Summary

Gunnison River - Gunnison Gorge - Black Canyon - 1 Day

Prices From USD$ $250.00
1st Departure 05.17.2009
Provider Dvorak Kayak & Rafting Exp Inc
Destination Gunnison Gorge
Duration 10 hours
Challenge Moderate
Avg Rating Not Rated

14 miles Class II-III



A boater`s and angler`s paradise- a hidden jewel a mile deep in the steep granite walls of the "Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park". The narrow river corridor makes for exciting whitewater and the clear cold water has been designated a gold medal trout fishery. Accessible only by foot and horsepack, it is a wilderness canyon for those willing to put a litte extra effort into their vacation. This remote beauty and sense of solitude will be ample reward for the hike - a trip to remember. Limited access 8-10 persons per date.

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 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” 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. 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! 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 Gunnison Gorge trip • All boating equipment/life jackets/drinking water • Pre- and post-trip arrangements as described • 1 to 3 days of rafting, float fishing or instructional seminar • All on-river meals (lunch day 1 through lunch last day) • Rain jacket with pants (PVC) • Eating utensils, plates, complimentary Dvorak cup • Waterproof dry bags/containers for personal gear • 6-man rain tarps for shelter in kitchen area You are responsible for the following • Transportation to the arranged meeting point • Personal clothing and other sundry items • Transportation at the arranged drop off point • Pre and post lodging with meals



Please limit your gear to 25 pounds in weight. It should be able to be packed into a standard duffel bag. This list should cover everything for a safe, comfortable trip. • Compact sleeping bag (not down) with Ensolite pad • Small backpack style tent w/ fly & ground sheet • Long john style wetsuit/boots for cold months * • Long pants (one light weight to block the sun & one warm wool or pile/fleece type*) • Nylon shorts or swim suit under wetsuit • Long sleeved shirts (one warm*/one light weight) • Non cotton shirt or polypropylene top (fleece top) • Warm jacket*, wind proof or Fleece, water resistant • Pair of tennis shoes - tie on preferred 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 8,000' altitude - lots of UV exposure) • Hat for sun protection (tie-on) • Rain gear is provided unless you want to bring your own • Small towel / biodegradable soap/shampoo/lotion etc. • Flashlight and extra batteries with new bulb. • Bandanna and a pair of light gloves for sun protection. • Personal items kit (hygiene) medicines etc. • Waterproof camera or a very good waterproof case. EXTRA BEVERAGES - PLASTIC containers of liquor, CANNED beer or 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. * Can be excluded during warmer weather



We furnish rugged inflatable self-bailing rafts 12 to 16 feet in length. We provide all necessary river equipment, pfd's (Type V), water-proof dry bags for personal gear, first-aid and safety supplies. There is a guide on every raft and a ratio of 1 guide to 4 students on any instructional clinic. We have rental equipment available: tents, sleeping bags, pads, ground sheets, as well as wetsuit/boot rentals available per trip. You can choose to be in a paddle raft (participatory) or an oared raft, (passenger). Paddle rafts have 4-6 persons to 1 guide.



Travel Information

Activity Location

Gunnison River Pleasure Park, Lazear, CO 81420
P.O. Box 32
14 Miles East of Delta Hwy 92
Lazear, CO 81420 USA

Food

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 while you enjoy the homey atmosphere generated around each river camp. You can set up your tent or go for an evening walk, relax, read, or join the guides in the kitchen if you so desire. A typical two day menu may include as a main course BBQ steak, baked fish, BBQ chicken, pork chops and dumplings, 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. Lunches are buffet style with a wide variety of salads, sandwiches, fruit, cheeses, sliced meats, nuts, juices or sodas. Breakfast includes fruit juice, eggs in all styles, special pancakes, French toast, melons, fruit, cereals with milk, sausage, bacon, coffee, tea or hot chocolate. We can accommodate special diets with advance notice and almost always the menu suits the vegetarian. Although we carry ample supplies of juices, coffee, tea and hot chocolate we encourage you to bring extra soda, beer, wine or other beverages you may prefer. You can arrange for us to pick up specific beverages for you prior to the trip or you can stock up before we head to the river. Any liquids you bring must be in unbreakable containers, limited to one case per person. ALCOHOL You're welcome to bring alcohol as long as it is in unbreakable containers. Discretion in alcohol consumption during whitewater days is strongly advised. If you would like us to pick up a particular beer and bring it to the river, please let us know and payment can be made for your purchase at the river put-in with your Trip Leader.


Money

Additional cash requirements: You will need to arrange all pre and post lodging and meals before and after your trip. Gratuities are not included in the trip cost. You will not require any monies during your trip. Valuables should be stored in the safe at your lodging or you can keep valuables in the waterproof bag provided by Dvoraks. A small amount of money maybe needed during shuttle for snacks at the end of trip.


Destination Location

"THE BABY GRAND" It is a hidden jewel, off the beaten path, tucked deep in steep granite walls. The Gunnison River is a sportsman's and paddler's paradise. The clear, cold waters of the Gunnison have been designated a Gold Medal Trout Fishery. Its narrow river corridor creates exciting whitewater action on a river that has been included into the National Park System in 2003. Accessible only by foot or horseback, the Gunnison Gorge is a wilderness canyon for those who are willing to literally go the extra mile. A trip to the canyon floor requires a hike of one mile down a steep trail. Guests are expected to carry their personal gear in back packs provided by Dvoraks. With every step, the wilderness feeling deepens. The solitude and scenery found at the canyon floor make the hike down worth every step. Enter the wilderness world of the Gunnison Gorge for a trip of one to three days.


Guide(s)

Our guides are experienced men and women skilled at handling their craft. They all have current first aid, CPR and Swiftwater Rescue training and have fulfilled guide qualification requirements in the states of Colorado, Utah, Texas 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 The meeting place for a Gunnison Gorge trip is the Gunnison Forks Pleasure Park (this is the finish point of the trip). This is midway between Hotchkiss and Delta, Colorado. Travel 14 miles east on Hwy. #92 coming from Hotchkiss. Look for the Gunnison Forks sign on the south side of the road and follow the dirt road south near this sign one mile to the Pleasure Park. You will rendezvous with your guide at approximately 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the first day of your trip. Meet in the parking lot behind the kiosk. Your guide will provide you with a small 14" diameter by 22" high waterproof bag (backpack straps attached) to transfer your overnight gear into. You will carry your bag, along with your life jacket and any fishing gear you bring, down into the Gorge. This is a hike of one mile which drops over 2,000 feet and usually takes 25 - 35 minutes. Weather is usually hot and we carry drinking water for hiking. Your vehicle will be left at the Pleasure Park and monitored by the people who operate this establishment. We will be taking out on the beach about 100 yards from the parking lot mid- to late afternoon on the last day of your trip. Our 4 wheel drive takes about 1½ hours from the Pleasure Park to the trail head into the Gunnison Gorge. An additional hour is generally required to hike down to the river, rig the remaining gear to boats and do the safety and environmental orientation of the Gunnison Gorge. Lunch is usually 1 - 2 miles down stream between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. therefore plan on eating a hearty breakfast before your morning meeting time. Food is available at the Pleasure Park Kiosk. They have flies, lures and miscellaneous fishing tackle, as well as an assortment of pop and beer. GETTING TO THE GUNNISON GORGE BY PLANE: Fly into Montrose for pick up at lodge or airport. (See details on confirmation letter). Or Fly into Grand Junction, Colorado (served by United, Maverick and other airlines) and rent a car for the 1½ hour drive to the Gunnison Forks Pleasure Park. Take Hwy. #50 south 50 miles to Delta, then east on Hwy. #92, 14 miles to the Gunnison Forks turn off. Alternately fly into Denver (served by most major airlines) and rent a car for the 4½ hour drive to the Gunnison Forks rendezvous. Take Interstate #70 west to Glenwood Springs. Turn south on Hwy. #82 and go 12 miles to Carbondale, then southwest 60 miles on Hwy. #33 to Hotchkiss. Continue on for 6 miles on Hwy. #92 to the Gunnison Forks turn off. BY CAR: From the North: Follow directions for air travelers from either Grand Junction or Denver. From the South: Take Hwy. #50 north from Montrose 20 miles to Delta, then Hwy. #92 east 14 miles to the Gunnison Forks turn off. SHUTTLE: A round trip van shuttle is available for groups from Grand Junction - request rates. ACCOMMODATIONS We recommend the following for pre and post trip Grand Vista Hotel 752 Horizon Drive Grand Junction, Co 81506 (800) 800-7796 or (970)241-1077 Gunnison River Pleasure Park (970) 872-2525 Camping and Cabins at the finish point and meeting location for your Gunnsion River trip. Best Western Red Arrow Motel 1702 E. Main St. (Highway 50) Montrose, CO 81401 (800) 468-9323 or (970) 249-9641 Hotchkiss Inn 406 Highway 143 Hotchkiss, Co 81419 (970)872-2200 TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AT TRIP'S END You will arrive back at your vehicle at the Gunnison Forks Pleasure Park mid to late afternoon of the last day of your trip. Although you can usually make a connecting flight home from Grand Junction after 7:00 p.m. on the last day of the trip, we recommend you fly out the following morning in case inclement weather or other circumstances delays your arrival in Denver. Remember, "River Time" is unpredictable.