Tag Archives: Grand Canyon

Memorial Day Weekend with Events & Adventures

Memorial Day Weekend with E&A Phoenix

This past Memorial Day weekend Events & Adventures Phoenix took to the open road and made our way out to Copper Cloud Ranch in Kanab, Utah. Our days started with sunrises and ended with sunsets that beautifully lit up over the canyons.

On Saturday, our first full day at the ranch, we made our way to Page, Arizona and right over to Lower Antelope Canyon. Located in a large Navajo reservation that extends from Utah to Arizona to New Mexico, Lower Antelope Canyon—called Hazdistazi, or “spiral rock arches”, by the Navajo Indians—was absolutely breathtaking. Pictures simply don’t do any justice to the canyons once you’ve seen them in person. Our guided tour of the canyon was an hour-long hike led by an experienced guide. It was both spectacular and informative!

Sunday we went paddle boarding and kayaking on Lake Powell. The weather was in the mid-80s and the water was perfect. From playing football to swimming around playing “alligator” to goofing off around the rich blue lake with friends, this Sunday was a total win and one for the books! Not only did we have Phoenix members building friendships and making memories, but we had three members from our new Denver club join in on the fun. We were sad to say goodbye to them because we want to adopt all three of them into Events & Adventures Phoenix. One of them jokingly agreed, but shhh…don’t tell the Denver club that! Even coyotes and roosters wanted to join our party, but we were already in bed by the time they showed up.

This Memorial Day weekend had had everything you’d think of when you think of “camping trip”–and so much more!

We gathered around the campfire to sing and get to know one another. We immersed ourselves in stargazing and pointed out as many constellations as we could. Being in the city, it’s a sight we rarely see and none of us took the clear skies for granted! On the last night, one of our members pulled out his guitar and put on a show for us that brought the whole trip full circle.

Monday morning when everyone was up packing up and getting ready to head out, some of us just weren’t ready for the trip to end yet. We took advantage of where we were and stayed back to view Horseshoe Bend. Whether or not our members were afraid of heights, Horseshoe Bend didn’t keep us from standing on the edge of canyon cliffs that drop 1,000 feet straight into the Colorado River below. The distant panoramic horizon views were mesmerizing. It was the perfect way for us to end our Memorial Day weekend trip.

After seeing not one, but three top Arizona destinations in one weekend, this camping trip was what I’d call an eventful adventure that gave us all memories and friendships we’ll hold onto for life! Only with Events & Adventures can you get this kind of experience.

Grand Canyon 2013!

Season of Firsts

This summer 39 adventurers throughout the U.S. & Canada landed in Las Vegas, Nevada for a grand adventure!  What was billed as a bucket list excursion to raft 90 miles of the one and only Grand Canyon ended up being a story of friendship and firsts. 

For many this trip was a first to the Las Vegas strip, Hoover Dam, white water rafting, horseback riding, ATV riding, skeet shooting, helicopter ride, first time seeing the Milky Way & shooting stars and the first time sleeping outside under the stars in the desert!  Even a self-proclaimed adventurer like me experienced the first thrill of sitting shotgun in a helicopter diving through the canyons and speeding 30 miles per hour through a sun setting desert in a roaring ATV!

Strong bonds of friendship formed early in the trip and strengthened through shared mealtimes and river duties.  A circle of camp chairs at night became the stage for two adventurers, who had never met, to give out nightly awards and share stories of the day’s great accomplishments and comical blunders.

When we had tried every adventure and our trip was coming to a close, one member from our Vancouver club quietly asked the guides if she could experience being rescued out of the water.  She quietly, and without warning, jumped into main channel of frigid 55 degree rushing water.  Luckily I happened to have my camera out!  We quickly undocked our boats and found her enjoying the peace and quiet of being alone in the middle of the Colorado River.  She didn’t appear to want to be rescued from the bliss and peacefulness of the Grand Canyon…but we never leave anyone behind because it is just a short time before our next life changing adventure…

By: Reid Johnson

Reid has been with Events & Adventures for four years and led adventure trips to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, The Grand Canyon and multiple destinations in Texas throughout his time with Events & Adventures.  Check back soon for a recap of Reid’s upcoming adventure stories from Peru where he will lead 30 adventurers up 16,000 feet over 10 days to reach mystical Machu Picchu.