David Dexter Rust, born in Payson, Utah, in March, 1874, was the first commercial guide on the Colorado River, yet his contributions to river running are often overlooked. His connection to the river he called the “silvery Colorado” began in 1897 when he traveled from his boyhood home in Caineville, Utah at age 23 to join his brothers, Will and Orion, at their Glen Canyon gold claim. In 1899, Dave met Nathaniel Galloway, who soon taught Dave how to row a boat. In 1906 Rust returned to the Colorado River but this time downriver in the Grand Canyon. He supervised the building of the North Kaibab Trail (first trail from the North Rim down to the river), established Rusts Camp (the forerunner of Phantom Ranch), and he built the cable tramway across the river. There he met Emery and Ellsworth Kolb who became his lifelong friends. It is said that Rust spent many hours rowing up and down the river corridor in a foldboat style canvas canoe and reportedly taught Ellsworth how to row. 

In 1923, Rust became the first guide to offer outfitted river trips on the Colorado River System through Glen Canyon and in 1925 Rust guided the first women down the Colorado River: his daughter, Emma Rust, and a passenger, Maude Oastler. His river voyages were often the culmination of long, multi-week pack trips. Imagine three weeks on horseback exploring the Colorado Plateau; then riding down to Dandy Crossing (later known as Hite Crossing) in Glen Canyon and finding two canvas boats waiting for you to continue your explorations. Bert Loper was often his second boatman, other times Emery Kolb or one of Rust’s sons. Rust continued running river expeditions through 1939.