The Gauntlet – Pine Creek & Numbers

Experience the wildest rafting offered on the Arkansas River in Colorado.  On this rafting adventure, you’ll have the opportunity to navigate the Pine Creek and Numbers sections of this iconic river, rushing through class III-V rapids under towering peaks and through Colorado’s most natural areas.

Blast into this white water rafting full-day adventure that will get your heart racing as you navigate 11 miles through the Pine Creek and Numbers sections of the Arkansas River. This trip maximizes convenience and adrenaline, as it lasts between 4 and 5 hours and begins just 1 mile from our outpost.

Minimum age: 15

Trip Highlights

2026 Expectations

2026 River Conditions

What to Expect

• 4-5 hour rafting trip on the steepest section of the Arkansas River (Pine Creek and Numbers)
• Navigate 11 miles through class III through V rapids
• Colorado’s best mountain scenery, including the surrounding Arkansas River Valley and the distant Collegiate Peaks Mountain Range
• Riverside lunch
• Highly-trained raft guides

Trip Resources

Trip Itinerary

• Meet your guide and gear up at our Buena Vista outpost
• Shuttle to our trip’s put-in location
• Listen as your guide runs through paddling technique
• Blast down the steepest and most continuous whitewater on the Arkansas River
• Hit the water for even more excitement in the afternoon
• Shuttle back to our outpost
• Enjoy a delicious lunch and refuel
• Review photos from your trip

Getting Here

Who will love this trip?

• Adventure seekers looking for a high-adrenaline rafting trip (beginners may also enjoy this experience but must be physically fit enough for a full day of advanced whitewater)
• Groups looking to spend time in one of Colorado’s most wild and pristine places
• Families with kids at least 15 years old

What to Expect

Related Packages

1. Browns Canyon Sizzler

   The full-day Browns Canyon Sizzler represents the ultimate Colorado rafting experience! This trip offers a full day of classic white water rafting through class III rapids on the Arkansas River, complete with a riverside fajitas lunch.  

2. Colorado Scenic Float-Half Day

   This wonderful Colorado River float trip is a gently flowing section that is inviting to all ages. You’ll encounter a few small rapids as the Colorado River winds through the Gore Range and Mountain Ranchland.

3. Browns Canyon 1/2 Day

     Get ready to experience the best of Colorado on our Brown's Canyon half-day trip. This family-friendly adventure rushes you down the Arkansas River and through Browns Canyon National Monument on exciting yet mellower class III rapids.  

4. Inflatable Kayaks Half Day

   Looking to take charge of the river? On AVA’s Upper Colorado Inflatable Kayak ½ Day trip you can do just that! Whether you want to try something new or are seeking a little extra excitement or independence, the Upper Colorado Inflatable Kayak trip is perfect for you!

5. Cliffside Zipline Half Day

   <p class="isSelectedEnd">Experience one of the most unique zipline adventures near Denver on our Cliffside Zipline Course in Idaho Springs. Your adventure begins in historic downtown Idaho Springs before boarding our signature Safari Truck for a scenic ride up the mountain. From there, you'll soar across six exhilarating ziplines built directly into the rugged Rocky Mountain landscape above Chicago Creek.</p> As you travel from platform to platform, you'll fly past towering granite cliffs, forested slopes, and sweeping mountain views while tackling exciting aerial features including a hanging bridge, log cross, jungle bridge, and dual race line. This half-day adventure combines adrenaline, incredible scenery, and family-friendly fun, making it the perfect Colorado mountain experience for first-time zipliners and thrill seekers alike.

Not sure yet? Here are some other activities

1. Mt. Princeton Waterfall Ride

   Ride along the scenic Browns Creek approximately 2 hours, taking in beautiful views of waterfalls along the way. The Arkansas Valley holds the most 14,000-foot peaks of anywhere in Colorado; this stunning scenery makes it one of the best places to experience a horseback ride.

2. Mountaintop Ziplining In Colorado – Half Day

   Fly between towering old-growth pine trees and cliffs on our Mountaintop Zipline, a unique Colorado experience fun for all ages. This course may be the most incredible way to see the Arkansas River valley as you experience Colorado from a unique vantage point.  

3. 24 Hours in Browns Canyon

   Experience Colorado's best overnight whitewater rafting. This trip provides a unique way to explore the most popular stretch of whitewater rafting in the country as you paddle and camp in the heart of Colorado's Rockies.

4. Colorado Via Ferrata – Granite

   Adventure awaits as you conquer the cliffside on this unique mountaintop climbing experience. Feel a rush of adrenaline as you traverse across and above the Arkansas River Valley, using iron rungs, bars, and other features to ascend. Your stomach will drop on our hanging bridge and freefall flight line!

5. Browns Canyon Half Day + Zipline Package

   This multi-adventure package will keep you energized and smiling the entire day, as you fly through the trees on our Mountaintop Zipline course and then rush the rapids on our Brown's Canyon whitewater adventure.

6. Rock Climb Half Day

   Take in the Rocky Mountain scenery while our guides cover the basics of belaying, rappelling, and setting anchors. Whether you’re looking to learn more about rock climbing or trying it for the first time this is a perfect trip for you!

7. Mount Blue Sky, Colorado Via Ferrata

   <p class="isSelectedEnd">Get your heart racing on one of Colorado's most unique aerial adventures. Our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata takes you high above Chicago Creek on a guided cliffside climbing experience built directly into the rugged mountains surrounding historic Idaho Springs. Clipped into a continuous safety system, you'll traverse exposed rock faces, cross suspended bridges, and navigate a series of exciting features while taking in sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains below.</p> Throughout the adventure, you'll move across dramatic granite cliffs overlooking the canyon and downtown Idaho Springs, experiencing terrain typically reserved for technical climbers. Combining hiking, climbing, and aerial elements, the Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata delivers an unforgettable mountain adventure just 30 minutes from Denver.

8. Mt. Princeton 2 Hour Ride

   The Arkansas Valley is lined with 15 14,000-foot peaks - the most in one concentration in Colorado - which makes for one of the most scenic locations for a Colorado horseback ride. You'll get views of Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale, Ht. Harvard and Mt. Antero on this ride.