Arizona River Runners Wants You to Know...

The Arizona Office of Tourism has announced the 2011 Arizona Official State Visitor's Guide will now be available to consumers at no charge. This informative guide provides a wealth of information to visitors, and residents alike. Information on Arizona's history, golf courses, arts and culture, resorts and spas, dining and shopping, and so much more. It has information on camping and recreation, fun family adventures, including Grand Canyon rafting vacations ! It encourages and entertains readers to discover what this great state has to offer as a premier vacation destination. Get a copy today for your wonderful Arizona vacation.

To obtain a complimentary copy of The Arizona Office of Tourism's Official State Visitor's Guide log on to www.Arizonaguide.com, or call the Arizona Office of Tourism at 866-298-3312.

(From Arizona Highways "A New Guide to the Grand Canyon State")

Experience the vacation adventure of a lifetime on an Arizona River Runners rafting trip. Since 1970 we have provided complete Grand Canyon whitewater rafting trips. Whitewater rafting through the Grand Canyon offers a unique view of one of the most popular natural wonders of the world. Arizona River Runners has grown to be one of the most innovative, and well-respected outfitters operating in the Grand Canyon. Call us at 1-800-477-7238, we'd love to see you venture down the Colorado!

Arizona River Runners ~ Helicopters, You and the Grand Canyon

Most of Arizona River Runners' Grand Canyon raft trips involve a helicopter ride. If that worries you, rest assured that there are options without the helicopter.

BUT....for those of you that have never ridden in a helicopter before, and just can't wait, many of our multi-day trips include a helicopter ride either in or out of the Grand Canyon. Yee Haa!! Let me just say that it is MEMORABLE. If you are entering the Grand Canyon, your helicopter drops into the beautiful scene. Leaving the Arizona Strip, you descend along sheer cliff faces to the powerful Colorado River from high above.

If you have launched at Lee's Ferry and spent many days and nights on the river your exit in a helicopter is no let down. You lift off the helipad and swoop across the river. All the time you are climbing the steep and tight canyon walls. At last you clear the cliffs and the horizons expand before your very eyes.

Your helicopter ride, whether dropping in or climbing out, is an experience to savor. Bring your camera!

Arizona River Runners offers a variety of Colorado River rafting trips. Call us to book your Grand Canyon whitewater rafting trip at 1-800-477-4238!

The Grand Canyon Association and Grand Canyon National Park has dedicated a new rim-based amphitheater and landmark feature at Mather Point on Grand Canyon's South Rim! The new amphitheater allows park visitors to view the Canyon's famous vistas from a beautiful location, while seated on native limestone. The amphitheater's setting, adjacent to the rim, seats approximately 50 to 80 people, providing space for ranger talks or viewing the Canyon's sunrise and sunsets in a peaceful spot.

The landmark feature, honoring the Native American tribes affiliated with Grand Canyon National Park, is also created from native limestone. This feature has a plaza with a meeting area for visitors walking to and from Mather Point. Stone slabs in the construction include etchings inspired by stories with input gathered from these tribes. The Grand Canyon Association and Grand Canyon National Park are thankful to the Salt River Project and their partners: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Arizona Public Service, NV Energy and Tucson Electric Power -- owners of the Navajo Generating Station -- for providing the funding to help construct these two key elements at Mather Point near the park's main visitor center -- the landmark feature and Mather Point Amphitheater. These areas will become a central part of the visitor experience for the nearly 4.5 million people from around the world who visit Grand Canyon National Park each year.

Arizona River Runners is dedicated to protecting the environment of the Grand Canyon, and supports organizations such as Native Voices on the Colorado River, Leave No Trace, Grand Canyon National Park Service, The Grand Canyon Association, Grand Canyon Trust, Friends of the River and many more.

For more information on Arizona Runners, our trips or the organizations we support, call 1-800-477-7238. We'd love to hear from you!

THINGS YOU DON'T NEED ON AN ARIZONA RIVER RUNNERS GRAND CANYON WHITEWATER RAFTING TRIP

cell phone.....flat screen TV......rolling luggage......wristwatch.......computer.......car......stiletto heels.....make-up.....car keys......calendar.....day timer.....stock broker........grocery list.......coffee press.....magazines.....movie schedule.....to go menus......realtor......mirror......running water...... electricity......the newspaper......mail (snail mail and email)......to do list......push-up bra...... jewelry......hairspray.......necktie.......dress shoes......gasoline......alarm clock...... stemware......napkins......a sink......a bathtub......hairdryer......map quest......curling iron......straightener......radio.......

On your river trip with Arizona River Runners pack for fun and adventure! We are more than happy to give you packing tips and advice! Give us a call at 1-800-477-4738 for your adventure of a lifetime!

Starry Starry Nights (On an Arizona River Runners Rafting Trip)

When was the last time you slept under the stars? Were you a kid? Have you ever slept under the night sky? Camping along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon gives you the IMAX of star gazing.

On the river the Milky Way commonly appears as a flurry of so many stars that it is a magnificent, starry presence in the night sky. There are so many stars that they blur together. On a cloudless night it stretches lazily across your entire view.

You can track a satellite as it hurtles through outer space. Watch as it moves through the darkness, made visible to you only by it's reflection of the sun's light. Not all that moves are satellites. Don't be fooled by airplanes, maybe a red-eye heading for Los Angeles. Satellites are plentiful. They have jobs to do.

Constellations are everywhere. The Big Dipper, The Little Dipper, Orion's Belt, North Star, the Scorpion. Your view of this starry display will vary. As you slumber through the night, the stars will march across your view in the sky. The moon may rise and diminish their brightness but they are still there. No doubt you will witness some shooting stars.....these sprinters slash across the darkness. They flare brightly as they burn and die away.

As morning light creeps into the sky, the stars begin their retreat. The light of the sun overpowers their brilliance. But they are always there and they will show themselves again tomorrow night when the sunshine passes and the clouds vanish and darkness settles in.

Arizona River Runners would love to take you out camping under the night sky on a river trip. We offer 3-day trips to 13-day whitewater rafting adventures. Call 1-800-477-7238 for your Starry Starry Night experience.

Arizona River Runners: Pictures Rarely Capture it All

Let's assume you have just completed a multi-day Grand Canyon rafting trip with Arizona River Runners. Let's say, also, that you had a fabulous time and returned home with lots of great photos and lots of memories. You've done your laundry, perused the stack of mail and newspapers, and today is your first day back at your j-o-b.

Everybody wants to know what it was like white water rafting through the Grand Canyon. What did you do? Where did you sleep? What did you eat? Was it cold? Was it hot? Were you scared? Do you have photos?

Ah, photos. Here's your chance to show them the magnificence, the grandeur, the awesome beauty of the Grand Canyon and the things that you experienced. But your Grand Canyon rafting photos just don't capture the emotions. The photos are lacking the exhilaration of riding the troughs and crests of the white water and the feeling of your very being at the bottom of those humongous layers of rock...layer on top of layer on top of layer, as far as you could see. The sky that stretched overhead from one horizon to the other and the stars that stole into that space.

Photographs can only begin to show your friends where you have been. Your pictures are an index for the 3-D memories that you will have for the rest of your life.

Pictures rarely capture it all.

For your white water rafting trip call Arizona River Runners - where memories are made! 1-800-477-7238

Different Trips For Different Folks with Arizona River Runners

So, you checked out Arizona River Runners website and now you're undecided about which trip to choose. 3 days, 8 days. What's the difference?

Right up front, let me make it quite clear that the 3-day trip does NOT go where the longer trips go just floating really fast. No!

The longer river trips typically start at Lee's Ferry and travel downstream 187 miles to Whitmore Wash where a helicopter awaits those people for a breathtaking flight out of the Grand Canyon. This is where the 3-day people enter the river. So, after having spent a day at the Bar 10 Ranch along the Arizona Strip, the 3-day people swap seats with those leaving the river, on both the helicopter and the raft, as their river time starts at Whitmore Wash and continues downstream for more fun and fabulous scenery. The river is emerging out of the depths of the Grand Canyon. The corridor is widening and the rapids are less extreme. There is still grandeur to behold and rapids to ride but it is not the closeness of the Inner Gorge or the ebony Vishnu Schist that corrals the torrential waters upstream.

There are millions of awesome things to see in the Grand Canyon. You could spend a lifetime and never explore everything. But, in 25 words or less...the longer your raft trip is, the more time you have to explore off-river sites. There are Indians ruins, petroglyphs, fossils, waterfalls, grottos, pioneer homes, side creeks running turquoise blue, and places of immense serenity beckoning to your senses.

The longer you spend in the Grand Canyon the more you will revel in the vastness of this place. Time in the Grand Canyon is time well spent.

Call Arizona River Runners 1-800-477-7238. We’re more than happy to answer any of your questions regarding our white water rafting trips.

Arizona River Runners’ Rafts - What Are They Like?

Arizona River Runners has a pretty sweet motor rig. Our rafts are inflatable rubber tubes that are lashed to pieces of metal framework for strength and stability. An outboard motor is clamped to the back to give some guidance and propulsion. Boxes and large coolers are aboard and they contain everything. The coolers are in the very center of the rafts. The cold river constantly splashes the bottoms of the rafts. By day, they are covered by gear and by night they become the guides sleeping quarters. Storage bins are covered by 3" pads to make your seating on the boat quite comfy.

The inflatable tubes are made of many chambers so that a leak does not affect the whole raft. Each boat carries a spare motor, an air pump and lots of spare parts. River trips typically run two boats together for safety reasons as well as great photo opportunities.

There is an oval tube that forms the center of the raft and two straight tubes, one on either side, that come to a point in the front. The tip or snout of these tubes is called the "horn". It's a real rodeo up there and there are times when you can ride 'em cowboy. As a passenger, you can control how exciting you want your ride to be. There are parts of the boat that get all the excitement (water) all the time and there are places to sit that are much tamer and less wet. You can make your choice at any given time. You can change it up from time to time; even change boats from day to day. Get to know the other guides and people on the other boat.

When all the gear is packed and you're all aboard, heading down the might Colorado, the views are amazing. Our boats are built and packed so you don't have to crane your neck all day to get in the sights and sounds the canyon has to offer. You can relax back (on the gear) and gaze up into the canyon! What a difference, great views, no kinks in the neck - what more could you ask for?

Our motor rigs carry EVERYTHING you will need for your entire rafting trip. You will be amazed and thrilled as you see how it all fits together. Even the sleeping cots and chairs are on board. That's SWEET!!

So pick up the phone and call 1-800-477-7238 for your adventure of a lifetime – white water rafting through the Grand Canyon with Arizona River Runners!

A View From the River on an Arizona River Runners Rafting Trip

Check out these YouTube videos that a couple of our rafters took white water rafting through the Grand Canyon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfXtGsrZL6w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoQuROavQSE

Have fun and enjoy the "ride"

For your adventure on the river call 1-800-477-7238!

Arizona River Runners Provides All the Treats on Your Rafting Trip

Do NOT bring your own, personal snacks on a Grand Canon rafting trip...here's why. No matter how well they are wrapped or stashed away, the canyon critters will search and they WILL find them in your gear! The scent lures in these bandits to steal these delightful treasures. They will burrow and gnaw through whatever bag, box or backpack you have them hidden in, and they will scamper away in haste - totally excited by their heist! You won't even know it happened until you awaken in the morning. So, the travesty is twofold. One, you have lost your treasured tidbits. Two, you have a hole in your daybag or backpack where a very determined ring-tailed cat has knoshed.

There is LOTS of delicious food at meal time, and there are a variety of snacks on the boat for your enjoyment throughout the day; chocolate bars, granola bars, licorice, pretzels, nuts...There is even a cooler on every boat stocked with apples and oranges that are available at all time.

So do yourself a favor and don't put edibles in your personal gear. You will be sorry if you do!

For more information on what to bring and pack on your white water rafting trip with Arizona River Runners, give us a call at 1-800-477-7238 or visit www.raftarizona.com

Meteor Showers Over the Grand Canyon and Whitewater Rafting with Arizona River Runners

If this is how clear the sky is in the morning, just imagine it at night!

Stargazing in the Grand Canyon is well – grand! The complete absence of light (except for the moon at times) enables you to see the stars at their most glorious. When the last camper has gone to bed, and all is quiet you are blanketed by a night sky bursting with stars, stars so bright you want to reach out and touch them. The night sky in the Canyon is indescribable; at certain times of the year you may even see meteor showers.

The Grand Canyon is the perfect location not only for stargazing, but to behold a meteor shower as well. Small fragments of cosmic debris entering the earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds produce meteor showers. Each time a comet swings by the sun, it produces large amounts of small particles, which will eventually spread out along the entire orbit of the comet to form a meteoroid "stream." Depending on where the Earth's orbit and the comet's orbit intersect, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky for a few days, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation, thereby giving the meteor shower its name.

Perseid meteors will appear to "rain" into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 10 p.m. in mid-August. At its peak, the shower could produce up to 100 meteors per hour. This year's shower should peak on the night of August 12 and the morning of the 13^th. The thin, crescent moon will be out of the way early, setting the stage for a potentially spectacular show. (There is the possibility of seeing meteors any time from July 23 - August 22 as well). The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. For best viewing, look to the northeast after midnight.

Arizona River Runners offers a number of rafting trips during this “meteor peak season.” To see a meteor shower is awe-inspiring! And what better way to experience a meteor shower than camping out on the banks of the Colorado River on a rafting trip? Call us at 1-800-477-7238 for your adventure of a lifetime and indulge your love of the night sky!

Water Fight! Arizona River Runners April Photo Contest Winner

Water fight!
Originally uploaded by mariebey2

This is a great action shot! We just love the girl with the lollipop getting SOAKED!!! Thank you mariebey2 for your winning photo! Hope you had an incredible whitewater rafting trip with Arizona River Runners!

Arizona River Runners in the Chicago Tribune

Here's a little something from the Chicago Tribune, May 15th:

"Here are some of the more interesting deals, Web sites and other travel tidbits that came across our desk recently: The eight-day, seven-night Grand Canyon Adventure from Arizona River Runners explores the full 280 miles of the Grand Canyon for $2,450 per person. 800-477-7238, raftarizona.com."

Now if the Trib likes us, how can you not? We have a variety of trips, call us today for your Colorado River rafting trip! 800-477-7238

Fishing on the Colorado River with Arizona River Runners

Is there fishing on the Colorado River? Will we have time to fish on our rafting trip? What do we do with the fish, if we catch any?

These are all valid questions to ask when planning a Grand Canyon rafting trip with Arizona River Runners. Yes, there is fishing on the Colorado River. Yes, you can fish on your rafting trip; and you eat the fish you catch! Our guides can do a fish fry like nobody’s business!

The National Parks Service requires you to have an Arizona State Fishing License, contact Arizona Game and Fish Department at http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/fishing.shtml for more information.

Fishing in the Canyon can be great, bring a collapsible fishing pole for easy storage. Among trout fishing circles it is widely known that some very good fishing is to be had in the Colorado River. You’ll be fishing from shore at camp in the evening or during the day when we’ve stopped for lunch or hiking. The Colorado River, Marble Canyon, and lower portions of Bright Angel Creek, Nankoweap Creek and Tapeats Creek and Lake Mead are good for fishing. Fishes native to the Canyon include Humpback Chub (a federally endangered species), Razorback Sucker (endangered), Flannelmouth Sucker, Bluehead Sucker, Colorado Squawfish, Bonytail (endangered), Roundtail Chub and Speckled Dace.

There are a number of species not native to the Grand Canyon. Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Red Shiner, Fathead Minnow, Mosquitofish, Striped Bass and Plains Killifish to name just a few. For bait, some people just use leftovers from breakfast or dinner! Insects, flies, minnows, and other bugs can be used too.

For additional information regarding fishing and fishing supplies on your Grand Canyon rafting trip, call Arizona River Runners at 800-477-7238, we will be happy to help you include a little fishing on your white water rafting trip with us!

Arizona River Runner Salutes Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park was picked as one of TripAdvisor's Travelers Choice 2010 Top 10 Outdoor & Adventure Destinations in the United States. The Grand Canyon is amazing, awe-inspiring, breathtaking! There is so much to see and do at there, beyond looking at it. Take a whitewater rafting trip through it with Arizona River Runners; hike down; do the Skywalk; take a "mule train" or yes, just gaze over the rim… this is one natural wonder you have to see in person to believe. No one can describe what it's like, it's beyond believable. Call 800-477-7238 for your Arizona Family Rafting Trip and see the Grand Canyon from an entirely different perspective!

6, 7 and 8 Day Motor Trips: Rafting the Grand Canyon is What the Trip is About, But That’s Not All….

If you’ve chosen one of these Arizona River Runners' trips, you will be blown away by exquisite views, fun and excitement! Once everyone has arrived at Lees Ferry, has gone through orientation, and all the gear is packed in our waterproof bags, your adventure begins. Our 6 and 7-Day Expedition packages cover 187 miles of the Colorado River from historic Lee's Ferry to Whitmore Wash and take you through the Heart of the Grand Canyon. The 8-Day Adventure is our longest motorized trip and the only one to travel the full 280-mile length of the Grand Canyon to Lake Mead. On your journey through the Canyon you will enjoy unparalleled scenery with time to explore unique and spectacular side canyons, streams and waterfalls.

A favorite side stop and campsite is at Nankoweap Canyon (mile 52). If you know where to look you will see an ancient Anasazi stone storage ruins built into a ledge of dark rock high above the sandy beach on river right. Those willing to take the 600 foot vertical hike up to the Nankoweap granaries will be treated to one of the more spectacular 180 degree Canyon views. Hike up to Hilltop Ruins to see the stunning panoramic view of the widest sections of the Grand Canyon at mile 72. Each day brings new sights, exciting rapids, mid-morning and mid-afternoon hikes or stops so you will never be bored! You may see deer, Big-Horn Sheep, strange and unique flowers and plants! At mile 136 the welcome and refreshing spray from the spectacular 100-foot Deer Creek Falls is just one more reason to raise your hands and enjoy the unique beauty of the Grand Canyon.

Every morning you wake up to great cowboy coffee, from Toucanet Coffee, eat a delicious breakfast with fresh fruit and juice, before hitting the river! Then each day as the sun begins to sink, camp is set on a beautiful sandy beach. The stories of the day are shared over another delicious dinner. The stars begin to glisten. The quiet serenity of the universe is spread out above your bedroll as the magnificence of the heavens envelopes your soul.

All too soon your adventure comes to an end. But you will remember it forever, how you “shot the rapids of the Colorado River,” where you hiked in the footsteps of John Wesley Powell and others. Come along and join us on this amazing adventure. You'll talk about it for a lifetime if you do. You'll regret it if you don't. Call us at 1-800-477-7238 to book your rafting adventure now!

Call for Grand Canyon Rafting specials for the month of May!

"Romancing the River" with Arizona River Runners

www.wheredaily.com features Arizona River Runners!

"Seeing the Grand Canyon from the rim is one of the primary experiences of a trip through the Southwest. But active travelers know the real thrills come from the bottom looking up. Unless you’re ready to take on this crack in the earth with an 11-hour trek downward a trip to the canyon can best be facilitated by exhilarating rides on the river that runs through it: the mighty Colorado. Reputable, highly experienced tour operators in the Grand Canyon, such as Outdoors Unlimited and Arizona River Runners supply the thrills and spills through the chasm and answer the many questions that inevitably surface before the plunge.

The majority of the dozen or so outfitters offer river trips that are motorized, and can accomplish the full trek in half that time—in six, seven or eight days. On oar-boat trips, river guides manage the oars. More active travelers may want to consider the paddleboat trips and grab their own oars.

Oar trips typically run a maximum of 21 passengers; paddle trips, 24 passengers and cover all or part of the 296-mile route, beginning at Lee’s Ferry in the north. After Lee’s Ferry, there’s no place to get out of the canyon, except for Phantom Ranch, where one can hike into and out of the river." Read more...

For your white water rafting trip call Arizona River Runners. We will answer all your questions about rafting the Grand Canyon! 1-800-477-7238

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee with Arizona River Runners

After an exhilarating day on the water, songs around the campfire and a great night's sleep under the stars, what's better than waking up to the invigorating smell of a delicious cup of coffee? On a Colorado River rafting trip with Arizona River Runners that is exactly what you'll get - fresh brewed, great tasting coffee. We serve only the best - Toucanet Coffee. Toucanet Coffees are hand-crafted quality, organic, single-source, shade-grown varieties from the tropics of three continents. Bird friendly coffee beans are sought out from farms in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which support nature and protect the environment. Toucanet coffees carry the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Bird Friendly certification; supports fair trade products, and Women Coffee Producers. Toucanet Coffee is locally owned in Flagstaff, AZ. Arizona River Runners is delighted to serve this rich tasting, full-bodied coffee on all our Grand Canyon rafting vacations.

6 Day Grand Canyon Whitewater Rafting Trip with Arizona River Runners

Here is what Katie M. of Cleveland Tennessee had to say about her 6 Day Grand Canyon Adventure:

"I found it (the trip) far more enjoyable than I had imagined. There are not enough words to describe those guys (the guides). They are on point and then they took it to the next level!"

Regarding the food, "This section of the trip far exceeded my expectations...quite the culinary geniuses!"

Kaite M. Cleveland, TN. August 28th, 2009

Join the Arizona River Runners Social Media Community!

Would you like to be part of our online community? If so, here are a few great ways to join the Arizona River Runners community online:

Facebook

Find us at http://www.facebook.com/ArizonaRiverRunners and become a fan!

Share Your Pictures and Meet New Friends

We know you’ll want to share your photos after your adventure, so here is how you can easily talk to your new friends after you are out on the Grand Canyon”

1. Find Arizona River Runners at www.flickr.com/people/arizonariverrunners/

2. From the Arizona River Runners Flickr page, click on the group that corresponds to your trip date

3. Click on “Join this group”

4. Use your Yahoo! ID to login (If you do not have a Yahoo! Account, you can sign-up for free) and get posting!

Also, watch for the upcoming “ARR Photo/Video Contest Entry” group to enter a favorite photo or video into the contest! Enjoy your vacation in the Grand Canyon! Also, watch for the upcoming “ARR Photo/Video Contest Entry” group to enter a favorite photo or video into the contest! Enjoy your vacation in the Grand Canyon!

Remember our Hiker's Specials are filling up fast. Don't miss this chance to experience the Canyon in the spring, it's so green and vibrant. These trips give you an opportunity to explore more of the Canyon off the river, with breath taking viewpoints and ungorgettable side stream hikes. Call us at 1-800-477-7238 to book your spring adventure today!

*Notice privacy settings on ARR Flickr groups are set to allow public viewing of photos