A young family whitewater rafts through the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado River, encountering mishap, adventure and the notorious Lava Falls along the way.
As a veteran of 55 Grand Canyon river trips as a Commercial Guide and Private Trip Leader, I watched this video and was amazed and impressed by the honesty, transparency and emotions of such a serious expedition and adventure of a lifetime., not to mention photography, music and editing. I think this is the best video I've ever seen of a GC River trip- and I've seen hundreds! Kudos for taking the kids and teaching them and helping them to see the beauty, thrill, and joy that the wilderness in general and the Grand Canyon in particular can bring. The lessons, self-confidence, and maturity taught by the Great Teacher is priceless. I cried, laughed, cheered and rooted you all on, especially as you approached and ran the Big One. People often ask me how many times I've run Lava and my response is -100's and 100's of times all winter and summer and fall in my mind until the next time I actually run the real thing once again-and every time it is major Sphincter time! The pit in the stomach is palpable and never leaves until getting below Mile 180! Congratulations and especially for the incredible kids-and parents. And Eleanor? The rest of us mortals are unworthy! You are a stud-muffin! Well done girl and well done to all of you! Thanks so much for sharing! Look forward to following more adventures to come!
Eleanor has more guts in her pinkie than I've ever had. Christian, you and your family are awesome and I send you tremendous respect for how you and your wife are raising your kids. This was the most compelling video I've seen on RU-vid in a long time. wow
@@ChristianKnightfilms couldn't agree more with Gary. The Canyon changed my perspective on life..Likewise so did fatherhood. So happy for you and your family , to be able to expose the kids to this magical place ..and watch them own it was truly refreshing to see. Be very proud of your children and their accomplishments, Oh Yeah one more thing.....GO ELEANOR!!! Woooooot!!
I agree full skale with cream topping! You are so inspiring! Having paddled the Grand incl. Lava in an open canoe I could folow your feelings the day before Lava ("is it right what I'm doing?"). I got cold sweat whatching the following "20" seconds. Yes there was a risk. But how enriched you have been afterwards.
Thought you were a fool, then I know you are the best dad in the whole wide world. They will cherish this memory for a life time and be so much better for it.
honestly the only part that scared the hell out of me is when your kids are walking that narrow path hundreds of feet above ground. ugggg. was a very heart warming video with great music and editing. all 3 of my kids were raised in kayaks and still love the river years later. i love your comment about it being a fragile love but a powerful love. Indeed, if we can instill the love of our planet into our children, there's hope for us yet. hugs to you and yours
It’s awesome to see a man who became a father and determined that children don’t have to change your lifestyle, but rather they enhance it. That it’s a privilege to introduce them to life, to overcome fear, accept challenges and to take risks. His children are already far ahead of their peers. Of course, all of this was only possible because he has an amazing wife who is an awesome mother who is committed to being a part of their children’s life building education.
"Holy shit, that girl!" says it all. I've run that river dozens of times (in rafts) and you captured the anxiety leading up to Lava so perfectly. I love Ellie's expression as she was setting up for the entrance line...HSTG, for sure! I'm in awe of your entire family.
I did this in 2007. Watching this video brought absolute tears to my eyes. You guys must really have nerves of steal to watch your kids knowing there is little you could do if they swam in the wrong spots. I see all the training you put in, but man I would be soooo tense about it. Now you can enjoy the rewards of your success. Whew! I loved the video and it brings back great memories for me. I'm 53 yo now and not sure if when rona goes away, if I'll be in the best physical shape to ever do this again in my life. Great documentary!
Wow! As a “single” river mommy your vid touched every string in my heart! There is no greater feeling of amazement and pride watching your children grow, mature and change on the river. There is also no fear like it. THANK YOU for being so raw and real. And your story is incredible!
I did this as a kid with my Dad, brother, cousin, and uncle over 25 years ago. I’ve never seen any video that could come close to capturing that wonderful experience. Until now. Those rapids are as gnarly as I remember. And your trip looked epic! Thank you so much for making and sharing this. And your Eleanor - badass! Way to go!
Way back in 1983 I was a River Guide on the GC and several other canyons for Western River Expeditions. I did a private trip through the GC with my 12 year old daughter and four other families with children all 12 yrs and older. You mom and dad are an AWESOME FAMILY. You took your family on an adventure of a lifetime. I am so impressed how you prepared your children with classes on how to roll their kayaks etc. You telling your son to say, I CAN DO THIS. 👍 Your eldest daughter super brave and smart about reading the river. I could go on and on. This is the GREATEST video I've watched rafting the GC. What an awesome family. Happy you were all safe. I'm sharing this with all my friends on fb. I'm giving you five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. Thank you for your honest thoughts too. Mom you are a brave good boatman and helped your family make the best memories❤
Great presentation. I'll never forget my trip. Everyone made a big deal of "ABC" which was "Alive Below Crystal". Then it was Lava, which is still the best 20 seconds of adventure I've ever had.
I love it, how you let your kids experience the great outdoors. And how you let them build up confidence in themselves by letting them take calculated risks. Just by looking at their faces you can tell how much confidence building aal this is. From a parents point of view it is hard to let them take on a rapid by themselves, but you let them go into those rapids anyhow. Amazing! Great example of successful parenting! There is now way kids could build up the same amount of selfawarenes and confidence by just sitting at home behind a laptop. Congratulations.
I have been behind the oars or paddle with my kids in the boat before and I can completely relate to the anxiety you talked about. It pretty much magnified what you would typically feel if you were just worried about yourself. Thank you for sharing .
What a great video of your family being who you are. I bet every parent wishes they could give their children this kind of adventure. Nice job and thank you for sharing.
I loved your daughter rolling eyes at you about Lava Falls. I hope your kids realize how incredibly lucky they are. As this was 4 years ago or more hope all still loving the WW.
I came to RU-vid for rock climbing videos, but ended up watching the entire 30 mins of your clip. What an amazing family and strong beautiful kids. Also very nice video editing job.
Christian, Wow brother, your family is something else! And Eleanor just ROCKS!! Congrats to you Eleanor!!!! 😁. If I had a daughter I would wish that she would be just like you! Christian you have shown the world HOW to raise kids! Imagine if this was the model that Americans used these days to raise children, how much different our country would be?! My hats off to you Sir and all of your incredible family…….. rock on
Thank you! I felt like I was there with you. Great Parents, I am so proud of you! Kids...you are an inspiration for all. Best video I have seen in years!!
MEMORIES ! Solch eine tour hab ich mit 16 gemacht (1967). Um exakt zu sein, ich habe dort im canyon meinen 16. Geburtstag gefeiert. Unvergessliche Eindrücke. Unter anderem hat das Essen dort ganz besonders gut geschmeckt. Pur und intensiv!😊
That orange raft getting rocked in lava is ours! We just took our 2 boys (6 & 9) down the Salt River and are looking forward to the Grand Canyon with them. I kayaked the Canyon as a 30 year old...please tell Eleanor that I have great admiration for her determination.
What a beautiful family and what a FANTASTIC video!! Eleanor, you are the star of the show. I was rooting for you as you moved through Lava. You found a great mentor in your father, you set your eyes on a goal, you worked hard to prepare for it, and when the moment arrived you unleashed your personal courage and punched it right in the mouth! Thank you for sharing.
A family adventure few will ever experience. Your kids are lucky to have parents so willing to take them on such a great journey. Hope to see more videos from you in the future.
Love how you show that you trained your children ahead of time to be experienced in unsafe water. That can make such a difference maybe in some point in their life when you're not expecting it you can be out safely fishing doing nothing and you slip off the bank because it falls from under you or the rock you're on is too slippery you lose your footing you're in the water. By teaching your kids not to be afraid of the water not to be afraid of fast-moving water you've just really change their lives they can pretty much go anywhere and adjust to an situation in the water where most people panic. This is a fascinating video just loved it and it was so wonderful some of the cinematography you did with your children. I wish more parents played Outdoors like this with their kids now I think children become adults who respect the forest in the wilderness more when they've been introduced to it Young. My parents took us fishing hiking camping all that stuff the problem was we could never go on the river because my dad could not swim and was afraid of it my mom was too tiny she wouldn't get in the boat because she said she wouldn't be able to save anybody if something went wrong. So instead would go out on big deep sea fishing boats. To see whales in the ocean alive and just nature it was a fascinating childhood. Your children will look back at this as a fascinating adventurous childhood that gives them a more self-confident life.
Wow! Many mixed emotions on this one. I am glad everything worked out all right. Elves Chasm is a beautiful but extremely dangerous place. The Lava for a little girl in a kayak was insane. That is one brave human being. Seriously lol I am awwwwwed at the guts, intelligence in logistics or ignorance and nativity to try. The experience for anyone is probably less than 1% but for children, non- existent. Damn, I guess even with my maternal instincts screaming it is so wrong, I have to applaud these parents. lol I am shaking my head at myself for saying it. It was an amazing video. An experience of a lifetime. I will have to watch it several more times. All I can say is WOW!!!!
Woah Eleanor is a boss. Fearless. Your whole family is awesome and gutsy. If I were to flip under once on that kayak, my 41 year old tattoo'd covered "not scared of anything" self would find land as fast as I could. LOL. Good parenting teaching them kids great life skills.
Awesome video, way to go parents. Difficult to balance your love’s - implementing into your legacy. Love the confidence you’re children will fall back on and trusting you both.
Amazing video!!! One of the best I've seen about rafting in the GC.Thanks for sharing it. And Eleanor.... I'm speechless, it's absolutely amazing how she committed to it, congrats!!
This is a great journey you filmed and edited. Friends family and the emotions of a great trip. Thank you for compiling this amazing trip for the rest of us to admire. This is what family and memories are made of. Skills to be shared and enjoyed for generations. 👍👍
Congrats man! What a family! Everybody can be proud. your approach with your kids, the challenges they are facing and their behavior tell it all. They will make great adults. They are already great people. Cheers to you all!
Yeah Eleanor!!! What brave kids you're raising! I left my crew at Phantom so I wanted to experience Lava vicariously with them and got wrapped up in this heartwarming story. Great editing, thanks for sharing!!
What a fantastic video!! Dude I guess I got to give up my #1 Dad game, but for a long while you shall have the thrown good sir. I’ll be sending you my personal coffee mug stating I am number one Dad which I can no longer have after watching this!! The dream is real
WOW! Just WOW! :-D And thanks for sharing your adventure with us. As 'NYC-ers,' our family vacations tended to be in the Catskills and Adirondack mountains. In a hotel! But I still remember one year, on holiday, my twin & I and our friend (females!), creeping 'off premises' and climbing up a nearby rugged mountain. It was challenging for 'city-philes,' but I remember well an older local woman at the top 'finding us out' and scolding us, "Why, when you're coming from a hotel with so many activities, would you climb this dangerous mountain area?!!" WHY indeed! (As adults, we turned to skiing to satisfy our Type A personalities.) Anyway, great video & kudos to your family!
That was awesome! God bless your family for sharing such a beautiful experience.The Grand Canyon has been on my bucket list before there were bucket lists!
Dude!!!! I shed a few tears during the roll lessons. I am struggling with my roll and to watch her progression is simply amazing. You sir, are an amazing father and instructor. Well done on the entire video. I’m definitely a subscriber now!
Thank you so much for sharing this video! It is awesome. I wish my kids could have this kind of an adventure at that age. It is something they will cherish for their lifetimes. When I was younger I worked in Dinosaur on the Yampa and Green and getting to the Grand is still on my bucket list 20 years later.
Seeing your family do this together, and how your kids are so involved in the whole thing just brought tears to my eyes. This is such an amazing adventure and bonding experience that will never be forgotten by them. Whether it's something like this, or any other adventure, so many parents can learn a huge amount, and that we shouldn't bubble wrap our kids, or let them just watch tv and video games all the time, but yet spend it with friends and family. Kudos to you my friend, and may you have many more adventures like this. Btw, give Eleanor a huge hug for me, cause that kiddo has some heart to her, and is quite the role model for kids her age.
Nicely done. Not just a video of highlights... you told your story of floating the Grand. That trip is one of the great pinnacles of outdoor adventure in North America
I absolutely love this video I’ve been down the Grand Canyon four times the first time was in a motor rig The second time time was by myself in the 18 foot rowing rig and I know exactly what you were thinking the whole time all
So happy for your family. Looks like a great trip. Mom and Dad have obviously worked very hard with your kids. What an accomplishment for all. Thanks for sharing. Go Cougs!
Wow, Amazing. Luckiest kids on earth. If I got to choose between Bill Gates or Christian as a dad, I'd choose Christian. One of the best things I've seen on RU-vid.
Awesome, bud. Takes a ton of planning, execution, and energy just to take kids on a vacation let alone a three week river trip through the Canyon. Your kids will never forget that and neither will you. Big time props.
What a fantastic video! Way to go Eleanor! And as others have mentioned, why does this not have millions of views? Great, complelling story that, if you have rowed the canyon, you know the anxiety and excitement you feel that first time.
Went through in a dory . Best adventure ever! Great video best I've seen on the Graand caynon- well except for the Imax movie in Tusayan --brought back fond memories You could tell it was Lava Falls Day by the change in mood of the guides. Apprehension ran high, but it wouldn't be the same without it. Kind of essential, actually. The three dory guides - Lew and the Hard Core Chicks Amy and Kate had 120 times through between them and all had flipped at least once. Amy turned one to splinters going through Lava the year before. Not that time with me in her boat!
Ross & I love your videos! I watched this one with my family, too 😀 High five to you, all your kids & your beautiful wife for your courage, determination & awesomeness!
What an awesome video.. captivated by the entire adventure. I shed a tear of joy when you make it through lava . I can only imagine you’re anxiety because my fists and jaw were clenched the entire time watching all that action. Godbless
This is one of the best, most thrilling, exciting, adventerous videos I've had the pleasure to watch in years! This should be a PPV show! Congratulations on producing a spectacular piece of art with your family!
Great video Christian! I paddle with Josh all the time in OR. When I first started watching I thought you were him! Love the way you are getting your family on the river. We are trying to do the same.
Great video. Your family is beautiful and brave and strong. I haven't rowed anything bigger but class 3+. But you motivated me to try bigger. God bless 🙏
