Oar Powered Boats Versus Motorized Rafts On A White Water River Rafting Trip
White water rafting down the Mighty Colorado is the only way to view much of the Grand Canyon
, especially those areas that abut the river at the bottom of the canyon. Few people venture onto the river and attempt running the rapids on their own. For those who wish to see the entire canyon from end to end, charter rafting trips abound. While there is no such thing as a 1 or 2 day trip down the canyon, with a motorized boat, visitors are able to see the entire 188 river miles in as few as 7 days. This has made the Grand Canyon accessible to more people than was ever possible prior to the popularity of motorized travel. In fact, during the heart of the summer months, there are so many tourists that there are areas of the river where boats literally have to wait their turn (much like an airport runway) to shoot a stretch of rapids.There are half canyon powered trips, for those who do not have time to do the entire 188 mile trip, but with many charter operators, these are limited to those who are fit enough to hike in and hike out. The hike is steep and tough, especially on the way up. Other charter groups have helicopters fly rafters in and out of the canyon, which makes the journey more available to those not as athletic.
Because of the rigors of this type of vacation, such as the heat, sleeping outdoors in tents, riding for long hours in rafts under the hot sun but being splashed by freezing water, day hikes, etc, it is suggested that tourists be somewhat physically fit. However, one need not be an athlete to enjoy this trip, especially with the availability of motorized travel.
There are probably just as many purists visitors out there as the more adventurous. The purists would like to see motorized rafts banished from all rivers, but the Colorado in particular. It took Mother Nature millions of years to carve The Grand Canyon out of the landscape. The magnificence is definitely one of a kind and irreplaceable. As of yet, there is no way to know if the sheer numbers of people now able to visit, plus the motorized mode of transport, will have negative impacts on the topography, wildlife, and geological records that exist in this special place.
The purists insist that on the quieter stretches of the river, the noise of the motors is offensive to the ears. In addition to the quiet, the preference is to limit the numbers of visitors. Many feel it is an insult to the canyon to make the river resemble a super highway of motorized crafts.
Those enjoying the oar powered rafts are usually traveling in groups of 2 or more vessels with fewer people per vehicle. The typical oar powered boat is approximately 18 feet long and carries only 1 -2 guides plus 4-5 passengers. This makes the guide to traveler ratio much higher than on motorized trips. On these vessels, the guides are responsible for being the pilot rower, but all travelers are able to participate in the propulsion of the boat. Travel on the river is more leisurely, so there is more time to enjoy the scenery, and of course, the relative quiet on the calmer stretches of river, are savored.
White water rafters through the Grand Canyon have become so numerous that regulatory agencies have deemed that each visitor is permitted to run the river only once each year.
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