Rainbow Bridge Tour

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Halls'65 said:
In 1924, July 13th, my Grandmother Maggie Johnson, at the age of 13, visited Rainbow Bridge with her father Zeke Johnson, the trip guide, and her brother. She went because a lady was on the trip, Mrs. Ethel C Wade along with her husband Mr. Mulford S Wade, both from Anahiam CA. This July 13th will be the 100th Anniversary and we had planned on celebrating this event by being at Rainbow Bridge. About 30 of us had booked the Rainbow Bridge Tour with about 10 other needing to, and others are planning on coming down from Hall Crossing. However, we received an unexpected email from Aramark cancelling tours till further notice.

Is there any other option for a group of 30-40 people to get to Rainbow Bridge from Page on Saturday July 13, 2024?

Any help would be appreciated!
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We received a similar email for the Navajo Canyon tour. They claimed it was for maintenance.
ARA has great planning on scheduling maintenance during the busy part of the season
 
Marina Bum said:
I heard it was the docks at Rainbow but who knows? The ducks make sense since the lake has come up
so much so fast but IDK?
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I’ve always been impressed to watch a tour boat in that canyon, and docking. I can believe that they don’t have an operator for the boat, and any question about if there is somewhere to tie up that beast seems reasonable. A good operator can be making way more money than Aramark will pay at any number of other jobs right now.
 
VikingRanch said:
I’ve always been impressed to watch a tour boat in that canyon, and docking. I can believe that they don’t have an operator for the boat, and any question about if there is somewhere to tie up that beast seems reasonable. A good operator can be making way more money than Aramark will pay at any number of other jobs right now.
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I'm pretty sure that job requires the 100 Ton Coast Guard license and yeah, you'd need pretty mad skills to do it well in the canyon below the bridge. Tour guide jobs pay poorly but Aramark pays captains very low wages to begin with. Maybe that is on par with the industry(?) IDK. The ocean going captains are paid very well but they are at sea for moths at a time. If being a Career Captain on Powell paid well I'm sure a few of us wordlings would jump in.

I believe that they have three tour boats because the tour is like 6 hours long and I see one coming or going anbout every two from my boat. I heard the shut down is based on Aramark reworking the docks up there, I'm guessing from the inflow?
 
Marina Bum said:
I'm pretty sure that job requires the 100 Ton Coast Guard license and yeah, you'd need pretty mad skills to do it well in the canyon below the bridge. Tour guide jobs pay poorly but Aramark pays captains very low wages to begin with. Maybe that is on par with the industry(?) IDK. The ocean going captains are paid very well but they are at sea for moths at a time. If being a Career Captain on Powell paid well I'm sure a few of us wordlings would jump in.

I believe that they have three tour boats because the tour is like 6 hours long and I see one coming or going anbout every two from my boat. I heard the shut down is based on Aramark reworking the docks up there, I'm guessing from the inflow?
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We had the Navajo Canyon tour cancelled so there wouldn’t be any dock situation there to cause it. I believe they have 2 tour boats.
 
The latest story I've heard is that "they", I guess Aramark, is being sued over big wakes from the tour boats. Who knows the truth?

Does Aramark's obligations require them to provide access Rainbow Bridge National Monument or is this just a service that they like to provide?

If it was "scheduled maintenance" why would you sell tickets during this time?

What right minded business person would cancel a FULL tour boat?
 
The solution to your problem is easy - just get out your credit card and rent a bunch of tritoon boats or rent a single houseboat for a few days - problem fixed.

I still think you step up to the plate and do it on donkeys and get the real experience and flavour.

If the last comment is true (which I do not think it is) I have never heard of a better use of an attorney than to file a lawsuit to get the tour boats to stop making wakes. That is worthy of crowdfunding to keep it rolling. Now just model this with wake boats.

A few years back one of those tour boats had a one in a billion odds when both engines engaged at same time (reportedly without a human involved) and the tour boat took off up the side of the ramp without a trailer at wahweap. It did not make it to the pizza shop but it was pretty motivated and was able to get a good start.

I heard the wake on those older tour boats are deadly - real death, as in dead. But that was a long time, must be a newer law suit.
 
I would donate to a fund to limit wake boats to certain areas. I'd generously donate to that.
I was out this morning near Castle Rock and a guy decided to circle me closely. I got his wake from 2 sides. I was taking green water over the bow.
Ended my day. My trolling motor went crazy trying to stay on point. Broke my trolling motor bracket. I had just spot locked over a school and was about to drop a spoon on top of them when he circled me. I swear he did that on purpose......
Surprisingly, I had another bracket so after coming back to the houseboat, it was an easy fix.
 
SeaLegs said:
I know some very responsible and respectful surf boat owners, unfortunately they are not the typical surf boat owner.
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We have rarely had issues, more with fisherman. I do remember one trip to Oak bay where there were 7 houseboats and thirteen wake boats on one beach. Turned out to be an industry party for sponsored riders or something. The fireworks were impressive. By 2am we were ready to throw their DJ in the lake.
 
Halls'65 said:
...... being sued over big wakes .....
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It's only gonna take a couple of U.S. cases ruled in favor of the plaintiff.....that sets precedent......then zillions of attorneys will jump on the bandwagon cuz they know judges prefer to rubber stamp, as opposed to doing something new, which might be overturned. Judges hate to be made to look 'wrong'. Happens in every industry....Jus sayin'
 
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Halls'65 said:
Has anyone used these folks before? We have had a hard time of getting hold of them. Anybody in Page know anything about them?
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A good friend of mine rented one in mid May. They had 8 poeple on the boat for a 2 day one night fishing trip. He was impressed with the boat and the service they provided. They requested extra line and anchors on my advice which were supplied at no extra cost.
 
SeaLegs said:
A good friend of mine rented one in mid May. They had 8 poeple on the boat for a 2 day one night fishing trip. He was impressed with the boat and the service they provided. They requested extra line and anchors on my advice which were supplied at no extra cost.
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Did they happen to mention anything about the boats range, fuel capacity? Rainbow Bridge is about 100 miles round trip.
 
Halls'65 said:
Has anyone used these folks before? We have had a hard time of getting hold of them. Anybody in Page know anything about them?
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I have not. Another option to consider is the Outfitter running theGray Axopar 37. Might be more than one boat in the fleet now? I chatted with him when he found me looking at the planning steps in the parking lot. Not sure what their policy is, but they could likely shuttle 12 at a time and boogy. I don’t remember the name, hoping someone else here can chime in. Seems like a pretty professional outfit, we’ve passed them a few times up lake. Or been passed, that thing just glides up the lake. I’m in love.
 
VikingRanch said:
I have not. Another option to consider is the Outfitter running theGray Axopar 37. Might be more than one boat in the fleet now? I chatted with him when he found me looking at the planning steps in the parking lot. Not sure what their policy is, but they could likely shuttle 12 at a time and boogy. I don’t remember the name, hoping someone else here can chime in. Seems like a pretty professional outfit, we’ve passed them a few times up lake. Or been passed, that thing just glides up the lake. I’m in love.
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Bob Reed with uplake adventures. That boat cuts thru the maytag straits like a hot knife thru butter. I had to Google it after seeing it go by this spring, yes love at first sight.
 
VikingRanch said:
I have not. Another option to consider is the Outfitter running theGray Axopar 37. Might be more than one boat in the fleet now? I chatted with him when he found me looking at the planning steps in the parking lot. Not sure what their policy is, but they could likely shuttle 12 at a time and boogy. I don’t remember the name, hoping someone else here can chime in. Seems like a pretty professional outfit, we’ve passed them a few times up lake. Or been passed, that thing just glides up the lake. I’m in love.
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Bob Reed at Uplake Adventures. Super good guy.
www.uplakeadventures.com

UP LAKE ADVENTURES

Lake Powell Adventures including fishing, slot canyon hiking and off the grid camping!
www.uplakeadventures.com
 
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