Frequently Asked Questions

Plan your trip based on the experience level and physical fitness of ALL the participants. What is their fitness level? Swimming ability?

We have many options available.

Our Salida Valley trip is great for small children (5+) and grandma and grandpa, or those just looking for a relaxing time floating down the river. Some small Class II rapids will be encountered to get the kids splashed.

Our intermediate or moderate trips are great for most everyone, age 7 to 87. Bighorn Sheep Canyon and Browns Canyon offer up fun and exciting Class III rapids and monumental scenery.

The Royal Gorge and The Numbers step it up with advanced class IV and sometimes Class V rapids. Sure to thrill the adventure seekers.

We offer full-day and half-day trips at all levels.

We recommend a Class III trip for most beginners and those that have never been before.

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Colorado weather can be extreme and unpredictable. Plan accordingly and bring clothing appropriate for all conditions, whether it be sunny and hot or rainy and cold. We carry a dry bag on all our trips so guests can bring a fleece and/or rain gear in case the weather changes on us while we are on the river.

– Stay away from cotton on the river. Once it gets wet it stays wet and keeps you cold.

– Polypro, fleece, and other quick-dry fabrics are perfect.

– You must wear footwear that will stay on your feet. No flip flops or crocks. Sandals are ok, but they must have a heel strap. Old tennis shoes are fine too.

– Wool or fleece socks will help keep your feet warm.

– If you have rain gear, bring it. We have wetsuits and splash jackets available, but it is always good to have more.

– Bring sunscreen and water.

– Leave towels and change of clothes in the car, you won’t need them until after the trip.

– We do bring a dry bag on the trip, but please try to minimize excess items.

– Bring important medications; inhaler, EPI pen, etc.

Visit our directions page to learn where to meet us based on which trip you’re taking. Generally we will meet you at our office, located at 11430 CR 197 Nathrop CO 81236. Some trips we meet you at the put-in or take-out for your trip. You will be provided directions for where to meet when booking your trip.

Being able to swim is not a requirement. We do offer trips that are appropriate for non-swimmers and small children. Please contact us with any questions and we will be happy to find the appropriate trip for your group.

Small children need to weigh at least 50 lbs for the youth life jacket to fit properly, and at least 35 lbs for the x-small youth life jackets used on the Salida Valley trip. Adults cannot have a chest size that exceeds 55 inches, again for proper fit of the life jacket. Those over 250 lbs should reconsider participating in a rafting trip. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

We like to offer both options to our guests. We can run either a paddle raft or an oar raft. Both allow for guest participation, however, it is more of a requirement aboard a paddle raft. Please contact us if you would like to request an oar raft.

Whitewater rapids are rated on a six-point scale.

• I – Moving water, riffles, small waves
• II – Easy rapids, waves, clear channels
• III – Large waves, obstacles, narrow passages
• IV – Long rapids, unavoidable waves, many obstacles
• V – Violent rapids, extremely difficult, unseen hazards
• VI – Unpredictable, dangerous, nearly impossible to run

*River conditions and ratings change with flow levels. Whitewater boating has risks at all ratings and levels.

Learn more by visiting our rapid classifications page.

CFS stands for Cubic Feet per Second. This is how we measure what the river is flowing at. You can imagine that one CFS is equivalent to an over-inflated basketball, so if the gauge reads 1,000 CFS, that means 1,000 basketballs are floating by the gauge a second!

The higher the CFS, generally the bigger the rapids become, and many rapids form in areas where there were previously rocks that are now underwater. Many times higher CFS will increase the rapids’ difficulty rating. Be sure to contact us if you have questions about current CFS.

Photos are taken by a separate company and are available for purchase on their website by clicking here.

You will be given a card with info on how to purchase photos after your trip.

This is a common occurrence. Please visit our waivers page to find the waiver online or download it and print it out. Make sure you have their parent or legal guardian fill it out and sign it. Bring the completed waiver with you for check-in.

Our trips all stick to a schedule and we are regulated on how early or late we can be on the river. However, our small size allows us to accommodate special requests fairly easily. Contact us and we’ll see what we can do.

You can either book online by selecting a raft trip from the menu above or contact us and we will be happy to book your adventure and answer any questions you may have.

• Payment is required to guarantee your reservation and is subject to a 14-day cancellation policy.

• If your group or any individual in your group cancels outside of 14 days of your scheduled trip, you will receive a refund less a $10 per person processing fee.

• Cancellations made inside 14 days are not subject to refund. Your funds will be held in the form of a rain check – less $10/person – you can use to raft at a later date.

• No refunds or rain checks will be given for no-shows or cancellations made within 24 hours.

• Weather is not a cause for cancellation since trips run rain or shine.

• Make sure you and everyone in your group has read and understands the cancellation policy.

• We reserve the right to alter the trip start and end points and length based on water levels at the time of the trip and the ability level of participants.

• Remember to choose a trip that suits you and your entire group’s needs and abilities. Our office staff is happy to answer questions that may help you determine an appropriate trip for your group. There will be no credits or refunds issued if a trip is changed to one of lesser value.

• We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone judged to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and no refunds will be offered.

• Your reservation is confirmation of your agreement to this cancellation policy.

We highly recommend Gone to the Dogs located in Salida and Buena Vista for looking after your four-legged companion while you are on the river. In the Cañon City area, there is Country Kennels.

Our rafting season is from May 1^st through mid-September. Spring run-off usually occurs during late May through mid-June, depending on snowpack and temperatures in the high country. This is when the water is fast, cold, and big. Once the snowpack has mostly melted by July the river comes down a bit to a more moderate but still super fun level for the rest of the season.