Warszawski: Nothing grander than experiencing Grand Canyon from the Colorado River

Spend enough time going with the flow, and the flow becomes all you know.

A voyage down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is more than a simple journey from Point A to Point B. (In my case, six days and 188 miles from Lee’s Ferry to Whitmore Wash in early May.) It’s passage through a world of sublime beauty and fascinating geology accessible only to those who take the ride.

The Colorado has many moods. For long stretches the river appears glassy and peaceful, belying the strong current beneath the surface. In the next it turns angry and violent, crashing through some of North America’s biggest rapids. All you can do is hang on, and trust the boat driver knows what he’s doing.

Regarding the Grand Canyon itself, mere words can’t do it justice. At first the towering sandstone, limestone and granite cliffs are simply captivating. Your eyes get dazzled by all the reddish hues. Next comes an appreciation for the forces of nature that created this place. Finally, after four or five days on the river, followed by evenings camped on a sandy beach with a full belly, the immersion is complete.

And by the time your brain gets accustomed to all this, it’s time for the helicopter ride out.

Spending $2,800 on a commercial rafting trip — plus the cost of getting to and from Marble Canyon, Arizona — was not my idea and probably never would’ve been. I had to be convinced by a close friend who assured me it would be the experience of a lifetime. He wasn’t wrong.

Each passenger gets issued a lifejacket and two dry bags. The larger dry bag already contains a freshly laundered sleeping bag and bed sheet plus a plastic tarp, and there’s room for all your clothes and personal items. You only have access to this bag at camp. The smaller dry bag is meant for things you’ll need during the day like sunscreen, a camera or rain gear.

Then it’s time to meet our guides and go over river safety. Our group of 28 family, friends and strangers divides into two motorized rafts, both containing two crew members. Guides not only drive the boat but also serve as cooks, geology and history instructors, medical first-responders, hike leaders, dishwashers and sanitation engineers.

The rafts we’re taking, invented and used exclusively by Western River Expeditions, are made from five inflatable military pontoon tubes that are lashed together and supported by two metal frames. Piles of dry bags, cots, tents and camp chairs are tarped and tied down, and several large metal coolers are packed with ice and all the food we’ll need. What about drinks? Cans of soda and beer (but mostly beer) are placed in a mesh sack and dragged behind the boat in 50-degree water.

When cruising the flat sections of the river, aided by a 30-horsepower outboard, we’re allowed to lounge and mill about. But when there’s whitewater ahead, things get more strict. Three designated seating areas are enforced for the rapids, each providing a different type of ride.

Those who want the biggest adrenaline rush sit in the front of the boat, straddling one of the three inner pontoons and grasping rope tie-downs with each hand. You get bucked and banged like a rodeo cowboy, not to mention absolutely drenched. For a better view of the boiling rapids, grab a seat atop one of the coolers. You’ll still get plenty soaked, minus half the jostling. Prefer a gentler, drier experience? Take a spot atop a large pad in the middle of the raft that’s affectionately named “The Chicken Coop.”

Rapids in the Grand Canyon are rated on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the largest and most difficult to navigate. Here’s where you really appreciate the skill of the boat driver. End up in the wrong place on certain rapids and even vessels of our size and weight (60,000 pounds, not including passengers) can easily be flipped.

“If we get to the bottom and everyone’s still in the boat, it’s been a good run,” guide Shad Hunter of Brian Head, Utah, said before steering us into notorious Lava Falls on Day 6. We were, and it was.

The rapids were certainly a highlight for me, but other experiences stand out more.

I’ll never forget seeing the turquoise blue water of the mineral-rich Little Colorado River as it joins the deep green of the main Colorado. Or how we walked, lifejackets in hand, a little ways up the Little Colorado and found some gentle riffles to float down. (Hard to believe there’s a proposal to desecrate this place with a tram, elevated walkway and tourist trash.)

I’ll never forget camping under the stars on pristine riverside beaches and being gently brushed into sleep by the gentle roar of nearby rapids.

I’ll never forget hiking up Havasu Canyon, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and making a mental note to return and see the whole thing. Or showering beneath the picturesque waterfall at Stone Creek. Or admiring the swirling, carved sandstone walls of Upper Deer Creek. Or playing touch football inside majestic Redwall Cavern. (Of course, my team won.)

Of course, I’ll never forget the people I went with. Making new friendships and deepening the old. Laughter. Story telling. Impromptu glow-stick parties on a moonless night. Plus the incredible food prepared by our guides. For the last dinner, a tongue-in-cheek formal occasion, we were treated to fried trout and baked potatoes and Dutch-oven prepared cake with frosting for dessert.

Most of all, though, what comes gushing back most often are thoughts of the river and the grandeur of scenery that surrounds it.

The Colorado River has flowed through the Grand Canyon for some 6 million years, and now it also flows through me.

This story was originally published May 30, 2015 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Warszawski: Nothing grander than experiencing Grand Canyon from the Colorado River."