Canyonlands National Park

[spazzdog]

old thread, I know, but I was cruizin' around the web and found this link

http://www.cyberseek.com/nabs/gallery-UTmaze.htm

thought you might like the photos...

spazz

[SadieKate]

I've gone with Rim Tours, Western Spirit and Escape. I would probably recommend in that order. Rim just slightly edges Western - based on their guides and a truly awesome office manager, Denice, who will do whatever it takes to make you happy and make sure you have everything you need.

We've done several trips total. We would have ridden the Maze with Rim this year except for the house purchase in Bend. I can give you lots of specific Qs to ask (like is there disinfectant spray always put next to the groover). Each company will do a slightly different itinerary and some are more willing than others to vary it based on clients' skills and fitness. We did Bryce to Zion with Rim last year and rode nearly all singletrack while the Escape folks did a lot of dirt road. Pay attention to the trips that seem like the same itinerary but are more days. Sometimes the "more days" is just hiking. My knees are happy riding but they get crank hiking. I'm not willing to pay for days that I can't ride.

According to Scott E at Rim, they go more remote on the Maze than the other companies. From what I've heard the White Rim can be done self-supported fairly easily. The Maze not as much as it is a long way out. The Maze is a highly sensitive place and requires tons of permits.

If you decide to do either of these trips, please keep us in mind. They are the top 2 next "must do" tours for us. Maybe even a custom trip, 6-8 min. If you have 10, 1 goes free. We have met some wonderful people on these trips. Having guides can be cool because many of them can share a lot of local history and natural history knowledge. Damon at Rim (if he's back - went off to his sweetie on the east coast after our trip last year) has a degree in geology and can give you a full lecture on anything you're looking at. Pretty neat.

Scott is the middle guy in the yellow helmet. Damon is the guy you can see barely peeking over me.
Bryce to Zion These are 2 of the best we've run into on our several trips.

PS - One of Rim's guides, Jenna Woodbury, consistently takes a top 3 placing in the women's solo cat of 24 Hrs of Moab. It's kind of scary to watch her climb at high altitude on steep, loose terrain.