▁the ▁lower ▁Colorado ▁River ▁through ▁Grand ▁C any on , ▁and ▁invited ▁White ▁on ▁a ▁different ▁sort ▁of ▁advent ure , ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁ ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁a ▁bo ating ▁accident , ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁easier ▁to ▁float ▁down stream ▁than ▁hi ke ▁out . ▁So ▁in ▁late ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁they ▁made ▁their ▁way ▁up ▁river ▁from ▁Diam ond ▁Creek ▁at ▁mile ▁ 2 2 6 , ▁and ▁pl ung ed ▁in ▁the ▁current , ▁running ▁at ▁, ▁and ▁" sw am " ▁ ▁down ▁to ▁Lake ▁M ead . ▁Though ▁we aring ▁the ▁bul ky ▁" M ae ▁West " ▁life ▁jack et , ▁they ▁were ▁still ▁able ▁to ▁carry ▁back pack s ▁for ▁wat ert ight ▁t ins ▁that ▁contained ▁first - a id ▁supplies , ▁food , ▁cam eras ▁and ▁film . ▁They ▁arrived ▁exha usted ▁three ▁days ▁later ▁at ▁Lake ▁M ead . ▁▁ ▁The ▁ecc ent ric ▁pair ▁wanted ▁to ▁prove ▁beyond ▁a ▁doubt ▁that ▁river ▁travel ▁was ▁a ▁safe ▁proposition , ▁and ▁provide ▁good ▁press ▁for ▁the ▁emer ging ▁commercial ▁ra ft ing ▁industry . ▁So ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁A les on ▁and ▁White ▁h ik ed ▁down ▁Par ash ant ▁W ash , ▁arriv ing ▁at ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁at ▁mile ▁ 1 9 8 . ▁After ▁recover ing ▁from ▁their ▁ep ic ▁hi ke , ▁where ▁they ▁nearly ▁per ished ▁from ▁th irst , ▁they ▁built ▁a ▁ra ft ▁fashion ed ▁after ▁James