Register online today- Click here!
Although last year’s float trip was cancelled due to the weather, the Western Slope Conservation Center is excited to announce that our float trip is back! This year will mark our 16th year and we are anticipating an exciting event. Our float trip provides a unique opportunity for residents and visitors of the North Fork to make a splash in our local rivers and it is one of the most popular events in Delta County. Each year, we work hard to recruit boat captains and conservation experts to take floaters down the river on an educational and fun-filled adventure. This event helps to raise funds for the Conservation Center’s continuing efforts to protect our watershed.
This year’s float is on June 4th. Dress to impress this year, the theme is ‘Hawaiian’! Boaters will enter the water at our very own Paonia River Park and will journey down the North Fork of the Gunnison River to the Delta County Fairgrounds in Hotchkiss. During the float, information about the Paonia River Park and the history of this particular section of the Gunnison River will be highlighted. Enjoy lunch and a festival afterwards with vendors and fun activities for all ages. This festival is free to everyone, even those who were not able to float!
Kayakers are welcome, too!
Tickets for the float include shuttle and lunch. Prices are $25 for adults and $20 for children (8-12 years old). This year we are pleased to announce that we are offering 20 youth scholarships for youth ages 8-17 to float for free thanks to a grant from ‘Ride the Rockies’. *NOTE: a parent/guardian must float with them for safety reasons.* This will be on a first-come-first-serve basis, so please contact the Western Slope Conservation Center if you are interested. Details about lunch options will be available soon!
The Conservation Center has been managing river restoration projects for over two decades. Past float trips emphasized restoration projects at Midway, Hotchkiss, and the Curry Conservation Easement (2011), the Hartland Diversion Dam (2012), and the Relief Ditch Diversion Dam (2013).
If you are interested in sponsoring this year’s event, please let us know. Our past sponsorship ranges from local businesses to national non-profits; if you value conservation and outdoor recreation, then why not?
Sponsorship Levels
Class V Waterfall Sponsor- $500: 4 complimentary float tickets- – includes float, lunch, and shuttle (value $100), your name and EXTRA-LARGE, FEATURED logo on event posters, banner, our website and emails, and in press releases.
Class III Rapid Sponsor – $250: 2 complimentary float tickets – includes float, lunch, and shuttle (value $50), your name and LARGE logo on event posters, banner, our website and emails, and in press releases.
Class I Riffle Sponsor – $100: 1 complimentary float ticket – includes float, lunch, and shuttle (value $25), your name and small logo on event posters, banner, our website and emails, and in press releases.
We are currently looking for experienced boat captains and rafts, so please contact us if you are interested. For more information about sponsoring, scholarships, the float, or to register* call us at 970-527-5307 or email Morgan at [email protected].
up-to-date info: River float and fest 2016
Register online today- Click here!
Here’s a glimpse into the river float from a few years back… are you ready?