Upper Animas
One Day Needleton Section
About This Trip
Ready to conquer non-stop Colorado whitewater on the undeniably rambunctious, free flowing Upper Animas River?! This special stretch comes with constant Class II and III rapids, with a handful of Class IV and V drops throughout the run. It’s the most welcoming section of the Upper A, but don’t get it twisted that this trip should entice the faint of heart— The suds are still quite sizable out here folks!
All participants must be strong swimmers and able to put the paddle to the metal while the boat bounces, spins, and submerges in this world-class whitewater run. To add to the special nature of this wilderness trip, you’ll board the historic Durango & Silverton Train to access the put-in and take-out for the excursion.
From late June to late July, this is a fantastic, high adventure rafting trip to check off early in the season. To step it up a notch in the ultimate swell of fresh snowmelt, the run is great for advanced boaters from mid-May to June. The only way to make the Upper Animas better is by staying at our semi-permanent camp for a night in the roaring belly of the Weminuche Wilderness on an Upper Animas Two Day trip.
Upper Animas, One Day Needleton trips start at $449.00
Season
Late May – Early August
Class of Rapids
High Water: IV & V with continuous II & III
Low Water: Continuous, technical II & III with IV+
High to Intermediate Adventure
Meet Time
8:00 AM
Return
5:30 PM
Boat Options
Standard Rafts
15 foot self-bailing rafts rigged as an oar boat with paddle assist. Be ready to paddle and swim on your pre-trip orientation!
Ages 16+ until late June
Ages 14+ late June through the end of season
New Flexible Payment & Cancellations
Payment Options
- 1/2 down, 1/2 charged 30 days prior to trip.
- 1/3 down with remaining balance charged in thirds.
- Call for other arrangements!
Free Courtesy Hold
We don’t want you to miss out on this trip so we’ll hold your spots, payment-free, for 24hrs while you make your final arrangements & prepare for payment.
Fees
In addition to the listed trip cost, we collect an additional 8% for River and Land Access Fees (ie. Forest Service, BLM, City, Private Land Use).
Cancellation Policy
A 90% refund, less the train ticket fees, is issued for cancellations received in writing 5 days prior to trip departure.
At the orientation, if it is determined that the Upper Animas is not the right trip for you, there is a $250 nonrefundable train ticket & orientation trip fee per person. Train tickets may be able to be transferred depending on the train’s availability. After the $250 nonrefundable fee, the remaining trip balance may be applied to any of our other trip options or kept on your account in a trip gift certificate for future use.
We conform to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad cancellation policy. Train ticket cancellations are subject to a fee 5 days before your reserved date. There are no refunds issued on reservations cancelled less than 5 days before your reserved date.
Itinerary
DAY BEFORE ITINERARY
5:15 PM
Check into our office to get fitted for your thermal wetsuit gear and go on the orientation raft trip where you will take your practice swim in a Class II+ to III+ rapid.
DAY 1 ITINERARY
8:00 AM
Meet at our Main Office in Durango.
Shuttle to Rockwood station to board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Descend from the train and get suited up for the river.
Hit the river! Enjoy continuous Class III rapids as a warm up. Scout “Broken Bridge”, a Class V rapid, and run it! Hit more continuous Class III rapids.
Stop for lunch, a delicious deli-style spread.
Hurry back to the river for even more Class III rapids. Scout and run “Tank Creek” rapid. Run your final Class IV rapids, “Specter” & “The Narrows.”
Arrive at the Tacoma Power Station, take out and de-rig boats for the train ride back. Board the train and relax as you take in the sites of the Rockwood Gorge.
Arrive at the Rockwood station, and shuttle back to Durango.
5:30PM
Arrive back at our office around 6:00 PM.
* Please note that all itineraries are subject to change due to river conditions.
Trip Map
