Western River Expeditions Grand Canyon Rafting Operations

Western River Expeditions Grand Canyon Rafting Operations - Behind the Scenes

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WESTERN RIVER EXPEDITIONS
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A rare "behind the scenes" look at what it takes to prepare for rafting season (and each launch down the river) through the Grand Canyon. Our rafting season in the Grand Canyon begins (every non-COVID year) on April 1st. Preparations for the river season begin months in advance with the stock-piling of home-made blocks of ice that last for ten or more days and 277 miles in the bottom of Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.
Our warehouse for Grand Canyon operations is located in the very small town of Fredonia, Arizona which requires careful timing for the resourcing of food sources and supplies. What makes it work, as Trent Keller (Grand Canyon Operations Manager) explains, is that Fredonia is very near Grand Canyon.
With multiple launches during the week, several trips on the river at the same time, and other trips reaching the end of Grand Canyon 277 river miles downstream at Lake Mead, the whole operation must run like clockwork. Western River Expeditions depends on dedicated employees from our truck drivers, motor mechanics, food-suppliers and packers, laundry workers, sewing and repairs, and other logistical partners from jetboat drivers, helicopter pilots, and charter bus drivers who work hard to make this critically-timed clockwork operation happen.
Maybe it's a bit like pulling the curtain back on the Wizard of Oz when a river guest sees this side of the operation, but it's always a question that gets asked while out on the river... "How do you get the boats back upstream" or "do you river guides pack up all the food"? The fascination of how these trips go on and come off the river has always been there, but the awe and wonder we feel to watch our guests enjoy the canyons and river is always the highest reward we work so hard to achieve.