Colorado River Rafting: The Gauntlet
Advanced Rafting Trips on the Arkansas River:
Pine Creek and the Numbers
Full Day
Advanced + Class IV & V
Check In: 8:30 am
Leaves from AVA’s Granite Outpost: Map It!
Located 14 miles north of Buena Vista and 19 miles south of Leadville in Central Colorado.
Blast down the Arkansas River and enjoy the most technical, steepest, and most continuous sections of whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River in Colorado. We launch in the sleepy mountain village of Granite, which quickly fades away upon entering Granite Gorge (Granite Gorge by itself is a trip appropriate for the whole family). Warm up in this gorgeous canyon on Class III whitewater rapids such as Maytag, Car Crash, and Hopscotch. By the time you catch your breath, you will be headed into our Class V section of Pine Creek, followed by the Triple Drop. The river narrows to about half its width and drops 200 feet over the course of one rapid! This continuous, steep, technical section will keep your paddle moving and your knuckles white. Continue the rest of your white water rafting trip down our notorious Class IV section of the Numbers. At the very end of the trip, enjoy our hot fajita lunch riverside. You won’t leave disappointed or dry! Be sure to stop back in our outpost to check yourself out on the monitors and purchase a picture for a souvenir of your whitewater adventure!
Our Granite outpost is located between Buena Vista and Leadville. Located just off Hwy 24, 19 miles south of Leadville or 14 miles north of Buena Vista, this trip is perfect for those looking for a challenging whitewater adventure!
Exhilarating whitewater experience!
- Full Day and ½ Day Advanced Class IV & V
- Meets at our Granite Outpost
- Minimum requirements: 15 years old and good physical condition
- Trip Duration: approx. 5 hours on the river
- Approximately 16 miles of travel down river
- Meet time at 8:30 am
- 200 Foot drop over the course of one rapid
- Hot Fajita Lunch
- Rappel a 75 foot cliff down to your raft for an additional cost
- Rafts on this section accommodate up to 6 people plus the guide
- Life jackets, wetsuits, splash jackets, and helmets are provided
- Peak Rafting Season mid-May to mid-August
As you marvel at the beautiful Colorado scenery, keep a lookout for Big Horn sheep, river otters, deer and other native wildlife. If you’re lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a mountain lion or bear!
The Gauntlet trip can add excitement to all Colorado excursions!
- Great addition for any meeting or convention
- Unique activity for team building or improving leadership skills
- That extra something special for adventurous family reunions and summer vacations
- Check out all of our other rafting trips and activities for easier levels of rafting or trips for younger family members
Our Colorado whitewater rafting trip is over, now what?
Buena Vista and Leadville are small towns with big history and lots to do!
- Leadville is a special place…a treasure…a gem in the middle of Colorado. Located within easy driving distance from Denver and Colorado Springs, along the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway, Leadville is a legendary frontier mining town with seventy square blocks of Victorian architecture, and adjacent 20 square miles of mining district
- Take a historic steam engine train ride in Leadville
- Continental Divide ATV Tours in Leadville
- Hike a Colorado 14-er!
- Relax in the nearby Mt Princeton or Cottonwood Hot Springs in Buena Vista
