View Full Version : White Water Rafting,
Zatticus
April 8th, 2010, 10:26 AM
This summer, I want to go on a 3-4 day White Water Rafting trip, and wanted to see if anybody else would be interested in that, and/or where the best place is to go for beginners to learn and still have fun.
; )
Haku
April 8th, 2010, 11:51 AM
Rafting, you won't need to learn unless you really want to guide the boat. Kayaking is another thing. 3 or 4 days is hard to do in Colorado unless you want to connect a bunch of different runs. You could maybe do the upper Colorado that way, starting at the Pumphouse BLM campsite and going for a day or two that way. You could potentially go all the way to I-70 (river joins in at the Dotsero exit just east of Glenwood Canyon). Its a pretty mellow stretch of river, has several BLM sites and some public land along the river to stay at. There is one class 3 rapid (Yarmony), and one class 4 rapid(Rodeo Rapid, which is near Burns, CO), but otherwise its mostly class 2 and flatwater. No company that I know of does a multi day on that, so you'd have to figure out how to do that on your own.
Most of the really good multi day trips are in Utah canyon country. Getting a reservation for a private non-commercial trip takes having entered a lottery drawing about 3 months ago or so. The only trips that are not are West Water(if you've driven to Moab you've seen the highway sign) and Cataract Canyon (starts a couple miles downstream of Moab). Westwater is a solid class IV run, and I would recommend only going if you have been rafting before. Its a ton of fun though, and you spend most of the time in a deep deep canyon with the cliff walls coming right down to the river. I'd say the guide of the raft needs to be rather experienced, but if you aren't guiding then just about anybody could go as long as they can paddle.
Cataract Canyon is the other easy to get on trip, and while you do need a permit, its not hard to get one. I've been on it twice, both times at low water. Nothing hard on it at those levels. The downside to Cataract, is that no matter how you swing it, there is 50 miles of flatwater before you see any rapids. Its two long days of rowing to get passed that. You can hire a jetboat to take you down, but its kind of expensive. On top of that, the take out is on Lake Powell at Hite Marina, and depending on the lake level there is a real potential for more flatwater after the rapids too. The first time I went, it was a bunch of flatwater leading up to Hite, and we rented a boat to pull the rafts. The second time, they had lowered the level of the lake significantly, and we rode the current all the way to Hite marina. Not sure the lake level right now, but its a factor. The character of Cataract changes significantly with more water too, and becomes a very serious run. When it peaks, it has been know to flip a 30 foot raft (a very large boat by whitewater standards) and for a few years the BLM actually had 400hp Zodiacs below the rapids to pull people and gear out. The combination of lots of flatwater and rowing (or renting a power boat, or rigging a motor to your raft) makes it one of the less traveled trips. Still a spectactular run though, and you spend most of the time in 1000 foot deep sandstone canyons.
You can do a commercial trip on any of the main runs in Utah, which includes Gates of Lodore, Desolation Canyon, Yampa River, and a couple others. Lodore is the ideal trip, as you can do it in 3 or 4 days, has lots of cool side hikes and fun rapids class 3 rapids and a couple 4's (Hells Half Mile being the big one). It is located in Dinosaur National Monument. Desolation Canyon is another good one, the hardest rapid being a class 2+, and good side hikes too. The downside is that after the middle of May, there is a major Mosquito issue. I did it in June or July a couple times, and I have literally never seen more Mosquito's then the put-in for that run. Its literally a fog of mosquito's. No bare sleeves, and bring a bug net mask, cause if you don't you'll get eaten alive.
I've done all of the runs I listed at least once, and many of them multiple times. They take a substantial amount of planning and you have to have the equipment or know someone who does. The only ones we could do now without going on a commercial trip are Westwater or Cataract, and that would take finding a raft and other basic supplies. Expect to pay quite a bit for a Commerical trip too. Haven't looked, but I know that alot of them can be $800 or more a head.
The last idea I had, was to do a combination wheeling and rafting trip in the Arkansas Valley. Some really good rafting there, and also some really fun trails of all sorts nearby. Plenty of places to camp too. I think there might be a multi day commerical trip up there too, and if you get the gear together there is the potential for a multi day private trip there as well. Some areas have touchy land use issues, but as long as you are aware of it, its not a big problem.
JH
Zatticus
April 8th, 2010, 07:10 PM
The last idea I had, was to do a combination wheeling and rafting trip in the Arkansas Valley. Some really good rafting there, and also some really fun trails of all sorts nearby. Plenty of places to camp too. I think there might be a multi day commerical trip up there too, and if you get the gear together there is the potential for a multi day private trip there as well. Some areas have touchy land use issues, but as long as you are aware of it, its not a big problem.
Thanks for all of the info, if you decide to go on that Wheeling/rafting trip, I'd be interested in that, for sure.
: )
How much should I expect gear to cost, rentals, minor raft rides, etc.?
Haku
April 8th, 2010, 07:32 PM
Not many places that will rent a raft setup to you. AlpenGlow out of Golden were doing it while back, but not sure if they still do. Purchasing a bare bones rafting setup would probably be $2k (raft, frame, oars, and maybe a cooler), so thats largely out of the question for most of us. Something like that will be old too, and not in the best shape.
There are like 60 different raft companies in the Arkansas Valley, and most of them charge $60-70 for a half day trip and $100-110 for a full day trip (includes lunch). They provide transportation to the river from their hub or a meeting spot, and all the gear you'll need/want, including a wetsuit (most require wetsuits for early to mid season runs). Obviously the more people go, the bigger price break you can find. I'm sure there are cheaper places that will go under the amounts above too. I could see about wrangling some of the guys on www.mountainbuzz.com that own equipment or guide for a company, and see if they'll cut us a deal if we let them come on the wheeling part. Throwing a case of beer their way is always appreciated too, since most of the guides live out a tent for the summer and don't make a ton of money.
Just looked up what the multi day Utah trips cost. A 4 day Lodore trip is between $750-850 depending on the company. 2 day Westwater is $300-350. These are "all inclusive" meaning they provide everything but the clothes on your back and maybe a few basic necessity stuff. The guides cook for ya, setup and teardown camp, and make sure its all decent. I've even seen some companies bring Ice Cream on a trip. Taking that into consideration, you would spent that much money on hotels, and thats just for the room. Other option is to try and get on someones private trip, but that usually takes knowing someone personally or getting really lucky.
JH
MissyJ
April 8th, 2010, 08:21 PM
Rookies.....Get some inter-tubes, tie them all together, strap the cooler down in the middle and GIVER ER HELL!!!!! ;)
Chris
April 8th, 2010, 08:34 PM
Why tie them together? Tube the river!
Haku
April 8th, 2010, 08:43 PM
heheee.......go ahead.......but just promise you'll use a PFD that is rated for whitewater by the Coast Guard. Seen too many dumbass drunk people get into scary situations tubing without them.
JH
Rob
April 8th, 2010, 08:50 PM
dumbass drunk people
Brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.
Haku
April 8th, 2010, 08:53 PM
what.......all people are dumbasses? Of course I both resemble and recognize that fact. Drunk.....that just adds to both the dumb and the ass part.
JH
Zatticus
April 8th, 2010, 09:08 PM
Drunk.....that just adds to both the dumb and the ass part.
Basically, thats a win.
Hey chris; How do you make your smileys?
I want to make on now.
;)
One for"Win" or "Epic Win"
They go together
: )
MissyJ
April 8th, 2010, 09:13 PM
Every man for himself (natural selection) . Just save the beer....Does it count if we write PFD on the inter-tube :rolleyes:
JeffX
April 8th, 2010, 09:20 PM
It'll be about $100/day per person for a guided trip.
1-800-INARAFT http://www.inaraft.com/
You need a guide unless you choose an easy section. What fun is easy?
Chris
April 8th, 2010, 10:01 PM
Hey chris; How do you make your smileys?
I don't, there are plenty already done for me to spend time on them. Lots - http://www.planetsmilies.com/
No, I won't add any more. ;)
Zatticus
April 8th, 2010, 10:18 PM
No, I won't add any more.
D;
Such a dissapointment.
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