Support the Proposed Browns Canyon Wilderness

Browns Canyon “boasts some of Colorado’s most pristine forests, great hunting and fishing habitat, and draws outdoor enthusiasts from across Colorado and the country during nearly every season,” – Former Senator Ken Salazar.

Just below Sugarloaf Mountain, and a few miles north of Salida, where the Arkansas River runs north-to-south through Browns Canyon, lies some of the most beautiful land in Colorado. The rugged nature of the country, with its low rocky hills, semi-desert climate, and proliferation of wildlife makes it unique. Granite canyon walls line the rushing Arkansas River. It also makes it ideal for outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, camping, hunting, and white water rafting. The lack of rainfall and arid climate also make it uniquely fragile and more susceptible to damage from human activities.

Wilderness areas protect watersheds and forests, protect wildlife species and their habitats, and preserve the pristine solitude of the environment for those who appreciate the natural beauty of the wilderness, today and in future generations.

In addition to protecting the fragile and beautiful eco-system of the Browns Canyon area, the proposed Wilderness would protect the numerous recreational opportunities the proposed Wilderness area affords. Browns Canyon is one of the most popular white water rafting destinations in the world. Browns Canyon of the Arkansas River is a beautiful boulder-strewn river where the whitewater is lively and constant, and there is something for every skill level, featuring exciting whitewater rapids like Pinball, Zoom-Flume, Big Drop, Seven Stairs and Widow-maker. The proposed Wilderness would protect the natural beauty of the area, and help preserve one of the best river-rafting destinations in Colorado.

Unfortunately, although it has numerous supporters among Colorado outdoor enthusiasts and Colorado congressmen and women, past and present, progress toward making the area a protected Wilderness has stalled. Please write your congress-person and tell them to support the proposed Browns Canyon Wilderness, or visit http://brownscanyon.org/ for more information and how to help. View here for more information about Browns Canyon or Arkansas River white water rafting trips.

Colorado White Water Spotlight: Royal Gorge Rafting

White water rafting in the magnificent Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River, in the shadow of the famous Royal Gorge Bridge, is one of the most exhilarating and visually stunning (and popular) river-rafting trips in Colorado. Formed by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains around the Arkansas River over three million years ago, the Royal Gorge boasts one of the most dramatic canyons in Colorado, the world’s highest suspension bridge, and remains one of the most recognizable natural scenes in America.

In addition to the scenery, the Royal Gorge boasts some of the most extreme, exciting white water rafting in Colorado, featuring Class IV white water rapids and a pulse-pounding succession of big drops. Rapids in the Royal Gorge include Sunshine Falls, Sledgehammer, Wall Slammer, Corkscrew, the Narrows, Boat Eater and Soda Pop Rock.

Wilderness Aware Rafting offers a full-day Royal Gorge rafting trip. We spend the morning warming up in the exciting (but less intense) Lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon. After a picnic lunch we enter the Royal Gorge, for drop after drop of pounding whitewater and spectacular views of the canyon (which in some places is over 1000 feet high!) and the Royal Gorge Bridge.

Be aware that Royal Gorge rafting isn’t for everyone. Due to the intensity of the rapids (class IV) and necessary skill level we recommend that only experienced rafters in good physical condition attempt the trip. For rafters who have already mastered the Royal Gorge, we also recommend the even-more-intense Numbers section of the Arkansas River. View here for information or to book a Royal Gorge rafting or Arkansas River white water rafting trip.

The Best White Water Rafting Conditions since 1995

Wilderness Aware Rafting CEO Joe Greiner has heard it over and over again this year. A customer will call the Buena Vista offices of the Colorado rafting company and ask: “Are you open this year?” The answer is a resounding yes. Says Greiner, who’s ran the show at Wilderness Aware for the last 25 years:

“We have had an amazing runoff season so far. With double last year’s snowpack, we have had lower and more consistent flows than last season. It has been perfect conditions for high adventure seekers.”

Yet the myth that Colorado rivers are flooded and unsuitable for white water rafting trips remains strong. Misled by media reports of high water levels and images of roaring rivers following record spring snowfalls, many people have been hesitant to get into the white water this season. The reality is that while the big spring snowfalls have raised the water levels in Colorado’s rivers, cooler spring and early summer temperatures have moderated run-off rates, creating ideal conditions for Colorado river rafting and setting up an extended season. Because the of slow snow melt, the spring storms in Colorado have become a gift that will keep on giving to rafting enthusiasts deep into the summer.

“July and August will be the best rafting conditions we have had since 1995,” says Greiner. “The snow has been melting slowly this summer so that we have the water flows that are often in the river in June combined with great July and August weather.”

Rafting companies across Colorado are gearing up for a extended rafting season, and trying to spread the word about the conditions in Colorado’s rivers.

“The weather has been great for rafting… sunny blue skies and warm temperatures. The unusual thing about this year has been that it has been so dry in the valley that we have a campfire fire ban and at the same time, we have high water in the river…drought and plenty of water at the same time!”

The perception that high water levels were hurting Colorado rafting conditions kept some customers away early in the season, but word is starting to spread that 2011 has become a special rafting season in Colorado. Business has picked up across the state in July, as river conditions and Colorado weather have come pretty close to being perfect.

“The phones are ringing off the hook with people trying to escape the heat. . High temperatures been in the 70’s and 80’s on the Arkansas River.”

For more information or to schedule a Colorado rafting trip with Wilderness Aware rafting, view here or call 1.800.462.7238.

Thank You Wilderness Aware Rafting!

“WHAT? WHAT? YOU ARE KIDDING, RIGHT? OH MY GOSH, SARA, WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?!?!?!? THAT IS AWESOME!!!!!”

~Sara Kranz, Fantastic Facebook 2-Day Giveaway Winner

Enlarge the font by a thousand, bold it, put about a million exclamation marks next to each sentence, and then turn your volume up to high. THAT is how we all sounded when we heard the news that we won the Colorado white water rafting trip! I, Sara, put our names in for the rafting trip without telling my girlfriends about it (ok, I finally let on a short time later…they were stoked, but realized that we were up against so many other worthy groups!)

That is not atypical for us, actually. We enjoy pushing each other to “new extremes” and getting each other out of our “comfort zones.” When I found out that we did win (realize I have never won anything in my life), I was beside myself! The reactions from my friends? They were beyond excited! Here is “our history in short form:” Andrea, Stefanie (Suds, Sudsy, Stef), Kim (Kimmers) and I have been lifelong friends. Andrea and I met when I was 2 years old, she 3 years old. Suds, Kimmers and we became friends in high school. Though Kimmers and we lost touch for a time when she left for CA, we reconnected a few years ago and it seems as though time stood still for those years that lapsed. Though we live across the states, we still see each other as often as possible and we get together as a group at least once a year. The last time was to do a half-marathon on Santa Catalina Island off of CA (another “out of the box” moment for most of us!) I’m sure that we had more fun than anyone else there!!!

This Colorado rafting trip is a milestone of sorts for us. First off, we are all turning 40 years old in the next year or two. But most importantly, Andrea and Kimmers are cancer survivors. Kimmers had an extremely rare form of cancer and it’s a medical miracle that she is here with us today. This is her 10 year of being cancer free. Andrea as well is a cancer survivor and the very day that I called her to tell her that I put our name in for the trip is the day that she found out that she as well is 5 years cancer free. We feel blessed to have each other in our lives, and therefore, when we are together, there is nothing but laughs, jokes, some serious conversation, but really just a lot of amazing, fun times!

THANK YOU, Wilderness Aware, for adding to our memories!

White Water Rafting Trip Spotlight: Colorado’s Gunnison River

Just below the dams of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, where Colorado’s Gunnison River drops into pools and a foaming rapids between spectacular black granite cliffs, lies some of the most secluded, exciting, and visually stunning white water rafting in the world. Simply put, our favorite Colorado rafting trips are those that wind through the narrow canyon of the Gunnison River between the end of the Chukar Trail and Hotchkiss.

What makes a Gunnison River rafting trip the best white water experience in Colorado are four things. First, the water itself, which is an ideal combination of challenging drops and stretches of lazy floating which allows rafters to quietly enjoy the breathtaking natural scenery. Rapids in the Gunnison Gorge area range from Class II to Class IV, which means rafting trips can be adapted to fit the needs of both intermediate and experienced skill levels.

Second, the scenery, which is among the most beautiful in Colorado. The Gunnison River runs through one of the longest, deepest, and narrowest gorges in the world, and its remote, protected location, along with the limited number of trips allowed on the river in any given day, ensures a pristine, natural setting. The scenery and geology of the Gunnison Gorge resembles that of the Grand Canyon. This visual experience extends to the drive and hike to the river.

Third, the fishing and hiking. While a Gunnison River white water rafting adventure is an incredible experience in itself, a rafting trip to the Gunnison can be tailored to include world-class hiking and some of the best trout fishing in the world. This 14-mile stretch of the Gunnison River has been nominated for “Wild and Scenic River” status, and is world-famous for its German brown and rainbow trout fishing. Visitors can have a world-class white water rafting experience one day and a world-class trout fishing experience the next.

Fourth, the secluded nature of the area. To reach the Gunnison Gorge area, one must make a scenic, back-road drive through clay hills and over the edge of the canyon. Then, guests hike another mile down the canyon to the river, while their food and rafts are brought down by horseback. Additionally, only two trips containing 12 guests are allowed on the river per day, which along with the remote location, ensures a level of pristine solitude that is unavailable on many other rivers.

Wilderness Aware offers three packages for exploring the Gunnison Gorge Area: a full day Gunnison River rafting trip, a two day Gunnison River rafting trip, and a two or three day Gunnison River fishing trip. The full day trip begins above the Chukar rapid and ends near the inflow of the North Fork of the Gunnison, and combines exciting drops with quiet floating time, including the “Grand Finale Rapid.” On our two-day trip, we mix rafting with optional hiking and fishing, and camp along the banks of the river. Our inexpensive two or three days fishing trips will save you hundreds of dollars, and our expert rafting guides will put you exactly where you want on the river.