The Whitewater Blog
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Kerra Pressley–a guide in the Arkansas River community–describes, “Some people doubt if you are capable of doing your job. Many of the customers assume that because you are a female, that automatically makes you a lesser guide than your male counterparts. Even if they don’t say anything, you can feel it.” This “feeling”, although not always there, is similar to an obstacle in the river. It constricts us into a narrower spot and can be in our heads while navigating a rapid.
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Zach Otte: Using Colors to Create
The river is a gosh darn special place. A place that moves, transforms, and inspires people. Whether this be to take life a little slower or to remember how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Many people don’t ever get the opportunity to see themselves in the scenes many of us river people get to experience. They don’t get to see the rushing water or the pillow forming off of that boulder. However, we have the ability to let the river teach us something. And through that, we have the opportunity to create something in us that allows us to share that joy and beauty with others.
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5 Lessons the River has Taught Me (So far)
A lot of activities, it can be really easy to say, “No! I can’t keep going. I’m too scared.” For example, if you’re skiing down your first black, you may be able to find a chance to sit down and allow those nervous feelings to take over. Whereas, unlike many other sports, whitewater doesn’t really allow you to do that. If you’re in the middle of the rapid, that is where you are. It demands that you be present and run that rapid. You can be absolutely scared, but you’re running it scared at that point.
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Finding the BEST Life Jacket for YOU!
Now, if you are concerned with keeping knick knacks, rocks, and yourself afloat without the rescue aspect, we would recommend the Astral Bowen. This is a great jacket if you’re looking for a jacket that will give you both mobility and maximum storage. The Astral Bowen is a Type III PFD that is incredibly lightweight while still giving you the float and security you need.
Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival
The sides of the Centennial Park play waves are lined with people, vendors, and live music. Scattered amongst the crowds are surfboards, rafts, and kayaks. Guides come from upstream, creeks, and all over Colorado to celebrate the Arkansas River itself and the community that gets to express themselves in the play waves and above. The RGWF is a place where people with all different types of experience levels can participate, or be entertained by a wide variety of different events. From the SUP Parade to the Gorge Race to the Build Your Own Boat event and finally to the Raft Rodeo, there is something for everybody.
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Here are some essential functions a dry bag should offer. The first one may sound obvious but wait until you read up on number 3! We at River Station Gear have innovated an essential piece of gear that should be in any serious boaters gear collection. We took our time, and made a product that we personally use and designed out of necessity for raft guiding, keeping organized, doing marketing while on the river and exploring side canyons. All those activities can be simply done with this one piece of amazing gear. Okay let's jump into this…
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Whitewater Rentals in Canon City
Canon City, CO offers world class whitewater! And we offer rentals! If you are new, our class 1-2 town run is a great place to start. Lots of people around, easy to navigate features that can easily be scouted or portaged if you don’t feel comfortable. A good place to start for that is Centenial (Duck) Park located off of S. 4th street just off of HWY 50. There are a few boat ramps and play waves. Lots of people float from the top of the park to the bottom and then walk back up for more action! If you want a longer run, park a second vehicle down at Reynolds bridge on the east side of town and float all the way down. This will give you a few miles to practice. Once you’ve mastered this and want more of a challenge, head west. Bighorn Sheep Canyon is located 15 miles west of Canon City and offers class 3 whitewater and beautiful scenery. This will require a guide book or an experienced guide to show you the way. Need a thrill? The end of BSC is the beginning of the Royal Gorge section. This is class 4-5 whitewater and for very experienced boaters only. If you are unsure of your abilities it is a good idea to avoid this area unless you go on a professionally guided trip. There are 10+ outfitters in the area who would love to take you. Okay now on to the rentals!
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Top 5 Tips and Hacks for River Station Gear.
If you made it this far we are going to give you a bonus hack! Buying gear from hard working small companies is a really cool thing to do. You are not only supporting your fellow boating friends, but getting sweet gear that was designed by boaters and made with love right here in Colorado. We offer good customer service and want to make you the best river gear we can. We work super hard day in and day out to keep that dream alive. Okay, maybe that wasn’t a gear hack but it kinda was! Maybe it was a shameless plug, but either way, we just want to make rad gear for people who want to stand out and look colorful and unique on the river. Thanks so much for checking us out and reading this post. Stay safe out there and SYOTR friends!
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If you think you are capable of doing something within your limits and don’t because you're too afraid, that’s wrong. Not saying you should do things outside of your limits or even necessarily push your limits. I’m saying if you think you can do something, you should face your fears and at least try. The worst case scenario that you play in your head is 10 times worse than what is probably going to happen in reality. It can be tough to commit when afraid, but extremely satisfying when you succeed. Amelia Earhart once said “The fears are paper tigers.” and she’s totally right in most cases. Fear is a necessary part of life that keeps you safe. But when they can be overcome, you will grow tremendously.