Mile 75.5 - Nevills Rapid

Norm and Doris Nevills were pioneers of the commercial river running industry. They began their river running careers on a honeymoon trip on the San Juan River, a stone’s throw from their home in Mexican Hat, Utah. In 1938 Norm made his first Grand Canyon trip with plywood “Cataract” boats. The river party included the first women to boat the Grand Canyon, a botanist from the University of Michigan named Elzada Clover and her budding student Lois Jotter. Nevills and his eager crew earnestly worked their way through the canyon, shining through uncertain conditions and mishaps. At the end of their voyage on Lake Mead, Nevills and crew had made Grand Canyon history. Norm and Doris ran Grand Canyon on a handful of occasions over the next decade, tragically both died in a plane crash in 1949.