Staying Active

Saddle Canyon Camp welcomed us with a wide, sandy bench tucked beneath towering canyon walls, a perfect place to pause and settle in after a full day on the river. As we pulled the dory onto the shore, the afternoon light warmed the soft sand underfoot and cast a golden glow across the layered cliffs rising steeply behind the camp. A clear stream from Saddle Canyon trickled nearby, its cool, fresh water winding through polished stones and feeding a thin line of bright green vegetation that stood out against the red rock.

Riding along with Roger Dale is like riding with an encyclopedia for hours on end. This was aboard the Santa Ana as we powered through Marble Canyon on the way to Nankoweap.

Peacefully floating down the Colorado River marveling at the canyon, the colors, and the random tree on the top of this rock. This was aboard the Santa Ana with Roger Dale.

Cave Springs Rapid greeted us with a playful burst of whitewater tucked into a bend of the canyon that felt secluded and intimate. As we approached, the river curled gently to the right, where a clear spring trickled from the canyon wall and merged into the flow. The rapid itself formed a short but energetic wave train that bounced across the current with quick, choppy waves. The dory slipped smoothly into the run, lifting over the first set of waves before dropping neatly into the troughs, the hull flexing with each punch of water beneath us.

Stepping out of the dory and into Redwall Cavern felt like entering a vast, hidden cathedral carved by the river itself. The cavern stretched wide and deep, its vaulted ceiling arching high above us, casting cool shade that wrapped around the soft sandy floor. Our footsteps fell quietly on the fine, pale sand, muffled by the cavern’s immense stillness. Light filtered in from the river’s edge, throwing soft golden hues against the curved limestone walls and making the textures of the rock glow gently.

The approach to Redwall Cavern was one of those stretches where the river seemed to slow just enough to let the canyon’s scale fully settle in. Morning light poured gently over the rim, casting long shadows across the burnished cliffs and illuminating the deep reds and ochres of the canyon walls. As we rowed downstream, the dory glided smoothly across glassy water that mirrored the towering rock above, every stroke of the oars rippling through reflections of stone and sky. The air was still and cool, carrying the faint scent of river silt and sun-warmed rock.

29 Mile Rapid arrived as a broad, surging wave train that stretched across the width of the river and invited us to open up the dory’s speed. The current quickened noticeably, funneling us into a long series of rolling waves that rose steadily from the green water ahead. As we entered, the bow climbed each smooth crest and dropped cleanly into the deep troughs, the boat flexing with the rhythm of the river.

North Canyon Rapid offered a quick jolt of excitement tucked into a beautiful stretch of the canyon. As we approached the mouth of North Canyon, a clear side stream joined the Colorado, feeding energy into the flow and setting up a short, spirited wave train. The dory glided into the rapid and immediately lifted over a set of crisp, breaking waves that smacked the bow and sent cool sheets of water across the deck. The current moved fast here, but the lines were clean and intuitive.

24 Mile Rapid rolled in as a fun, straightforward wave train that gave us another taste of the river’s steady momentum. The Colorado flowed wide here, channeling into a series of clean, evenly spaced waves that rose and fell with a smooth, rhythmic motion. As we dropped in, the dory rode high on each crest before sliding gracefully down into the troughs, the bow cutting through the standing waves with ease. Cool splashes broke over the sides and the steady hiss of moving water filled the air, echoing softly against the canyon walls.

Hance Rapid was our first true giant, a roaring stretch of whitewater that had our full attention long before we even dropped in. As we approached, the river widened and the gradient steepened sharply, with the Colorado tumbling over a jumbled maze of rocks and powerful, surging waves. From the dory, we could hear the deep, steady rumble growing louder, echoing between the canyon walls. We scouted carefully and chose our line, knowing the consequences here were real.