Aspen Rafting
Blazing Adventures, Inc.
Serving Aspen and Snowmass, Colorado
- Location:
P.O. Box 5068
Snowmass Village, CO 81615
- Link: www.blazingadventures.com
- Description: Aspen Rafting Trips
- Contact: 970-923-4544
- Map: N/A
Breckenridge Rafting
KODI Rafting
Breckenridge, Vail, Copper, Keystone and Leadville, Colorado
- Location: P.O. Box 4275 - Frisco, CO 80443
- Link: http://www.whitewatercolorado.com
- Description: Located on Summit Blvd., in Frisco, our office
is in the heart of Summit County - just minutes from Breckenridge,
Vail, Dillon and Copper Mountain, with additional offices
in Buena Vista and Kremmling. Our whitewater rafting season
begins in May and goes through September, offering whitewater
river trips for all ages and ability levels. From mild,
float trips to wild whitewater, KODI has something for everyone.Our
company has been in business for 20 years, taking everyone
from families to enthusiasts on memorable Breckenridge rafting trips
along Colorado’s most scenic rivers.
- Contact: 877-747-RAFT
- Map: Get
Directions
- Make Reservations: > Click Here
Crested Butte Rafting
Black Canyon Anglers and Rafting Trips
Serving Crested Butte and Gunnison, Colorado
- Location: P.O. Box 180, 2474 J-50,
Austin, CO 81410
- Link: www.blackcanyonanglers.com
- Description: Crested Butte rafting
- Contact: 970-835-5050
- Map: N/A
Three Rivers Resort and Outfitting, Rafting Tours
Serving Crested Butte, Gunnison and Alamont, Colorado
- Location: 130 County Rd. 742 or
P.O. Box 339, Almont, CO 81210
- Link: www.3riversoutfitting.com
- Description: N/A
- Contact: 888-761-FISH (3474)
- Map: N/A
Grand Junction Rafting
Adventure Bound River Expeditions
Grand Junction, Colorado
- Location:
Grand Junction, CO 81505
- Link: www.raft-colorado.com
- Description: Grand Junction Rafting Trips
- Contact: Phone: 970-245-5428
Toll Free: 800-423-4668
- Map: N/A
Durango Rafting
Mild To Wild Raft and Jeep Trail Tours
Durango, Colorado
- Location: 50 Animas View Dr. Durango, Colorado 81301
- Link: www.mild2wildrafting.com
- Description: Durango Rafting Trips. Mild to Wild offers rafting trips in Colorado, Arizona and Utah. For Colorado, travel the Dolores River, the Upper and Lower Animas, the Piedras River and the San Miguel River. Choose your Colorado rafting trip by intensity or by location...they also have "four corners" packages available, combining rafting, trains and jeep tours. A great way to get to know the southwest.
- Contact: Toll Free: 800-567-6745 or 970-247-4789
- Map: N/A
Durango Rivertrippers
Durango, Colorado
- Location:
720 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301
- Link: www.durangorivertrippers.com
- Description: Durango Rivertrippers can honestly say they are the first river outfitter licensed by the State of Colorado. Founded in 1985, this Colorado rafting company offers every combination of trip possible, from 2 hours to six days, for beginners or experienced riders. Locally owned and family run.
- Contact: 800-292-2885
- Map: N/A
Flexible Flyers
Durango, Colorado
- Location:
2344 C.R. 225
Durango, CO 81301
- Link: www.flexibleflyersrafting.com
- Description: Great rates and family friendly. Durango rafting trips for every level of experience. They also have inflatable kayaks for an alternative adventure.
- Contact: 970-247-4628
- Map: N/A
Mountain Waters Rafting
Durango, Colorado
- Location: P.O. Box 2681, Durango, Colorado 81301
- Link: http://durangorafting.com
- Description: Mountain Waters Rafting is a family oriented Durango rafting outfitter with over 25 years of experience. They offer every type of trip, from half day, full day and even trips that leave on the hour. You can even rent out their wilderness camp for the night with their family. Ask about their group rates and kayak adventures.
- Contact: 970-259-4191 or
800-585-8243
- Map: N/A
Peregrine River Outfitters
Durango, Colorado
- Location:
1430 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301
- Link: www.peregrineriver.com
- Description: Peregrine River Outfitters has been proudly providing quality outfitting services to the public since 1975. They provide Durango rafting trips on seven rivers in the area. Peregrine River offers 2 hour, half day and full day trips, as well as wilderness adventures that last up to tend days depending on your needs. For the top quality Colorado rafting experience from some of the best guides around.
- Contact: Toll Free: 1-800-598-7600 or 1-970-385-7600
- Map: N/A
Outlaw River and Jeep Tours
Durango, Colorado
- Location: 700 Main Ave.
Durango , CO 81301
- Link: www.outlawtours.com
- Description: Every combination of adventure activity is possible with Outlaw River and Jeep Tours; you will see more of Southwestern Colorado in one day than you thought possible. From whitewater rafting tours, jeep tours, hummer tours, the jeep and train combination tour and ATV rides, they have it all.
- Contact: 970-259-1800 or 877-259-180
- Map: N/A
Southwest Whitewater
Durango, Colorado
- Location:
1430 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301
- Link: http://swwhitewater.com
- Description: N/A
- Contact: 800-989-9792
- Map: N/A
Mountain Whitewater Descents
Fort Collins, Colorado
A Wanderlust Adventure
Fort Collins, Colorado
- Location:
3500 Bingham Road
Fort Collins, CO 8052
- Link: www.awanderlustadventure.com
- Description: Rocky Mountain Whitewater Rafting Trips
- Contact: 800-745-7238
- Map: N/A
RIGS Fly Shop and Rafting Guide Service
Ridgway, Colorado
- Location: 565 Sherman, #2
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2086
Ridgway, CO 81432
- Link: www.fishrigs.com
- Description: RIGS is an instructional school, a guide service and a fly shop. They offer river rafting for Ouray and Telluride, from family rafting trips, float trips to more challenging whitewater rafting trips down the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers.
- Contact: 1-888-626-4460
- Map: N/A
Telluride Rafting
Further Adventure Raft Trips, Kayaking and Fly Fishing
Telluride, Colorado
- Location: Telluride, Colorado
- Link: www.furtheradventures.com
- Description: Telluride Rafting Trips
- Contact: Toll Free: 800-592-6883 or 970-728-8954
- Map: N/A
Telluride Outside Rafting and Fly Fishing
Telluride, Colorado
- Location:
Physical: 730 Main Street, Ouray, Colorado 81427
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1596, Beaver, UT
84713
- Link: www.tellurideoutside.com
- Description: Telluride Rafting
- Contact: Toll Free: 800-831-6230 or 970-728-3895
- Map: N/A
San Miguel Anglers and Rafting Trips
Telluride, Colorado
- Location: P.O. Box 1140
Telluride, CO 81435
- Link: www.sanmiguelanglers.com
- Description: Colorado Rafting. Offers half and full day rafting trips from class II to class IV. Lunch provided.
- Contact: 970-728-4477
- Map: N/A
|
Our team at Aspen 9 is a mix of 20 and 30 somethings...of course, some of us are single, and some married with kids, but we all wanted to find some adventures we could all do together. Its one of the perks and we maximize it as best and as often as possible. and we were ready to explore the area. However, we couldn't agree on just one trip so we decided to do several of the best trips out there and see as much of Summit County as possible.
We kicked off with a gorgeous trip down the historic Colorado River. This was the perfect way for all of us to participate since we had kids along that were as young as 4 years old. The drive from Breckenridge was a quick 45 minutes to the KODI Rafting office by the river. We were greeted by a staff of friendly, helpful (and really good looking) raft guides. Immediately we were all laughing and chatting away as if we were old friends. It was an ideal group trip, the younger kids stayed in the big raft with their parents and the rest of us got to man our own Inflatable Kayaks (called Duckies) down the river! All but one of us were first time kayakers, but after our guides gave us a thorough safety/operation talk everyone was ready to tackle the river. The kids had a great time; they paid absolutely no attention to us, just laughed the whole way through the breathtaking Little Gore Canyon....one of the kids spotted a gorgeous bald eagle, definitely his highlight of the day.
We took it easy as our guides cooked up some lunch, sharing their PG war stories and promising us "the real version" over a beer at the end of the trip. We got to hike and explore dinosaur tracks, and even stop and soak in a natural hot spring. That is the real deal; there is absolutely nothing like a natural jacuzzi in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, nothing.
We came back a few days later for an adventure down the
Blue River. This trip was only for bigger kids (7 and up) and adults, but we wanted to grab it because we heard it only runs at a good level for few weeks each season. This was Breckenridge whitewater rafting at its best...we were rafting through Colorado State and National Forest areas surrounded by lush Aspen trees and 14,000 ft snow covered peaks. The
class III rapids were awesome, not too scary for the kids,
but we were all soaked from head to toe. We slept well
that night.
We had a couple extra days with good weather, so we decided
to take a last journey a bit farther south of Breckenridge
and into the town of Buena Vista. Gorgeous drive. We were now ready for the Arkansas River, but there's a lot to choose from on one river so we decide to bring the tent and make it a three day adventure. This way we could experience what you would see on the half and full day Class II-III Browns Canyon trip as well a separate trip on the more aggressive Class IV Numbers section. The first day we choose the Browns Canyon full day trip with lunch and met at the KODI office in Buena Vista. The trip began with some mellow class II, and then we dropped into Browns Canyon, we hit 6 class III rapids in 7 miles. The weather was much warmer than in Breckenridge, sunny and dry as we paddled through this incredible canyon. Light sandstone walls expertly shaved and carved by wind and water over thousands of years. We are also surrounded by the 14,000 ft Collegeit Peaks and tons of wildlife. After the fun we had getting soaked through rapids like Pinball and Zoom Floom, we had lunch on the beach and prepared for the last (and biggest) rapids of the day, Twin Falls and Sidells Suckhole! Colorado whitewater rafting at its most real! We got to scout out our lines, then we ran it clean...but wow what a rush! After our trip our guide told us about some great Hot Springs pools up the road; a great way to end the day. We needed a good nights rest for the next mornings trip on the Class IV Numbers a higher stretch on the Arkansas River. The Numbers is for experienced boaters only. Some of the Aspen 9 crew stayed with the kids and those of us who felt we were up for it went out. We chose the half day, 7 aggressive rapids in 8 miles. Ty and Krista were the senior guides today and told us what to expect along the way, and that our job was to listen and paddle. The river was high and the rapids were stellar, we hit holes and drops and got hammered by the water...it was great! You could see that our knew how to read this river, we work the river together in awe of it's strength. Back
to the hot springs to soak shoulders later. This is one
of the best parts.
Last Clear Creek in Idaho Springs, our last trip to experience! We split up the group for this one, the kids 7 & under ran the mellow stretch 1/3 day trip. The rest of us went for a full day class III-IV. Though the water is icy snow melt, it's also fun and fast. The canyon was had a steep grade and the walls were narrow. Our guides, Campy, Kristen, TY, and Tim were all veteran boaters on this stretch and prepared us for what to expect and how to work together the entire way. This trip is serious business, they were focused and had us in sync the entire time. We saved the laughs and easy conversation for the rest time as we dried out over hot lunch ...bring on the carobs, we needed it to fuel the team through the rest of the class IV rapids to come.
It was a great trip; challenging and exhilarating and scenic. We can't wait to go back.
HELPFUL TIPS:
If the whole "Class II-III" thing confuses you, here are the terms explained:
Class I: Slowly moving calm water.
Class II: small wave train, wide canyons or passages, few if any obstacles, not much grade.
Class III: A lot of splash but not too technical for most beginners. Passages can be more narrow, some obstacles.
Class IV: These are high rapids that last for long stretches through narrow passages. These require very accurate maneuvering skills and provides quite an adrenaline rush. Long, fairly difficult rapids, narrow passages, turbulent water that requires precise maneuvering and sends hearts racing.
Class V: Take a Class IV rapid and add spins, twists and prepare to work extremely hard. For advanced rafters/adrenaline junkies only.
Class VI: Yes, this exists, and no, we aren't even going to talk about it. Extreme to say the very least.
For more answers, don't take it from us, take it from our guides!
FAQ here!
To learn more about Breckenridge rafting trips, or rafting anywhere in Summit County, please Click Here for details.
-The Aspen 9 Team
|
