Cataract Canyon Express Travel Planning

You may purchase last-minute retail items at Western River’s Moab Adventure Center located at 225 South Main Street (sunscreen, clothing items, hats, etc.)

866-904-1163

Check out of your hotel, and meet in the lobby of the Marriott SpringHill Suites Moab the morning of your trip [CHECK CONFIRMATION FOR EXACT DEPARTURE TIME]. You’ll take a short ride to the launch site for Cataract Canyon. Enjoy a short morning drive to a calm section of the Colorado River where your rafts await. Within minutes, unmatched geologic wonders will tower all around you providing a complete and welcome escape from the world you left behind. You’ll encounter Native American ruins and writings and hike to awe-inspiring vistas atop plateaus. Around mid-day you’ll savor a scrumptious buffet lunch at the river’s edge. As the canyon deepens to over 2,000 feet, you’ll experience the exhilaration of nearly 30 whitewater rapids including Capsize, the Big Drops, the Mile Longs, Little Niagara, Satan’s Gut and Repeat. After a full day of unforgettable memories, you’ll find the perfect riverside respite as we camp along the Colorado River. Enjoy a delicious sunset dinner, perhaps relax beside a crackling campfire, and star gaze as you’re lulled to sleep by the rhythmic sounds of the river.

As you awake to the smell of freshly prepared breakfast, you’ll lie in your comfortable cot and marvel as the morning sun paints its warmth across the surrounding canyon walls. After breakfast, you’ll set off for one more day of Colorado River rafting adventure. Depending on your camp location, you may experience more thrilling whitewater and you’ll definitely have some final time to relax as you float amidst the shadows of striking red rock spires. After reaching Lake Powell, you’ll return to Moab by ground shuttle. Expect to arrive in Moab, Utah in late afternoon.

• Transportation from Moab, Utah to the river
• Professional, licensed guides
• All meals between trip departure and return
• All eating utensils and souvenir insulated bottle
• Unlimited water and lemonade
• Freshly laundered sleeping bag and sheet
• Cot (28” x 74”)
• Tent and ground cover
• Water-resistant dry bag for sleeping gear and personal duffle bag
• Custom rafts
• US Coastguard approved whitewater life jackets
• Wilderness First-Aid kit
• Sanitary Facilities

Through several decades of experience on the river, Western knows what clothing and gear will keep you smiling every second of your adventure. For your convenience, you can order all these items online with Western’s retail division Red Rock Outfitters.

• Duffle bag (approx. 12”x13”x24”), packed with clothing, toiletries, personal items outlined on the Cataract Canyon packing list
• Extra drinks, if desired. No glass containers. Water and lemonade are provided.
• Utah State Liquor Store (beer, wine) – 55 West 200 South (closed Sundays)
• City Market (beer, soda, etc) -- 425 South Main Street
• Extra snacks, if desired. (Snacks will be provided during the trip)
• Photo ID, a major credit card, and cash for gratuities.
• Camera(s) - Phones as cameras in waterproof cases/sleeves (Cell service unavailable)

• Car keys can be left at your hotel front desk, or with stored luggage while away
• Unnecessary electronic devices (game devices for kids, etc.)

You will want to have photo ID, a major credit card, and some cash for gratuities. All other valuables and jewelry should be left at home or in a safety deposit box at your hotel. In addition, as a safety precaution we suggest that you not wear rings on the river. Also, each year a few of our guests traveling on airlines arrive without luggage. With this in mind, we suggest you carry with you medications, prescription glasses, and anything you may not be able to replace the evening before your trip departs.

Transfer all your personal clothing and gear which you will need on your rafting trip to a small, lightweight duffle bag. Identify duffle bag with label, and leave any extra suitcases or luggage in your vehicle or at the hotel. Marriott SpringHill Suites provides complimentary parking and luggage storage upon request. Please DO NOT BRING SUITCASES on your river trip. As part of your camping equipment package, we provide a water-resistant bag in which you will place your duffle bag as well as the sleeping bag that we provide.

After meeting your guides you will be given a trip orientation that will include how and where you can sit on the rafts, how to hold on, and safety precautions while on the river.

A typical day will include rafting for a few hours at a time, stopping for scenic side-canyon hikes, bathroom breaks, and lunch. Visiting with new-found friends and learning river lore and geology from our well-trained guides add to the enjoyment of each day.

After a full day of learning and fun, we arrive at camp. Guests will be allowed to find their favorite campsite and then return to the rafts for the famous “fire line” - the way we load and unload rafts. Your help in passing the gear off the boat is greatly appreciated; however, if you have physical restrictions or limitations that would prohibit you from participating you are not required to help.

On the first evening in camp, the guides will give a demonstration on how to easily assemble the cots and tents and will be available to help you if you need additional assistance. Western River provides cots, tents, sleeping bags, sheets, camp chairs, and water-proof gear bags for all guests. You’ll have no need to worry about bringing any of your own camping equipment.

While you relax at the river’s edge, your guides will prepare dinner. Every night is different, but the menu may include items such as grilled chicken breast, steak with sautéed onions, pasta, or fresh fish.

At night, whether you choose to sleep in your tent or under the vast canopy of stars, the fresh night air and the rhythm of the river will lull you to sleep.

Each morning, your guides will prepare a delicious breakfast. You’ll have a chance to enjoy eating before returning to your campsite to take down your tent and cot and pack up your belongings in your dry bag. After bringing your bag down to the boats, guests participate in the fire line once again and you are off on another fun-filled day of adventure.

The setting and pace of a rafting adventure gives you something you don’t find in other vacations. On a Western River Expedition, you will quickly discover why so many are calling this “the best vacation of their lives.” It’s the combination of drifting over tranquil pools of water under the shadows of towering rock formations, the exhilaration and thrill of rolling waves and crashing whitewater, the exploration of seldom-seen waterfalls and Native American history, the peaceful moments of reflection as you gaze up at the star-studded sky and the fresh feeling of renewal as the morning sun slowly filters through winding canyons. All this provides an indescribable sense of belonging. A sense of oneness with yourself and those around you. A sense of adventure, reflection and renewal. Come discover the difference.

Please consider carefully any medical or health condition that would endanger yourself, or others on the trip, or diminish the enjoyment of an adventure vacation such as this. Factors of age, weight, lack of conditioning, heart or other disease can become exacerbated by the environment, remote distances from a hospital, and physical challenges of a rafting adventure. It is critical that you are in reasonable health and physical fitness at the time of departure so that our staff can focus their attention equally on all trip participants. If you are taking any medications, we should be made aware of these and what these medications are treating. If you have any questions or concerns please talk with us and we can help you consider your options.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Fit into our Type 5 Life Jacket (maximum chest size is 52”and minimum weight is 50 pounds) required by the National Park Service.
  • Each guest wears a lifejacket and they are very effective at keeping you above water, but if you are unable to swim, it can still be a threatening situation because the waters are turbulent. The lifejackets we supply are certified by the United States Coast Guard and are approved for use by our managing agencies (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management & Utah State Parks & Recreation). They are classified as “Type V Whitewater” jackets, and they come in two basic sizes “Youth” and “Adult Universal.”
  • Youth lifejackets fit those weighing between 50 and 90 pounds (23-41kg). An Adult Universal Jacket is rated “for persons weighing more than 90 pounds (41kg).” They are highly adjustable and fit a range of chest sizes from 30 - 52 inches (76-132 cm). Body shape can also affect the proper fit of the jacket. If you are unsure, call and speak with us. If unsure, we’ll mail you one of our jackets and you can try it on.
• Securely grip ropes provided for handholds while running the rapids.
  • Gripping the ropes on the raft is the only way to ensure you stay on board. Factors such as where you sit in the raft in relation to where the waves crash can be a factor, but whitewater rafting can give an unpredictable ride.
  • Falling off a boat into the river, or having your boat capsize is one of the inherent risks associated with whitewater rafting. If this happens, you will need the ability to self-rescue by swimming to the boat or to shore. If you end up on shore, you will need to traverse a rocky shoreline to rejoin the boat which cannot maneuver upstream.
  • For those participants who have heart conditions or who are very overweight, falling into the river also presents the possibility of a “cold-water immersion heart attack.” This is caused when the person swimming cannot calm his/her breathing within a reasonable amount of time (generally 60 seconds).
• Traverse and navigate uneven terrain over sand and rocks on hikes and in camp.
  • Getting on and off the boats can be very challenging. We park the boats against a variety of terrain such as rocks, steep sandy beaches, and flat locations. Boats may also be slippery.
  • As we travel down river, we make occasional stops to lead “side hikes” which can be either very short and relatively easy, or much longer, covering significant distances and elevation. We hike over uneven, rocky, and often steep surfaces. Though all the hikes are not mandatory, Guests cannot be left on the rafts due to safety concerns. Reasonable mobility is important. If you have questions about your limitations, please call.
  • In camp, you will need to have the same mobility over uneven terrain, and be able to carry your personal bags to your campsite while doing so. Also, keep in mind that paths from your campsite to the toilet facilities would not be classified as “easy” to navigate at night.
  • We camp and eat lunch on sandy beaches and on areas where the ground is mostly dirt and rocks. You must also be capable of safely walking across slippery, rocky, and sandy areas as you climb on and off the boat and walk along the beach to your personally selected campsite at night.
• Carry your own dry bag which will include your 20-pound duffle bag along with the sleeping bag and ground cover we provide.
  • Guests are required to carry their own waterproof bags with personal gear and the additional 15 pounds of camping gear (cots & tents) to their individual campsite. This can be very difficult for some guests due to the uneven terrain, deep sand, and steep beaches.
  • A river trip is a participatory experience and requires each guest to be reasonably self-sufficient. Our guides will look after the safety and welfare of all the participants on the trip, but you are also responsible for your own safety! Our guides will provide you with the information and tools you need to participate; however, they already fill nearly every minute of their day performing their duties on behalf of the group. They will not be able to devote a lot of extra time to any one individual on the trip.

WEATHER:

REMOTE LOCATIONS:Our trips are operated in the “backcountry.” At any given time, you will be a minimum of several hours away from medical help. Our guides are all trained in wilderness first aid and some have even higher levels of emergency response training (e.g., EMT), however, sometimes injuries or the aggravation of pre-existing medical conditions are severe enough to require evacuation from the trip. We carry satellite phones but they are not 100 percent reliable in all locations. Most evacuations require transportation via helicopter which presents many challenges such as appropriate landing zones, inclement weather, darkness, or delays.

Paying your balance

Payment in full is due 90 days prior to trip departure and may be paid by check (preferably) or credit card. We reserve the right to cancel your reservation if full payment is not collected by the due date.

Cancellation & refunds

The cancellation policy applies at the time of deposit. Details regarding cancellations and travel changes for each trip can be found at WesternRiver.com or on your reservation confirmation. If you must cancel any reservation, the cancellation policy applies in every instance and there will be no exceptions for any reason. Western will not issue any refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Western River Expeditions is not responsible for any expenses incurred in preparation for any cancelled trips or for costs incurred due to travel delays, flight cancellations, or illness. If you are concerned about the possibility of having to cancel, you may find information about cancellation coverage and policy details at: westernriver.com/cancellation

We have water and lemonade on the trip for you. However, if you would like to buy beer, wine, liquor, etc. you should purchase those prior to the trip departure. Please try to avoid bringing glass containers as broken glass can be a hazard on a boat.

• Utah State Liquor Store Full strength beer, wine, and liquor | 55 W 200 S, Moab, UT 84532 ---- 11 AM - 7 PM (closed Sundays)
• City Market Soda, juices, kombucha, domestic beer, etc. | 425 South Main Street, Moab, UT 84532 | 6 AM - 12 AM (7 days a week)
• Moab Brewery For a local selection of beer and liquor | 686 South Main Street, Moab, UT 84532 ----- 11:30 AM - 10 PM (7 days a week)

If you have additional questions, our friendly staff is available Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain time.

Call: 800-453-7450

Also, visit us online at westernriver.com for more information. Be sure to see ALL our “FAQS & POLICIES” section for this trip.