Upper Animas One Day Needleton Section
Upper Animas River
Upper Animas
One Day Silverton Rafting Trip
About This Trip
Are you ready for some of the biggest, baddest whitewater in the country? Then get your neoprene out on the Silverton section of the Upper Animas River! This rowdy run comes with constant Class II and III rapids, plenty of Class IV’s, and pair of Class V’s that you’ll be talking about for the rest of your life.
The start of the Silverton section is incredibly scenic, where snowcapped fourteeners loom along the horizon before rafters float into the river’s first towering canyon. Once you’ve crossed this threshold, bigger waves and technical runs are soon to follow as you drift farther away from the historic train tracks of Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge. Don’t worry, you’ll meet them again at the trip’s end for your ride back to civilization.
At high water in late May to early June, this trip is considered extreme. All participants must have excellent physical fitness, and will be required to pass a swim test before being eligible to join us on this roaring ribbon of whitewater. After all, Upper Animas is the most difficult commercially run river in the United States.
Upper Animas, One Day Silverton trips start at $449.
Season
Late May – Early August
Class of Rapids
High Water: IV & V with continuous II & III
Low Water: Continuous, technical II & III with IV+
Extreme to High Adventure
Meet Time
7:30 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 (and possibly on the trip itself)!
Ages 16+
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 9% 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
7:30 AM
Meet at our main office.
Shuttle to Silverton, Colorado via the Million Dollar Skyway
Suit up for your river trip! Thermal wetsuits and booties are required all season and are available for rent.
Hit the river! Warm up through “Animas Gorge” – continuous Class III rapids. Scout and run “Ten Mile” rapid, your first Class V of the day.
Take a break for a yummy deli-style, riverside lunch.
Hurry back to the river for more continuous Class III rapids. Scout “No Name” rapid and run it, if you dare! More continuous Class III rapid fun!
Arrive at our Needleton Camp, take out & de-rig boats for the train. Board the Durango & Silverton Train and relax as you take in the sights of the Rockwood Gorge.
Arrive at the Rockwood Station, and shuttle back to Durango.
5:30 PM
Arrive back at our Durango office at approximately 6:00 PM.
* Please note that all itineraries are subject to change due to river conditions.
Trip Map
