Best Time To Whitewater Raft In Colorado

Best Time To Whitewater Raft In Colorado – Colorado offers many exciting adventures at all times of the year. The rafting season begins in late spring and continues through fall; Shipping lasts a long time. If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit the beautiful state of Colorado, you’re missing out on sunny weather, beautiful scenery, and great people.

The typical rafting season in Colorado is from May to October, depending on where you go. ADA offers several trips on various rivers throughout the state. Some of our most popular rivers are the Arkansas River, Clear Creek and the Upper Colorado River. The best time to stay on the water in these rivers is between May and September.

Best Time To Whitewater Raft In Colorado

Although these rivers flow during the same summer months, they are so different in terms of experience that choosing when and where you want to go can be difficult. If you’re looking for a float trip or a more extreme trip, check out what the ADA has to offer up the Colorado River. Gore Canyon is a Class 5 but the water at the bottom of the canyon is smooth and soft.

Beginner White Water Rafting Adventures In Colorado

If you’re looking for an overnight trip with a variety of whitewater, check out the Arkansas River. If you ever get a chance to visit Granite, CO the Arch (as the locals like to call it) is a wonderful river. This place also has zip lining and rock climbing!

Last but not least, if you’re looking for fun near downtown Denver, check out Clear Creek. It’s only about 30 minutes from Denver, so if you don’t have time, you can still make time to go rafting this summer! There are many options on each of these rivers, but the next step is to find your ideal trip.

All the snow we get in the winter in Colorado makes for a great rafting season. High water in summer is what we are looking for with melting snow. There are some crazy rapids in early June if you’re looking for one. We find that mid-June is the best date to join us for the trip as the water is still and slightly warmer! A late river release in the season means great rafting time in the fall.

Finding the right time to go rafting involves many different factors. Here at AVA Rafting and Ziplining, we know you’ll never be disappointed with your time on the river. Early summer, mid-summer or autumn offers a variety of fun options on all three rivers. Ask a non-native Coloradoan how they got here, and their story is likely to include something about staying for the summer despite coming for the winter. . It’s not unusual for the state’s famous snow-capped peaks to be the opening act. The star of the show, however, is often the spring sun that melts that mountain snow and flows through Colorado’s rivers in the summer and early fall.

If You Want To Raft The Grand Canyon, Prepare To Sign Up Far In Advance

For a landlocked state known for its ski resorts, there are plenty of places to play in the water after the lifts close.

As with many ski resorts, river and raft trips are available for all levels of paddlers. Just as you have to plan for proper clothing and equipment before climbing Mt., so do some preparations before going rafting. Whether the goal is a scenic float or an exciting thrill, there are tours – and rivers – suitable for both.

Beginners interested in whitewater rafting should “start small and work your way up,” says Travis Hochard, a guide with River Runners in Buena Vista. He suggests finding a reputable outfitter for a low-risk “light” raft trip or family float.

Score information is available for all rivers, although it can be confusing because each body of water has different density gradients. Fluctuating water levels combined with Colorado’s hurricane season can make the river easier one day and more difficult the next.

Best Colorado Springs Whitewater Rafting Trips

Class I waters are characterized by no significant waves or obstructions. Medium rapids and wide channels are typical for Class II. A more complex maneuver can be expected in Class III water due to the narrow passages and number of obstacles encountered. Class IV is for advanced paddlers who are adept at dealing with fast moving water and serious channels. Class V waters should only be attempted by experts due to steep chutes, difficult passages and tough rapids with little time to rest between each obstacle. Finally, even though they are Class VI waters, they are considered unsettled.

Hochard suggests that less experienced floaters wait until July and August to hit the river, as the snow is usually slower and the water a little calmer. For rafting during peak hours – which vary but are usually late May and early June – be prepared with a wetsuit or splash top.

The general consensus among experienced guides is that the Arkansas River (through Milk Run and Cottonwood Canyon) is an ideal spot for beginners because its relatively steady rapids make for easy trips for the whole family. Another good entry-level location is Clear Creek, but the family-friendly section is not long in Arkansas.

The higher level of difficulty at Royal Gorge is more suitable for families with older children. With some of the most stunning whitewater in the state, if not the country, people looking for Instagram-worthy photos need only lift their jaws from the bottom of the boat two miles from the highway, where pictures of the dramatic peaks towering above fill. their social. Media feeds even after half a day of travel.

Best Rivers To Raft In Colorado

In addition to Royal Gorge, Brown’s Canyon and Numbers (both in Arkansas) are great spots for advanced hikes for more athletic and adventurous pursuits.

Whatever you choose, don’t take a rafting trip thinking it’s a walk in the park. Ben Sack, who has been guiding rafting trips for 23 years and works with the city’s Echo Canyon River Expeditions with Ca, says the biggest risk he sees is people not considering their own limits.

“They assume that a rafting outfit will keep them safe anyway,” says Sack. “Don’t do that. If you misrepresent your physical and mental abilities and things go wrong down stream, you are putting yourself in a very dangerous position.

If you don’t heed the guide on how to protect yourself in an emergency, the danger starts as soon as you’re dry. They offer tips that can make the difference between a good day and a very bad one.

Rafting Glenwood Canyon: What To Expect

“If you get out of the boat and into the river, don’t stand up,” Hochard warned. “You can put your foot on a rock and be pushed by the current.”

Sack also says that if you’re on a basic guided float tour, you’ll never fall off the boat.

If you are on the wrong side of the raft (ie in the water) and can’t get back, fall over. Lie on your back with your legs in front of you and float down until you have safe access to find and exit.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t do it alone. If you have a life jacket and your cell phone in a ziplock bag, a lot can go wrong. If the boat capsizes, gets stuck, or gets lost, your dry cell phone will do you no good if there is no cell service and no one is working out a rescue strategy with you.

Whitewater Rafting Tips

If you’re going without a professional guide, it’s important to plan how you’re going to get from point A to point B, so you have a plan – and a plan B too, because if you get off course, the raft. . You have no alternative.

Half-day family floats are $37 for children and $47 for adults, while more advanced tours start at $37-$90 for children and $45-$115 for adults. Some gear is included in the tour price, although tips are not. For half-day tours, a tip of $5-$7 per person is standard, while $7-$10 per person is more appropriate for full-day tours. The Rocky Mountains are known for the epic whitewater rivers they produce, and Colorado can boast that. A fair share of the best places to go rafting. From the Arkansas River to the Animas, more than a dozen rivers are commercially rafted.

We highlight the most popular and best rivers for whitewater rafting in Colorado. You can find these bodies of water in every corner of the Rockies. The main white water rafting season is between June and September depending on the conditions. in the former

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