Functional Footwear Facts for Your Grand Canyon Whitewater Trip

Take a minute to consider your footwear for your upcoming Grand Canyon Raft trip. There are a few different aspects that you need to consider when making your choices. One of the more important things to realize is that most every hike or walk that you go on, will probably encounter water. You will almost always walk through or swim through some water while you have your shoes on, so, you probably don't want to bring your good hiking boots. The footwear that you do bring should:

1) Be comfortable wet or dry.

2) Have good traction on land and on the boat.

3) Have enough support to hold them to your feet while scrambling on rocks or around the boat.

I've done 40 or 50 Grand Canyon river trips and I don't ever take sneakers. I take 2 pairs of sandals. Something like Tevas or Chacos. (One of my pairs I bought at Target and they have lasted 10 trips and are still going strong.) They have straps over the toes and around my ankle from behind my heel. I can tighten them so that I can climb rocks and hike in them. They are rubber so that I can get them wet, they still have good traction and are comfy.

You may want to bring sneakers. We have a "Shoe Bag" on the boat for you to keep them in if you want them during the day. Just remember the whole water everywhere thing. Some people like the support of dry sneakers for in camp at night. You'll pack those in your personal bag. Campsites are often on very fine sand. Footwear that traps the sand can get uncomfortable. Flip-flops are very workable for camp too.

Critically important --- break in your footwear before you get to the river. Even if you have had them for a long time, wear them and soften them up again before your trip. If you don't want to do this then bring socks to wear to protect all those blisters you will undoubtedly develop. Socks may look really geeky with sandals but at least you will be able to walk. Sometimes the sand causes even well broken-in shoes to rub your feet and cause problems. We have lots of band aids to take care of you!

So that's a little more insight on footwear appropriate for your upcoming Grand Canyon adventure. There's lots to do and see and you'd like to be comfortable doing it all. Check our online store for footwear and other helpful river gear.

Arizona River Runners Wants Your Photos!

We really want you to join the Arizona River Runners monthly video or photo contest. Just submit your pics of your ARR Grand Canyon Rafting adventure and you could win an ARR prize! Once a month we select a monthly photo contest winner from the photos submitted to our Photo Contest Flickr group. To enter, simply submit your videos or photos to the “ARR Photo/Video Contest Entry” group pool.

Just follow these simple instructions to join us Flickr:

1. Find Arizona River Runners at http://www.flickr.com/photos/arizonariverrunners/

2. Use your Yahoo! ID to login (if you don’t have a Yahoo! Account, you can sign up for one free) and get posting! From the Arizona River Runners Flickr Page, click on the Photo Contest.

3. Click on “Join this group” and submit your entries!

If you haven’t experienced a Grand Canyon whitewater trip yet, consider one of our May 2010 Specials http://grandcanyonrivertrips.blogspot.com/search/label/grand%20canyon%20rafting%20specials

coming up just around the corner – contact us at 800-477-7238 to reserve your rafting adventure of a lifetime!

"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

Rafting the Grand Canyon is What the Trip is All About, But That’s Not All….

It is true; rafting is what you do on a Colorado River Rafting Trip with Arizona River Runners. But that isn’t all! You will be “entertained” for your entire journey. From the time you get to the Canyon (or even before, such as the helicopter ride on our 3 Day Escape), you will not be bored or wanting for something to do! Each trip is unique on its own, filled with exciting and fun things.

Our 3-Day Escape provides you with a scenic flight to the Bar-10 Ranch on the North Rim of the Canyon. Here you can spend the night at the Ranch or in a covered wagon! In the morning you are helicoptered to the Canyon floor. Rafting and hiking, not to mention eating, follows for the next day and a half.

Our longer trips involve more intense rafting, and there are some with a “hike-in” or “hike-out” before or after your rafting adventure! The longer trips provide more opportunities for additional off-river time to take in the spectacular vistas and side stream hikes, to explore along the side stream corridor.

During the evenings our guides feed (yeah!) and entertain you. On clear nights, stargazing is a favorite pastime of our rafters. Where you sleep is a vision – look up and take in all the stars, you’ll never see anything like it again!

Give us a call (800-477-7238) and we’ll be more than happy to talk to you about all that goes on our rafting trips!

Blooming Flowers and Arizona River Runners

What do blooming flowers and rafting the Grand Canyon have to do with each other? Arizona River Runners is offering specials in May that will give you the opportunity to see Canyon flowers in bloom! Did you know there are about 1737 known species of vascular plants (such as ferns, flowering plants, conifers, clubmosses and other gymnosperms), 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen that are found in Grand Canyon National Park? The park is home to the rare Tusayan Flamethrower, with approximately 1000 plants identified in 10 small populations; and the park has one Federally-listed endangered species called the sentry milkvetch, a perennial mat-forming herb.

Wouldn’t it be “grand” to see some of these unique and strange plants?

ARR has some unique specials to help you do just that! Click here to find your May trip or call 1-800-477-7238!

River Fashionista Tips from Arizona River Runners – Function Follows Fashion!

So you are heading out on a rafting trip and are wondering what to wear. We all want to look great in those vacation photos (check these out and post your own on Flickr), so here are some head-to-toe tips for packing light and staying comfortable throughout your ARR experience.

You will be out in the sun. That means you may want to wear a hat, especially if you are follically challenged. But even for those with a full head of hair, a brim helps keep the sun out of your eyes. Your hat should have a strap, because you don't want to lose it if the water gets wild or the wind kicks up.

Quick-drying nylon shorts and bathing suits are great, but being out in the sun means you'll need protection for your skin. Nylon pants and a light nylon, cotton or quick-drying long sleeved shirt are great for layering in case you start to burn.

For cooler times and rainy weather, a lightweight fleece or fleece lined will help you keep cozy. Rain gear is a MUST! Look for quality pieces that are waterproof, not just water resistant. The point is to stay dry! Pants and jackets with elastic cuffs at the ankle and sleeve work best. A jacket with a hood will keep you much dryer than a poncho, and really a jacket is so much more fashionable. Ponchos are so last year.

Bring two pairs of shoes - it's nice to have dry feet in camp, and you'll need to wear shoes on the raft, which will get wet. Tennis/athletic shoes are recommended, and you can bring sturdy sports sandals with heel straps (no flip flops). Red Rock Outfitters has some great options. Think Teva, Chaco, Merrill - you know outdoorsy. This is the Grand Canyon we're talking about! Socks are nice for camp, and also if you develop sore spots from any of your shoes. In any case, try to bring shoes that are already broken in and comfy.

Don't be tempted to wear a different outfit in every photo. Really! Everyone will be wearing the same thing more than once, getting sand on their stuff, and hanging things out to dry. It's just the way we roll. Pack light in a soft gym-type bag and we'll pack it into our waterproof bags before we head out.

Once you're signed up for a trip, we'll send you a complete packing list. If you want to get a sneak peek of the best in river fashion, check out Red Rock Outfitters.

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.