Ribbon of water, Grand Canyon National Park,
Arizona
Claudia and I just emerged from the Grand Canyon on Thursday. What an incredible journey.
This was my second raft trip down the canyon, and it was just as wonderful as I remembered. Maybe even more so. As beautiful as the Grand Canyon is from the rim, the river is the beating heart of the canyon. We were deep in that heart for ten days, getting doused by the river’s (very cold) water in rapids, bathing in it, drinking it (filtered of course), and lulled to sleep at night by the roar of nearby rapids.
What made this trip even more special was the people we shared the journey with, including my amazing co-instructor, Jerry Dodrill, our wonderful guides Ed, Ellen, and Boh, and a super-nice group of photographers, who I’d now call friends for life. We couldn’t have asked for better companions.
It’s going to take awhile to process this experience mentally and emotionally – and to sort through and process all my photographs. But here’s one image that I hope conveys a little bit of what the journey felt like.
— Michael Frye
Related Posts: Down the River; Canyon Mood
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
How did you keep your gear dry?
It’s not that difficult. Everyone put their camera gear in dry bags or hard cases (like a Pelican case). For photography from the boat we used a variety of strategies; some used a “big” camera, taking it out of a dry bag or small hard case on flat stretches, then putting it away when we approached a rapid. Others used a waterproof point-and-shoot, GoPro, or waterproof smartphone.
That trip sounds outstanding! Bob’s question about gear is a good one, but also the logistics involving all aspects of photography such as batteries. I use a digital camera, but my primary camera is my 4×5. Is it possible to take that type of gear?
It was amazing Alan. You probably could take a 4×5. It would depend on how big the whole kit was – it would all need to fit into a 115 liter dry bag, or a hard case. As for batteries, we just took as many batteries as we thought we would need for the whole trip.
This sounds like a bucket-list trip for me. When are you offering it again?
It is a wonderful experience Tim. Visionary Wild is offering this trip again in 2023, this time for 12 days instead of 10, with Jerry Dodrill and Justin Black leading it. That trip is full, but you can get on the waiting list:
https://visionarywild.com/workshops/grand-canyon-raft-12-day/
Jerry and I will be doing it again in 2024. Dates haven’t been set yet, but you can email Justin at Visionary Wild if you’re interested: justin@visionarywild.com.
Outstanding! Can’t wait to hear & see more . . .
Thanks Scott!
Liquid Silver….Nice !!!
Thanks Carroll!