An epic season of unseasonably high water ahead!
Get ready for one of the best seasons of rafting yet!
Image: Two of our professional support kayakers jazzed about the high water experience and always looking out for yours!
We couldn’t be more excited about the amount of run off we are anticipating this rafting season! Our staff of experienced guides are excited and ready for the amazing amount of spring run off we are expecting as the high mountain snowpack is sitting at record levels. It is unfortunate that the media portrays high water as a great hazard that should be avoided. The fact of the matter is that high water run off creates a once in a lifetime adventure that is a rare event. It is important that when you do decide to get in the river this summer (and you should) that it is with a professional whitewater rafting outfitter! If you are unexperienced you shouldn’t expect your self to be able to raft high water on your own as decisions are not made in a moments notice. You need to know the run you are about to encounter. This would be comparable to flying commercially with an airline and being expected to land the plane you are riding in on your own! Our guides are no different from the pilots of an aircraft. If an aircraft encounters foul weather they fly around it. We do just the same. We go around the ill advised sections of the river and take you to the sections that will provide you with the ride of your life! This season with the high snowpack provides one of the greatest opportunities in rafting!
A lot of newer guides are envious of the river guides who were around in 1995 which was our last extremely high water season and a lot of our veteran staff at Royal Gorge Rafting remember the year of 1995 fondly. Our peak flows in 1995 were around 7000 CFS! Whereas an average peak is closer to 3200 CFS.
So far we have had a cool spring which as kept a lot of the snow pack at bay. Rafting Outfitters on the Arkansas River raft through the Royal Gorge section up to 3200 CFS, once above this level it is a Colorado State Parks recommendation that we stop rafting the Royal Gorge commercially. In actuality the run through the Gorge gets easier as the water gets higher but the swift and constant nature of the rapids creates a hazard due to relentless flow. The passages are clear and apparent and more forgiving as the water gets higher through the Gorge but the strong, fast downstream currents become to swift for commercial clientele.
So what do we do if we can't raft the Royal Gorge? The answer is simple! We change the section of river we raft. As we move upstream from the Royal Gorge the gradient lessens and the rapids are not as continuous. This is ultimately an easy answer for us and it enables you, our guest to experience the world class whitewater we wouldn't dare miss out on!
“But doesn't the thrill diminish if you don’t get to raft the Royal Gorge?” The simple answer is NO. That is a non factor. As we move up river to comparable sections of river we still encounter equally exciting and thrilling rapids of the same caliber that we would have rafted in the Royal Gorge at recommended flows. For families with small children we simply move ever further upstream and for groups that want the big water but not the same challenge as the Royal Gorge may have brought we still raft the Bighorn Sheep Canyon as it is simply amazing at the high water flows of 6000 CFS & more!
This season is simply not to be missed! If you are dissuaded from going rafting due to the uninformed assessments of the media that would be unfortunate! The same media outlets that might steer you away from what this high water season has to offer shouldn’t be trusted to land your commercial airliner either. We understand that adverse conditions make a great talking for the 6 o'clock news, it grabs our attention!
We would never throw common sense or your best interests aside and that is why we take the preventive measures necessary to ensure you have a high quality adventure with us at Royal Gorge Rafting whether the water is high or low.
On a side note, at Royal Gorge Rafting we still kayak the Royal Gorge on a daily basis hopefully of flows up to flows of 7000+ CFS or until the railroad tracks are covered and that probably wouldn’t stop us from kayaking the Royal Gorge either. In a kayak we are able to upright our craft with a roll and so giddily we go! The same is possible with the upper Bighorn Sheep Canyon for rafting (less the rolling part). This section at high water is suitable for about every age up until the point that Hwy 50 is washed out and until then, we raft daily 7 days a week.
Our point is that this is a season of high water that is not to be missed! Our experienced staff is ready to take you on an incomparable adventure that will be nothing short of INCREDIBLE! Just like the flood levels of 1995 and yes we were there too!
Of course if white water rafting is not your desire then an alternate water free option is our exciting and popular Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours. We have an option for everyone!
Image: Two of our professional support kayakers jazzed about the high water experience and always looking out for yours!
We couldn’t be more excited about the amount of run off we are anticipating this rafting season! Our staff of experienced guides are excited and ready for the amazing amount of spring run off we are expecting as the high mountain snowpack is sitting at record levels. It is unfortunate that the media portrays high water as a great hazard that should be avoided. The fact of the matter is that high water run off creates a once in a lifetime adventure that is a rare event. It is important that when you do decide to get in the river this summer (and you should) that it is with a professional whitewater rafting outfitter! If you are unexperienced you shouldn’t expect your self to be able to raft high water on your own as decisions are not made in a moments notice. You need to know the run you are about to encounter. This would be comparable to flying commercially with an airline and being expected to land the plane you are riding in on your own! Our guides are no different from the pilots of an aircraft. If an aircraft encounters foul weather they fly around it. We do just the same. We go around the ill advised sections of the river and take you to the sections that will provide you with the ride of your life! This season with the high snowpack provides one of the greatest opportunities in rafting!
A lot of newer guides are envious of the river guides who were around in 1995 which was our last extremely high water season and a lot of our veteran staff at Royal Gorge Rafting remember the year of 1995 fondly. Our peak flows in 1995 were around 7000 CFS! Whereas an average peak is closer to 3200 CFS.
So far we have had a cool spring which as kept a lot of the snow pack at bay. Rafting Outfitters on the Arkansas River raft through the Royal Gorge section up to 3200 CFS, once above this level it is a Colorado State Parks recommendation that we stop rafting the Royal Gorge commercially. In actuality the run through the Gorge gets easier as the water gets higher but the swift and constant nature of the rapids creates a hazard due to relentless flow. The passages are clear and apparent and more forgiving as the water gets higher through the Gorge but the strong, fast downstream currents become to swift for commercial clientele.
So what do we do if we can't raft the Royal Gorge? The answer is simple! We change the section of river we raft. As we move upstream from the Royal Gorge the gradient lessens and the rapids are not as continuous. This is ultimately an easy answer for us and it enables you, our guest to experience the world class whitewater we wouldn't dare miss out on!
“But doesn't the thrill diminish if you don’t get to raft the Royal Gorge?” The simple answer is NO. That is a non factor. As we move up river to comparable sections of river we still encounter equally exciting and thrilling rapids of the same caliber that we would have rafted in the Royal Gorge at recommended flows. For families with small children we simply move ever further upstream and for groups that want the big water but not the same challenge as the Royal Gorge may have brought we still raft the Bighorn Sheep Canyon as it is simply amazing at the high water flows of 6000 CFS & more!
This season is simply not to be missed! If you are dissuaded from going rafting due to the uninformed assessments of the media that would be unfortunate! The same media outlets that might steer you away from what this high water season has to offer shouldn’t be trusted to land your commercial airliner either. We understand that adverse conditions make a great talking for the 6 o'clock news, it grabs our attention!
We would never throw common sense or your best interests aside and that is why we take the preventive measures necessary to ensure you have a high quality adventure with us at Royal Gorge Rafting whether the water is high or low.
On a side note, at Royal Gorge Rafting we still kayak the Royal Gorge on a daily basis hopefully of flows up to flows of 7000+ CFS or until the railroad tracks are covered and that probably wouldn’t stop us from kayaking the Royal Gorge either. In a kayak we are able to upright our craft with a roll and so giddily we go! The same is possible with the upper Bighorn Sheep Canyon for rafting (less the rolling part). This section at high water is suitable for about every age up until the point that Hwy 50 is washed out and until then, we raft daily 7 days a week.
Our point is that this is a season of high water that is not to be missed! Our experienced staff is ready to take you on an incomparable adventure that will be nothing short of INCREDIBLE! Just like the flood levels of 1995 and yes we were there too!
Of course if white water rafting is not your desire then an alternate water free option is our exciting and popular Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours. We have an option for everyone!
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Our guide staff at Royal Gorge Rafting
What it takes to be employed at Royal Gorge Rafting.
Image: Senior Guide, David Bonogofski confidently running his guests down the Royal Gorge.
We take our staffing seriously! Where most companies train up to 20+ guides year in year out, we at Royal Gorge Rafting require our guides to have a minimum of at least 4 years white water experience. Most of our crew have around 10 years on average and this requirement definitely sets us apart from the crowd. The minimum State requirements are set at 50 hours prior to taking you down the river. A lot of companies exceed this 2 fold because they also feel it is better to have more experience than less!
We understand every guide has to start somewhere but we prefer they do not start here at Royal Gorge Rafting and not with your family on your vacation. This does not mean that other outfitters on the Arkansas River maintain a staff of hodge podge guides, A “rookie” guide can definitely become a good guide over time. We just prefer to know that all of the guides we employ are seasoned professionals and are solid on the river which is of great value to us and we assume your group or family as well. We prefer not to “hand over the keys to the car to the teenager” and set you loose with them... We have always said from the get go when we developed our program in 2004 that Experience Counts more than anything and that includes not only our experience but it clearly relates directly to yours!
Our guide staff employed at Royal Gorge Rafting choose to work at Royal Gorge Rafting because they enjoy knowing that the guides on their team are serious about their profession and are not here for a one year summer camp type of experience. We keep the best of the best on staff and this is reflected in the rapid growth of our business. In just 6 rapid seasons we have grown to be the second largest outfitter in rafting our namesake - the Royal Gorge! We have grown from a team of 4 guides and kayakers in 2004 to a team of 20 guides and kayakers in 2011 and we are capping our staff at this point as well as the amount of guests we take rafting so that our size does not out weigh your experience.
We understand that by nature being bigger is by no means being better and that your experience will be compromised by too much growth on our part. We want to enjoy our selves as much as you want to enjoy your time on the river with us at Royal Gorge Rafting. See for yourself what our clients have to say about our staff at Royal Gorge Rafting!
We have with great pride and effort have also rapidly become the #1 attraction in Canon City and the Royal Gorge Region due to our professional staff at our newly founded Zip Line Tours! We hand pick our staff, seek only the best and in turn we are proud of being the best in our class on the Arkansas River and on our high flying zip line adventures at Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours (insert blowing of horn...) Check out a few of our staff cards below.
*A notable regard to this is that on extremely rare occasions in the past at Royal Gorge Rafting we have had guides join us from other outfitters on our busier days - They are known as rent - a - guides and they may not always have obtained the required 4 years that we require of our team. That is an absolute to be a part of our full time staff. At times it is necessary to “borrow” a rent a guide or two to run the amount of rafts that is demanded per our reservations. We avoid this practice but when this occurs we make sure they are a welcome part of our crew for the day and we try to make their duties reserved only for the river so we are able to keep our program running the way we intend it to run for our clients. When a rent - a - guide joins us often times they do exceed our requirements of our staffing criteria but either way we keep them in the middle of our on river “pod” and make sure they are confident in running smooth lines down river.
Like our support kayakers, our exclusive experienced guide requirements are yet another example of what makes us the best of class in what we love to do! (insert another horn blow here!) We hope to see you on the river!
Image: Senior Guide, David Bonogofski confidently running his guests down the Royal Gorge.
We take our staffing seriously! Where most companies train up to 20+ guides year in year out, we at Royal Gorge Rafting require our guides to have a minimum of at least 4 years white water experience. Most of our crew have around 10 years on average and this requirement definitely sets us apart from the crowd. The minimum State requirements are set at 50 hours prior to taking you down the river. A lot of companies exceed this 2 fold because they also feel it is better to have more experience than less!
We understand every guide has to start somewhere but we prefer they do not start here at Royal Gorge Rafting and not with your family on your vacation. This does not mean that other outfitters on the Arkansas River maintain a staff of hodge podge guides, A “rookie” guide can definitely become a good guide over time. We just prefer to know that all of the guides we employ are seasoned professionals and are solid on the river which is of great value to us and we assume your group or family as well. We prefer not to “hand over the keys to the car to the teenager” and set you loose with them... We have always said from the get go when we developed our program in 2004 that Experience Counts more than anything and that includes not only our experience but it clearly relates directly to yours!
Our guide staff employed at Royal Gorge Rafting choose to work at Royal Gorge Rafting because they enjoy knowing that the guides on their team are serious about their profession and are not here for a one year summer camp type of experience. We keep the best of the best on staff and this is reflected in the rapid growth of our business. In just 6 rapid seasons we have grown to be the second largest outfitter in rafting our namesake - the Royal Gorge! We have grown from a team of 4 guides and kayakers in 2004 to a team of 20 guides and kayakers in 2011 and we are capping our staff at this point as well as the amount of guests we take rafting so that our size does not out weigh your experience.
We understand that by nature being bigger is by no means being better and that your experience will be compromised by too much growth on our part. We want to enjoy our selves as much as you want to enjoy your time on the river with us at Royal Gorge Rafting. See for yourself what our clients have to say about our staff at Royal Gorge Rafting!
We have with great pride and effort have also rapidly become the #1 attraction in Canon City and the Royal Gorge Region due to our professional staff at our newly founded Zip Line Tours! We hand pick our staff, seek only the best and in turn we are proud of being the best in our class on the Arkansas River and on our high flying zip line adventures at Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours (insert blowing of horn...) Check out a few of our staff cards below.
*A notable regard to this is that on extremely rare occasions in the past at Royal Gorge Rafting we have had guides join us from other outfitters on our busier days - They are known as rent - a - guides and they may not always have obtained the required 4 years that we require of our team. That is an absolute to be a part of our full time staff. At times it is necessary to “borrow” a rent a guide or two to run the amount of rafts that is demanded per our reservations. We avoid this practice but when this occurs we make sure they are a welcome part of our crew for the day and we try to make their duties reserved only for the river so we are able to keep our program running the way we intend it to run for our clients. When a rent - a - guide joins us often times they do exceed our requirements of our staffing criteria but either way we keep them in the middle of our on river “pod” and make sure they are confident in running smooth lines down river.
Like our support kayakers, our exclusive experienced guide requirements are yet another example of what makes us the best of class in what we love to do! (insert another horn blow here!) We hope to see you on the river!
What is Kayak Support at Royal Gorge Rafting?
What is kayak support at Royal Gorge Rafting?
A watchful eye, Setting up kayak support and ready at the bottom of Sledgehammer rapid, Class 4/5
We are the only company on the river to exclusively run kayak support with every trip down the Royal Gorge as well as on the Bighorn / Echo Canyon section of river at high water run off. When the river runs high in the Royal Gorge we pay multiple kayaks to join your adventure and to shoot photos of your entire adventure.
Kayak Support is an added measure of support that Royal Gorge Rafting provides. Whether its one raft or 9 rafts we always have a kayaker tag along. What are the benefits of this? Imagine you are separated from your raft, although unlikely it is still a possibility. A kayak support person can assist you in ways that are priceless! We can instruct you as to where to swim. This in itself is a massive help and is just what most people need to help them out of the river.
A kayaker can exit the river at nearly any given point. Head back up river and get back into the river to access any area of the river. Maybe you swam to the right bank but your raft is down river and on the left bank. Well, your kayaker can come to assist you back to your raft. A kayak support boater can actually have a person ride on the bow or stern of the kayak and maneuver with speed down the river. Not only do we practice this we have used it in practical purposes as well.
A Kayaker running support can chase after lost paddles that crew members may have dropped in the river. We’ve seen other rafts up a creek without a paddle. We would rather not be there.
A kayaker can also become a shore based rescue person as we carry a “throw bag” device that we can toss to you if you are floating down the Arkansas River separated from your raft.
Your kayak support person becomes an integral part of your rafting adventure! They are also there to shoot your photos which is a huge added bonus as you are able to take home hundreds of photos of your trip for the same price that the other companies charge for a few photos of just one rapid. Your kayaker starts your photos from the time you arrive until the time you depart.
Your kayaker will give you specific instructions prior to getting under way with your days adventure as to how they can assist you in a support scenario.
While this costs RGR more in the short and long run to provide this service it is an incomparable and indespensible addition to your adventure for not only additional support but a professional personalized service as well.
YOUR SAFETY IS ALWAYS OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN! This shows in our record and it shows in the measures we take not only in hiring a full time staff of support boaters but in only hiring experienced guides. We will save that very notable highlight for another story.
OUR SUPPORT BOATERS ARE SKILLED PROFESSIONAL KAYAKERS COMFORTABLE & CONFIDENT IN THEIR KAYAKING ABILITIES AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE RIVER YOU RAFT!
A watchful eye, Setting up kayak support and ready at the bottom of Sledgehammer rapid, Class 4/5
We are the only company on the river to exclusively run kayak support with every trip down the Royal Gorge as well as on the Bighorn / Echo Canyon section of river at high water run off. When the river runs high in the Royal Gorge we pay multiple kayaks to join your adventure and to shoot photos of your entire adventure.
Kayak Support is an added measure of support that Royal Gorge Rafting provides. Whether its one raft or 9 rafts we always have a kayaker tag along. What are the benefits of this? Imagine you are separated from your raft, although unlikely it is still a possibility. A kayak support person can assist you in ways that are priceless! We can instruct you as to where to swim. This in itself is a massive help and is just what most people need to help them out of the river.
A kayaker can exit the river at nearly any given point. Head back up river and get back into the river to access any area of the river. Maybe you swam to the right bank but your raft is down river and on the left bank. Well, your kayaker can come to assist you back to your raft. A kayak support boater can actually have a person ride on the bow or stern of the kayak and maneuver with speed down the river. Not only do we practice this we have used it in practical purposes as well.
A Kayaker running support can chase after lost paddles that crew members may have dropped in the river. We’ve seen other rafts up a creek without a paddle. We would rather not be there.
A kayaker can also become a shore based rescue person as we carry a “throw bag” device that we can toss to you if you are floating down the Arkansas River separated from your raft.
Your kayak support person becomes an integral part of your rafting adventure! They are also there to shoot your photos which is a huge added bonus as you are able to take home hundreds of photos of your trip for the same price that the other companies charge for a few photos of just one rapid. Your kayaker starts your photos from the time you arrive until the time you depart.
Your kayaker will give you specific instructions prior to getting under way with your days adventure as to how they can assist you in a support scenario.
While this costs RGR more in the short and long run to provide this service it is an incomparable and indespensible addition to your adventure for not only additional support but a professional personalized service as well.
YOUR SAFETY IS ALWAYS OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN! This shows in our record and it shows in the measures we take not only in hiring a full time staff of support boaters but in only hiring experienced guides. We will save that very notable highlight for another story.
OUR SUPPORT BOATERS ARE SKILLED PROFESSIONAL KAYAKERS COMFORTABLE & CONFIDENT IN THEIR KAYAKING ABILITIES AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE RIVER YOU RAFT!
Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours begin in 2011!
30/12/10 18:54 Filed in: Zipline tours Zip Line Tours Zip-Line Tours
We are excited to bring to you in 2011 The Royal Gorge Zip-Line tour! Our brand new course will cover over 1 mile of zip lines and is nestled into the high plateau of the Royal Gorge region. Many of the lines will present the amazing views of the 14 thousand foot peaks of the surrounding Sangre De Cristo Mountain range. We intend this to be a must do world class experience just like our Colorado White Water Rafting tours!
We are busy working with the premier Zip-Line design firm, Bonsai Designs Here is a little bit about Bonsai:
Bonsai Designs Mission
Our mission is to design and install adventure programs that enhance the lives of all people who participate in our courses. Our courses integrate into the natural environment without harming it. We push the limits of the industry practices.
We believe the possibilities are endless – that’s why each and every course is a custom design, no matter how large or small the project is. Whether you’re installing a multiple acre canopy tour course, a 1,500 foot zip line, or a single climbing tower, each project receives our full attention and dedication. Built with harmony, precision and balance.
We could have chosen another installation and design company but we are striving to provide the best in class in what we do. It’s not really about us, it’s about the overall experience we provide.
Stay tuned at www.RoyalGorgeRafting.net for more information on our Zip Line tours and the new web site we are tediously creating to represent what we have to offer!
www.RoyalGorgeRafting.net
www.RoyalGorgeVacationRentals.com
info@royalgorgerafing.net
Royal Gorge Rafting, Vacation Rentals & the White Water Bar & Grill! The perfect combination to any Colorado Vacation!
Join us on:
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We are busy working with the premier Zip-Line design firm, Bonsai Designs Here is a little bit about Bonsai:
Bonsai Designs MissionOur mission is to design and install adventure programs that enhance the lives of all people who participate in our courses. Our courses integrate into the natural environment without harming it. We push the limits of the industry practices.
We believe the possibilities are endless – that’s why each and every course is a custom design, no matter how large or small the project is. Whether you’re installing a multiple acre canopy tour course, a 1,500 foot zip line, or a single climbing tower, each project receives our full attention and dedication. Built with harmony, precision and balance.
We could have chosen another installation and design company but we are striving to provide the best in class in what we do. It’s not really about us, it’s about the overall experience we provide.
Stay tuned at www.RoyalGorgeRafting.net for more information on our Zip Line tours and the new web site we are tediously creating to represent what we have to offer!
www.RoyalGorgeRafting.net
www.RoyalGorgeVacationRentals.com
info@royalgorgerafing.net
Royal Gorge Rafting, Vacation Rentals & the White Water Bar & Grill! The perfect combination to any Colorado Vacation!
Join us on:
twitter facebookRegarding our account of the Parkdale Canyon Fire
To all those concerned or curious regarding my account of the Parkdale Canyon Fire:
Despite being misquoted by the media, my statement of the incident that occurred is my first hand account of what happened. I did not make "false accusations". As I was the first responder on the incident I called 911 at approx. 1:13 pm, I called the Tallahassee fire crew via a business partner around 1:15 pm, then I notified Mr. Greksa of the incident around 1:16 pm to see if they had a water car to help extinguish the fires.
I then raced down to the river to put out a large fire fueled by high winds that formed within a minute after the train had passed through our property on the north side of Hwy 50. I do not assert as a fact that the train started this fire directly even if I believe it did or did not. There is an investigation into the matter and that alone will determine what the cause of the fire was.
We recently put out a sizable fire on another occasion between the railroad tracks and the river on Friday the 19th with three of our river guides during a trip last week around 1:45pm +- and we were met by a local canon city fire crew who further extinguished the fire.
The most recent destructive fire in particular could have been started in many ways. I have my own account of the situations based on my experiences.
I do not take any of these accounts as a personal matter as it really does not have anything to do with me other than the thousands of dollars in business we have lost due to this unfortunate & tragic event. Despite this, I have been criticized for my account of this occurrence and attempts have been made to discredit the statements I have made as "false accusations". It has been stated that I have directly hurt the Royal Gorge Route Railroads business ~ I confidently assert that it is the fire that has caused any negative attention and has hurt area business, not myself as an individual. I took immediate actions to try and stop the spread of this fire and remedy the situation that became a fire out of control.
Their have been direct remarks questioning my character that have been verified untrue. All of this is unfortunate, unfounded & unnecessary, as I have only made direct factual statements as a witness to the events that occurred. My statements have not been made in a contentious manner or in an attempt criticize anything or anyone. Whether that is fully understood is beyond my control.
I personally know that the Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a quality business as we have worked with them for a number of years, not to mention having experienced their ride through the Royal Gorge myself; I highly recommend it to 100's of our clients every summer as well as to friends and family. They have provided to thousands of people every year a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else. I do not impose ill will towards their business or anybody that has a connection to them, as they are without question an outstanding business. If the train did accidentally start the fire I am certain it was just that, an accident.
My sincere consolations go out to all of those directly effected by this fire.
~ James Whiteside
Royal Gorge Rafting,
Royal Gorge Vacation Rentals
and The White Water Bar & Grill.
www.RoyalGorgeRafting.net
Despite being misquoted by the media, my statement of the incident that occurred is my first hand account of what happened. I did not make "false accusations". As I was the first responder on the incident I called 911 at approx. 1:13 pm, I called the Tallahassee fire crew via a business partner around 1:15 pm, then I notified Mr. Greksa of the incident around 1:16 pm to see if they had a water car to help extinguish the fires.
I then raced down to the river to put out a large fire fueled by high winds that formed within a minute after the train had passed through our property on the north side of Hwy 50. I do not assert as a fact that the train started this fire directly even if I believe it did or did not. There is an investigation into the matter and that alone will determine what the cause of the fire was.
We recently put out a sizable fire on another occasion between the railroad tracks and the river on Friday the 19th with three of our river guides during a trip last week around 1:45pm +- and we were met by a local canon city fire crew who further extinguished the fire.
The most recent destructive fire in particular could have been started in many ways. I have my own account of the situations based on my experiences.
I do not take any of these accounts as a personal matter as it really does not have anything to do with me other than the thousands of dollars in business we have lost due to this unfortunate & tragic event. Despite this, I have been criticized for my account of this occurrence and attempts have been made to discredit the statements I have made as "false accusations". It has been stated that I have directly hurt the Royal Gorge Route Railroads business ~ I confidently assert that it is the fire that has caused any negative attention and has hurt area business, not myself as an individual. I took immediate actions to try and stop the spread of this fire and remedy the situation that became a fire out of control.
Their have been direct remarks questioning my character that have been verified untrue. All of this is unfortunate, unfounded & unnecessary, as I have only made direct factual statements as a witness to the events that occurred. My statements have not been made in a contentious manner or in an attempt criticize anything or anyone. Whether that is fully understood is beyond my control.
I personally know that the Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a quality business as we have worked with them for a number of years, not to mention having experienced their ride through the Royal Gorge myself; I highly recommend it to 100's of our clients every summer as well as to friends and family. They have provided to thousands of people every year a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else. I do not impose ill will towards their business or anybody that has a connection to them, as they are without question an outstanding business. If the train did accidentally start the fire I am certain it was just that, an accident.
My sincere consolations go out to all of those directly effected by this fire.
~ James Whiteside
Royal Gorge Rafting,
Royal Gorge Vacation Rentals
and The White Water Bar & Grill.
www.RoyalGorgeRafting.net