3 days, 2 nights, Advanced+ Class V.The ultimate overnight experience in Colorado! Your first two days are full of Class III whitewater fun. The first night you'll camp in the majestic and remote Brown's Canyon while your guides prepare a gourmet dinner for you. Hiking and fishing options abound at camp, or just relax under the stars.
Wake up to a delicious breakfast and raft the rest of the canyon through rapids like Zoom Flume, the Seven Stairs and Seidel's Suckhole. Halfway through the day, take a break as your guides prepare a riverside lunch for you. After Lunch you'll jump into Inflatable Kayaks (duckies) and paddle them to the take out. At the end of your second day on the river, we'll pick you up and drive you further north upstream to another riverside camp. But wait--the fun's not over! Spend the remainder of the afternoon rock climbing and rappelling riverside in Granite Gorge. No experience necessary; we'll teach you all you need to know.
On the third morning, after a hearty breakfast, prepare to run the most exhilarating whitewater on the Arkansas, the Class IV & V Pine Creek and the Numbers-also known as "The Gauntlet!" But first you'll rappel from your camp down into Granite Gorge, where you'll meet your rafts for this incredible day.
This trip provides the perfect progression from intermediate to the most advanced whitewater. We take care of all the details; all you need to bring is your sleeping bag. Minimum age 15 yrs. (AVA reserves the right to change age requirements depending on water levels and individual qualifications.)
Meals included:
Arrive at the AVA Outpost, where you will be greeted by our friendly office staff. You will let us know you've arrived, take care of any outstanding financial matters, and sign waivers (**NOTE: if you are bringing children under 18 who are not your children, please make sure to bring waivers signed by their parents! You may not sign for them.). You will then meet your guides, who will provide you with a dry bag for packing all of your personal gear and will help you decide what you should take with you for your overnight trip. You'll also receive wetsuits and splash jackets (if the weather warrants their use), life jackets and helmets. You'll have some time to finish your packing and to change into the clothes you want to wear on the river. Before we go you'll lock any other belongings—such as wallets and valuables—away in your vehicle and leave the keys with the office.
Take Me to the River
It's time to go to the river! You'll load up on a van or bus and we'll drive to the river, where your guides will give you a thorough safety talk. Then you'll get into the boat, pick up a paddle and listen to your guide give you some paddling instruction. Before you know it, you'll be heading right into the whitewater of the Narrows, a granite gorge filled with continuous Class III fun. Views of the Arkansas Valley –lined with 14,000-foot peaks—highlight your day. Splash and laugh your way through the rapids—you'll be amazed at the thrill from working as a team to tackle the rapids. Halfway through the day, you'll stop to have a hot lunch riverside prepared by your guides. A gear boat will head separately to camp with your belongings, where the guide will start setting up and preparing for you to arrive.
Your Home Away from Home
Arrive at your home for the night in Brown's Canyon, where no roads interrupt the peace of this riverside camp. Your guides will start preparing dinner while you hike, fish or just relax and enjoy the scenery (don't forget your Colorado Fishing License if you're going to fish!). Sleep soundly with only the noise of the river to lull you. In the morning, your guides will fuel you up with fresh coffee and a hearty breakfast before setting out for more whitewater fun.
Into the Canyon
The next part of your trip goes through Brown's Canyon, where you'll blast through the whitewater of more than 10 Class III rapids. The granite walls, birdlife, and mountain peaks of Brown's Canyon—a Wilderness Study Area—are worth the trip alone. Leave the chaos at home as you explore this remote canyon with very little road access. Halfway through the day, take a break as your guides prepare a riverside lunch for you. After Lunch you'll jump in Inflatable Kayaks (duckies) and paddle them to the take out.
At the end of your second day on the river, we'll pick you up and drive you further north upstream to another riverside camp. But wait--the fun's not over! Spend the remainder of the afternoon rock climbing and rappelling riverside in Granite Gorge. No experience necessary; we'll teach you all you need to know.
Another Night Under the Stars
Your camp for the night is also at Granite Gorge, where you'll enjoy another evening of relaxation as your guides prepare a fresh and delicious dinner to satisfy the appetite you've worked up.
Enter the Gauntlet (Rappel Into It!)
Experience true Rocky Mountain adventure! After filling up on a hot breakfast, get ready to tackle the most advanced whitewater on the Arkansas River. From your camp, rappel into Granite Gorge, where your rafts and guides will be waiting for you. You'll warm up in the Class III & IV rapids of Granite Gorge before entering the Class V Pine Creek, followed by the continuous Class IV rapids of the Numbers. A gourmet lunch riverside complements this amazing whitewater day. The perfect 3-day progression from intermediate to advanced whitewater!
The Post-trip Review
When you arrive back at the AVA Outpost, change into your dry clothes and come inside to check out the hilarious and action-packed photos from the day. After viewing your digital photos on wall-mounted screens, you'll have an opportunity to have them printed right there at our office or to have them burned to a disc to take home and print out yourself. Our retail shop has tons of AVA and rafting paraphernalia for your shopping pleasure, from t-shirts and hats to picture frames and coffee mugs.
Once you arrive at our outpost, check in with our friendly office staff and sign liability waivers. You can also download and print your waivers in advance. If anyone in your group is under 18 years old and will not be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, they will need to get their waiver signed in advance and bring it with them the day of the trip.
Looking forsomewhere to rest your head before or after your overnight rafting adventure?AVA’s Granite outpost offers three newly renovated bunkhouses, which sleep upto four guests in two bunk-beds. The cabins are located adjacent to our maincheck-in building, and back a quiet stream.
Behind ourmain outpost building are ten walk-in campsites, which can accommodate afour-person tent. A communal fire pit and grill can be used to cook meals. Askyour reservation agent today about adding lodging to your package!
AVA provides wetsuits and splash jackets free of charge if the weather warrants their use. Wearing a wetsuit is often not necessary; they are most often needed early season, if the weather is rainy, and for or our Class IV-V trips. For overnight trips, we highly recommend you bring additional synthetic layers (as described below) to wear on the river in case we get a change of weather. Please also bring the following with you:
We provide tents, sleeping pads, camp chairs and all the setup for meals at camp. We also provide you a waterproof bag to pack your belongings in. You should bring the following for camp:
Necessary:
Suggested:
Meals Included:
All trips depart as scheduled regardless of weather. AVA reserves the right to change or substitute river sections at any time due to weather conditions and water levels.
For groups of less than 10 people: Cancellations made prior to 14 days before the trip will be refunded 90% of the total trip cost. Cancellations made within 14 days and outside 2 days before the trip will be refunded 50% of the total trip cost. Cancellations made within 48 hours of the trip are nonrefundable.
For groups of 10 or more: Cancellations made prior to 14 days before the trip will be refunded 90% of the total trip cost. Cancellations outside of one week and inside of two weeks will be refunded 50% of the total trip cost. Cancellations inside of one week are nonrefundable.
NOTE: Cancellation policy applies to the full amount of your trip.
Change policy: Inside of two weeks of the trip, changes made to the date of the trip will result in a $10 change fee per person. Changes may not be made inside of 48 hours.
With Cancellation Insurance: If you have purchased cancellation insurance, you can cancel up until 12 hours before your reservation and receive a refund of 90% of the total trip cost. You can change your trip day up until 12 hours before the trip free of charge. The date change must be in the same year as the original trip date.
AVA reserves the right to cancel any trip due to an insufficient number of bookings. Should we need to cancel your trip, the full cost will be refunded or credited to another trip according to your wishes.
Copyright © 2005-2013 Adventure Office. All Rights Reserved.