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Blazing Adventures |
800-282-7238 |
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Colorado Riff Raft |
800-759-3939 |
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Bill Dvorak's Kayak/Raft Expeditions |
800-824-3795 |
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Whitewater Odyssey |
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| Sections |
Upper
and lower |
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Location |
Pitkin,
Eagle, and Garfield counties, northwest of Aspen, north-central
Colorado |
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Driving Time |
Denver—3
hours |
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Difficulty |
Class
III-IV (upper); II-III (lower) |
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Trip Length |
Upper—12
miles (19 km); Lower—14 miles (22 km) |
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Trip Options |
Paddle
raft, oar raft; half-day, one day |
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Season |
May-July |
The Roaring Fork gives
late spring and early summer visitors to Aspen and Snowmass a
convenient opportunity to experience challenging and exciting
whitewater. The 60-mile (96 km) Roaring Fork, which starts near the
12,000-foot Independence Pass, drops very quickly down the Rockies
to the aspen-forested Roaring Fork Valley. Almost 30 miles (48 km)
of its length can be rafted between Aspen and its confluence with
the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs.
Outfitters
run trips on the upper and lower sections of the Roaring Fork. The
more difficult upper fork trip, from Woody Creek Bridge (about
fifteen minute drive northwest of Aspen) to the Frying Pan River, is
a fast-flowing Class III-IV half-day run during normal spring
runoff. Its numerous rocks and boulders create thrilling mazelike
rapids and chutes, such as Toothache and Old Snowmass Hole.
Cemetery Run, the Roaring Forks milder lower section, extends
from Carbondale to the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs. Other
than Cemetery Rapids, an exciting Class III stretch, most of its
rapids are Class I-II+. Outfitters welcome families with children as
young as eight years during summertime low-water runs. Some
outfitters combine a portion of the Cemetery trip with the Colorado
River below Glenwood Springs.
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