Colorado: Hunting for whitewater flows in a drought

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Collaborative planning helps sustain boating on the Arkansas River

Resource managers are cobbling together a plan to sustain flows for whitewater boating on the Arkansas River. PHOTO COURTESY BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Despite an emerging wave of publicity about the early stages of a major Colorado drought, stakeholders on the Arkansas River say a long-standing collaborative management effort should help salvage a decent boating season on one of the state’s most popular rivers.

“We’re working with the Bureau of Reclamation to figure it out,” said Rob White, park manager at the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. “We have a few different ideas … we’re going to meet May 22 and discuss more details,” he said. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, Environment, rivers, water | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Travel : Rio Grande whitewater races coming up

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

River rats will soon gather for the Mother's Day races on the Rio Grande, near Taos, New Mexico.

SUMMIT COUNTY — One of the biggest spring whitewater events is set for Mother’s Day weekend near Taos, New Mexico, where rafters and kayakers will compete in a downriver race, a whitewater rodeo and a raft race on the Rio Grande near Pilar.

The races, billed as the oldest whitewater contest west of the Mississippi, are hosted by the New Mexico River Outfitter Association.

“This event kicks off the white water season,” said Cisco Guevara from Los Rios River Runners, one of the event sponsors. “It will be wild and fun and exciting.”

Other sponsors include Kokopelli Rafting Adventures and Surfs Up Kayak School.

The schedule:

Friday, May 6, 7 to 9 p.m. — event pre-registration and a video-a-thon of exciting whitewater films at the Hotel Don Fernando de Taos, 1005 Paseo de Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM.

Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m downriver open-class kayak race.  1 to 3 p.m. —  Kayak rodeo, where participants will perform tricks at designated re-circulating  holes in the Rio Grande. 5 to 7 p.m. — awards ceremony and video-a-thon will be held at Shadows Lounge and Grill, 330a Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM.

Sunday, May 8, 4 to 6 p.m — Raft race will take place from Quartzite to County Line near Pilar, NM. From 6 to 8 p.m.  — awards ceremony at the Blue Heron Brewery, 2214 Highway 68, Rinconada, NM.

The cost is $10 per person, per event.

Filed under: boating, recreation, Travel, West | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado rafting industry rides high in 2010

Posted on February 12, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Whitewater outfitters report second-best year on record

Whitewafter rafting on the Arkansas River is fun, and it's also a big economic factor, valued at about $62 million in 2010. PHOTO COURTESY COLORADO STATE PARKS.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado’s rafting industry bounced back from a down year in 2009 to near-record levels, hosting more than a half-million user days between April and September, according to the Colorado River Outfitters Association.

The trade group recently held its annual meeting in Grand Junction, releasing a report that valued the economic impact of rafting at about $150 in 2010, up about 4.9 percent from the previous year. That was the second-highest total since CROA began tracking these statistics in 1988, trailing only the banner year of 2007 (544,000 rafters). (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, economy, recreation, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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