A Good Place for Whitewater Rafting? (Canon City, Eagle: safety, best, company)

[bluescreen73]

Everyone gets so sucked into rafting the Poudre or the Arkansas that they forget about the Yampa River in Northwestern Colorado.

The Yampa, an epic trek - The Denver Post

[treedonkey]

Anyone know anything about FLATWATER rafting (or canoeing/kayaking)? Someplace I can tour on my own, without extended class 4 or higher rapids, on a full-day or multi-day trip? In other words, something flat like a lake but larger (or longer) than a reservoir. And I'd prefer not to have to drive into another state for it.

Or just a place to do a 'float trip'. A float trip is like a rafting trip, but with easy rapids that you can just in a tube or small raft with lifejackets but no technical equipments or guides needed. PS: Please don't lecture me if you're a commercial rafter and believe non-guided 'float trips' are irresponsible and/or dangerous.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by treedonkey

Anyone know anything about FLATWATER rafting (or canoeing/kayaking)? Someplace I can tour on my own, without extended class 4 or higher rapids, on a full-day or multi-day trip? In other words, something flat like a lake but larger (or longer) than a reservoir. And I'd prefer not to have to drive into another state for it.

Or just a place to do a 'float trip'. A float trip is like a rafting trip, but with easy rapids that you can just in a tube or small raft with lifejackets but no technical equipments or guides needed. PS: Please don't lecture me if you're a commercial rafter and believe non-guided 'float trips' are irresponsible and/or dangerous.

I'll plug the Yampa again lol. You can tube it from Steamboat Springs to Craig in a day during the early summer without any whitewater.

[McGowdog]

Well I'll plug the Arkansas River to include Brown's Canyon (best), The Numbers (pretty good but technical, as in a lot of paddling around rocks depending on the water flow), and then the Royal Gorge (ok, but a lot of paddling usually).

I don't know if this was mentioned in this thread, but I know it is mentioned in the links; if you're a novice and say you're not a good swimmer that's ok.

The goal is not to swim even if you are a good swimmer. One good rock across the head and you're no longer a swimmer. Your goal should be to just stay in the raft. The best way to do this is to go on an oar boat instead of having 6 to 8 paddlers. Then you are merely a raft ornament, but the views are just as good.

If you should wind up in the river, try to grab ahold of the raft or someone's arm (or whatever! Don't be shy.) before you sink or float downstream. Keep ahold of your paddle or steal one on the way out because this is useful later. Now get in a seated position with your feet out front and if you can breathe air and you're not in the water stuck in the current, paddle to the shore and get out! It's just your life you're fighting for here. If you find yourself underwater, relax and wait. If you feel like you're in a washing machine, relax as best as you can and let the current take you down until it kicks you out. When you see daylight, breathe and don't get your head knocked by a rock. Then get out or look for a throw rope and pray.

Good luck and have fun!

Fastforward response to Treedonkey; Oh, sorry if that was complicated. It wasn't intended to be. It just came from falling out of the raft experience. I swam a few times this way; my first swim was about 2.5 minutes right after Sidel's Suckhole and it was a nice little splashy. My last swim was a 10 minute 2 mile jaunt through Down Shoots Rapid in the Eagle River and I thought I was gonna die. A few kayakers were even impressed. I jumped into the river off a cliff once and when I hit the river I wondered, "Why the heck did I do this?" Once you're in that cold river, you understand the term Higher Power.

[treedonkey]

Thanks Gowdog, I'll be sure to print that message and bring it with me so i can read it if I'm about to dump.
Seriously, thanks for the info, both of you, I'll explore those routes sometime.

[BetterThanAliens]

When does the whitewater rafting season usually end? It's looking like the first week of September. True?

Any suggestions on a company to raft with?

[jim9251]

A few weeks ago while driving along HWY 50 between Gunnison and Canon City I stopped to watch the rafters on the Arkansas River. Granted this was Saturday, but it looked like I-70 at a Denver rush hour. The rafts were bumper to bumper and the trout fishermen were running for their lives. Didn't look like a good time at all. When I return I want to try rafting, but on a weekday I think.

[Charles22]

I think the OP might want to learn to swim, first.

[wanneroo]

Going rafting and not being able to swim is a recipe for a short life. I've been loose on my own in the Colorado River and only my skills of reaching the lifeguard level of swimming saved me.

I remember a few years ago there was a staggering death toll of kayakers and rafters on the Arkansas. Seemed almost like one a day.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by wanneroo

I remember a few years ago there was a staggering death toll of kayakers and rafters on the Arkansas. Seemed almost like one a day.

Yes, and less than 1% of those who died were wearing properly fitting life jackets. I'm not saying basic swimming skills are not important - THEY ARE - but even Michael Phelps could not swim his way out of a Class V hole without a PFD, especially if he was knocked unconscious on the way out of the raft.

Ideally, you should be able to swim 100 yards without panicking and you should be able to tread water for at least 10 minutes or so, but far more important than that is a good, form fitting like jacket that won't hike up on you and that will keep you on your back so that when you gasp for air in the ice cold water you won't be breathing in a gallon of water instead of oxygen. Kokotat is a good, reliable brand which sells real whitewater-worthy lifejackets, but there are others. A helmet is a must as well.