Colorado rivers are swelled with water, and paddlers, as usual, this spring.

Higher waters make for more dangerous rapids. However, under most conditions, rafting companies will still run river trips with people right off the streets who have no river experience in their boats.

How much experience do the guides have? Well, that's a question that has occurred to me every time I've crossed the rubber threshold and grabbed my spot in a raft. Usually, in my case, we leave from Steven's Gulch, and I'm well aware that there are a couple of gnarly twists and turns just below the put-in, and then a few more down toward the take out, just below Pine View and the aptly named Cardiac Corner on the Poudre River.

Every time, I look at the person who will be calling out paddle commands for the rest of the boat. The way the boat hits the different holes, hydraulics and waves determines whether or not the boat will stay sunny side up, or not. Then, I look at my fellow paddlers. My wife can dig, and so can I, but then I wonder about the others. If they don't dip their paddle deep and pull with some power, the boat won't go where the guide intended, and may end up upended.

Yeah, there is a lot (literally) riding on how good the guide and the outfitter are. My experiences with the different companies around Fort Collins have been excellent. I've taken dozens of trips down the river, and when in the hands of a guide, I have yet to be flipped, or disappointed.

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