Monday, November 1, 2010

Utah rafting. Leave it to the pros?!?!

So I was with a climbing buddy today that said something that really hit home. He was relating a story about how he had taken his family on a multi-day river trip despite the fact that he's never been rafting before. He was invited by someone with "experience" that would lead the trip. The section, Desolation Canyon, is considered to be easy/moderate so he thought, no problem.

Long story short was this. There were a series of mishaps and miscalculations that ranged from producing minor discomfort to life threatening circumstances. The culmination being a pinned and badly torn raft and having to be assisted by a commercial river company. Specifically by a women that has worked for Red River Adventures for years. At the time, shortly after her trip she related the story complete with details that included the absolute certainty of the trip leader in his abilities despite the fact that they were clearly out of their league.

This friend of mine is an especially gifted rock climber and endurance athlete, someone I consider to be savvy and knowledgeable.

The thing he said was this "rafting is like high altitude climbing though more accessible. You certainly hand someone an ice axe and rope and say have at it. Yeah that was stupid."

I constantly get calls asking about renting equipment and for information about the river sections we run. Some from folks who understand what running desert rivers entails, most from folks who shouldn't be .5 miles from a car in the desert and certainly not 60 miles from any rescue. The rivers of the southwest in summer are some of the most inhospitable, remote places that a person can go. Yet because you can float in on a glorified inner-tube folks thinks it's a walk in the park.

It's not!
Our river guides make it look easy, that's their job and they excel at it. Don't be fooled. These folks are professionals most with years (literally years, 365 day years) of experience.
Tiger woods (pardon the reference) makes hitting a golf ball look easy but none of us think for a second that we can do what he does.

Perhaps we should leave somethings to the pros.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Hiking Arches National Park, The Fiery Furnace

Here's some good news. The NPS has begun offering online reservations for the Fiery Furnace hike. One of the best ranger led activities I have ever done. No one better to see this magnificent area with than a NPS ranger. The ranger I went with was studying the Fiery Furnace for a PHD.

To see a description and book online check out recreation.gov

This hike is a great one to combine with a day of Moab rafting or rock climbing.

We are scheduled to kick of 2010 operations in less than a month. Call now to reserve your adventure. 1800-259-4046

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Ice Climbing Ouray

This is a photo of my girl. Emma getting it done at the Kids Wall, Ouray, CO. 1st Ice Climb ever.

This past weekend we got to return to one of my favorite places, Ouray. A quintessential mountain town with unpaved streets, cool architecture, Hot Springs and great Ice Climbing make this a place I miss the moment I leave.

It's always great to play in the snow that will become our summer time play ground, the Colorado River.

The Moab rafting season is right around the corner. Pray for snow!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Happy Moab Rafting. Excellant Moab Video.

Wow!
That was what I call a breather. 8/15/09, the last blog post that was written. Since then we've put the lid on our best season ever, rafted the Grand Canyon, hosted another AMGA SPI course, done some traveling and been skiing and Ice Climbing.

It's 2010 and there's plenty of rafting, climbing and canyoneering to be done. Hard to believe that the season opener is only 2 1/2 months away.

As of 1/1/10 snow pack numbers are about 90% of normal for the Colorado River Basin. This is good all we will need is near normal precip in the mountains of Colorado and we'll have another fun and exciting year on the Colorado River.

Found this amazing video that the Moab Travel Council put together, enjoy.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Utah, Idaho rafting...Huge Discount


Red River wants you to join our good friends at the Sawtooth Adventure Company on thier final float through the Frank Church Wilderness this summer. You will experience fun rapids, huge sandy beaches, amazing food and complete relaxation only found on Idaho's famous Salmon River.


In an effort to end the 2009 season with a bang we are offering the best summer travel deal around.....$795 per person ($300 off) includes:
4 night Wilderness Rafting Trip that includes all food, river & camp equipment, and amazing scenic flight over the largest wilderness in the lower 48.
Scenic charter flight back to Salmon at the end of the tripThe trip will meet at the Salmon, Idaho airport at 5 PM on Aug 20th.


You will be flown back to your vehicle via an amazing scenic flight on August 24th.Give us a call to take advantage of this unheard of travel deal


1.866.774.4644

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Being Green aint easy.....

Going to the grocery store was so much easier than it used to be.
It dawns on me today as I juggle 5 empty gallon water jugs, 5 lids and 2 re-usable shopping bags, wallet and a blackberry that I carry almost as much into the store as I do out of the place.

In my drive to be green I finally remembered the freakin tote bags and the water jugs that we reuse so we don't clog the landfill and because we can't drink the water that flows from the tap and I forget the shopping list.

Tough enough when I had to remember the list, everything on it and to grab all my bags as I left the store (come on you know you've left groceries you just bought behind) now I've got to have a check list of things to take TO the store.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Summer 09

Well that sure was a quick 2 months. A blur of rafting, climbing and canyoneering with people from all over the world. What a season we and Moab have been having.
I just want to take 2 seconds to say, thanks to those that have shared an adventure with us so far in 2009 and come on down to those who are thinking about it.

The river is still at levels that we didn't even see in some of the worst dought years and the scenery that surrounds our rock and canyoneering routes is spactacular as always.

Our 2009 guides are doing a fantastic job, keeping people safe, sharing what they know about the sports we do and the area in which we do them. I've heard more than a few times this season that the time spent with Red River Adventures was the very best of the entire vacation.