70th Birthday Celebration on the Colorado

Milestone birthdays are some of our favorite occasions for taking multiple generations of a family exploring. To celebrate the patriarch of this particular family turning 70, EXP crafted the perfect blend of luxury and adventure – rafting to a private, exclusive camp set up along the banks of the Colorado River in one of the most remote locations in the region.

The family members arrived into Moab, Utah and were escorted to a private lunch site to be briefed on the upcoming adventure. Spring in the Southwest had sprung, and the weather was ideal for a variety of outdoor activities to kick off the long weekend: some family members chose to mountain bike the famous Bar M trails, others visited a dinosaur bone and track site with a paleontologist, and the final group stretched their legs hiking in Arches National Park. After a choose-your-own-adventure-style afternoon, the entire family reconvened to board a series of jet boats to travel through Meander Canyon before disembarking at their private tented camp on the banks of the Colorado River.

Towering canyon walls surrounded the site, and the family enjoyed paddle boarding, swimming, and playing beach games while a private chef prepared a scrumptious dinner.

The sun retreated behind the canyon walls and the night sky became a blanket of stars as the family enjoyed unparalleled views of the Milky Way while roasting marshmallows and learning the art of elevated s’mores at the chef’s “s’mores school” (afterall, who says you can only use plain store-bought marshmallows or that your chocolate bar can’t contain bits of bacon?).

The next morning, following a hot breakfast served on the shore of the river to the soundtrack of birds welcoming a new day, the family and their EXP Guides launched off the shore in custom-built, rigid-hull inflatable boats. They zoomed over the flat water, taking in breathtaking scenery of the canyons, while their captains navigated the sand bars and pointed out flora and fauna. After lunch at the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, everyone put on their helmets and prepared for the main event: Cataract Canyon, and 29 world-class rapids in a single 15-mile stretch, lay ahead! With rapids larger than your usual Class III and IV, and even a few Class V during the high-water season of spring, it was an exciting (and splashy) good time.

After a full day on the water, the family took to the air, flying over Lake Powell and landing in luxury at the spectacular Amangiri resort. The guests were welcomed with dinner and drinks at Desert Lounge, surrounded by majestic mesas changing colors as the sun set on another amazing day.

Awaking in the morning from a night in luxury, the family headed out for an adventure-filled day on Lake Powell. Speedboats whisked them across glass-like water to a luxury houseboat that had been staged up lake, equipped with jet skis, paddle boards, kayaks, and a private chef to prepare an elegant lunch. Several of the family members then set off with an EXP Guide to one of the most spectacular slot canyons in the Southwest. Accessible only by jet ski and then a short hike, they were able to explore deep into the hidden slot canyon without seeing another soul.

Back at Amangiri, a private Navajo Hoop Dancing performance kicked off the final dinner celebration, after which family members young and old alike retired to their rooms happily exhausted from a day of fun in the sun.

The final morning, the family explored the high canyon walls on a via ferrata climb before being transferred to the airport for their journey home, filled with memories of a 70th birthday celebration they’ll never forget.