photos by David Halterman

In 1916, Bert Loper and Ellsworth Kolb earned bragging rights as the first people to run a section of the Colorado River now known as Westwater Canyon. Nearly a century later, this 17-mile stretch of humbling whitewater and scenic flat water has become one of the most popular sections of river in Utah. The fall Westwater trip has become a tradition among Durangoans looking for one last river fix before the snow flies.

A perfect example of getting together and going nowhere: the time-honored, post-rapids party barge. Ben Lehman behind the oars somewhere near the Utah state line. Stacy Falk paddles through the Black Granite Gorge, home to the oldest exposed rock formation in Utah, dating back an estimated 1.75 billion years.

 

In this week's issue...

May 15, 2025
End of the trail

Despite tariff pause, Colorado bike company can’t hang on through supply chain chaos

May 8, 2025
Shared pain

Dismal trend highlights need to cut usage in Upper Basin, too

April 24, 2025
A tale of two bills

Nuclear gets all the hype, but optimizing infrastructure will have bigger impact