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I’d never been to the Grand Canyon before, and it’s been 10 years since I’ve had a river adventure. It’s fair to say that I am a little rusty on what to pack and I decided it was best to write the blog after the fact and share with you, my learnings. Our put-in was at the end of October and take-out was mid-November. The weather we experienced jumped between chilly days where thermals and a solid puffy layer were gladly welcomed and warmer days where it was possible to rock shorts and a T-shirt.
Moisturizing is Key
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in the desert over the years, but I was shocked at how extremely dry my skin became, so much so that my fingertips were cracking. Bring a small tube of super glue as not only will it save your painful cracked fingers, but your boat captains will instantly love you. I had brought moisturizer but I was a rookie in that department as the real stuff to bring is anything that is thick with shea butter goodness and next level moisturizing. But then you’d sit there with greasy hands not wanting to do a thing for the fear of wiping off the greasy goodness so next hot tip is to bring cotton gloves (or in the worst case scenario you can use your socks) that would help trap the cream into your hands. I sound like a camp mum but moisturize moisturize moisturize! Don't wait for your hands to get bad, start day bloody one and stay on top of it if you want to avoid the excruciating pain that can set in with cracked hands.
Gear
I rocked the Crag Lake SL2 with the Sidewinder 20 and I was cozy as for this time of year. Every night but one, I slept with the rainfly off because I wanted to absorb the view of the Milky Way before drifting off to sleep. If anything revolutionized my camping, it was the Rapide SL Doublewide. What a (insert colourful vocabulary) dream that was to have the whole tent floor covered. If there's ever a chance to splurge, river trips are perfect since the boat carries the weight so may as well have that extra slice of comfort.
One of my silly regrets is a friend encouraged me to pack a couple extra clothes as we didn't have to be extremely tight on space but I should know myself all too well by now. I lived in the same 3 shirts the whole trip. If I wasn't in my shorts, I was wearing the Twilight Insulated Pants with the Bearsly UL Jacket.
I've been to some incredible places on this planet but I have to say, the Grand Canyon absolutely blew me away. It's not that it got better and better, it stayed consistently amazing around every bend. There was never a moment that I wasn't in awe and wonder watching this ancient landscape carve through the iconic Arizona desert.
Oh by the way, did I mention moisturizer?
About the Author: Krystal Wright is a director and photographer from Australia. Krystal has a passion for telling raw physical stories through stills and film. We worked with Krystal to curate this blog on her most recent rafting trip through the Grand Canyon.
