My image from Elves Chasm was published as a tier two winner in the 2010 North American Nature Photography Association Expressions juried contest.
This image was shot during a 21 day private rafting trip running the Grand Canyon in March of 2007. For years we had know that one of Jen's friends had put in for a private permit to do a long rafting trip down the Grand. After a 15 year wait his permit was called and the invitations went out. Luckily we were two of the lucky because of Wilderness First Responder skills, guiding experience, and photographic documentation skills.
As a private trip we were not aloud to have any raft guides, no motors, and only friends. During the year before the trip several other members of the group worked hard improving their rafting skills and taking swift water rescue courses. We were a little apprehensive as we cracked ice off our boats and pushed off on March 2nd from Lees Ferry.
Luckily it was few days before we hit the really big water and by then we had gotten into a groove. With only a couple swimmers and small raft mishaps we successfully ran nearly 240 miles of the largest whitewater river in the country over the next three weeks. All the while reveling in the silence and isolation that winter brings on the river.
