SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Sitting on the shoreline of life pretty much sums up where the world is at.
“As a pandemic runs its global course, immobilized though we may feel, we don’t have to respond like a deer in the headlights,” said Brandon Lake, CMO of Western River Expeditions headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. “Now is a great time to dream about future adventures and plan for the time when life returns to the new normal. This not only gives us something to look forward to, but I believe that exploring the outdoors with loved ones, when it’s safe to do so, will become an important part of our recovery process, providing people with a sense of connection, interaction and celebration.”
This active travel company specializes in rafting the rivers of the Colorado River Basin. But for the first time in Lake’s memory, the rafts are empty, sitting on the shoreline. On April 1, Grand Canyon National Park closed, including river operations through May 21, 2020. Resumption of river trips will be evaluated later in May pending current CDC guidance.
To accommodate clients whose trips have been delayed by the pandemic, Lake and his team have been able to re-allocate their allotted permit spaces on some trips in the Grand Canyon for departures later in the 2020 season. They are assisting people in solidifying changes in plans and looking to open slots for them later this summer and in 2021. The company has posted its latest Covid-19 news and trip status on its website to keep the public up-to-date. See: https://www.westernriver.com/covid-19.
Between now and when guests are able to re-embark on rafting adventures, Western River Expeditions encourages people to experience the Grand Canyon and other breathtaking locations via virtual tours. “We put these together before this all happened, but never thought we would be using them for accessing these special places in a time we would not be able to in person.”
Virtual Galleries in 360° Views:
A few tips for optimal viewing:
1. View these on your big screen if you’ve got it.
2. Use your mouse/finger to drag the scene around and look wherever you choose.
3. Arrow buttons left or right OR the map will slide you to the next image.
4. Click on small white arrows in certain images, to explore deeper.
(Editor’s Note: Adobe Flashplayer or HTML5 Browser with WebGL or CSS3D support required; these worked on my PC, but not my MAC; images are beautiful!)
6 & 7 Day Grand Canyon Expedition
3 & 4 Day Grand Canyon Adventure
4 Day Cataract Canyon Adventure
5 Day Desolation Canyon Adventure
With these 360° virtual tours the viewer is present, surrounded by the action of a river expedition in the comfort of their own home or office. Get lost in the moment and find oneself in a magnificent cavern. Tucked in a sleeping bag on the shoreline. Standing under a thundering side canyon waterfall. Viewing ancient Native American rock art. The 360° technology is stunning.
Call Western River Expeditions with questions, availability and reservations toll-free: 866.904.1160 or visit the website at: http://www.westernriver.com/.
About Western River Expeditions: Western River Expeditions is an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, with operations and offices in Moab, Utah and Fredonia, Arizona. Annually from March through October it escorts more people down rivers on professionally guided rafting trips in Utah, Idaho and Arizona than any other company. It is the largest licensed outfitter in the Grand Canyon and the largest single tour provider in Moab, UT, through its division Moab Adventure Center (http://www.moabadventurecenter.com/).
Western River Expeditions, providing Grand Canyon rafting, Utah and Idaho rafting, and international multi-sport trips, was founded in 1961 by Colorado River rafting pioneer Jack Currey. It has been named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by the editors of National Geographic Adventure magazine. The company is the proud recipient of the “Best of State” award through Utah’s Premier Recognition and Awards Program for the past sixteen consecutive years (2004-2019).
– Western River Expeditions
