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| Paddleboarders on the Arkansas (Colorado Parks & Wildlife) |
Today's Colorado Sun reports that the low snowpack -- 24 percent for the Arkansas River basin -- means low runoff and a shorter season for the rafting companies:
There are about 45 river outfitters in the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area between Leadville and Cañon City who host as many as 250,000 commercial rafting visitors every year, almost 75% of them coming from out of state. Those vacationers riding the most rafted river in the country direct anywhere from $50 million to $75 million into the local communities every year.
The Arkansas River rafting season will happen. It will just be a bit different. There will be fewer paddlers on smaller boats. If guests are ready, they will captain their own stand-up paddleboards or inflatable kayaks, which are called duckies. Trips could take longer. Paddlers in rafts are going to play a larger role, helping guides navigate more technical lines through rapids. Lower sections of the river with more water — like the Royal Gorge — will see more traffic.
The calls from vacationers are coming in. Demand is there. And outfitters are ready.
Let's face it: When flows are down around 500 cfs, it's hard for guides to give clients the high-excitement pinballing riiver rides that some will tip extra for. (Guides call this trade-off "bash for cash.")
But there's a bright side too. Anglers won't be sitting out the "rubber hatch" in June and waiting for flows to drop. It should be a great summer for river fishing.
