What to do with three teenagers on Spring Break? No screens, no phones, and the incredible scenery seems like a recipe for disaster until you see your twin 14yos giggling and burying each other in mud and sand for two hours while waiting for a delicious dinner.
Shana and Trey were our guides on our five-day rafting trip through Cataract Canyon. These amazing people were fun-loving and funny while remaining disciplined, knowledgeable, and breath-takingly skillful. If they aren’t the two best guides on the Colorado River, I would be thoroughly shocked.
I initially attempted to book Salt River, but the flow was too low. The M2W office called me directly (I was booking everything online) and suggested Cataract Canyon as a great alternative. I am terribly pleased they did. I can’t imagine a better experience. It was true deep-wilderness camping but all logistics and meals already planned and arranged. We brought our own tents and sleeping bags, but these can be rented if you don’t have your own. Shana and Trey somehow whipped up things like breakfast fajitas, pasta alfredo, steak, eggs, pork loin, and many other hot delicious foods (to say nothing of the desserts) from the magic bottomless coolers on the rafts.
Shana knew every inch of the canyons and, even as familiar with them as she is, she was as entranced by them as we were. Her enthusiasm was contagious and even my 16yo was fascinated by the shifting geology and the remnants of Ancient Puebloan culture. The hikes we took were fun, exciting, and rarely arduous.
And the river….what a rare and magical ribbon of adventure in our country. A few days of smooth rafting and establishing routines set us up for the wild rides down the rapids. Many other reviews address the exciting whitewater so I will stick to our personal experiences.
M2W treated us like individuals and like family. Service was perfect. At the Meetup in Moab, we were welcomed warmly and the staff helped us pack our dry bags appropriately. At the takeout point in Lake Powell, we were met and safely delivered back to Moab in a timely fashion. If I do another rafting trip, I will absolutely trust them to deliver exactly what I want.