With river flows high enough to cut off some of our more challenging whitewater rafting sections, we are extremely fortunate to have access to rafting in Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River. Browns Canyon does not have a state recommended cut off level which means we can raft it as high as it goes!

Browns Canyon gets better and better with higher water flows. If you are feeling disappointed that our Class IV and V trips aren’t available at this time or if are seeking an intermediate raft trip, have no fear! Browns Canyon can be made as exciting or tame as desired by our customers. Big waves and holes can be avoided or run depending on each group’s adventure level. We try very hard to give each customer the trip they are seeking whether it’s an intermediate trip or a more advanced trip with more aggressive lines. This can only be done because of our experienced guides! With more years of commercial raft guiding under their belts than most Arkansas River guides, our guides are able to maneuver the boat to miss or hit just about anything!

If huge waves, over the head splashes and an opportunity to make your trip as mild or wild as you want isn’t enough to get you hooked on Browns Canyon, how about the scenery!?! Browns Canyon is one of Colorado’s great natural treasures. Granite canyons merging into mixed forests with unusual rock formations give Browns Canyon a wild and rugged nature.  Access this isolated oasis by paddling through thrilling Class III-IV rapids like Pinball, Zoom Flume, Big Drop, the Seven Stairs, Seidels Suckhole and more. In between rapids, be sure to scan the countryside for a glimpse of bighorn sheep, bald eagles, beavers or more!

You have options when choosing your Browns Canyon whitewater rafting trip! Pick from ½ day, ¾ day or Full day trips ranging from 9.5 to 16 miles on the river. We also offer a Super Browns Full day trip for those who want the most splash for your cash! Super Browns takes you thru 21 miles of Class II – IV whitewater for a great 6 hours on the river. All of our ¾ and Full day trips include our “Ultimate Fajita Buffet” lunch.

As the river levels get higher, our minimum age for Browns Canyon goes up. Please contact our friendly office staff for current age requirements.

Author: canicito | Categories: Colorado Rafting Vacations
Tags: Breckenrdridge, Browns Canyon, Buena Vista, Colorado Snowpack, Colorado Whitewater Rafting, Numbers, Pine Creek, raft, rafting, rapid, river flows, Royal Gorge, The Adventure Company
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Best Snowpack in Years!

 First of all, what is snowpack? Well, snowpack is the accumulation of snow that piles up over the course of the winter. When measuring snowpack, the experts at Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) don’t measure in inches; they measure the amount of water in the snow. This is called the Snow Water Equivalent. The more water in the snow, the more water flowing into our rivers. Colorado’s spring snowpack this year set an all-time record for water equivalent!

 NRCS measures snow at about 70 sites across the state of Colorado. Most statistics are given as a percentage of snowpack based on previous years. As of May 5, 2011, the state of Colorado’s snowpack is at 148% of average. The highest snowpack on record was in 1984, the next highest was 1995.

 The other important part about measuring snowpack is the temperature of the snowpack. Temperature has everything to do with how fast the snow melts. If the weather cooperates and warms up slowly, we will have a sustained inflow of water to our rivers. If Mother Nature decides to heat up fast, we will experience larger flows for a shorter period of time.

 So, the big question is: What does this mean for Colorado whitewater rafting? Well, with our awesome snowpack, we can assume that we will have an amazing water season; however, the river flows and peaks are weather dependant. More than likely we will have a great rafting season with sustained water flows carrying us to the end of August. Our rivers typically begin to peak in early June and taper out throughout the summer. 

 This will be a whitewater season that you won’t want to miss out on! Not only will you be able to brag about experience historic water levels, but you will experience some of the biggest splashes that our rivers have to offer!

 The Adventure Company follows the state recommended water level guidelines. This means that our more advanced sections of rivers have a cut off water level. When water flows are above the cut off levels, we will not raft those sections. However, there are sections of river that do not have cut off levels. These sections, such as Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River, remain open and just get better and better. We will raise our minimum ages with higher water levels. The best thing to do is call our office to get the most up-to-date information about water levels and what trips are available.

 It’s important to keep in mind that those of us who do this as a career have seen water levels way above the state recommended levels. It happens every season. Our guides have years of experience on all different water flows and are very much looking forward to this rafting season! We hope you will join our excitement for this rafting season and allow us to give you a rafting adventure that you won’t soon forget!

Author: canicito | Categories: News & Events
Tags: Breckenrdridge, Buena Vista, Colorado Snowpack, Colorado Whitewater Rafting, raft, rafting, rapid, river flows, The Adventure Company
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