Summary

Arkansas River - Browns & Bighorn Sheep Canyon 3 Day

Prices From	USD$ $475.00
1st Departure	05.01.2009
Provider	Dvorak Kayak & Rafting Exp Inc
Destination	Arkansas River
Duration	3 days
Challenge	Moderate
Avg Rating	Not Rated

36 Miles, Class III-IV, Three Day Adult Youth

Start your trip with two days in the Granite walls of Browns Canyon. Remote away from the crowds where wildlife come to drink in the evening still. Continuing downstream you enter the canyons of the BigHorn Sheep. Here the river flows a little more serene but only to pick up speed and run wilder class III`s. A great family paddle adventure with just enough to keep beginners and challenging to all. Location for meeting is at Dvorak`s Nathrop office, 10 miles south of Buena Vista on Highway 285 (See Map)

This is the BEST whitewater thrill you`ll find close to Denver or Colorado Springs.

Itinerary

Day 1

AND SO IT BEGINS RIVER MAGIC DVORAK STYLE! When you reserve your adventure with Dvorak Rafting & Kayak Expeditions, you will be taken care of from the time you meet us until we send you on your way at the end. We will schedule pre trip meetings to check our lists and finalize last minute details before you fly, shuttle or walk to the river launch sites. We will fit you out with your personal floatation device (PFD), issue your waterproof bag for personal gear to transfer your river gear into, confirm your camping equipment is there (tents/sleeping bags/pads/rain gear/wetsuit/boots etc.) and gather everyone to the circle for introductions and a river safety talk. Once we are a river family, we will designate the rafters and kayakers to their crafts and we will be on our way. “We are now officially on “River Time” DIVERSITY! A week, two days, three days, or more, Dvorak Rafting & Kayak Expeditions cater to all tastes. Right from the start, our staff does the tough stuff – the glory of adventure, without the worry! Based on your input, our consultants will help you choose a personally – suited expedition, a getaway, vacation, challenge or another river feather in your hat! From this point, we will takeover and do all the planning, make the lists and check them twice, the cooking, and the loading and detailing. Kick back and soak it all in. However, if you desire to recall the rugged, rough and tumble routes of “roughing it”, we can go there, too. TENTS OR CASTLES? Some like it wet and wild. Others like it quaint and calm. Just like our selection of nine rivers in the southwest Dvoraks offer you choices; sleep under the stars in your skivvies, tent on a sandy riverbank, cozy up in a bed & breakfast or luxury base camp with us on the Arkansas River Center in walled tents with the hot showers right next door! Great granite fireplace and pavilion for families, corporate groups and afternoon Bar B.Q. after a day of rafting. MORNING SUNRISE! Dawn is accompanied by the sweet morning chorus of the river birds singing, rustling tents opening, and nature stretching its wings and the call of “Cawfeee” hot and rich to your senses. As you make your way to the kitchen, the smell of fresh bacon, pancakes and nibbles of fresh fruit and juices entice your appetite to begin the day. Your crew leisurely shuffles about, while breaking down camp and packing up the rafts in preparation for the days adventures ahead. By the time, the sun moves into camp over the canyon walls you will have packed your dry bag and will have taken the fleece off to ready for the days rapids and hikes to come. AFTERNOON DELIGHT! Now that you’re wet and wild, you have explored a side canyon or perhaps walked back in time to the ancient one’s ruins or stopped for a snack on the water’s edge on a sunny beach - your tank of adrenaline has come and gone and guess what ? There is still half the day left. Your guides will set up a banquet of lunch delicacies for your delight and relax as you take in the grand view of this wilderness canyon as you sip a cool drink on the river’s edge. After lunch we’ll pack up for a afternoon run of whitewater and not so river wild water where you can swim or play till we reach our river camp this late afternoon. THE RIVER DANCE BEGINS; First timers will rest assured that when we arrive to camp for the night your guides will set up camp and help you or show you how to set up tents. The camp shuffle-dance will begin as the dinner crew prepare the evening meal and sets out your appetizers and cold drinks and wine for after all that fresh air - “fuel for the fires of appetite” will have taken over. Dvoraks is famous for always making sure they are dinners are plentiful, delicious and to die for! Meanwhile the rest of the day is yours to relax, read, and play river games with the crew or visit with your family and new river friends. The setting will have by now doubled your distance from jobs, freeways, telephones and workday responsibility. You will have sharpened your senses to those around you and will inhabit the delights of this natural world around you. (Make sure we know when there’s a birthday or anniversary because there will be one in the works from the kitchen crew) A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP! Sleeping well is an essential luxury of any vacation. Our guests bed down in roomy four season tents with floors and flys, warm sleeping bags, atop self-inflating pads. Our bed & breakfast guests snooze like royalty in four-star comfortable choices; (Western, Tudor, Victorian, Eclectic, Country styles). You will find them just downright incredible. As you move away from the open fire after the recounting the day’s escapades and post dinner drinks, hot cocoa, tea or cool water you will never remember your head hitting your river pillow. Just before you close your eyes one last time - look up and see STARS like you have never seen before! VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE. You can count on each day of your trip having some new twists and turns and a wild ride or two along with some quiet gentle moments on the river. Water will be a big part of each day as the full days run is from about 9:00 a.m. thru until 3-4:30 p.m. Some days have more hiking - others are more rafting. One thing for sure is your trip will be like no other and the friends, laughter and experiences will be a good time – every time! Please feel free to call our adventure consultants for more details and do look over the float notes for those special and unique qualities our rivers will offer you. Remember the memories never go away and it is up to all of us to protect these resources for our children and their children beyond our time. The whitewater thrills will fade but the tall tales just get taller every year! “River Magic” Dvorak style!

Gear List

The following are included in your Dvorak Expeditions Arkansas Valley Combination: • Lodging arrangements as described below dependent on length of your trip and method of arrival. • The shuttle and transport to and from the river is provided. • ½ - 7 days raft/hike/horseback/bike/jeep/etc. • Rain Jacket with pants • Eating utensils, cup, plate (on overnight trips) • Water proof dry bags/containers for personal gear (on river trip portions) YOU are responsible for the following: • Transportation to and from the arranged meeting point. (Dvorak Expedition Base) • Transportation, meals & lodging pre and post trip • Personal clothing and other sundry items



• Long john style wetsuit/boots for cold months or Class IV+ • Nylon shorts or swim suit under wetsuit • Non cotton shirt or poly propylene top (fleece top) • Warm jacket, wind proof or Fleece, water resistant • Pair of tennis shoes - tie on preferred (No sandals) or wet boots. • Wool socks will help keep feet warm in tennis shoes • Sun glasses with loss protector/keeper, with UV protection • Sun block (over 8000' altitude - lots of UV exposure) • Hat for sun protection (tie-on) • Rain gear is provided unless you want to bring your own



• Extra long sleeve shirt apart from river wear clothing • Pair of long pants for night camping • Small towel / bio soap/shampoo/lotion etc. • Flashlight and extra batteries with new bulb. • Bandana and a pair of lite gloves for sun protection. • Personal items kit (hygiene) medicines etc. • Waterproof camera or a very good waterproof case. (Disposable) • Extra sodas and or canned beverages for camp. NO LIQUOR on the river • Compact sleeping bag (not down) with foam pad/ ground sheet • Small backpack style tent w/ fly EXTRA BEVERAGES - PLASTIC containers of liquor, CANNED beer wine coolers. An adequate supply of soft drinks is provided. If you prefer diet drinks please request them in advance. Wine is provided with evening meals. OPTIONAL ITEMS: Field glasses, protection, Journal notebook, book, pliers (for use in taking things from fire i.e. coffee, hot water, etc.), Day pack & Extra Zip Lock Bags.



TENTS, SLEEPING BAGS & WET SUIT PACKAGES OVERNIGHT ITEMS (one night rental) • $15 Lightweight Sleeping Bag / Ensolite pad and Ground Cover to line your tent (per trip) • $25 Three man dome tent with floor one night $50 two or more nights • $ 5 Therma-Rest Sleep pad inflatable RENTAL BY DAY OR TRIP • $10 Long John Wet suit with booties per day • $25 Long John Wet suit with bootier two or more days • $ 8 Wet Suit only (per day) $20-2 or more days • $ 3 Booties only (per day) $10-2 or more days



• Rugged inflatable self-bailing rafts 12 to 16 feet in length. • Personal flotation devices (type V) • Waterproof dry bags for personal gear. • First aid and safety supplies. • One guide per raft and a ratio of 1 to 4 on any instructional clinic. • Rain gear—unless you want to bring your own • In addition, we have rental equipment that consists of tents, sleeping bags, pads, and ground sheets. We also have wetsuit and boot rentals available per day or trip. • You can choose to be either in a paddle raft (participatory) or an oared raft, (passenger). Paddle rafts have 4 to 6 persons and one guide.

Travel Information

Activity Location Browns Canyon Office Centerville, Colorado 17921 US Highway 285 Nathrop, CO 81236 USA

Food On overnight trips all on-river meals are provided, beginning with lunch the first day and ending with lunch the last day. The food is fresh and hearty and the guides will prepare it for you. A typical dinner menu will include as a main course BBQ Steak, Baked Fish, Teriyaki Chicken, or combination entrees, fresh vegetables and salads, Dutch-oven desserts or breads, hors d'oeuvres, fresh fruits, fruit juices, coffee, tea and a complimentary glass of wine with dinner. ALL LUNCHES: are buffet style with a wide variety of salads, sandwiches, fruit, cheeses, sliced meats, nuts and juices or sodas. Breakfast includes fresh fruit juice, eggs in all styles, special pancakes, French toast, melons, fruit, cereals with milk, sausage, bacon, coffee, tea, hot chocolate. We can accom-modate special diets with advance notice and almost always the menu suits the vegetarian. Though we carry ample supplies of juices, coffee, tea and hot chocolate we encourage you to bring extra soda or beer. You can arrange for us to pick up specific beverages for you prior to the trip or you can stock up in Salida before you meet us at the base. Any liquids you bring must be in unbreakable containers. ALCOHOL We request that you do not drink alcohol on the day trips on the river. You're welcome to bring alcohol in unbreakable containers on overnight trips for drinks around the fire. Wine is complimentary with dinner. Our guides may refuse to let you participate in a trip if your safety is at risk. Money GRATUITIES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR TRIP COST. WHILE WE NEVER DEMAND A TIP AND IT IS YOUR DISCRETION WHETHER OR NOT YOU WISH TO TIP, WE PRIDE OURSELVES THAT ONE OF THE GAUGES WE USE FOR YOUR SATISFACTION IS THE GRUTUITY AT THE END OF THE TRIP. (15-20% estimate) IF YOU ARE EVER NOT SATISFIED WE EXPECT YOUR COMMENTS TO MAKE OUR EXPEDITIONS MORE EXCELLENT FOR FUTURE TRIPS. Guide(s) Our guides are experienced men and women skilled at handling their craft. They all have current first aid and CPR training and have fulfilled guide qualification requirements in the states of Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. Trip Leaders have thousands of river miles of experience on all classes of rivers including all those Dvorak Expeditions run. Transportation PRE AND POST TRIP ARRANGEMENTS BY PLANE Major airports are Denver International or Colorado Springs; rental car or van from there to the Arkansas Valley. Car rentals are available in Denver or Colorado Springs. There are "limited" jeep and domestic rental vehicles available in the Arkansas valley by prior arrangement. . Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado have small aircraft facilities and charter flights only are available with adequate numbers for charter. Arrive in Salida or Buena Vista, Colorado the day prior to the trip BY CAR The Rand McNally Road Atlas and the enclosed Dvorak map will assist. To reach our Browns Canyon/Nathrop Base, you will need to follow Hwy 285 out of Denver all the way to the Base located at 17921 US Hwy 285. It is approximately 160 miles from Denver International Airport to the Nathrop Base (3 hours). The mountain road driving is through one of the most beautiful parts of the Rocky Mountains and you should allow extra driving time to sight-see. From Colorado Springs use US Hwy 115 to Hw 50 west connecting up with US Hwy 285 north towards Buena Vista. You will see our sign just past the Shell Gas Station and Prospector Rock Shop on Hwy 285. Arrive at the appropriate base by either 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. (depending on trip) on the first day, or 1:00 for an afternoon trip. You will meet your guides at Dvorak Expedition's Nathrop base (see map). The travel time to the river by bus/van varies with each canyon and start point. Confirm prior to start date. There is a secure parking area at Dvorak Expedition bases for you to leave your belongings. TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AT TRIPS END At the end of your day or the final day of your trip, Dvorak's van or bus will either deliver you to the place where you left your car or return you to your lodging or arranged drop off point. "River Time is unpredictable." Please keep this in mind when you make final day commitments. ACCOMMODATIONS The following are recommended for pre- and post-trip: Beddin Down 10401 County Rd 160 Salida, CO 81201 (719) 539-1815 www.beddindown.com   The Tudor Rose Bed & Breakfast 6720 Paradise Rd. Salida, CO 81201 (719) 539-2002 or (800) 379-0889 www.TheTudorRose.com    Mt.Princeston Hot Springs Resort, 15870 County Road 162, Nathrop, CO 81236  719 395-2447 www.MtPrinceton.com