Stephen K.
Yelp
I planned my little July mini-getaway at 7pm the night before it was supposed to occur. Raft Masters is open to make reservations via phone until 9pm. The only negative thing about the whole experience was the ditzy little thing on the other end of the line trained to make reservations -- and apparently not answer basic procedural questions about the trip. Habla *spliff* much? Seemed like it... nevertheless, reservation was made and I tried to get myself into bed by 10am to wake up at 5.
[edits out the rest of my narrative prose -- nutshell: slept 1 1/2 hrs, pounded energy drink, hit the road at 6am and once out of south Colo Spgs, sped 65-85 down down to Canon City to arrive at check-in time, 8:15am]
I have to echo Mo C's review about these guys: I did some basic research and came up with 3 companies I was going to consider for rafting, Royal Gorge Rafting, River Rafters, and Raft Masters. Raft Masters was the only one who didn't charge extra for wetsuits, helmets, splash jackets and water booties. They also cruised in under the $100 mark for a full day's trip -- 22 miles and about 6 hrs-ish with lunch break -- which most of the prices seem to hover around for a full day on the Arkansas.
My guide was a well-tanned part-Irish guy on his way to getting a masters in plumbing. And had guided people down the river for years. I don't recall his name sadly, but he's a solid guy: super nice and laid back and told us all kinds of history stuff about the gorge while making sure we got our share of whitewater and letting us do some fun things like surfing the sinkholes.
Lunch was a great selection of cold cuts, cheese, condiments and various other things on fresh-baked rolls -- under a *really* impressive 2-peak covered tentlike structure that wasn't there the last time I went rafting like 5-6 years ago. Shaded people from the sun while they ate which was nice.
My advice to any prospective rafters is that mid-late July is *too late to get into SERIOUS whitewater* - even if the mountains DID get a ton of snowfall this year. SO noted, I'll be diving back in late May/early June next year. Royal Gorge is supposed to be class 3-5's, but we didn't encounter anything above 1 or 2 "low" level 4 areas. D'oh. *smacks head* Next year...it'll be colder water, and a lot more surging.
We had the entire lower part of the river to ourselves for the afternoon as everyone else apparently had chosen the half-day trips. Geez. They missed the best parts! It was a blast.
They have a well-stocked tourist shop with various t-shirts, sunblock, sunglass secure straps as well as a big cash cow for the operation, their photography kiosk. $25 for 1 8x10, $40 for 2 8x10s, or $50 for a burned CD of about 24 shots at various points down the river. It's a staggering markup -- but I don't have a ton of good outside action shots of myself -- so I went in for the $50. Screw it. (I guess some of it went to the photographers themselves) So now I have some nice shots, some of which I will post here.
A few miscellanea:
1) The booties when you get them may be wet. *They have been washed in soap solution* and are not dry. It doesn't mean someone just took them off and handed them over -- in fact, they make you rinse out your booties yourself. Not a problem here, keeps things friendly for the next person.
2) *Beware* Hwy 50, joining Hwy 115 to Canon City. There are stealth cruisers a *plenty* on that road. You have been warned. (yay, none got *me*...but 2 other poor bastards fed the PD's budget as I drove down)...
3) *WEAR SUNSCREEN* unless you're genetically blessed with a lot of melanin. Helmet covered my head, and I did my arms and face -- but forgot my leg quads. I had a nice scorched reminder of the day after I got back.
*Really*, a seriously professional organization, be you trundling down class II-III's, or wanting to get seriously soaked in some IVs and if you're lucky, Vs. HIGHLY recommended. :D