Colorado on Film: Defiance Rafting

Happy Saturday evening, friends!
I have been sitting on so many photos from summer adventures! But I am here to finally share our fantastic white water rafting/kayaking experience with Defiance Rafting. This was actually my second time going on a Defiance trip- the first one was during Az’s bachelorette party last summer. I had such a blast that I told Kevin we needed to do another group trip this summer and I’m so glad we made it happen!
So, let’s go over the basic details: Defiance is located in Glenwood Springs about 2.5-3 hours away from the Denver/Boulder area. They have several types of rafting trips including scenic floats, half days, private experiences (which we did for Az’s party last year!) We did the full-day rafting ($109 p/p) which included about 6 hours of rafting the class I-III rapids, time spent at the natural hot springs, lunch (I ate a portobello sandwich and it was fantastic) and then breaking out the inflatable kayaks, all the while enjoying a few cold brews. Tip: If you want to get the wettest during the rapids, sit at the very front! I couldn’t take any photos during the rapids part (obviously) but had plenty of opportunity during the kayaking portion. We did end up purchasing the professional photos through the company and sharing them amongst the group so it worked out (I shared a few from my Insta at the bottom of this post!)









With all of the many, many rafting companies that are located in Colorado, I sincerely recommend Defiance. This isn’t an ad or sponsored (haha), but this was the second time that I had such a memorable experience with them. Our guide, Greg, was extremely chill and fun and shared information about the landscape and scenery with us. Just to prove that I’m being honest, last year we did a floating scenic trip with AVA Rafting and I do not recommend them at all. This was, overall, just a terrific day with great friends in a beautiful location.






Alright, now for the film info! These photos were taken on my trusty Minolta Weathermatic Dual and Fujifilm 200. This is my go-to film camera for anything water-related due to its rugged body and waterproof design. Water droplets don’t sit on the lens for long either (which I heard can be the case with the Canon WP-1). I found mine on local OfferUp for less than $20, but I’ve seen them on FB Marketplace, Ebay, other selling apps for about 20-50 dollars depending on the bundle. If you are looking for it, try finding a seller that also has the case and waterproof film canisters. I still need to get my hands on those!
Well, that’s it for now. I have a few more summer adventures to write about, but for now I have to get my hiking backpack ready to go see some fall colors (hopefully).
Until next time!
-Mary A.