EMPIRE, Colo. — Rafting guides are forecasting a season for the ages on the Colorado white water this summer.
"Our high-water season should hit by the middle of June, and we are on track to have one of the best seasons we’ve ever had,” said Luke Johnson, a rafting guide with Downstream Adventures, based in Empire.
He said mountain snow was decent over the winter, but the key to raging rapids will be the cool month of May. Frequent cloud cover and numerous winter storms highlighted the weather for most of the month, culminating with a dusting of snow on Memorial Day weekend.
“That is essentially freezing our snowpack. Letting it stay up there,” Johnson said. “So that when all the vacationers and everybody’s here in late July and August, we will hopefully still have water.”
The data shows that the South Platte River headwaters peaked at 10% above median on May 14. That was the most snow there since 2020. Johnson said this rafting season could be one of the longest they've ever had on Clear Creek.
There will be plenty of action for experienced rafters and adrenaline junkies this season, but Johnson also said people shouldn't fear the high and fast white water this summer.
“If you are scared or timid about something, that means you only have respect for something else that might be a little bigger and stronger than you, and that’s 100% OK,” he said.
Downstream Adventures and other companies that run that stretch of white water known for being one of the steepest and fasted runs in the state have beginner and intermediate sections all summer long.
“We have some of the best guides in the industry here on Clear Creek, so you’ll be well taken care of,” he said.
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