OVERVIEW

You do not have to have any camping or rafting experience to journey with us, only the willingness to accept weather and climate changes and the desire to participate.

We provide all camping equipment you’ll need and the storage systems for your gear.

Clothing basics include: rain gear, pile clothing, long underwear, lightweight clothes for sun protection, shorts, t-shirts, swim suit, river sandals and hiking boots.

Gear basics include: flashlight, water bottle, camera, hat, sunglasses, lotion and sunblock. Partial trip participants need a backpack for carrying clothing and personal gear in/out of the canyon.

Detailed lists of what to bring appear both below and in our Float Notes booklet (this booklet comes in the mail each fall to next year’s trip participants). The Float Note booklet also covers the logistical details associated with your trip, your transportation options, and the weather patterns in Grand Canyon.

PACKING ITEMS YOU SHOULD BRING

Please refer to our detailed list of clothing and gear recommendations which are tailored to your trip type: FULL, UPPER or LOWER canyon.

CLOTHING LIST FOR FULL CANYON PARTICIPANTS

CLOTHING LIST FOR UPPER CANYON PARTICIPANTS

CLOTHING LIST FOR LOWER CANYON PARTICIPANTS

CAMPING EQUPMENT & OTHER ITEMS
PROVIDED BY CANYON EXPLORATIONS/EXPEDITIONS

The following Camping Equipment & Other Items are Provided by Canyon Explorations/Expeditions:

SLEEPING UNIT: A sleeping bag, a personal sheet liner (bags and liners are laundered prior to each trip), a Thermarest pad, and a tarp are pre-packed into a waterproof bag and onto our boats.


TENT: We issue one tent for every two passengers. If you prefer the privacy of your own tent, you may bring your own; it will be stored in a waterproof bag with the rest of the tents.

GEAR STORAGE ITEMS: We provide a personal waterproof bag, personal mesh bag, day packs for use on side canyon hikes, waterproof "day bags" on each boat, and one 20 mm. ammunition can for cameras and binoculars (14" x 17" x 7") for group use on each boat.

PERSONAL WATERPROOF BAG: At your orientation*, we will provide a waterproof river bag that measures approximately 12" in diameter x 23" high; the bag’s volume is 2,488 cubic inches. These measurements make it sound small, but don't worry, it will all fit! You will be packing your clothing into this bag on the evening before your trip. Think of this bag as your "checked luggage"; it will not be accessible during the day. Each morning you will seal your waterproof bag and it will be loaded onto a boat; you will receive it again after arriving at the evening's camp. Anything that you want to have access to during the day will be stored in your mesh bag (see PERSONAL MESH BAG below) and placed into the waterproof "day bag" available on each boat. Soft chairs are O.K. to bring; they are stored separately and do not need to fit into the dry bag.

*Lower Canyon participants receive their waterproof bag after hiking down to the river, not at their orientation (packing in your dry bag would add unnecessary weight to your load!) Clothes are carried down the trail in your backpack and are transferred to the waterproof bag upon your arrival at the river.


PERSONAL MESH BAG: We will provide a mesh bag where you will be storing anything you want to have access to during the day (sunscreen, raingear, long underwear or cotton clothing, hiking boots, etc.). Think of this as your "carry-on luggage". Each morning, after you turn in your personal waterproof bag (described above), you will go to whichever boat you want to ride in for the day with your mesh bag, your life jacket, and your water bottle in hand. The mesh bag will be stored on the boat in the waterproof "day bag".

DAYPACKS FOR SIDE CANYON HIKING: We will give you a daypack to use during hikes. Before each hike, you will have the opportunity to remove items from your personal mesh bag and put them into a daypack. For example, you will need to take your water bottle, and you may want to take your sunscreen, a book, or your camera. You may also want to change from your river sandals into your hiking boots and/or carry these on the hike in the daypack.

OTHER ITEMS: We also supply all eating utensils, toilet paper, first aid items (Band-Aids, aspirin/ibuprofin/acetaminophen, anti-acid tablets, Benadryl, insect repellent, etc.), a complimentary Canyon Explorations/Expeditions mug and a Stevens' Guidebook for coffee and hot tea.

WHAT GOES WHERE

The bulk of your clothing and personal items will go into your waterproof bag. Your sleeping kit is pre-packed in a second waterproof bag. Both of these bags are lashed onto the boats during the day and are not available to get in and out of during the day.

Therefore, items you want to have access to during the day (“day gear”) are not packed into your waterproof bag. Day gear would include: sun block, rain gear, water bottle, hiking shoes, long underwear or sun protection clothing (depending on time of year). These items go into your personal mesh bag which facilitates carrying them around camp in the morning. After you decide which boat to ride on for the day, your mesh bag will be stored in a waterproof day bag. There are two of these on every boat and everyone gets in and out of them all day long, accessing their day gear as temperatures, body temperatures, and activities dictate.

Items you may want to bring on the hikes with you may be put into the Daypack (small book bag size packs) which we will supply for your trip. These packs are stored in the waterproof day bags with your other day gear, ready to go when we arrive at a hike stop.

CAMERAS, ETC.

Waterproof or disposable cameras (esp. the panoramic ones) are a great choice for river trips. We provide a shock/water-proof container (a 20 mm. ammunition can on each boat) for fragile items like cameras, camcorders, and binoculars. It is unusual for cameras to incur any damage using this system; however, as on any trip of this type, there is some risk of lost or damaged personal items: damage due to blowing beach sand or in the event of an oar boat flip, the ammunition box may get water in it. A zip lock bag or small waterproof pouch can provide extra protection. Large, bulky pouches are difficult to accommodate due to finite boat space. You should plan to have your camera cleaned when you return home due to the sandy and wet conditions you’ll encounter. Your camera will be at some risk, but we think it is worth it.

WHAT NOT TO BRING

Leave your technology at home. Your trip in Grand Canyon presents a unique opportunity to be in a wilderness setting, away from the distractions of phones, cars, traffic, and work stresses. The opportunity and time to think differently about ourselves and our life issues is created. In our efforts to preserve a technology free environment on these wilderness trips, Canyon Explorations/Expeditions prohibits the use of satellite phones, radios and laptops on our trips.

CLEANING UP AFTERWARDS

Your white t-shirt will probably never be white again. Even clorox won’t help. The combination of sand and muddy water can create stains that will not come out of cotton. Many modern materials will respond better.