Class 2-2.5 near Buena Vista??

[mobetta]

Just bought my first raft. It's a 14' used oar setup & am planning a trip to Buena Vista area to Jeep & Raft on 23rd-26th. Maiden voyage to practice will be tomorrow on the Rio Grande near ABQ. I want to try some fairly easy stuff on the Arkansas next weekend. What do you suggest??

Where should I put in & take out??

I am used to Class 3 in my flotation outfitted Mad River Canoe (Rio Chama & Rio Grande & Animas) but am a beginning rafter.

Any help will be appreciated.

Excited.

[brettb]

As for the Ark put in at Railroad bridge easy read and run class3 gets better with higher flows but is good to go now and then take out in Buena Vista by the ball feilds!frog rock poses the only true hazard! it's an undecut rock with a seive yo just have to make an easy move to the left before the rock in flat moving water! and is near the end of this run when a bunch of boulders are constricting flows!! if you want a longer day continue to fishermans bridge!

just beware of the old dam! take the boat chute on river right then at botton have a left bow angle to punch the wave and send you in the right direction! we went left yesterday and almost flipped and had a swimmer!

evrything else is easy wave trains with some maneuvering to give you some good practice! after that for some biggerand mor scenic stuff run Browns canyon from Fichermans bridge to Hecla junction !!! camping at Hecla, Ruby mountain both pay sites but there is also alot of free camping in the Ark Valley!

[mobetta]

You da man, BrettB. Thanks, bro.