Whitewater Rafting in Crested Butte, CO

Crested Butte offers all sorts of outdoor adventures. During the winter months, this place is the best destination for skiing. It is surrounded by the finest skiing and snowboarding terrain, and holds on to its rustic mountain charm. The place provides direct access to world-class and top ski resorts, numerous cross country skiing, and more. As for the summer months, Crested Butte is known for incredible fishing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and of course, whitewater rafting. You will find yourself surrounded by mountains, dense forest, green meadows and pretty wildflowers.

Whitewater Rafting at Crested Butte

Crested Butte comes with an extensive network of mountain rivers in the wilderness, that’s why it is one of the best places to do whitewater rafting. The raft outfitters in the area offer many different guided tours with varying lengths. And the price starts at only $35. Moreover, the Gunnison River provides an awesome float trip for families, as well as fishermen. On the other hand, the Taylor River comes with more exciting rapids. These rivers have the best conditions from May through July.

The Best Areas for Whitewater Rafting

• The Taylor River: This river is a steep, narrow alpine stream, with long, sustained rapids. The flow will challenge even the most proficient rafters. When heading down the Taylor River, it is best to hire a guide.
• The Gunnison River: A popular choice for families and beginners in rafting, this river offers fun whitewater park rapids that run North Bridge to McCabe’s Lane. It has access to great fishing area as well.
• The Black Canyon of the Gunnison: This is a stretch of other worldly class 5, considered as second most dangerous rapids. It is located in a high-walled, federally protected canyon in the east of Gunnison. Surely, this isn’t like the easy Sunday afternoon float trip.

Guide to Whitewater Rafting

Whitewater rafting is a recreational activity making use of  raft to navigate down a river, or other forms of water. This is usually done on what they call as whitewater, or different degrees of rough water. Surely, a ride can be quite thrilling and exciting. Whitewater rafting as a leisure sport has become popular across the globe since the mid-1970s.

In the last three decades, whitewater rafting has become very popular. People usually go in groups, a weekend with friends, a family gathering, or perhaps a corporate team building. It provides the people with great adrenaline rush.

Needless to say, a whitewater rafting will surely be a memorable one. There are actually 6 categories, from Class 1 to 6. Class 1 is a smooth river with hardly any rapids, probably nice for kids. The categories climb until Class 6, wherein the rapids are almost impossible to penetrate and done only by the experts. On most cases, Class 3 and 4 rapids are used, where the waves and turbulence provide exciting rides, but with limited risks for the passengers.

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