The San Juan River twists and turns through the most convoluted canyon in the Colorado Plateau. Its home in southeastern Utah is a place of surreal beauty and vibrancy, hundreds of millions of years in the making. Eons of wind and water erosion have left an intricate wilderness of sun-baked red rock cliffs, canyons and monuments, strangely interwoven with cool, shady alcoves, lush grottoes, and side canyons where diverse vegetation grows near trickling streams. A bottomless archaeological treasure chest, this area encases numerous remnants of ancient civilizations - most prominently, the Pre-Puebloan (also known as Anasazi) culture. This intriguing Native American tribe mysteriously abandoned the area around 1300 AD, leaving behind their granaries, cliff dwellings, kivas, watchtowers, and panels of mystical rock art.

Perhaps the best way to explore this extremely rich area is upon one of the rivers partly responsible for its creation. A major tributary of the Colorado River, the San Juan is a watery path through some of the world's most splendid wilderness. A calm, congenial river, the San Juan offers a relaxing float trip livened up by fun Class II rapids. Terrific hiking opportunities, warm weather and water, and a high concentration of accessible Pre-Puebloan ruins - 15,000 archaeological sites exist in this river's home county - make this a rewarding river trip for a wide variety of outdoor enthusiasts.

Add the daily practice of yoga and meditation, combined with massages, foot soaks and shoulder rubs around a sparkling fire, and the San Juan transform into a Adventure Wilderness Spa where you can also explore the uncharted territories of your being as you challenge, as well as nurture, your body, your mind, and your adventurous spirit.

It's also a great vacation for families with children as young as five, and we'll include all ages in our massage and yoga programs.

Why Adventure Spa?

Like adventure travel, yoga provides individuals an opportunity for personal transformation, not just of the body but of the mind and spirit. In a raft, one feels at peace and in harmony with nature. On the water, each day is different, enlightening and exciting. As we do our yoga, we discover that our bodies and emotions are also changing daily. Taking the time to explore internally through yoga and meditation, we are able to integrate on a deeper level all the excitement, challenge, and exhilaration of the trip. The yoga and massage also helps us to keep up with the level of physical activity involved with hiking and rafting, and we will return home stronger and more supple than when we came, filled with a sense of gratitude for our bodies, our breath, and our increased endurance.

Why the San Juan?

With trips beginning in March and running until August, the San Juan offers plenty of opportunities and reasons to raft this magnificent river.

Geology

• The fabulous red rock scenery of the San Juan is reason enough to visit this river canyon. You'll travel between majestic walls of sandstone, limestone, mud and fossils that have been compressed and cemented by the ages. The result is layers of brown, red, white, and tan coloration in towering cliffs, sometimes rippling like water, sometimes covered with shiny blue-black manganese oxide, known as "desert varnish." In addition to the seemingly painted canyon walls, the San Juan rolls past some of southeastern Utah's renowned stretches of breathtaking buttes, mesas, and pinnacles - including Monument Valley.

Water

• From Sand Island to Clay Hills Crossing, the San Juan is a docile river, providing a leisurely float that's periodically interrupted with exhilarating Class II riffles. Drifting down this calm stretch of river, you can focus your energy on the warm sunshine, conversation with your fellow boat mates, interpretive information from your knowledgeable guides, and quiet contemplation and meditation of your wondrous surroundings. You'll also have plenty of swimming opportunities, from the lazy river to the lovely waterfalls and natural sandstone-walled swimming pool that you'll visit.

Natural History

• The Native American tribe that we now know as the Pre-Puebloans probably arrived in this area as early as 1 AD. For roughly 13 centuries, the Pre-Puebloans lived off the area's small game and cultivated corn, squash, and beans. They learned to fire pottery, weave clothing out of cotton, and invented the bow and arrow. Perhaps their best-known achievements are the pueblos and various religious, agricultural, and domestic structures that they built from the region's pervasive rock and mud. Several cliff dwellings, as well as gorgeous Pre-Puebloan rock art, still adorn the San Juan River canyon. Many centuries later, gold miners, explorers and river-running pioneers added an Old West flavor to the San Juan's history.

Hiking

• Terrific hiking trails are plentiful along the San Juan. Ranging from gentle walks to steep climbs, an impressive trail system leads to historic sites. We'll do some special meditations among the Pre-Puebloan ruins and rock art. Our yoga practice takes on new dimensions with each panoramic vista, followed by refreshing dips in waterfalls and cooling sandstone natural pools.

Family Trips

• The San Juan is an excellent river trip for families with children as young as five. Warm weather, warm water, easy-going whitewater, and sandy beaches make this a great vacation for kids, parents, and grandparents of nearly any age. Floating down the river, cares and worries are swept away as fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, come closer together with each passing mile. TV, computers and telephones are replaced with campfires, tents and time in the rafts - memorable moments that you'll share with your kids. Sharing yoga practice together enhances this family bonding, and provides opportunities for greater appreciation and respect of individual family members. They'll have a blast swimming, camping, spotting wildlife, and playing beach games like volleyball and Frisbee - even your teenagers won't mind spending quality time with mom and dad in this setting! Since we take care of all the details of the trip, from meal planning to camp chores, your time is absolutely free to enjoy yourself and one another. Ask about our Family Friendly departures: trips specifically designed with your child in mind.

Sample Itinerary

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and always flexible schedule. Once the trip starts, the timelines on a day-to-day basis dissolve-like any good vacation-into a wrist watch-free experience. Each trip varies with your interests, other groups on the river, water levels and weather-variations aimed at maximization of fun! Daily, we give ourselves time for early morning stretches and deep breathing exercises (pranayam). Each evening, as supper is prepared for us, we'll stretch out the muscles we used for the day, and have some quiet time to integrate the days activities through meditation, journal writing, or simply hanging out and watching the sun glisten on the water. Our trip schedules allow everyone to receive their allotted massage treatments in a relaxed environment. Special sessions in Yoga Nidra meditations will be held in the magical places we find along the way.

The Day Before Your Trip

• We'll meet for a pre-trip meeting at 7:00 pm the night before your trip at the Recapture Lodge in Bluff. This is an opportunity to meet your fellow travelers and guides and ask any last-minute questions. Your guides will give you a thorough trip orientation, then pass out your waterproof river bags so that you can pack your belongings that evening. We'll end the evening with a group yoga stretch and a relaxation meditation to prepare us for a good nights sleep before we embark on our adventure!

Day 1

• We'll begin our day with a scenic drive from Bluff to our put-in at Sand Island, where your boats and the rest of your O.A.R.S. crew await you. After a thorough safety talk, followed by some luxurious stretches, our journey begins. We'll peacefully float for a few hours, getting to know our fellow travelers and soaking in the majesty of our surroundings. Our first stop is Butler Wash, where we'll be amazed by Indian petroglyphs dancing across a sheer rock wall. The figures depicted here are believed to be "Kachinas," or gods, possibly speaking to men. This is an excellent introduction to the rock art we'll see during the next week. We'll also see "moki steps" that were carved into the cliffs at least 800 years ago.
• Our first day generally sets the pace for our week on the river. Typically, after our morning yoga and invigorating pranayam practice (deep breathing), we spend a few hours on the water in the morning, sometimes stopping for a great hike, a visit to a waterfall or an Indian ruin, or a refreshing swim. Come lunchtime, we pull over to a sandy beach do some shoulder stretches to relieve our paddling arms and enjoy a delicious picnic. After feasting and relaxing on the beach (or perhaps swimming, a game of Frisbee, a nature walk…), we get back in our boats and watch the desert panoramas slowly develop and change as we peacefully float down the river. Mid- to late-afternoon, we stop and make camp. After you grab your bags and set up your tent, we'll mellow out with our afternoon yoga stretches and "shivasana" relaxations. All the while the staff takes care of the kitchen and "living room" - camp chairs and the site for tonight's campfire (if permitted). This is the perfect time for you to lounge on the beach with that book you've been wanting to finish forever. Before long you'll be savoring pleasing hors d'oeuvres and the beverage of your choice - delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Read, nap, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as we prepare dinner. After another satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish. Perhaps it is your night to visit the massage tent, where the Alpenglow massage therapist's skillful hands will sooth your muscles and bring deep relaxation to every cell in your body. Maybe music, stories or jokes will bring us together tonight; maybe the popping of the fire, the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, our home.

Days 2-6

• Our wake-up yoga begins with the morning light turning the cliff walls the colors of sunrise. Fresh coffee and tea are waiting for you after our good morning stretches and our "Breath of Joy" pranayama; grab a cup, sit back and take in the glory of the aliveness in your body and the beauty of the awakening river. Soon breakfast is served - omelets made to order, blueberry pancakes, sizzling bacon, fresh fruit, toast, and juice are among the treats you'll indulge in each morning. Once you've eaten your fill, you'll pack up your things as the guides break down camp, then our new day's adventure begins.
• An excellent short hike awaits us only 6 miles into our journey - River House, a well-preserved Indian cliff dwelling. Perhaps you will want to select your own "special place" to do some private meditation or journaling. Perhaps in our meditations, we will receive images or memories of the ancient ones that lived here. We might also explore the Hole in the Rock on the famous Mormon trail.
• As the San Juan carries us further into this majestic geological corridor, we begin to see evidence of the earth's activity - slow and steady or sudden and violent - over the course of its 300+- million-year-old existence. Within the first 10 miles, the river crosses the Comb Ridge monocline, a gigantic upwarp that extends unbroken for over 50 miles. A hike to the Mule Ear diatreme reveals an eruptive ground vent and a rubbly mass of rocks from the earth's mantle. Through our daily yoga practice we will continue to open the energy receptors within our bodies and enable us to digest this mysterious and ancient beauty to an even deeper level of our being.
• Then it's back to our boats to begin our descent into the upper San Juan canyon, where we meet our first whitewater, Four-foot Rapid. Eight-foot and Ledge rapids also spice up our tranquil float as we enter the upper "Narrows," a particularly tight gorge carved out of the brilliant rocky layers by the very river upon which we drift. All along, we'll keep our eyes out for Bighorn sheep near the water and Pre-Puebloan ruins hidden atop cliffs.
• The more aggressive hikers in our group may tackle the steep and strenuous climb up the Raplee anticline where we can truly rise above, explore the view, and let our spirits soar. No matter the effort involved in reaching the top, that which awaits us is well worth it, and we'll have a special celebratory yoga session at the top as we soak up the incredible views of Monument Valley and Mexican Hat rock. Back on the river, we'll float past the town of Mexican Hat and enter the Mendenhall loop, the beginning of the famous Goosenecks of the San Juan River. This snake-like stretch of river twists and turns so tightly, we cover seven river miles through a section measuring just two miles as the crow flies! Winding back and forth, we'll pass exquisite works of water and rock like the Tabernacle and the Second Narrows.
• A favorite activity on the San Juan is a visit to Slickhorn Gulch for a much-needed swim in its natural plunge pools. This beautiful canyon holds many little surprises, including fossils, maidenhair ferns, and waterfalls. This wilderness spa setting is a perfect place to learn to give your partner, or new friend, a luxurious shoulder rub, or we'll teach your kids how to give you a great foot massage!
• All this goes without saying how delicious our cuisine will taste each night, our day's adventures stirring up a hearty appetite. Perhaps tonight you'll enjoy grilled salmon with orange zest, wild rice, and a fresh, mixed salad. Or maybe a lean, juicy steak with mushrooms. However your guides care for you, you'll notice we do genuinely want this to be a memorable experience, right down to the making of new friends and the magnificence of the wide desert sky.
• Our trip draws to a close on Day 6 as we reach the Clay Hills boat ramp. Feeling as if we've temporarily left our modern age for the past six days, and having grown so close to our guides and fellow travelers, the bus ride back to Moab and "civilization" is bittersweet. However, it doesn't take long to realize that although we've left the river, the river will never leave us. The healing power of the river and its wilderness will continue to be with us long after our trip is over, and our bodies will carry the memories as our spirits remain filled with gratitude for the gifts of these most sacred, undisturbed places. We will also return home stronger and more supple than when we came, filled with a sense of gratitude for our bodies, our breath, and our increased endurance.

Why Visit Utah?

Utah is home to some of the most diverse scenery to be found anywhere in the United States. There are a dozen national parks and many state parks. Here are some highlights you may want to check out:

• Over 150 years ago, Brigham Young and his followers, moving west in search of religious freedom, came to the Great Salt Lake and decided here they would settle. Hard work and determination turned this relative desert into a productive heartland for the Church of Latter Day Saints. Salt Lake City today stands on the eastern shores of the largest inland body of salt water in the United States and is known as the "crossroads of the West." In downtown, Temple Square is home to the Mormon Temple, Tabernacle and Visitor Center, providing an insider's look at the city's Mormon heritage. The State Capitol is also located downtown and is well worth a visit. Salt Lake boasts museums of Fine Art and Natural History, rounding out an experience in the cultural and historic perspectives of this city.
• Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park are located 4 hours south of Salt Lake City, just off Interstate 15. These parks highlight the fascinating rock formations that have made Southern Utah famous. Bryce Canyon is known for its display of color, boasting reds, yellows and browns not typically seen in rock and stone. A visit to Zion, named in the nineteenth century by Mormon pioneers, is indeed out of this world; unbelievable rock configurations and hanging gardens are commonplace in the many canyons open to exploration.
• The base for O.A.R.S.' operations in Utah is located in Moab, guaranteeing you an opportunity to visit this center for outdoor enthusiasts. It is a jumping-off point for excursions into both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, providing some of the best 4x4-touring, mountain biking and hiking in the world, not to mention whitewater rafting.
• Be sure to visit Dead Horse Point, located just nine miles from Moab, and see for yourself one of the most spectacular panoramic views in America. This state park is a must-see at sunset as the changing colors of countless spires, buttes and cliffs fade to gray.
• Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park flank Moab on either side-a virtual playground for residents and visitors. Arches takes its name from the highest concentration of natural arches in the world; there are over 2,000 here, interspersed with balanced rocks, spires and fins of shaped sandstone. Incredible views of the snow-capped La Sal Mountains are the backdrop to an already impressive foreground. Canyonlands, divided into 3 distinct areas, is home to Cataract Canyon and the Confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. In each of the parks, expansive and memorable views await around every turn on their paved roadways. However, off the highway is where they are at their best, featuring hundreds of miles of some of the most striking backcountry hiking and mountain-biking trails on Earth.

Why an O.A.R.S. Trip?

O.A.R.S. has been in business for over 30 years and that is no accident. Great trips on the best rivers are the recipe for this success. Always focused on our clients and their vacations, it is our genuine-if not biased-belief that river trips are extremely valuable life experiences. That said, we have committed ourselves over the years to providing the best trips available, always with an eye on improvement. Though we're always interested in your opinion on the matter, here are a few things we believe set our trips apart:

Staff

• As anyone who has been on an O.A.R.S. trip can tell you, our guides and support staff are the best in the business. Their knowledge, skills, demeanor and attitude are qualities of which we are very proud. From our professional, well-informed Adventure Consultants, to those behind the scenes, to the guides on your trip, all of our staff strive every moment to exceed your expectations. Your river guides are gourmet chefs, entertainers and teachers all rolled into one-and so good at their jobs you'd think they were born on the river. Each guide on your trip offers a different perspective on this canyon and why they've made it their workplace, their home, their passion. Our employees are the number one reason O.A.R.S has repeat customers-take a trip with us and you'll see why.
• Hannah Johansen, owner of Alpenglow Adventure Spa at Big Sky, Montana, leads the staffing for our special Yoga Spa Adventures. With her 23 years experience in yoga, massage and public speaking, she teaches and shares fun, educational, and life affirming skills that help our guests fully integrate the thrills and exhilaration of the river with the healing qualities of the great outdoors. They return home with stronger, more supple bodies, as well as new skills to continue to enhance their ongoing health and well-being.
• Hannah's connection with adventure travel groups has allowed her to lead and participate in yoga and massage programs while rafting the Grand Canyon, trekking through Nepal, sea kayaking in Baja and scuba diving in the Maldives. She has recently returned from a tour of the Caucus region of Central Asia where she shared her massage and yoga skills with an international group bringing concerts to refugee camps. She received her Kripalu Yoga Teacher Certification in 1990, her Amrit Yoga 500 hour certification in 2004 and is currently working on her Masters Degree in Yoga Sciences.
  
  

Meals

• The meals we serve are hearty and sumptuous, complete with fresh fruits and vegetables. Our menu spares no expense in order to bring you fine foods in a wilderness atmosphere. Wake up to pancakes, omelets or eggs cooked to order, complemented by bacon or sausage, toast, juice and plenty of coffee or tea. Stuff yourselves at lunch with a delicious spread of cold cuts and cheeses on assorted breads, with hummus and veggies in soft pitas, or tasty taco salad in roll-your-own burritos; don't forget a cookie or six for dessert, along with fruit salad and a cool drink. At the dinner table, our guides' cooking skills truly shine. Snack on various hors d'oevres while you wait for fresh green salads, vegetables, and the main course: steaks, grilled salmon or perhaps a Dutch-oven lasagna. Vegetarian options are usually available, and definitely if you tell us of your preference ahead of time. If you can find room, there will always be something for dessert-probably a just-baked cake or cobbler.

Equipment

• O.A.R.S.' river gear and boats are top of the line and are rigorously maintained. Rest assured knowing that we use only the best and most reliable equipment. All river-related gear is included and we offer many accessories to ensure your comfort on dry land as well. Sturdy tents, warm sleeping bags and thick sleeping pads give your camp by the river most of the comforts of home.
• For a detailed packing list please call us at 1-800-346-6277 or email us at info@oars.com for our Cataract Canyon Travel Planner.  You can also shop online with our preferred supplier of river sandals at www.teva.com.  For outdoor clothing and apparel visit www.royalrobbins.com and for all of your river gear needs log on to www.cascadeoutfitters.com.
• Our massage tent is a wonderful spa in the wilderness! …cozy and warm, with comfortable massage table, luxurious oils, soothing music and access to a solar shower for a quick rinse before your treatment.
• We ask our guests to bring with them the following massage and yoga items:
• Personal massage sheets - 1 set twin sized sheets with 1 pillowcase (fitted bottom, flat top)
• Yoga mat and yoga strap - . We recommend a thicker yoga mat since we will be doing much of our practices outside on uneven ground.
• Baseball cap - to protect your eyes from the glare when doing yoga in the sun, and stay on your head when doing inverted postures.
• Yoga practice outfit - Layers of loose, comfortable clothing, so we can easily adjust our body temperatures by the amount of layers we are wearing.

A Few Important Details

Reservations & Deposit

• A $250/person deposit is required at the time of reservation. The balance is due 60 days prior to departure.

Cancellations & Refunds

• If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, notify us as soon as possible. You can telephone, but we also need a written notice. The cancellation fee after you've made your deposit can range up to the entire trip cost, based upon the number of days prior to your trip that we receive your cancellation notice. We regret we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies. For this reason, we strongly urge our participants to investigate trip insurance (see Insurance). Cancellations 60 days or more prior to the trip earn a full refund less a $100/person fee. Cancellations 59 days or less prior to your trip are not refundable.

Medical

• Under most circumstances, if you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying an O.A.R.S. trip. Pregnant women and those with heart trouble should have their physician's approval before taking a river trip.
• You can be confident regarding your level of experience with yoga practices. Beginners and alike will benefit equally from the daily practice of yoga and deep breathing. Be sure to advise your instructor of particular physical issues that should be addressed in your yoga postures.
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Insurance

• Although every effort is made to insure a safe trip for all, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself, your belongings, and your vacation through the purchase of a short-term traveler's policy. A trip cancellation policy covers your non-refundable payments in most cases, should you have to cancel your trip at the last minute due to illness or injury. Trip participants should realize that in the event of illness or injury on a river trip, evacuation could be prolonged, difficult and expensive. Personal belongings and cameras are carried entirely at the owner's risk, and O.A.R.S., Inc. accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged, delayed or stolen property.

Liability Waiver

• Everyone is required to sign a standard release before the trip, acknowledging awareness that some risks are associated with the trip. Safety is of the utmost concern on our trips. However, due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will sign this form before the trip begins. Anyone who refuses to sign the form will not be allowed to participate, and consistent with O.A.R.S. cancellation policy, there will be no refund of the trip fees at that time.

Responsibility - An Important Notice

• O.A.R.S., Inc. and cooperating agencies act only in the capacity of agent for the participants in all matters relating to transportation and/or all other related travel services, and assume no responsibility however caused for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service, including but not limited to that resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays and expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, theft, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulations, and discrepancies or change in transit over which it has no control. Reasonable changes in itinerary may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well being of the participants, including cancellation due to water fluctuation, insufficient bookings, and other factors. There is risk in whitewater rafting, particularly during high-water conditions. Rafts, dories and kayaks do capsize. You could be swept overboard. Your guide will make every attempt to assist, but you must be strong and agile enough to "self-help" and "float-it-out" without further endangering yourself or others. Please be advised our U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation devices are rated to accommodate persons no heavier than 260 pounds and with a chest size no larger than 52 inches. We are experienced at accommodating people with various handicaps. Please give us an opportunity to make you feel welcome. We need to discuss any special requirements ahead of time. We may decide, at any time, to exclude any person or group for any reason we feel is related to the safety of our trips. On advancement of deposit the depositor agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Contact Information

For more information this this San Juan River Expedition or any of our other Alpenglow Adventure Spa programs, contact Hannah Johansen at 406/995-4663 or relax@alpenglowspa.com.