Winter Westwater

During the last weekend of January, Sheri Griffith Expeditions owner Jose Tejada and his son Obe took a trip through Westwater Canyon.  Our Operations Manager, Brenda Milligan also took some time to go rafting in Westwater Canyon that weekend.We asked Obe to give us his thoughts on the weekend:

We arrived at the Westwater ranger station around 10:30 in the morning. It was raining. In fact, it had been raining all night and most of the day before. There was no trace of the sunny, high 50 degree weather that was present when my dad and I hatched this plan.  “You can’t boat every month if you don’t start in January” My father had said. He hadn’t been on the water yet this year. Sure I had been on a San Juan River trip two weeks earlier but this was Westwater. Here the waves would be unavoidable. To be cast out of my brother’s 14 foot NRS boat was a real possibility. It is easy to stay dry on the San Juan River, but this was not the “Juan”. The date was January 30, his last chance to get on the river this month.

For those who have never experienced winter rafting, the gear you bring can make or break an excursion of this sort. It was on a cold April trip down the Gates of Lodore, while wearing a wet suit, that I decided my winter wardrobe needed some upgrades. The neoprene that makes up these suits is designed to trap water next to the skin so your body can warm it. This is great if you are submerged in the water. Also not bad if air/water temperatures are higher than the 40F/35F temps we had when we put in. I went on this trip with a dry top and splash bottoms. My dad wore splash gear: the same type that Sheri Griffith Expeditions routinely gives to their customers in the spring and fall.
And so we pushed off into the frigid water with the rain in our faces both silently wondering if this was going to be one of those trips more fun to tell about than to experience. There was no turning back now. Not that it ever really crossed either of our minds. You don’t go white water rafting in the winter expecting to be perfectly comfortable, and it could have been much worse.

A quarter mile downstream we spotted a Red Headed Sapsucker (Woodpecker), my first.  An hour or so later, we saw our first bald eagle of the trip at the miners’ cabin. It flew within 20 feet of my Dad’s boat. These I have seen many times because some of them live in Moab year round. I never get tired of seeing these amazing birds. Just before Little Delores rapid we saw a small heard of mule deer does. This was a very good trip for wildlife.

We had planned on meeting up with Brenda’s group, who had spent the night in the canyon (doing some river clean up), run the rapids together then push them out with our motor. They thought we might have canceled due to the bad weather and we missed each other by about half an hour. At Lower Cougar Bar, which had three feet of ice on it, we did our final tie down. It was also here that the rain stopped and we could see a small sliver of blue sky to the north!
Our runs through the inner gorge of Westwater Canyon were great! My dad didn’t even get his sorrel boots wet. With all of the water on the black Granitic Schist canyon walls, it made the canyon seem like it had been polished. Sometimes it is hard to pay attention to my runs because of all the scenery that there is to take in. Every time I am here I marvel at the contrast of the red Windgate Sandstone on the black Granitic Schist. This is truly a special place.
After Westwater Canyon, the water fall at Star Canyon was spectacular.  I tried to take pictures of it but I could not do it justice.   This is where we spotted Brenda’s group. So we quickly hung the motor and caught up to them. It sounded like they had had a great trip as well. One of their crew had hauled out two huge beams from the canyon. I love to see people hauling out trash like this. It shows the dedication the river community has to keeping this amazing place clean!

Sheri Griffith Expeditions

2231 S Hwy 191
Moab, UT
84532

www.griffithexp.com
800.332.2439

Labyrinth Canyon Fit Kayaking Tour

This year Sheri Griffith Expeditions is excited to be working with Melanie Webb of Sol Fitness Adventures to offer a brand new way to experience Labyrinth Canyon!

Melanie Webb is a former wildlife biologist and environmental consultant who is now one of the Top Trainers in the fitness industry. She has been featured on Good Morning America, in Outside and New Beauty magazines, and is now a brand ambassador for ATHLETA.

We met Melanie when she was a tour director for a group of guests that we hosted on a river trip in 2013. Since then, we have been working with her to create a Fitness Adventure for the River. We are excited to introduce our Labyrinth Canyon Fit Kayaking Tour this September!

The Fit Kayaking tour will combine all of the highlights of our Women-Only Kayaking tours with the Health and Wellness tours that SOL Fitness Adventures offers. There is no experience in either kayaking or fitness necessary to have a great time on this trip. By the end of the first hour on the river, you’ll feel like you were born to kayak, and with the additional tutelage of Melanie each morning, mid-day and evening, you will find a renewed sense of wellness in mind and body.

Featured Activities:

• Paddling Labyrinth Canyon of the Green River
• Hiking up Beautiful Side Canyons
• Morning Core Conditioning
• Post-Paddle Stretch Flexibility Sessions
• Evening Fireside Mindfulness including Tai Chi, Qi Gong and meditation
• One-on-One Wellness Consultation with Melanie Webb

Trip Details: Women Only Labyrinth Canyon Fit Kayaking Tour

Departure Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2014 (River trip orientation will be held on September 8th)

Trip Length: 5 Days/4 Nights (We return in the late afternoon on Saturday, September 13th)

Host City: Moab, Utah

Price: $1150 + Government Use and Launch Fees (about 6%)

“A River of One’s Own: A Heroine’s
Journey into the World of Story“

Storytelling on the River! Who told you your first story? For most of us, it was a woman. “We pass the great stories down from generation to generation,” Ellen tells us. “Mother to mother to mother. And so many of our stories are about journeys—heroes and heroines who leave the confines of the familiar and, in the spirit of curiosity and adventure, light out into the unknown. There we encounter not only the magnificence of the world, but our very souls.”  

Join the Heroine’s Adventure! Sunday night’s orientation at SGE is followed by dinner with Page, Ellen, and the other women guests. The trip launches Monday morning, August 11th. You’ll float down the Colorado River, past the confluence of the Green River, through beautiful Cataract Canyon, culminating with a breathtaking scenic flight from Lake Powell back to Moab. SGE provides everything—rafts, tents, sleeping bags, fresh healthy meals, etc. The fabulous women guides do all the cooking and rowing!  

“The Year of the Family Rafting Trip “

Sheri Griffith River Expeditions has always been a company focused on family togetherness. Sheri started running rivers with her family in the 1970s, before opening a whitewater rafting company in Moab that was focused on safety, high quality and family fun. Later, long time employees Jose and Arlo Tejada took over the operation of the business, carrying on the same goals and values that Sheri established. Over the past 5 years, family has become even more important as Arlo has battled cancer, and our extended family has come together to support him. This year, we welcome Emma Tejada, Jose’s daughter, to the Sheri Griffith River Expeditions family.  In recognition of the importance of families of all kinds, we at Sheri Griffith River Expeditions want YOU to have the best Family Vacation Possible in 2014.

"Family is not an important thing.  It’s Everything." -Michael J. Fox

What makes a Sheri Griffith Rafting Expeditions family rafting vacation the best

Sheri Griffith River Expeditions understand how difficult it can be to plan and pull-off the perfect vacation. We have spent many years working out all the “kinks” associated with river vacations. Once you are on the river with us, we handle all of the day-to-day concerns so that you can relax and enjoy the time with your family. No cell phone or television interruptions, no soccer games or ballet practice, no running to the store, no meetings, no distractions. Just time to play, explore and build stronger family bonds.
 

We are so sure that you will LOVE your vacation with Sheri Griffith River Expeditions that we will GUARANTEE IT! If you don’t have a great time with your family while on one of our vacations, we will refund the price of your rafting trip.

This Weeks Highlighted Family Trip:

Our signature family rafting trip in Utah is the 5 day/4 night “Family Rafting  expedition on the Green River. This great Utah river rafting vacation offers exceptional bonding opportunities, plenty of moderate yet fun  whitewater for children ages 5 and up, charming campsites on sandy beaches, stunning geological features and ancient and recent Western history. This Green River rafting adventure begins with a scenic flight to the launch site!   What are our Goals for your family  Your family gets a refreshed escape  with an easy, no hassle vacation. The kids will not stop talking about their favorite guide. And you are the hero of the PERFECT vacation. Is this for your family? Great way to introduce the kids to the wonders of the river rafting. Including marshmallows, fireside stories, water fights, and sandcastles. There is also time for parents to relax and enjoy each other as the guides take the kids for learning nature walks.