Like so many other Colorado resorts, Arapahoe Basin sits at the very headwaters of the Colorado River. The Basin and Loveland Pass stand at the upper reaches of the North Fork of the Snake River which flows into the Snake River which flows into the Blue River which flows into the Colorado River. Many of us in the A-Basin community are avid rafters and kaykers. Every season Kay and I head downriver to float one or more of its spectacular canyons. This past weekend we ventured to Utah to float Westwater Canyon's lively rapids, camp on its sandy beaches, share good cheer with friends and family and soak in its seemingly unreal sunrises and sunsets.
Beyond Westwater, the Colorado has carved Cataract Canyon, Glen Canyon and, the best of all, the Grand Canyon. Along the way, the river is a workhorse delivering drinking water to many communities including Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson and LA. More than 70% of its water is consumed for agriculture especially in America's breadbasket, California's Imperial Valley.
As I float these canyons and think about the cities and the farms, I never forget that a little of bit of that water fell from the sky at Arapahoe Basin.
