Looking for the Perfect Gift? Try White Water Rafting!
In the words of Oscar Wilde, “Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.” When it comes to determining a gift for someone, sometimes a physical object or trinket isn’t the best option. How many gifts have you received in the past that you never used? How many gifts have you given that are actually enjoyed? How can a gift be truly valued by the receiver? Well experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing, it doesn’t just occur out of thin air. You have to go and actually do something, or have something done to you, in order to receive it. Sometimes people don’t make an earnest attempt to actually live. They refuse to go outside of their comfort zone to find new and wondrous things in this world. In short, they don’t experience life to its fullest. Before you buy your next gift for someone you should truly consider what that person might enjoy. Chances are you’ll soon realize that whatever toy, widget, or object you were thinking of giving isn’t actually that great of a gift after all. Of course this isn’t always the case, but a great number of gifts can be outgrown, broken, lost, or forgotten. Most people value good memories and positive life experiences much higher than personal possessions and novelty items. A thousand people can have the exact same item, but an experience is personal and one of a kind. Let’s take a surprise birthday party for example. What is remembered most? The surprise of family and friends, the celebration, spending time with loved ones, or the piles of wrapped gifts? If you were asked to tell of a time when you were certainly happy, it probably wouldn’t be when you received that pretty new sweater for Christmas, or even upon being gifted that new car for your 16th birthday. There is no doubt; some gifts are indeed awesome, such as a new car. However, there is no object in this world that can replace good company and life experiences. The purpose of life isn’t to accumulate objects is it? It’s to live. For that reason one of the best gifts you can give is the gift of experience, especially experiences shared with others. 3 Reasons Why Rafting Makes for A Great Experience Gift There are 3 good reasons that make Whitewater Rafting a great experience gift: The inherent adventure of rafting, the valued memories it creates with friends and loved ones, and the real world experience it gives in this digital age. Adventure Without a doubt, whitewater rafting is exciting, thrilling, and gets the adrenaline pumping. For someone who has never experienced it before, chances are it will be one of the most adventurous things they’ve ever done. This is especially true for multi-day trips where they truly get to experience the excitement of the outdoors beyond a few hours and, of course, depends on the actual river chosen. Some rivers or certain sections can be rather lazy in nature, which are great for younger or older folks. But if given the real paddle gripping, white-knuckle experience of a more difficult river, it’s an experience, and a gift, that won’t soon be forgotten. Shared Time and Memories Created One of the best parts about giving experience gifts is that the gift giver can experience them as well. Friends and family can join and this often makes the experience all the better if they do. Time on the river gives people a break from their hectic daily lives, and allows them to fully be in the moment while enjoying themselves in the process. Being able to share in that with them is meaningful. Having fun, trying something new or daring, going outside of what their normal daily expectations may be, is something to be cherished and remembered for a long time. Many times a whitewater rafting trip won’t be forgotten and I’m sure you can recall a few cherished memories yourself. Real World Experience… Not Virtual If the gift receiver rarely ventures outdoors into nature, they will literally sit in awe as they gaze at their surroundings. Some people tend to forget that the natural beauty of this world around rivers is well worth the journey to go view and explore it. Usually, you don’t get the whole picture viewing Earthporn online, such as the sights, sounds, taste, and feel of being present outdoors. Experiencing these scenes in real life is much more moving and meaningful to a person than viewing it through a computer screen. How many hours a day do you typically spend staring at a screen? Most of our daily lives are predominantly virtual, from shopping to banking, and socializing to working. Most of what we experience in a day occurs with a screen no more than a foot in front of our faces. An experience gift of whitewater rafting would change that and perhaps pump a little life back into the people going. Being outdoors and seeing the world with your own two eyes has oddly become something you have to coax people into doing. An experience gift is a great way to coax people into trying something new, different, and outdoors. There is more to giving a gift than wrapping a box and handing it over. Giving a gift is an opportunity to really show that you care for someone, and that they are worth giving a gift to in the first place. Don’t discount that idea and try to consider something that is sure to surprise. A guided whitewater rafting trip is only one such idea, and there are countless others. Horseback riding tours, zip lining adventures, scuba diving lessons, skydiving… there are many options. You just have to be clever, be thoughtful, and you’re gift will no doubt be sure to surprise and amaze. Who knows, perhaps we’ll even see you on the river soon. At Wilderness Aware Rafting, our utmost passion is being the best river rafting guides we can be. This ensures we offer the
How A Bad Day Fishing Beats A Good Day Of Channel Surfing
Inspirational author William Arthur Ward once observed, “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” However not everyone plays sports to keep score. Some people consider their best chance at playing a sport to be something others might classify as a recreational pastime, like fishing! When you see someone sitting in a boat in a body of water, relaxing on the bank of a river or lake, or standing on the beach with fishing pole in hand, it is easy to assume that this person is just lazing away the day. However fishing carries some pretty hefty health benefits, in some cases as much as playing a team sport! Health Benefits of Fishing The National Hunting and Fishing Day website reports that on the average, each year more than 44 million Americans who are age 6 or older spend time fishing. They might the country’s many lakes, rivers, and streams, or along the coastal areas, such as in an ocean or a bay. And that is good news, because that means 44 million Americans are getting off the couch and taking part in some kind of physical activity! This hobby is not just for sportsmen, as entire families spend time fishing together. Here are a few of the health benefits frequently associated with this recreational pastime. Low Impact – Fishing is not physically demanding, which means it does not take a lot of stamina or strength. This makes fishing the perfect sport for people of all ages, in most cases even ones faced with some type of health challenge. Heart Friendly – Walking from your vehicle to the fishing spot and reeling in the fish at the other end of the line both exercise your heart, while the stress-free times of waiting in between bites allows you to relax which helps lower your blood pressure. Fresh Air and Sunshine– Being outside means breathing in fresh air and soaking up some extra Vitamin D from the sun. Even if you suffer from seasonal allergies, there are steps you can take to enjoy being outdoors any time of the year to fish. Relaxing – When you are outdoors taking part in a recreational activity like fishing, you leave the stress of work and home behind. Stress free fishing allows you to clear your mind, relax, and perhaps even inspire your creative juices. Recreational fishing has no deadlines. Nobody keeps score about how many fish you caught or the details about the ones that got away. And unless you are taking part in some type of fishing contest, there is no clear winner or loser when it comes to recreational fishing. It is not just everyday, average Americans who enjoy fishing. Some of the biggest names in sports also enjoy recreational fishing as a way to kick back and relieve stress, including former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, major league pitcher Mat Latos, PGA champion Tiger Woods, andNHL defenceman Ian White. Fishing Benefits – Not Just for Humans As you can see, who you are and the details of your lifestyle matter very little when it comes to this sport. While can enjoy the benefits of fishing just the same as anyone else, you are not the only one reaping the benefits! Fishing is as good for the environment as it is for the humans that take part in the sport. When you go fishing, you are supporting wildlife and fish management. Fishing often requires buying a license, and the fees for purchasing one go towards funding programs that contribute to conservation. Most importantly, fishing generates millions of dollars in taxes alone which supports jobs and boosts the economy. Finally fishing improves your diet. When sitting on the couch surfing the television channels, the refrigerator and kitchen are nearby, stocked with all sorts of foods. An afternoon of fishing limits you to what you pack in the cooler. Make sure you stock plenty of healthy treats and bottled water to avoid becoming dehydrated. And if you are up for the adventure of cleaning your catches, there is nothing like eating fresh fish that you catch yourself at the end of the day. At Wilderness Aware Rafting, being river runners we love fishing, but our passion is rafting. If you’re interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try whitewater rafting the Salt River in Arizona, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available. Freelance writer Benjamin Baker loves camping and fly fishing in the wilderness around his home in Denver, Colorado. He even ties his own flies! Benjamin shares his home with his wife and their busy, growing teenage children.
5 Must Haves For Outdoor Enthusiasts
The great outdoors gives people a chance to enjoy nature and wildlife. Particularly as people grow older, they appreciate more the serenity and peace that being around nature provides. Whether someone is hiking or going on a camping trip, they will be able to immerse themselves in a world different from the manmade one that they live in most of the time. But outdoor enthusiasts also need to come prepared for the great outdoors, because they often have to deal with less than hospitable terrain. So here are five must-haves that an outdoor enthusiast should have. One: A Portable Shade Canvas Even the most ardent outdoor enthusiast will need a break from the sun, and may also want to enjoy a meal under the shade. Bringing a portable shade canvas on a camping excursion makes this all the more possible. Lightweight and easy to transport, portable shade canvases can be quickly set up to provide a much needed respite from a hot sun. Being under the sun too long isn’t just about discomfort either, sometimes people can have serious heat strokes when staying in the sun too long, and a shade canvas can give an outdoor enthusiast temporary shade and protection. Two: Hiking Boots Another must have for outdoor enthusiasts is a durable and high-quality pair of hiking boots. This is particularly important for people who are serious hikers, and travel through rough terrain. To avoid injury having a pair of reliable hiking boots will go a long way towards navigating through a forest or park. Three: Jerky Jerky is a dried meat that is perfect food for outdoor enthusiasts. It’s lightweight, easy to transport, and basically non-perishable. Jerky is easy to store in ziplock bags to take as a snack anywhere someone wants to go with no mess. Jerky comes in a variety of flavors such as teriyaki, and can either be made with turkey or beef. Found at pretty much any gas station around the world, jerky is a typical and convenient hiking food. Four: Lightweight Backpack Having a durable and high-quality lightweight backpack is essential to any outdoor excursion. It will be needed to store the basic essentials someone will need, particularly if they are planning on going on an extended hike or camping trip. The backpack will have to be lightweight, so that it will be as easy as possible to carry water and other items that may be needed in the outdoors, such as bug repellant to keep the outing as enjoyable as possible. Five: First Aid Kit A portable first aid kid is absolutely essential for every outdoor enthusiast to have. Accidents always seem to happen when least expected, and they easily can happen when trying to navigate tricky terrain. First aid kits are especially important to have when someone gets hurt far away from the nearest doctor’s office or hospital. Prompt treatment can help an injured person until he is able to get professional medical care. Enjoying the great outdoors is a wonderful way to reconnect with the natural world, and many people love spending time with nature and wild life. By being prepared, outdoor enthusiasts will have an even better time enjoying the outdoors. At Wilderness Aware Rafting our passion is truly rafting. If you’re interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try whitewater rafting on the Salt River in Arizona, please be sure to contact us and find out what trip offerings we have available. Burt Thompson is an outdoorsman who enjoys hiking, camping and fishing in his time off from work. He works for Quik Shade designing products.
The Family Mountain Biking Checklist
Apart from being a great individual sport, mountain biking is also a fun and healthy activity for the whole family. As mountain biking is quickly becoming one of the most popular family activities around the world we decided to write this simple five point checklist to help you plan your first or next family mountain biking excursion. This is in no way an exhaustive list, but will give you a good idea of what’s important to remember. 1. Essentials The two things on the checklist you’re most likely not to forget, but frequently do, the bikes and helmets. Get your bikes out of storage, and put them where they belong before you doing anything else to avoid having to explain to mom and children how you forgot to bring little David’s bike to the biking trip. If you don’t have helmets yet, get them, most trails will require that everyone in your group wear helmets and it’s a good thing to teach children to wear helmets from a young age. 2. Personal Health A helmet will protect you and the family from a hard fall, but as mountain biking is inherently an outside activity you’ll be exposed to the elements throughout the trip. These items aren’t required, but will save you a lot of problem later on. A hydration pack or water bottle for hydration, gloves, eye patches or face mask, first aid kit, weatherproof clothing, sunscreen and footwear made for biking! 3. Protection If you’re really serious about protecting yourself and willing to go full out with your kit, you can look at taking some of the following items with you. Insect repellent if you’re in an insect prone area, camoi cream for sores or inflammation, a full face helmet for complete face protection, cell phone to call emergency services, extra food in case you need to survive somewhere for a while and toilet paper to protect your dignity. 4. Navigation Mountain biking is great because it takes you into nature away from the bustling city, but this also means that there won’t be signs showing you where to go, so knowing where to go is up to you. If you can afford it take along a GPS with your route planned out beforehand, but if you don’t get the GPS at minimum you should have a compass which you know how to use. Also take a taillight, headlight, emergency whistle and lock if you plan on sleeping over somewhere. 5. Repairs There’s a 99% chance you’ll have to stop somewhere to do repairs to one of the bikes, that’s just part of mountain biking, fortunately, if you have the right gear, you can repair nearly anything right there next to the road. Some of the most important repair items to take along include a spare tube, pump, multi-tool and patch kit. If you want to be over prepared, which is a good thing, you can also take along brake cables, chain tool, pressure gauge, and replacement chain links and spoke wrench. Jason O’Reilly is an avid bicycle rider, professional product reviewer and all-around outdoorsman.
National Take A Hike Day Is On Nov. 17th! Where Will You Go?
Some Of The Greatest Places In Colorado To Venture For National Take A Hike Day November 17th is National Take a Hike Day, and at Wilderness Aware Rafting, we even understand the need to get out of the boat from time to time and stretch our legs! And there is no better time nor place, than during the Fall season in Colorado. With the changing of the surrounding colors, the brisk mountain air hinting that Winter is approaching, the snow tipped peaks in the distance, Fall hiking couldn’t be better anywhere else. So to help you decide where to go hiking, here is a list of some of the better spots you should check out. Of course before venturing out, ensure you know the area and have a map of the trails you intend to hike. Carry the essential equipment, and most importantly, enjoy it! Indian Peaks Wilderness Area Outside of Boulder lies the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. This area has some of the best back-country fishing around, and one trail specifically leads to the holy grail of fishing serenity, the East Portal Trailhead. This region has numerous lakes and a slew of smaller ponds to explore and fish in. All of which lay at the bottom of the mountain range which acts as the areas backdrop. Most notably there is Arapaho Lakes, Crater Lakes, Forest Lakes, Iceberg Lakes, Roger Pass Lake, and Heart Lake. By coming here in the fall when its cooler, you will hopefully be able to avoid the hassle of the countless mosquitos which plague the area. Going in the dead of summer will bring you into direct conflict with these critters, but during the Fall they should be significantly more timid. Mosquitos or not, this area is stunning, fishing supreme, camping and camp fires allowed as well as dogs. Of course call in ahead of time to ensure this remains so, but this is certainly one of the greatest gems outside of Boulder hands down. Rocky Mountain National Park Outside of Estes Park lies Colorado’s most esteemed wilderenss area, the Rocky Mountain National Park. It comprises over 265,000 acres, 360 miles of hiking and riding trails, 60 peaks over 12,ooo feet, 150 lakes, and 450 miles of rivers and streams. The wildlife ranges from moose and bear to mountain lions, goats, and sheep. There’s no wonder countless stories, songs, and movies have been made with the Rocky Mountains as the over arching theme. When looking for beauty, peace and serenity, and countless activities to enjoy and partake in, the Rocky Mountain National Park is a grown-ups playground. Sadly and fortunately, there is too much to cover to attempt to give you an idea of where to go here as really the whole areas an oyster and you can pluck the pearl wherever. Do your research as many areas take a while to get to, some require 4×4 access if you don’t want to hike in fully. But regardless of where you choose to go, there is no doubt you will be pleased with your choice. Great Sand Dunes National Park Outside of Alamosa lies North America’s tallest set of Sand Dunes in the Great Sand Dunes National Park. They rise in sequence over 700 feet from the base of the San Luis Valley in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Surprisingly, the Sand Dunes host a wide variety of wildlife including Black Bear, Bighorn Sheep. Mountain Lions, Badgers, Beavers, Elk, Bison, and the Pronghorn. the Pronghorn is the fastest land animal in North America, with tops speeds over 55 mph and the ability to sustain a trot at 25 mph, these antelope like creatures are quick and nimble. You would no doubt find great delight in seeing them run around. They’re nimble, quick, and agile, which makes for quite the scene when they leap and bound over obstacle after obstacle. There are two main trails that lead through the Sand Dunes with multiple smaller trails leading off of those. The Sand Dune Trail is only 2.5 miles round trip making for a relatively easy hike. While Exploring the Sand Sheet trail is 10.5 miles round trip and though this may seem like a long ways, when you want to see the Sand Dunes for what they are, this is the trail to take. The Sand Sheet holds 90% of the dune’s total sand mass. This entire region is unique to Colorado, and is a stark reminder that Colorado is in fact a high altitude desert, something many people either don’t know or understand. Colorado National Monument Outside of Grand Junction lies Colorado National Monument. If you are looking for picturesque red-rock canyons, towering sandstone spires, tree-topped mesas, and the ability to hike along the Colorado River, than this area is for you. This region has the perfect set of colors which compliment each other in an absolutely ridiculous manner, and the rock formations that stand there are nothing short of awe inspiring. Standing atop one of the many saddles that look over one of the many canyons, you will notice every shade of green imagineable, as the elevation increases and becomes steeper, the green fades to wide range of reds, pinks and peaches which make up the sand stone. The layers continue up until the mesa tops where further vegetation grows. Finally, everything is usually capped with the magnificent blue which the signature of the Colorado sky. Depending on what you hope to see and experience will dictate exactly where in the Colorado National Monument you should choose to visit. If you want to do some easy rock scrambling, hike to the top of a mesa, walk under arches, through canyons, or even bring your bike to bicycle the 23 mile Rim Rock Drive that connects the two entrances to this beautiful area, your possible choices are many and all wonderful. The hardest thing will be to decide on what to do. Be Sure To Make A Trip While The Trip Is Possible Hopefully this
The Denver Rescue Mission Guided Rafting Trips With Wilderness Aware
The Denver Rescue Mission and Wilderness Aware Rafting For the past 14 years, Wilderness Aware Rafting has been sponsoring guided rafting trips for the Denver Rescue Mission. We know the benefits rafting can have on a person’s physical, emotional, and even spiritual well-being. Time on the river can give a person a moment to reflect, relax, and reconnect with nature. Between the fresh air, excitement, and serene beauty of the outdoors, these rafting trips are the least we can do for those less fortunate. We understand that for those in need, beyond financial concerns, life can be difficult. Moments of enjoyment can be hard to come by. When life is as tumultuous and uncertain as it is for many of those struggling, even the smallest of deeds can make great and meaningful impacts. This is reaffirmed by members of the Denver Rescue Mission, and knowing firsthand the good these trips do, we’ve made it a priority to keep them going year after year. You can hear testimonials and see snippets of one of their trips on our video page, our watch it here on YouTube as well. The Denver Rescue Mission The Denver Rescue Mission is devoted to changing lives by meeting people and helping those most in need. Their main goal is to return individuals to society as productive and self-sufficient citizens. It is one of the oldest full-service non-denominational Christian charities in the region and they are dedicated to ensuring no person is denied our turned away from their services based on race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, sex, or sexual orientation. The Denver Rescue Mission was founded in 1892, and was originally started as a Rescue Home for Women. The organization moved locations a few times, expanded their services, and sadly by 1930 was closed due to debts owed by the owner. However, soon after its closing, it was reopened by a group of dedicated volunteers and has since then helped countless individuals rehabilitate and get their lives back on track. It was soon after the reopening that further services were offered such as dental and medical treatment. As time continued on, and the location changed a few more times, the Denver Rescue began offering even more services such as providing long-term rehabilitation. In 1988 they purchased the former Mercy Farm, renamed Harvest Farm, which was a 209-acre farm where food crops for the needy could be grown. This allowed for their New Life Program to serve as a rural outreach, as poverty doesn’t solely reside in big cities. Services eventually were offered which provided for mothers and their children, transitional housing assistance, support for food, clothing, furniture, and even overnight shelters were set up. This is all on top of the life skills and educational programs offered, and more recently career opportunities. All of this mounts to the Denver Rescue Mission being an all-encompassing rehabilitation service for those in need. As such, our thanks could not be given enough and our partnership is highly valued. Guided Rafting Trips for the Denver Rescue Mission After having guided so many trips for Denver Rescue Mission residents, we know well the value they place upon these outings. The residents themselves admit to looking forward to these trips every year. Many mention they had only ever dreamed of rafting a river, perhaps even witnessed people enjoying it themselves, and only hoped that one day they could experience the same themselves. It is for this reason that Wilderness Aware finds the greatest pleasure in donating our services as we do. Residents have told us that these trips help to build comradery, build self-esteem, and allow them to enjoy the wilderness in a way they have not had the opportunity to do. Sadly, many of these people have few other options than sleeping outdoors. But simply because they are outdoors does not make it the same, in their case, nature can punish with heat, wind, snow, rain, and the cold. Rafting allows for a different perception of nature to be created, rather than being simply the enemy, it can be viewed as their friend, or even their mentor/counselor. We often take for granted what we have, and to think some individuals look at the mountains, the streams and rivers, and are not able to reflect upon its beauty because of the countless worries already in mind. That some people are unable to take a breath of fresh air and simply relax when their stress is so mounting, their concerns so great. Life is not meant to miserable, and we know that a moment’s reprieve is better than nothing at all. We love offering our rafting services to the Denver Rescue Mission, and hope to continue working hand in hand with them for years to come. We know it helps to prove to residents that they can be happy if only for a moment, that they are indeed capable of loving themselves again. The river can heal in this way, it can teach you that there is more to life than woe or worry. That enjoyment can be had, stress forgotten or even relieved. And beyond that, that they are capable of enjoying themselves all while loving life. Life is nothing but a series of moments, and our job for the past 14 years has been ensuring a few of those moments for residents of the Denver Rescue Mission are memorable, enjoyable, and meaningful. At Wilderness Aware Rafting, we understand how a proper family rafting vacation can create some of the best memories a person can have, after all, we have our testimonials to base that off of. If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, Denver Rafting, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try rafting the Salt River near Phoenix, AZ, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available.
The Colorado Boy Scout Troops Guided Rafting Trips with Wilderness Aware
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1685118754576{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”] Whitewater Merit Badges with Wilderness Aware Rafting Wilderness Aware Rafting offers guided rafting trips in Colorado and Arizona for Troops of the Boy Scouts Club of America. We take great pride in being able to help provide youths with the knowledge, experience, and appreciation for rivers and whitewater sports. We offer essential rafting and kayaking skills and training, as well as actually guiding the trips ourselves. This is a great benefit as our guides are as experienced as they come, and their intimate knowledge of rafting safety, techniques, and rivers in general greatly enhances the understanding of both scouts and scout leaders alike. Founder and owner of Wilderness Aware Rafting, Joe Greiner, was once a boy scout himself. His passion and love of the outdoors and that of teaching others has made it an easy decision to set up rafting trips for Boy Scout troops. Joe is aware, because he had the same experiences himself, that the outdoors can help develop a boy and grow him into a man. The lessons learned through being a Boy Scout greatly define a child’s overall character and how that child will be when they are older. Their love, appreciation and respect for nature, knowledge of wilderness survival, and all other benefits of Scouting stems from the training they receive. It builds upon the merits and badges they’ve garnered. Boy Scout Whitewater Merit Badge Considerations Canoeing, kayaking and overall whitewater rafting can be a thrilling and memorable experience. In order for rafting to be considered safe, every Scout participant needs to understand how to use and maintain equipment, as well as specific rafting techniques that are important to know on the river. The end goal is obviously to teach scouts to have a strong respect for the power of all of nature’s vast waterways. Beyond that, that if that power is respected and understood, it can then be enjoyed in any number of ways. There are a number of requirements that should be understood before attempting to receive your whitewater merit badge (view the full list of requirements). Once a Scout earning his Merit Badge has a full understanding of the risks associated and precautions to take prior to any water expedition, and they know their own ability and limitations, they can begin working to receive their Badge. However, if a Scout leader does not believe the risks are appreciated, or that the Scout does not understand fully the equipment or techniques, they will be told to wait. There is nothing more dangerous than allowing someone to raft who thinks they know of all the inherent dangers and in actuality to do not. Appreciation comes with understanding, and understanding is the first step towards safety. Why a Whitewater Merit Badge Is Worthwhile Over the years, we have worked with many different Boy Scout Troops and have had the privilege to witness firsthand the benefits whitewater rafting can offer to youths. Testimonials can be seen on our video page on site, and also here. But in sum, these trips teach Scouts to first and foremost respect nature and her vast power inherent in our nation’s waterways. Beyond respect, a love for the outdoors amongst our nation’s youth has been dwindling rapidly over the years. Fewer and fewer people have a want for going outdoors as every other distraction available keeps their eyes fixed to a screen rather than on the horizon. They’re understanding and respect for nature is absent save in the sense that they’ve been taught its worthiness. However, very few are able to appreciate it fully as they haven’t had the opportunity to experience it. Now as far as this goes for Boy Scouts, it’s probably not an issue. They’ve been taught why nature ought to be respected, and have learned through their numerous lessons that it is indeed deserved of their love. If your Boy Scout Troop wants to offer whitewater badges to their scouts, be sure to contact us to see what trip offerings are available. Wilderness Aware Rafting We will work hard to make your trip the best and most memorable possible, all while ensuring the requirements to receive a badge are met. At Wilderness Aware Rafting, we understand how a proper family rafting vacation can create some of the best memories a person can have, after all, we have our testimonials to base that off of. If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, Denver Rafting, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try rafting the Salt River near Phoenix, AZ, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The Ultimate Outdoor Colorado Trip
Plan Your Colorado Outdoor Adventure in Buena Vista Backpacker Magazine announced that 4 Colorado cities made the list as, “The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid: The Winning 25.” Those cities are: #1 Boulder, #3 Durango, #7 Colorado Springs, and #9 Fort Collins. Luckily for us, Colorado is an amazing state for outdoor adventures and Buena Vista is one of the top destinations for a beautiful outdoor retreat. No matter how old you are, we are all children at heart when we’re walking among nature and this is our recommended list of outdoor adventures for your weekend or week-long getaway to the mountains. Camping Start by picking out one of the many camp sites in Buena Vista as your home base. Anywhere you choose will likely have immaculate views of the mountains as Buena Vista, Spanish for, “good view,” sits at the base of the Continental Divide. Camping is a great way to get away from technology and enjoy the basics of building a fire and cooking your own food with the stars overhead. We also offer multi day rafting trips that combine the camping and rafting adventures into one. Whitewater Rafting Known for world-class whitewater rafting, this is a memorable and exciting adventure to take with friends and family as there are different levels available for everyone. Browns Canyon is rated #1 on TripAdvisor for a whitewater rafting trip and conveniently, we have trips to choose from here. Whitewater rafting is not only thrilling but builds camaraderie and trust among your raft mates. Hiking Spend the morning or afternoon hiking around the Continental Divide. Two 14ers are located near Buena Vista, Mt. Princeton and Mt. Yale. Mt. Princeton is 14,197’ tall with one 13 mile route on the east slope rated at a class 2 difficulty. Mt. Yale stands at 14,196’ tall and can be accessed by the southwest slope (standard route) or east ridge; both routes are about 10 miles long and a class 2 difficulty. As always, it’s important to pack appropriately for hiking of any type and bring plenty of water and snacks, as well as notify people where you’ll be in case you get lost. Horseback Riding Not long ago, Colorado was the home of cowboys on the Front Range. The majestic horses are still a valuable companion of humans provide a relaxing way to bond with animals and nature while wandering into the wilderness. As Colorado’s second most popular outdoor activity, friends and family will enjoy a horseback riding trip along the Arkansas River with spectacular views of Mt. Princeton, the Chalk Cliffs, and Mt. Antero. Canoeing and Fishing Nothing is more peaceful than floating on a lake or canoeing and kayaking down a lazy river. There is an abundance of lakes and creeks to choose from nearby. Cottonwood Lake is popular for fishing with mountain goats in the backdrop. For a hike-in area, Brown’s Creek has a 5 mile trail to a scenic waterfall. Anyone over 15 will need a fishing license and length minimums vary from location to location. Any combination of these trips will make for an exciting outdoor escape among friends and family. Buena Vista is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts due to the breath-taking views of the Rocky Mountains and the variety of outdoor activities just a few minutes away.
Games For Kids To Play While Outdoors and Camping
Fun Kid Games To Play Outdoors For children, sitting and contemplating in the quite calmness of the wild isn’t generally their idea of a fun time. When outdoors, especially while on a multi-day camping trip, there can be a lot of down time. This is when adults would well sit and relax, take in the scenes, and unwind. However, this is the exact opposite of what children want to do. So before taking these little balls of energy into the wilderness, you had better have a few fun games in mind that can be played, otherwise the kids could very well drive you crazy. To help with that, we’ve created this list of a few fun games that can be played and generally don’t require any specific pieces or parts. Having them in mind can make the difference between having some organized fun, or a chaotic stressful time as the kids run amok around camp. So for a few ideas, read on, and have fun this summer with your kids! Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves This game mixes singing and follow the leader. A group sits in a circle and sings Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, while performing some action. Standing on one foot, patting your head, rubbing your belly, really any action that can be done without moving from the circle. Whoever is leading the group changes their action after the first repetition, and the next person beside him/her repeats the leaders action.The action is changed after every repetition while still repeating the phrase, and every time it changes, the action is to be performed by the next person in line. Eventually, everyone will be doing a different action while repeating the phrase. The phrase itself doesn’t matter, but the game is to see if your initial action will make it’s way back to you. It’s a bit like Simon Says or telephone. Any number of changes can be made to this to make it more difficult or easier if need be. Bola You’ll need some string, and a few socks or something very soft to tie at the end of the string that wouldn’t hurt someone if struck with it. You simply fill a sock with other socks (or whatever soft weighted material) and tie it off with a stretch of string. Decide what the radius of the sock is and have everyone stand outside of that. Begin to swing the sock slowly close to the ground and have the group close in around you. Everyone jumps over the sock as it comes by them, and if you’re struck with it, you’re out until the next round. The final person remaining wins! To make this game a bit more difficult, you can alter between ground level and overhead making the kids change between jumping and ducking. Elves, Giants, and Wizard This game is essentially rock, paper, scissors but more interactive. Elves beat wizards, wizards beat giants, and giants beat elves. You divide the group into three separate groups, each group assigned with one of the race classes. Once the teams are decided, it turn into a game of tag, where for instance if you are a wizard, you are going to be trying to tag giants while avoiding elves. If you tag someone they join your team, and if you are tagged you join the taggers side. The object of the game is to get every player on a single team. Lots of Knots Make the group of kids stand in a circle facing the center. Then tell the kids to shake and hold hands with whomever is directly across from them. Then they must join hands with a different person in the group. The object of the game is to untangle their hands, the human knot, without having to let go of their hands. Quick Count This game is relatively easy. All you need are a bunch of objects which can be tossed into the air, and something to hide the objects as they lie on the ground, such as a towel or backpack or something. The idea is that you decide on a number of objects to thrown, and see who can count the exact number of objects as they are let loose into the air, and before they fall behind your covering object. Whoever guesses the correct number get to become the tosser. Sleight Of Hand Have the whole group save for one person lay on the ground in a circle with their hands in the center. The one person not lying down looks away as a ring or some small object is given to the group. Once a person has hold of the object and its kept hidden in their hands, the other person turns around to watch. The object is for the group to pass the ring around 5 times without the person watching knowing where it ends up. After it has been handed off 5 times, the person not laying down is to guess who has hold of the ring. Objects You’ll need a few bags, or pieces of cloth to put multiple small objects into or under. The idea of the game is to gather a bunch of objects, the same types of objects for the each team or player. Let everyone know what those objects are, and then place them into the bag or under the cloth. Then you call out the object and without looking at them, the players must pick the objects out. If an object is incorrectly picked, that player is out. With multiple players, the player who is last to pick is out. Repeat this in larger groups until a winner is determined. To make the game more difficult, pick similar objects to put into the bag. At Wilderness Aware Rafting, we understand how a proper family rafting vacation can create some of the best memories a person can have, after all, we have our testimonials to base that off of. If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, Denver Rafting, multi-day
2013 Looks To Be A Great Year For Colorado Rivers
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1530976742079{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”] Great Water Levels Signal For A Great Rafting Season In Colorado With all of the late snow fall and rain Colorado fortunately received this spring, water levels in Colorado are looking healthy! Compared to the excessive levels in 2011, and the dismally low levels in 2012, the water levels in 2013 seem to have hit the nail directly on the head. This is going to make for an epic season of white water rafting for rafting enthusiasts throughout out the state. From the Poudre and Yampa, to the Colorado and Arkansas Rivers, water is finding its way into our streams and Coloradans are getting excited to play in the water this summer. To better explain this anticipation, it needs to be understood why the perfect water levels are so important. How Water Levels Affect Rafting Conditions It should go without saying, but water levels directly affect rafting conditions as after all, water is what makes up a river. When water levels are too low, rafting companies operations are drastically inhibited. Areas where you can enter your raft as well as exit from a river are restricted, the duration of trips are often cut short, and the overall appeal of the activity is decreased. When water levels are too high, similar problems exist as when they are too low. Some entering areas may be moving too fast to set the raft up, and exiting spots may be difficult to navigate to if the water is moving too quickly. Not to mention, when the water is high, sections of rivers where hazardous obstacles persist become even more dangerous as it is increasingly difficult to navigate when moving at quicker speeds. So when it comes down to it, depending on specific rivers, the height and volume of water directly impacts what can be done. In essence, there is a sweet spot for the amount of water that is needed in a river to make it both enjoyable and navigable Granted, some would prefer to have more water than less if they want the thrill of paddling through some big rapids. But this season seems to be in line with hitting that sweet spot for most of Colorado’s rivers. Things Looking Up Compared To Years Past As mentioned before, the past few years have seen both dramatic ends of the water level spectrum for Colorado rivers. 2011 witnessed extremely high water levels, and as a result, many trips were probably cut short or never started because of the special dangers high water levels create. Where the exact opposite occurred in 2012, where water levels were so low, unless you wanted to raft down a lazy river, there were few options for exciting rafting unless you cared to navigate some of Colorado rivers toughest sections. This hopeful perfect water height has come as a great relief to many rafting companies throughout the state. When comparing 2011 to 2012, the rafting industry as a whole was down around 20 percent in Colorado. This equates to roughly $30 million lost in tourism revenue for the state. If that seems like a lot for the state to have lost, it’s equally if not worse for river rafting companies. Losing 20% for any business in any industry is difficult to deal with, and for rafting companies it’s particularly hard to forecast and take precautions against. The reason being rafting companies are completely and entirely beholden to the weather. Which depending if it’s good or bad, can spell boom or gloom. This creates special stresses for rafting businesses as in all reality, for a business which is reliant entirely on proper weather, there is nothing you can do but hope in the off-season that the rain will come, and not too much of it. That said, many rafting companies are more than elated that this season is appearing to be a perfect one, where the drought has passed, and it hasn’t exactly flooded like a few years prior. This should help many rafting businesses generate some extra revenue which can be saved up for the uncertain times in coming years. Because if anything can be said about Colorado weather, it is that it is uncertain. Which would be one of the reasons for the states motto: If you don’t like the weather, just wait a little bit. At Wilderness Aware Rafting, we’re excited for Summer to finally reveal itself in Colorado. If you are interested in epic Colorado Rafting Trips, scenic Arizona Salt River Rafting, memorable Land-Based Adventures such as Horseback Riding, be sure to see what white water rafting trips are available, or contact us to speak with a representative. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
