As the snow continues to fall in the Rocky Mountains, another foot this evening, we river guides are beginning to look ahead to the spectacular melt-off which will fill our rivers this spring…

This year we have a goal: Expose the youth of Delta County to the natural wonders in their own back yard. What better way to do that than train them as river guides? We have designed a comprehensive 9 day training course specifically designed for graduating seniors. During this training, new guides will learn stand up paddle, whitewater rafting, river rescue, hydrology, how to instruct and guide trips, outdoor cooking, and much more. This course will span 3 of our local rivers, and include a 3 day overnight trip.

Many will wonder why we would go to such great lengths just to go rafting in January. Maybe rafting is in our blood, maybe 5 winter months away from the river is just too long, maybe we are a little crazy…but it is a simple question with a simple answer: why not?

Here is the good news, the Gunnison River, where we operate our flagship SUP tours, is boatable all year every year. There are 4 big reasons why we are guaranteed great flows even in dry years: Blue Mesa Reservoir, Morrow Point Reservoir, Crystal Reservoir, and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Yes, there are 3 enormous reservoirs and a national park just upstream of us. These reservoirs are able to store 1,058,016 acre feet of water. That is over 1,423 million cubic meters of water! There is also a minimum river flow requirement through the National Park, which means guaranteed SUP flows year round. 

We have officially entered into our sophomore season at WSSUP and are excited to bring even more outdoor recreational opportunity to Western Colorado.

It wasn’t the board, the paddle or the balancing act that drew me to stand up paddle boarding. It was new vantage point it provided me. Much like riding a motorcycle or an airplane for the first time, experiencing life from a SUP was a whole new way to see the world. The environment around me and the calm that came over me turned a familiar beach into a new world of wonder. Since that day, SUP has provided me a new amazing way to experience beaches, rivers and lakes across the country. I continue to enjoy experiences I could not duplicate without standing above the water. I am forever thankful for Mom and her fiberglass board, and I never go on a road trip without mine.