Holiday River Expeditions offers a wide variety of top-notch rafting trips, including Cataract Canyon rafting, Grand Canyon rafting, Green River rafting and Idaho river rafting, to name a few.
To help prepare adventurists for the wild, raw beauty of Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Arizona, Holiday River Expedition’s expert guides recommend several educational reading materials – all of which are optional.
• “Exploration of the Colorado River” by John Wesley Powell – This book highlights the 19th century expedition of the famous explorer, John Powell. A rugged outdoor explorer, he conducted several series of adventures deep into the Rocky Mountains and his greatest achievement was conquering the dangerous Colorado River.
• “Belknap’s Waterproof Desolation River Guide” by Loie Belknap Evans and Buzz Belknap – Belknap’s father was a famous river expert and photographer. Producing his first bestselling guide in 1969, Buzz combined his love of the Grand Canyon and graphic art, producing a unique one-of-a-kind book. This book highlights Desolation Canyon, a renowned Green River rafting destination.
• “The Educated Outlaw” by Harvey Lay Murdock – This book highlights the history of Elzy Lay and was written by his grandson. As an outlaw, Elzy Lay was best known for being an active member of Butch Cassidy’s infamous gang. The gang often was known to operate in the Hole-in-the-Wall Pass that is located in Wyoming.
• “Life in Stone: Fossils of the Colorado Plateau” by Christa Sadler – This book highlights the Colorado Plateau’s colorful rock layers, which are often rich in fossil organisms. An area once plentiful in swamps and oceans, these fossils tell a story of slow moving rivers, tidal flats, sand dunes and tropical seas.
• “River Runners’ Guide to the Canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers, with Emphasis on Geological Features Volume IV: Desolation and Gray Canyons” by Felix E. Mutschler – This book highlights the unique geography of the Gray and Desolation Canyons, offering scientific reasoning behind the striking formations that are abundant in the area.
• “The River Knows Everything: Desolation Canyon and the Green” by James M Aton and Dan Miller – Highlighting a rugged, wild wilderness, this book explains the geology of the Green River and Desolation Canyon, including rock ridges, slickrock formations, rock walls and beaches. Teaming with wildlife, this book highlights animal sightings, including wild horses, bighorn sheep, blue herons and even black bears. The Fremont Native American ruins are visible on this trip and run between Range Creek and Nine Mile Canyon. Additionally, historic Ute Native Americans also carved artwork in the canyon’s walls, including horses and trains. Difficult to access, this area is well preserved and a naturist’s dream.
These river rafting books are available on Holiday River Expedition’s online e-store and are also for purchase in their Green river headquarters river rafting store.