One of the best feelings any adventurer can hope for is rushing down a wild river with nothing between you and the rapids, but a paddle and a small raft. Having grown up in Southern Utah, I have experienced a wide taste of adventure including hiking, canyoneering and biking. But none of them match the adrenaline pump you get from rafting down a raging river. As such, it became a hobby of mine to explore different rivers, which eventually lead to me becoming a river guide. Most recently, I’ve tried guiding for the Colorado River. Since I am constantly seeking adventure and trying hone my skill, I recently decided to try Whitewater Rafting Colorado as I’ve heard some exciting things.

In hopes to get a job in Colorado with Whitewater Rafting Colorado, I booked a trip with my best friend. Who actually may even be more passionate about river rafting than me. This was an awesome way to get more experience with different rivers. We booked an Arkansas River Rafting trip, and had the time of our lives.

When deciding which Arkansas River Rafting trip to book, we considered all of our options. There were both single day trips as well as multi-day. Being the adventurers that we are, we decided to book the five-day trip and get the most out of our experience.

We were greeted with a friendly and experienced staff, and were ready for the fun ahead of us. Also, we wanted to show off some of our own paddling skills. The guide was quickly impressed with our experience, so we were able to raft down some parts of the river that are off limits to beginners. Through our five-day adventure with Arkansas River Rafting, we were able to experience the river from top to bottom and study the ins and outs and patterns of the river. Additionally, we quickly made friends with the guides and the other people on the trip. It always seems that people who are drawn to adventure are inherently friendly, fun and enjoy laughing and having a great time.

One of the most beautiful and action packed stretches started the very first day. We started our trip out in the Narrows, which was completely relentless, and we absolutely loved it. We paddled hard throughout the day and let the river take us through different rapids, exciting drops including the Miracle Mile and House Rock, and the serine scenery, which surrounded us all the while. In fact, after we had lunch, we had time to digest both our food and the atmosphere. It really gave us energy before entering into Browns Canyon and setting up camp for the next day of adventure.

On day two, we got up early, packed up camp, and were ready for the cool rushing water to carry us on to the next point. Browns Canyon offered even more drops, more rapids and challenged us as this was probably the warmest day on the whole trip. It also offered some competitive adventure, as we were able to pass by another group of white water rafters, who had signed up for a half-day adventure. They tried their best to catch up with us, but with the experienced guides and our own skills combined, we were able to zoom through the canyon and experience the river in a way that I am convinced, no other company could provide.

The next two days were equally packed with as much excitement as the days prior. With adventure, rapids, and drops at every corner, everyone was able to get their adrenaline fill while staying safe at the same time. Everyone knows that in order to have the most amount of fun, it is important to stay safe. That is one thing that impressed me about this trip. Regardless of everyone’s surge for adventure, everyone had a deep respect for the river and for the power it held. As a result, we made sure to stay hydrated, keep sunscreen on, and respect the river by staying away from anything dangerous and tackling anything that appeared conquerable.

The last day of the trip sadly came to fast. No one wanted it to end, so we promised each other that instead of conserving our energy, we would do our best to paddle like crazy and wear ourselves out. As we are experienced rafters, we ended the five-day stretch at Royal Gorge and had the time of our lives. We paddled through steep walls and raging rapids and had a taste of the Numbers section of the trip. We braved powerful hydraulics and pulled all sorts of moves to battle through the rapids. This was one of the best trips I have ever experienced and I can’t wait to start guiding myself in Colorado.

Thanks to dopeylok for the photo from Flickr!