Nature Conservancy

Sheri Griffith Expeditions will have the pleasure of hosting The Nature Conservancy in 2006 through Cataract Canyon. The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit entity that focuses on preservation and whose mission statement is "…to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive."

This exciting adventure will be hosted by Sheri Griffith Expeditions' highly trained and personable guides and accompanied by a Nature Conservancy representative who will educate participants about the activities in the region and the native plants and animals you are helping to protect. For more information visit our website at http://www.griffithexp.com/trips/colorado-river-rafting-1.htm

Sheri Griffith Expeditions in the Press

Look for Sheri Griffith Expeditions in the January, 2006, issue of O Magazine! Our Women's River Writing Journey is featured as one of the year's "Six Great All-Girl Getaways." Page Lambert (In Search of Kinship and Shifting Stars) returns to facilitate a 6-day river writing journey for women in Utah's beautiful Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park.

Whether writing in your personal journal or writing for publication, being submerged in the natural world unleashes powerful creative energy. Material includes fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir and poetry. "Women rediscover an important part of themselves in the natural world," Page says. "We move and inspire each other in uniquely feminine ways." For more information on this and all of our Women~Only adventures, visit our website at http://www.griffithexp.com/trips/colorado-57.htm

Moab Utah History

Moab, the only Utah town located on the Colorado River, is in the heart of the Colorado Plateau. It is the premier multi-sport destination in the United States, and many consider it to be the "Adventure Capital" of the world. The area is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts as well as a geological wonderland. The town of Moab is nestled in a valley with the 12,000 foot La Sal Mountains on one end and the mighty Colorado River on the other. All of this is surrounded by 1,000 foot red rock cliffs and breathtaking, rugged desert terrain.

The town of Moab was settled by cowboys and ranchers in the mid 1800's, and was still a small farming community up to the early 1950's. Mining has always been important to the Moab economy, but in the 1950's, fueled by the Cold War, the uranium industry exploded. Charlie Steen, a geologist from Texas, had been searching for uranium deposits in the area for two years when he struck it rich at his Mi Vida claim southeast of Moab. The Mi Vida mine would ultimately be worth more than $100 million, and make Moab famous. After Steen's discovery, thousands of prospectors, miners & laborers came to Moab and by 1956 the town's population had nearly quadrupled, going from 1,300 to nearly 6,000-just slightly smaller than it is today! By the mid 1960's, however, the boom had ended, mills closed, and hundreds of workers were laid off.

Today tourism is the primary industry of Moab. The area is blessed with an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities including exploring the outdoors by mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, 4X4, scenic airplane flights or whitewater rafting. There are also Two national parks found minutes away from the town of Moab: Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park. These parks offer many spectacular view and experiences including whitewater rafting down the Cataract Canyon section of the Colorado River, and hiking to Delicate Arch - Utah's famous icon.

Super Guide Highlight~ Nicole Nuttall

For the second year in a row, Nicole was voted "funniest guide" in 2005 by her fellow Sheri Griffith Expeditions' guides. Nicole began her career at SGE 6 years ago in the food service department and quickly moved into become the lead guide on all the trips she runs.

Nicole considers her humor to be one of her best talents-that along with her strong rowing skills. She also has an amazing array of toys and games for all ages. In the beginning of the season you will find Nicole on the Yampa River in the Dinosaur National Monument. Later in the season she will bounce around from Cataract Canyon to Westwater Canyon. She also specializes in Women~Only trips.

• Nicole's Favorite River Meal: Hot dogs and hamburgers on Family trips
• Nicole's Favorite Hike: Jones Hole on Green River though Gates of Lodore
• Nicole's Favorite River Trip: 4 day Yampa River
• Why: Spectacular rapids & the beauty of the free flowing river
• Nicole's River Talent: Her humor ~ truly like nobody else's!
• Nicole's Nickname: Big Water Nicole

Quotes

"Our guides were multi-talented, vibrant, hard-working souls led by Trip Leader, Nicole. They fairly balanced safety-first with allowing individuals to experience the thrill of rapids in blow-up kayaks ("duckies"). That is what we expected. But we got so much more: knowledge and humor." ~ Leslie Howard, Desolation Canyon, June 4, 2005

"We had the most wonderful time on this trip! Nicole, Annie, Jamie, Cassidy, and Zach were fun, personable, professional, and very skilled. We always felt that we were in good hands and I would really like to commend them all on their expertise and their people skills." ~ Matt Rummele and Scott Beldon, The Gates of Lodore, June 16, 2006

"Nicole and Faye are both excellent guides, very professional, attuned to group needs, dynamics, etc. A great duo! The whole thing was very organized, enabling us to relax, enjoy each other's company, and really VACATION!" ~ Ilana Snyder,Cataract Canyon, July 2, 2005