Colorado River & Trail Expeditions

What Colorado River & Trail Expeditions does

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE) is a family-owned, Salt Lake City-based adventure tourism company founded in 1971 by river guide David Mackay and his wife Vicki Mackay. The company operates guided multi-day and single-day whitewater rafting expeditions on the Colorado River (Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, Westwater Canyon), the Green River (Desolation Canyon), and Alaska's Tatshenshini and Alsek rivers, with pricing ranging from $245 for a one-day Westwater trip to $7,200 for a 12-day Alaska expedition. CRATE holds National Park Service Authorized Concessioner status, which is the regulatory prerequisite for commercial river operations in Grand Canyon National Park, and it offers three trip styles — motorized (37-foot motor rafts), rowing (18-foot oar rafts), and paddle (6-8 person rafts) — to address different customer preferences and skill levels.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer model with a custom Resmark Systems booking platform, complemented by toll-free phone reservations, email, and a content-driven website featuring educational blog articles, river geology content, and a guest photo gallery. Ancillary revenue streams include private charter trips for groups of up to 24, on-trip souvenir sales, and small-volume military surplus river gear sales. The customer base is dominated by individual adventure travelers and family groups, with smaller volumes of educational and nonprofit group bookings (e.g., Southwest Seminars, Tracy Aviary). Operating assets are physical — proprietary river equipment, warehouse/launch facilities in Salt Lake City, Fredonia AZ, and Green River UT — and the company's competitive position rests on regulatory access, multi-generational guide expertise, and 50+ years of brand continuity rather than technology differentiation.

Name

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions

Legal name

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions

Website

https://crateinc.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions is a travel agency that provides all-inclusive rafting trips and vacations to tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism - Whitewater Rafting Expeditions

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting expeditions
• Guided river adventures
• Grand Canyon rafting
• Multi-day river trips
• Wilderness rafting tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Multi-Day Rafting Expeditions: Primary revenue stream from guided multi-day river expeditions including Grand Canyon (3-11 days), Cataract Canyon, Desolation Canyon, Westwater Canyon, and Alaska rivers. Pricing ranges from $995 to $7,200 per person depending on trip duration and destination. Additional fees may include backcountry flights ($309) and BLM fees ($40).
2. Day Rafting Trips: Single-day whitewater rafting experiences in Westwater Canyon and Utah day trips, priced at $245-$695 per person.
3. Surplus River Gear Sales: Sale of military surplus inflatable rubber side tubes, bridge pontoons, and roller tubes from Mackay Marine operations. Direct sales via phone contact with David Mackay.
4. Custom Charter Groups: Private charter trips for groups (up to 24 people) with customized dates, trip types, and group-specific logistics coordination.
5. Gear and Souvenir Sales: On-trip souvenir sales including 32oz water bottles, coffee mugs, and duffel bags. Optional purchases at CRATE warehouse and Phantom Ranch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE) operates guided, all-inclusive multi-day whitewater rafting expeditions through iconic Western U.S. and Alaskan rivers. Core offerings include 3- to 11-day Grand Canyon trips (motorized, oar-powered rowing, and paddle styles), Utah river expeditions on the Green River (Desolation Canyon), the Colorado River (Cataract Canyon, Westwater Canyon), and Alaska wilderness expeditions on the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers. Each expedition package bundles professional guides, meals, camping gear, river equipment, and multi-modal logistics (motor coach, helicopter transfers, scenic flights).

Product overview

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE) operates as a family-owned river rafting company established in 1971, offering a portfolio of guided wilderness expeditions across multiple rivers in the Western United States and Alaska. The core product portfolio consists of Grand Canyon multi-day rafting trips ranging from 3 to 11 days, available in three distinct styles: motorized (37-foot rafts with outboard motors), rowing (18-foot oar-powered rafts guided by a single rower), and paddle (guest-powered 6-8 person rafts). Additional expedition products include Cataract Canyon, Desolation Canyon (Green River), Westwater Canyon, and Alaska Tatshenshini/Alsek River trips. The company also offers specialized experiences combining ranch stays with helicopter entries/exits, charter/private group bookings, and surplus river gear sales. All trips include professional guides, meals, camping equipment, and various transportation arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grand Canyon Rafting Expeditions Multi-day guided whitewater rafting expeditions through the Grand Canyon covering 90 to 280 river miles, available in motorized, rowing/oar, and paddle raft styles. Targeted at adventure travelers and families with age-appropriate options.
• Grand Canyon 8-Day Signature Full Canyon Motorized Expedition 8-day, 7-night motorized expedition covering 280 river miles from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry aboard 37-foot motor rafts, navigating over 200 rapids. Includes round-trip motor coach from Las Vegas, professional guides, all meals, camping equipment, and river gear. Priced at $4,180 per person.
• Grand Canyon 7-Day Rafting Trip with Helicopter Exit 7-day, 6-night motorized expedition covering 188 miles from Lees Ferry to Whitmore Wash, including legendary rapids such as Hermit, Crystal, and Lava Falls. Features helicopter exit to Bar 10 Ranch and scenic flight back to Las Vegas. Priced at $4,375 per person.
• Grand Canyon 11-Day Paddle Rafting Adventure with Helicopter Exit 11-day, 10-night paddle rafting adventure covering 188 miles from Lees Ferry to Whitmore Wash, including paddling through major rapids such as Lava Falls, with helicopter exit and scenic air charter return to Las Vegas. Minimum age 16. Priced at $5,820 per person.
• Grand Canyon 11-Day Rowing & Paddle Expedition with Helicopter Exit 11-day, 10-night rowing expedition on 18-foot oar rafts covering 188 miles from Lees Ferry to Whitmore Wash with helicopter extraction. Minimum age 14. Priced at $5,820 per person.
• Grand Canyon 3-Day Ranch & Raft Adventure with Helicopter Entry 3-day, 2-night motorized expedition through the Lower Grand Canyon with a Bar 10 Ranch stay and helicopter entry/exit. Covers approximately 90 river miles. Minimum age 12. Priced at $2,080 per person.
• Grand Canyon 4-Day Ranch & Raft Rowing/Paddle Trip with Helicopter Entry 4-day, 3-night rowing/paddle expedition through the Lower Grand Canyon with Bar 10 Ranch stay and helicopter entry, including jetboat transfer and round-trip from Las Vegas. Priced at $2,470 per person.
• Cataract Canyon Rafting Guided whitewater rafting expeditions through Utah's Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River, known for powerful rapids and dramatic canyon scenery within Canyonlands.
• Desolation Canyon 5-Day Green River Rafting Trip 5-day, 4-night rowing expedition on the Green River covering 84 miles through Desolation and Gray Canyons, with a scenic flight from Green River to Sand Wash. Additional fees include a $309 backcountry flight and a $40 BLM fee. Minimum age 8. Priced at $995 per person.
• Westwater Canyon Rafting Class III-IV whitewater rafting through Westwater Canyon's black rock gorges in Utah, offered as 1-day ($245), 2-day ($595), and 3-day ($695) trips with round-trip from Green River, UT included on multi-day options.
• Alaska River Rafting (Tatshenshini & Alsek) Wilderness rafting expeditions through Alaska's Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers within Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, featuring glaciers, wildlife viewing, and remote expedition experience, with helicopter portage included. The Alsek 12-day expedition is priced at $7,200 per person.
• Charter / Private Group Trips

Quantifiable outcome

• 280 miles of river journey on full Grand Canyon expeditions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• America OutdoorsminorOthersIndustry trade association membership providing networking, best practices, and advocacy for outfitters and guides in the adventure tourism sector.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRATE is an Authorized Concessioner operating under NPS permits to conduct commercial river trips through Grand Canyon National Park and other protected wilderness areas.
• Grand Canyon River Outfitters AssociationminorOthersIndustry association representing Grand Canyon river outfitters, advocating for sustainable river management and outfitter interests.
• Leave No TraceminorOthersCRATE is a Leave No Trace Proud Partner, committed to environmental stewardship and educating guests on minimizing human impact in wilderness areas.
• Utah Guides & OutfittersminorOthersState trade association for guides and outfitters operating in Utah, providing licensing, advocacy, and industry standards.
• Unity Blaze Certified PartnerminorOthersSafety certification program for adventure tourism operators, demonstrating commitment to safety standards and best practices.
• Bar Ten RanchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner ranch on the North Rim of Grand Canyon providing helicopter landing zone, overnight accommodations, horseback riding, and activities for CRATE's Lower Grand Canyon ranch-and-raft packages. CRATE provides guests via helicopter transfers and coordinates air charter return to Las Vegas.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• OARS: OARS is a long-established multi-day whitewater rafting outfitter operating trips on the Grand Canyon, Utah rivers, and Alaska, with similar pricing tiers and guided expedition model. It is one of the most direct head-to-head competitors to CRATE in the multi-day river-running space.
• Western River Expeditions: Western River Expeditions is a Grand Canyon and Utah river outfitter offering motorized, oar, and paddle rafting trips with comparable itinerary lengths and pricing. Directly competes with CRATE for Grand Canyon NPS permit allocations and consumer bookings.
• Arizona River Runners: Arizona River Runners is a Grand Canyon specialty outfitter offering 6- to 16-day motorized and oar-powered expeditions. Comparable in product, customer profile, and Grand Canyon NPS concessioner positioning to CRATE.
• Hatch River Expeditions: Hatch River Expeditions is a family-run Grand Canyon outfitter with comparable multi-day motorized, oar, and paddle trip offerings and similar target customer. Direct competitor in the Grand Canyon NPS concessioner peer group.
• Grand Canyon Whitewater: Grand Canyon Whitewater is a long-running Grand Canyon rafting outfitter with motorized and oar trip options across similar itineraries. Competes directly with CRATE for Grand Canyon bookings and concessioner permits.
• Holiday River Expeditions: Holiday River Expeditions is a Utah-based outfitter offering multi-day trips on the Colorado and Green rivers, including Cataract Canyon and Desolation/Gray canyons. Overlaps with CRATE's Utah portfolio and shares the same regional customer base.

Broad incumbents

• REI Adventures: REI Adventures is the guided-trip arm of REI Co-op, offering multi-day rafting and hiking experiences across the U.S. and globally. A broader incumbent that competes with CRATE in the multi-day rafting segment but as part of a much wider outdoor adventure portfolio.
• Austin Adventures: Austin Adventures is a U.S.-based guided adventure travel company offering multi-day active vacations including rafting, hiking, and family itineraries. Comparable customer demographic and trip-style to CRATE, though broader in activity mix.
• Backroads: Backroads is a leading active-travel company offering guided biking, hiking, and family adventures worldwide. Comparable in premium guided-experience model and affluent customer base, though anchored in different activities than CRATE's core rafting focus.

Emerging players

• G Adventures: G Adventures is a global small-group adventure tour operator with rafting and wilderness itineraries in the Americas. Comparable in tour-operator business model and adventure-travel positioning, though more international and broader in scope than CRATE.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coloradoriverex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado River & Trail Expeditions