Campfire songs. Water fights. Horseshoes. Face painting. Building sand castles. Raging rapids. Indian petroglyphs. Desert hikes. Sandstone cliffs higher than Grand Canyon.
On this four-day rafting trip down the Green River, the emphasis was on family and kids exploring the scenic wilds of southeastern Utah -- and on (guaranteed) getting wet.
With some 60 rapids and uncounted riffles along the winding 90-mile course of nature's painted rock and open, sunny skies, the Green River affords an adventurous camping trip and a relaxing wilderness playground.
"The canyon is very tortuous, the river very rapid and many lateral canyons enter on either side. Crags and tower-shaped peaks are seen everywhere, and above them long lines of broken cliffs. ... We are minded to call this the Canyon of Desolation."
So wrote John Wesley Powell, the scientist-pioneer who explored the uncharted Green and Colorado rivers more than 130 years ago.
The desert wilderness and uncertain waters that challenged the limits of Powell and his nine-man crew on their 1869 voyage now endow this rugged country with a primitive beauty and serene majesty that is cherished by thousands of visitors each year, an increasing number of them children.
Our group of 21 on this Western River Expeditions rafting trip included eight children from ages 8 to 13, including my daughter Ellie.
Long seen as adventures for adults and older kids, whitewater rafting and wilderness camping is becoming more family friendly. At least a half-dozen outfitters on the Green and Colorado rivers (from Flaming Gorge, Wyo., to the Grand Canyon) are promoting multiday rafting trips for children and families, with discounted youngsters' rates about 10 percent to 25 percent below adult tariffs.
Dams and lakes (and occasional drought) have somewhat tempered the Green's churning power, but the landscape remains as it was in Powell's day. To preserve the unspoiled character of the area, access is limited to those with federal permits, and strict rules require that everything taken in by travelers must be taken out, from food scraps to human waste.
Along the snaking river's route are signs of failed efforts to tame the wild canyon: relics of a moonshiner's cave, outlaw hideouts, a dam-builder's crumbling shack, abandoned ranches. Lands of the Uintah and Ouray Indian reservation, also without sign of habitation, stretch along one portion of the river.
Getting all wet
Heron and eagle, raven and swallow are the denizens most easily seen. An occasional flock of mountain sheep ventures to the river to drink, wild mustangs peer over the top of a soaring butte one afternoon.
But then along these sun-drenched canyon walls echo the rousing choruses of God Bless America and The Court of King Caractacus, sung by a band of pint-sized pirates aboard the Kids' Boat. Far from being overwhelmed -- none had been on a rafting trip before -- the youngsters quickly took charge of their craft (rowed by a different adult guide each day).
A couple of hours with their parents the first day was enough for them to get their feet -- and everything else -- wet. Then they found each other, and their individual capacity for river running, for the rest of the journey.
Visions of Lord of the Flies popped into the heads of their parents, who were soon forced to fight back with bucket and water cannon against the aqueous assaults of their spirited offspring.
Later, the two-person inflatable kayaks brought everyone together for invigorating runs through the tumbling white water and for some placid paddling on the Green's still waters. Nighttime camping in small tents or on cots reunited families.
"Did you hear us screaming at Steer's Ridge [rapid] today?" Ellie asked one night as we looked up through the tent's mesh window on a star-covered ceiling. "We just did that to make you think we were scared."
It was a shared confidence that drew us closer, something that seemed to happen daily on the river. Our individual experiences flowed together like the sidestreams that rippled into the Green, singular yet joined in common understanding of the journey.
"I wanted to do this with [11-year-old] Justin while I had a chance," says Laura King, who also has an 18-month-old baby at home in San Antonio. "This is what he wanted to do, and it's really been a great experience for both of us to be together out here."
For Jamie Grant, a New York investment banker, the trip with James, 11, was about bonding, apart from the rest of the family. "James cares more for the outdoors than his brother does," Jamie says, "so this is our trip."
Bill and Kathy Schmelder, from St. Louis, found that the wilderness rafting trip appealed to all of their three girls. "Each one is different, but we all agreed this would be a fantastic thing to do, and it has been," Bill says.
Youthful exuberance
With safety precautions -- life jackets always fastened -- and skilled guides rowing the sturdy, 16-foot rubber rafts, children as young as 5 can come along with parents on the rivers that once challenged Powell and his band of explorers.
But most kids should be a couple of years older to fully enjoy the experience, veterans advise. The trips involve wilderness camping and working with a group, as well as simply floating in an oared raft. Rafts and kayaks can tip over, so everyone must be aware of what to do while awaiting rescue. With swim breaks (in life jackets) a common pleasure of the trip, travelers should feel at ease floating in the river.
"We've seen more families with children looking to river trips as an opportunity to experience something unique together," says Brandon Lake, marketing vice president for Western River. "You're all in the same boat together," he explains, "and everybody is going in the same direction -- you don't have a choice."
Despite a downturn in travel overall this year, the company's family trips have had record bookings, says Lake, who grew up rafting these rivers. "A lot of people who did it before are coming back with their younger children."
Other outfitters are also featuring more family-oriented trips, he adds. Lower river flows in late summer allow younger children to join trips even on sections that are restricted to older rafters earlier, in the high-flow season.
But our Green River expedition was no kiddie camp, no scaled-down version of the real thing: children eagerly put up tents, lugged packs and equipment, outpaced their elders on canyon hikes and ate the same delicious, fresh-cooked meals. (The lunchtime jar of peanut butter was invariably ignored in favor of deli-meat subs, salads and fajitas.)
A box of games was seldom used. Tipping kayaks and water battles were popular pastimes, and the day's designated "fun director" guide usually took an unwanted dunking at the hands of his young crew.
"Hey, show some respect for your professional guide," begged Max Stirling, a neuroscience major at Brigham Young University, as he was drenched by a three-bucket barrage from his passengers.
The college-age guides of our four rafts carried the load, from making the coffee at daybreak, packing and unpacking gear, rowing us through miles of still water, pointing out the sights, leading hikes and entertaining at campfire (flashlights only, due to tinder-dry conditions.)
And they prepared wonderful meals -- steak smothered in onions and mushrooms, flaming bananas Foster, crab dip, shrimp cocktail, blueberry pancakes, guacamole and marinated chicken breast. There was always a Dutch-oven baked treat, including a chocolate birthday cake with a message in icing for Ellie, who was turning 9.
"Good meals add a lot to the trip. Everyone's always hungry, and we take pride in cooking," says lead guide Kate Nelson, a BYU comparative literature senior, and fiancee of Max.
Rapids in the canyon
Our exploration of Desolation Canyon began in spectacular fashion, with a breathtaking 30-minute flight out of Moab, Utah, in a single-engine Cessna, skimming the mountains, buttes and plateaus of the canyonlands at raven's-eye level.
Landing on an isolated desert mesa, we hiked a mile down into the canyon to meet the rafts at the federal Bureau of Land Management's Sand Wash landing.
For the next four days, these rafts were our sole source of everything -- transportation, food, shelter and potable water. Drinking large quantities of water and lemonade, kept cold by dry ice, is necessary to avoid dehydration and heat stroke, the guides stressed. Sunglasses and a hat, and liberal use of sunscreen, were also essential in the unrelenting sun that breaks over canyon peaks early and stays up late.
The first few hours we navigated the calmly flowing current with a small outboard motor, rafts lashed together. We got to know the rafts and to know each other before splitting apart for some afternoon rapids before camping that night on a sandy beach.
A mix of hikes and running rapids filled the second day, giving us a feel for the land and the water.
The canyon is rich in geological and human history, and the landscape is carved by the elements from multihued sandstone. Mystical balanced rocks, called hoodoos, and majestic buttes rise from the clifftops and penetrate the clear blue skies.
Nearly 900 years ago, the Fremont Indians left their undeciphered stories carved as petroglyphs on canyon walls. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid roamed these badlands, trading horses with ranchers who favored the outlaws over the posses chasing them. Trappers and miners also left their nearly faded traces on these wilds.
The last two days of our journey were reserved for serene floats and exciting rapids, including the two most challenging -- Wire Fence and Three Fords -- "a long bad fall" for Powell, who nearly lost a crewman in a dangerous spill there.
Rafts are still flipped in these churning "holes," Kate Nelson points out, though rafters in life jackets emerge more soaked and surprised than injured. "And the guides end up more embarrassed," she adds.
Final thrills
Our last camp on the river was Captain's Night, when everyone "dressed up" -- bedsheet togas predominated -- for a gourmet dinner, followed by the Untalent Show of guests making good-natured fun of the guides, and a final campfire of shared memories.
The next morning, the soaring red rock of Desolation soon yielded to the open vistas and lower walls of gray, yellow and brown stone in Gray Canyon. An exhilarating run of rapids brought us to the dominating spire of Gunnison's Butte and the beach landing where we returned to the world.
River packs emptied and duffels packed, final photos and long good-byes repeated, we boarded buses for the ride back to civilization.
But the river and canyons left indelible impressions on our souls, and memories that we vowed would long be recollected.
Frances Roche, 11, from Marin County, Calif., spoke for the kid in all of us when she told her parents: "We've got to do this again next year."
When you go
Getting there: From Baltimore, flights are cheaper to Salt Lake City. But flying to Grand Junction, Colo., via Denver, is not expensive, and renting a car there for the two-hour drive to Moab can provide the opportunity for extra days to visit nearby Arches and Canyonlands national parks.
Western River Expeditions, 7258 Racquet Club Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84121
800-453-7450
www.westernriver.com
* Trips on the Green River begin with short morning flights from Salt Lake City or Moab to the Sand Wash landing. Trips end with a bus ride back to Salt Lake City or Moab.
* Rafting trip season runs from late May to late August. Cost for 2002: $795 adults, $595 children under 18. Price includes charter flight to the river, camping gear, meals, licensed guides. Plan on spending an additional $85 to $135 for medevac insurance, Bureau of Land Management use fee and return bus transportation.
Lodging: Salt Lake City and Moab have a range of accommodations. The river outfitter can make pre-trip and post-trip reservations. Comfortable choices in Moab include Red Stone Inn (800-772-1972; www.moabredstone.com) and Big Horn Lodge (800-325-6171; www.moabbighorn.com); the local Aarchway Inn (800-341-9359; www.aarchwayinn.com) has more luxurious offerings. Several national chains are also represented there. Stays at a guest / dude ranch before or after river trips can also be arranged.
Dining: In Moab, locals are fond of Smitty's Golden Steak (435-259-4848) for western cafe fare, Fat City Smoke House (435-259-4302) for barbecue and Sunset Grill (435-259-7146) for scenic views. The Hogi Yogi (435-259-2656) has fresh, stuffed sandwiches. Outside town, the Bar M Chuckwagon (435-259-2276) serves a western dinner with Wild West show.
Attractions: Arches (435-259-8161; www.nps.gov / arch) and Canyonlands (435-259-7164; www.nps.gov / cany) national parks are close to Moab, and feature spectacular rock formations and desert vistas. The Moab area has first-class mountain bike riding, including the famous slickrock trails. Indian petroglyphs can be seen on several hiking trails near town. Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be rented.
Moab Information Center (800-635-6622; www.discovermoab.com) is helpful for accommodations, outfitters, tourist and recreation attractions.
Other Green River rafting outfitters:
* Holiday Expeditions, 544 E. 3900 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107
800-624-6323
www.holidayexpeditions.com
* Adrift Adventures, 378 N. Main St., Moab, UT 84532
800-874-4483
www.adrift.net
* Tag A Long expeditions, 452 N. Main St., Moab, UT 84532
800-453-3292
www.tagalong.com
Closer to home
If you can't make it to Utah, there are a number of regional rafting opportunities. Half-day trips for youngsters offer an alternative, and perhaps a way to test a child's enthusiasm.
* Trips on the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers are offered by outfitters that allow young rafters in the company of adults. Try Blue Ridge Outfitters (304-725-3444, www.broraft.com), River Riders (800-326-7238, www.riverriders.com) or River & Trail Outfitters (888-446-7529, www.rivertrail.com) near Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
* The middle Youghiogheny River is run by several rafting firms out of Ohiopyle, Pa., taking children 5 years old and older (White Water Adventurers: 800-992-7238, www.wwaraft.com; Mountain Streams Outfitters: 800-723-8669, www.mtstreams.com; Laurel Highlands River Tours: 800-472-3846, www.laurelhighlands.com). It's about a four-hour drive from Baltimore, just above the Maryland-West Virginia border off Interstate 68.
* Another opportunity, about six hours' drive from Baltimore, is the upper New River, between Charleston and Beckley, W.Va. Children age 6 and older can take an easy half-day float. Some outfitters have overnight riverside camping-rafting trips for families. The New River Convention & Visitors Bureau has listings: 800-927-0263; www.newrivercvb.com.