Tips And Tricks For May Rafting
Rafting season is finally among us!! May is a great time of year to go rafting. May is when most of the snow melt occurs, which makes unique rafting conditions. The incoming snow melt feeds the river on a daily basis creating conditions of fast currents and rising water levels. The snow melt may not be consistent, but on a really warm day you can really tell the difference in rafting conditions.
Be sure to check the cfs reports to see how exactly the river is flowing. For those of you not up to par on river terminology, cfs stands for cubic feet per second and it is how we gauge the speed of the river. The cfs fluctuates a lot through the month of May due to the odd weather conditions. When a cold night translates into a warm day it tends to create a surge of water into the river at various levels depending on weather conditions.
Rem
ember that with this unpredictable Colorado weather you’ll need to bring layers to wear. This is not the time of year to wear your bikini or speedo out on the raft, because the weather can get a little chilly. Unless you enjoy rafting with the shivers and goosebumps, be sure to bring your layers along. A few layers with a wetsuit and splash jacket will be more than adequate.
The river with the best early season rafting during May is the Blue River. This month is the absolute best time to run the Blue River. The May melt effects this river in a way that produces ideal conditions. This river is a great option if you are coming from Breckenridge, Keystone, or anywhere in Summit County. If you are staying in Summit County the put-in for this river is no further than 15 minutes away, making it a close, convenient option. The rapids in this river are mainly class II rapids with some class IIIs down the stretch which makes this a great option for all levels.
The best part about May rafting dodging the crowds. Areas such as the Upper Colorado River experience a mass amount of boat traffic in the midst of the summer, so you can take advantage of the river before the crowds roll in with early season rafting.
If you’re interested in rafting this May give us a call at Colorado River Rentals and one of our agents will inform you on where you should privately raft and get you set up with the gear you need.