out there this week. Definitely a "bucket list" experience, but not in the budget this year. I hope you get a group together, because the photos would be great fun for those of us who enjoy seeing and reading the vicarious adventures on this site.

[sailortats]

Far too rich for my blood I am afraid but it would be a marvelous adventure. I will be very envious of anyone that goes.

[Cygnus]

As someone who has done this a few times, I can tell everyone that it is very much worth the cost! I currently have very young children and the financial constraints that come with them, and I really don't see that changing in the next few years; I'd sign-up in a heartbeat otherwise!

Great idea, Ron - hopefully you'll garner enough interest here, then I can come along for the second (or third) kilted river trip.

Also, which company were you thinking of? I've only ever been down with Hatch, but it was such a great experience, I never saw the need to consider anyone else.

[cck]

I did that trip about 30 years ago and it was a marvelous adventure. Let me know if you get enough interest.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Pass, got that out of my system at Vernon Army Cadet Camp in 1974. Rafting down the Shuswap River in high water and found out why they call toppled trees hanging into the river "sweepers". We came around a bend right into one, and it cleared the raft. Spent some fun few seconds under the raft in among the branches, but we got everyone back in and continued. Builds character!

(not my picture, but the same river, and we had baseball caps [temporarily] instead of helmets.)

I enjoyed the canoeing more; a large raft filled with water is nigh unstoppable for a scrawny teenager... we found out later that if they had known the conditions were as fast as they were, the raft trip would have been cancelled. So going with experienced people, on a river like the Colorado that the guides know well, should have more excitement and less terror Not trying to talk anyone out of going!

[Riverkilt]

Was thinking of Hatch. TWO other kilties showed up for this trip...so kilts are already popular on the river. Sadly, Hatch has no charter slots open until 2015....I'll be 70 if I live that long...a bit much of an undertaking for a geezer that old though.