Stories From The Water

Come join us for an afternoon of Rafting, Local Drinks, and Gourmet Appetizers.

Since my move to Colorado to further pursue mountain bike racing I have been on hundreds of bike rides through these gorgeous Colorado mountains. However, my pursuit of conquering Colorado rivers just started sparking my interest when I moved to Salida, CO a few years ago. After several SUP runs and day raft trips I started feeling more comfortable on the river. I really started to fit into the rafting dominated community. However, I was missing a huge part of being a river savvy individual as I had never experienced an overnight trip! Luckily on a trip to visit friends in Telluride we heard that the Dolores River was finally running. Not knowing much about the history of rivers, I learned that the Dolores has not run in a while and it would be a real treat to do an…

Guide Talk: The Most Unlikely Guide by  Julie, former DVK Guide At age 23 I was oblivious to the fact that working as a river guide was even a thing people did, so becoming one never crossed my mind. If asked about recreational water sources, my response would’ve been “rivers were okay, but I grew up near the coast and never wanted to be too far from the ocean”. Yet, to my great surprise and the surprise of many other people, by my 24th birthday I was in training to be a whitewater rafting guide. My path to becoming a river guide began when a few perfectly aligned events mysteriously worked to bring me closer to the river. Post-college life brought me from Boston to Boulder, Colorado in the Spring to sublet an apartment from a friend. She was headed off…

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When Work Becomes Play It was Robert Frost who said “When work becomes play, and play becomes your work – your life unfolds.” A whitewater guide can tell you from experience that this is true.  A love for the outdoors, the desire for extraordinary life experiences, and the right training can make it happen for you. “I went on my 1st river at 14 – Ocoee River in West Va with my family. The experience was exciting, and learning to paddle our craft in the river was quite empowering for me. I was immediately hooked on paddling.” says Justin M. of Salida, Colorado. “Our guide seemed to have everything figured out – he was prepared for anything that could happen on the river. His skills for reading the river and knowing how to negotiate our actions made a huge impression on me.  He was…

Six outstanding whitewater runs to add to this fall’s “must-do” list. By Terri Cook for Westword Magazine Summer is in full swing, and the state’s rivers are primed for kayaking after all the recent rain. While paddlers might be thrilled to seize the opportunity to run a few stretches, with the waters high, it’s more important than ever to keep safety first. Matt Mattes, head guide at Dvorak Expeditions, the state’s first (and longest) licensed outfitter, says that paddlers should check run descriptions, which often depend upon the flows, and the latest water levels, before launching—while high-flowing rivers are a kayaker’s dream, they can also be a nightmare if you’re not prepared. “The rating scales have a lot to do with water levels (how big and pushy versus technical and rocky), and how accessible a run is (how far from…

A Checklist for Great Fall Color Photos from nikonusa.com Location “It’s everything,” says nature photographer Rod Planck, who ought to know: his fall color photo tours sell out faster than any other tour or workshop he offers, which is a testament to the image opportunities and overall inspiration of fall color. If you’re thinking of focusing a photography vacation around the colors of autumn, or just want to spend a day or two in pursuit of the season’s hues, Rod suggests three major regions to consider: the New England states; the Colorado Rockies; and the upper Midwest of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota (all the photos here were taken by Rod in his home state of Michigan). If you live elsewhere, your best bet is the website of your state’s tourism board for timely, peak fall color information, perhaps even a…

Browns Canyon National Monument OUR COUNTRY HAS 117 NATIONAL MONUMENTS scattered across 30 states, from the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor to the Misty Fjords in Alaska. National monuments have been established to protect coral reefs in American Samoa, Spanish forts in Florida and extinct volcanoes in New Mexico as well as landscape-scale,…

Ten Ways to Camp Better (and More) Brendan Leonard, National Geographic Camping is one of the best and easiest escapes into nature, away from the chores of daily life. The more nights this summer you can spend staring at a campfire and sleeping under a canopy of stars, the better, even if you stay close to home. Here are ten ways to make it more fun and happen more often. 1. Night Lighting A campsite can feel a little lonely when you’re walking around in the darkness if the only light is coming from the small LED bulb in your headlamp. One or two additional lighting options can make the campsite, kitchen, and tent feel more inviting. 2. Camp on a School Night A camping trip doesn’t have to take up an entire weekend or be a three-day backpacking route…