Durango to Telluride in a Day – For San Miguel Rafters  For Durango visitors who want to check out Telluride for the day (and partake in the righteous rafting supplied by the San Miguel River nearby) here’s a few how-to’s for enjoying the journey.  How far is Telluride from Durango?  Driving to Telluride from Durango takes between 2 to 3 hours depending on which route you choose. Going around the San Juan Mountains is naturally quicker, but going straight through them is of course wonderfully scenic. Here’s some details about the two options:  Shorter Route: Highway 160 to ..read more

Mild to Wild’s Rafting Season Forecast for 2024 You better air out those Chacos and shake the dry bags out of that crusty hibernation hole, because it’s time for the Rafting Season Forecast of 2024!  In snowy sum, this year’s swell through the Colorado Plateau looks like it’s going to ripple and flow right down the middle— not unmanageably high nor rock-snaggingly low. Mild to Wild’s owner and season forecaster, Alex Mickel, says, “While the Snotel readings are a barometer, all we know for sure is that this spring the interior is going to be alive with whitewater, cascading down from the ..read more

Renaming the Rivers of Southwest Colorado — The Juan Rivera 1765 Expedition The majority of the information in this article about the naming of Southwest Colorado rivers on the Juan Rivera expedition, including Rivera’s journal excerpts, has been sourced from the incredible and comprehensive work of Steven G. Baker and Rick Hendrick’s Juan Rivera’s Colorado, 1765.  In the mid 1700s, the rugged region we know today as Southwest Colorado was hanging onto its last years in the rightful possession of the Ute nations, yet to be colonized. That era wouldn’t come until nearly a century later, w ..read more

Each Rafting Section of the Colorado River Explained Credit: NPS | M. Quinn “If you really love the something, you want to see all of it, not just the most beautiful parts of it.” – Mike and Jenny Fiebig, River Advocates who spent five months paddling the entirety of the Colorado River Like any river, the Colorado begins with a small trickle. Birthed from snowfall in the Wind River Mountains, its pure headwaters descend and grow massively, beginning at Grand Lake… SPLAT! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The river undergoes three diversions within the initial 35-miles or so. Shadow Mountain L ..read more

The Animas River — A Tale of Untamed Resilience The appellation, “Río de Las Animas” — the River of Souls — was written in the journal of Spanish colonizer, Juan Maria Antonio Rivera while crossing the Animas River on horseback in 1765 (Durango Herald). One can only imagine what sights lended to this name.   Perhaps Rivera sensed the looming possibility of souls swimming in the water? Or, did he think the cottonwood branches poking through the currents resembled bleached bones? Maybe the sandbars and deep waters whispered like voices. Much like its name, the resilience of the Animas ..read more

River Guide, Sam Cook on 30 Years of Adventure I had scant knowledge of Sam Cook before our interview. As an Adventure Consultant, my world revolves around calls and keystrokes, tethered to the indoors. Sam, on the other hand, is a river guide, navigating the outdoors, guiding people down the river. Despite us both working for Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours, I can recall crossing paths only once or twice. During one day in particular, I found myself testing a trip I typically sell to customers, while Sam piloted the safety boat solo. A Monopoly Man-esque mustache covered most of his mo ..read more

A 30 Year Journey on Rocky Mountain Snowmelt – Mild to Wild’s Beginnings If you’ve ever wondered how Mild to Wild has grown into the outfitter it is today, grab the rewinder and stop when you hit 1994.  You’ll find two Durango river guides illegally parking a bus on the side of their basement apartment, with the entirety of the company equipment stored inside. It’s okay, the landlord’s cool with it.  Actually, rewind a couple years more for some context on these enterprising vagabonds.    It started a little something like this; A marketing machine of a Minnesotan and ..read more

What is El Niño and its 2024 Forecast for Southwestern Rivers? A freaky weather phenomenon occurs every few years, known as El Niño, and fishers were the first to notice it (vox.com).  Beginning around Christmas, the sea surface warms up like the vacation of your dreams. Do not open up a new tab and Google search flights to Oaxaca just yet. While many yearn for bath-like waves, a lack of cold water in the Pacific halts the healthy churning of nutrients that feed fish and keep them alive. As a result, fishing nets come up empty (vox.com).  Spanish settlers named this pattern El Niño ..read more

How to Shop the Best Holiday Deals on Whitewater Adventures Click here if you’d like to skip to a section: Top Selling Trips How to Save the Most Gift Certificates How to Pick the Right Multi-Day Trip Are you ready for an impromptu inundation of Black Friday river puns, in anticipation of the best holiday deals on whitewater adventures this side of the Mississippi?  The Big Drops are here— at these prices!  You know when Disaster Falls? When you eddy out and miss this sale! Make Powell proud, and book now! Discounts that’ll have you laughing all the way to the riverbank…  A ..read more

14 Outdoor Gift Ideas for Nature Lovers Choosing gifts can be challenging, especially for those who seem hard to please. Our common love for nature, however, unites us all. Extreme arborists risk it all for their tree-climbing passion, while even nature skeptics rely on trees for oxygen. Whether on the extremes or in between, a thoughtful outdoor adventure gift suits everyone this holiday — just in case, keep the receipt.    #1 Glow-in-the-Dark Playing Cards Kikkerland Glow-in-the-Dark Playing Cards Ever faced a lighting challenge while playing Go Fish outdoors? Whether camping ..read more