Whitewater Rafting Safety
AVA Whitewater Rafting Standards
If you ask us, whitewater rafting is the best adventure in Colorado and a must-do activity that will leave you wanting more. AVA Rafting has been a premier rafting outfitter since 1998, and we’ve always prided ourselves in the superior level of training our guides must go through. There are inherent risks with any outdoor activity, including rafting, but we prioritize safety on our trips, which is why we require 3 times more training than the state of Colorado requires for commercial raft guides.
What to Know about Safety
Safety Orientation
Before you embark on any adventure with us, whether on the water or aerial, you’ll receive a detailed safety orientation. It’s important that you pay careful attention so that you can respond in any situation that might arise. You’ll be enjoying your tour in a natural environment where the situation can change quickly, so it’s important that you know what to do.
Proper Equipment
When you show up for your adventure, you’ll be given safety equipment that matches your tour. This equipment may include a helmet, a personal flotation device (PFD), a wetsuit or splash top, a harness for aerial tours, and more. It’s important to make sure that your equipment fits properly and that you’re wearing that right way. Your guide will help you get fitted and answer any questions you have about your gear.
Whitewater Rafting Guide Training
At AVA, our guides go through 3 times the state-required training for whitewater rafting. All of our guides are first aid and CPR certified and go through continued education even if they have been guided for a decade or more. On average, our guides have 8 years of experience.
Shoreline Safety
Our certified bus drivers at AVA take very good care of our guests on the road and the river. You can find them at the shore with a safety rope to help any swimmer in need of getting to the side of the river. They work with the safety kayakers and rafting guides closely to help guests at any time.
Safety Kayakers
We also have safety kayakers on our class IV & V whitewater rafting trips. During high water, we will have safety kayakers on class III trips as well. The safety kayaker provides an additional line of safety as guides and guests move through rapids, and their potential for swimming in the river increases.
River Level And Age Requirements
We take safety very seriously, and reserve the right to cancel a trip or increase age minimums depending on the water flows at that time. We love rafting more than anyone, but we will not go out on the river during conditions that are seen as unfit for certain ages or potentially anyone.
Don't just take our word for it
Olivia and Ella were amazing!! It was my first time Zip-lining and they made it so much fun!! I would definitely recommend this place due to the AMAZING... Read More »
-bad customer service
-safety issues
-series of problems
I recently came with my 13 year old and a group of their school friends and families. The twelve... Read More »
I had a lot of fun going zip lining there for my 24th birthday and would love to do it again in a heartbeat! Read More »
I took my husband and our three children ages 17, 13, and 12 and we had the experience of a lifetime. Parker was our guide and he was knowledgeable and professional, and has the best personality for what he’s doing. We booked the Browns Canyon Sizzler and we could not have been happier with our choice. We embarked on our adventure around 9am and were back at the outpost mid afternoon. Halfway through our float we stopped and had delicious fajitas prepared right there by the river by the guides. I’m so glad I decided to go with this company, we were not disappointed one bit. We definitely have AVA in mind the next time we come to Colorado, maybe I’ll try some zip-lining next time. Thanks for the awesome adventure!
Read More »Olivia, Bus, Andy, and Jess took our family out for a day of via ferrata and zip lining through the mountains. We had an absolute blast! The course was challenging and full of surprises. They really push you to the limit and then let you jump over the ledge (literally)! They made it clear from the onset that no challenge was mandatory and there’s no shame in bypassing obstacles that don’t speak to your adventure. It was such a positive experience for everyone in our family. Thank you so much for a wonderful day in the mountains!!
Read More »Browns Canyon is beautiful and the rafting is great for families, but please choose any other outfitter besides AVA. Our party of 12 experienced an organizational clownshow yesterday, and an indifferent admin that seemed unable or unwilling to make it better when their mistakes kept piling on. Our summer sizzler trip started with the van not having functional seat belts. After a few miles in the van, we RAN OUT OF GAS. We waited about 15 minutes by the side of a busy highway in the hot sun (in wet suits and PFDs!) while the hapless guides tried to run up the road until they could get a cell signal. When the rescue van came, we couldn't use it because it had BAD BRAKES. The 3rd van that came worked, but it also lacked seat belts.
[ These same crappy vans are also used by Peak 1 Transportation in the winter to Breckenridge, so avoid them too. ] If this is a company that puts "safety first," as I was told, nobody mentioned that to their van mechanics.
We were excited about the planned riverside hot lunch of grilled fajitas. After we pulled out at Hecla junction, the guides started to make lunch...and then stopped. I heard a few reasons why, but the story kept changing. We ended up not getting lunch until back at the office at 3 pm. Even with our late arrival, they still didn't have our trip pictures ready.
They didn't meet us with food or apologies. They didn't seem too concerned about the cascading series of logistical fiascos, even though the office staff knew all about it and pledged to help when I asked to speak with a manager. They weren't authorized to do any refunds, and the back office guy who could didn't call me back for over 24 hours and then made only very weak attempts to make things right.
I'm giving 2 stars instead of one because the guides were good, the river and rapids were beautiful, and we saw some great wildlife, but you should choose any of the dozens of other outfitters running this river.
