Eighteen DU students and two instructors went on an overnight trip to kayak on the Colorado River last Friday through Sunday, May 11 – 13.

Students left Friday afternoon for Kremlin, where they kayaked from a section of the Colorado River called Pump House down to State Bridge. This particular run is advantageous because of its different parts of varied difficulty. According to kayak club president Chris Ruff, beginners didn’t have any problems, and more advanced kayakers had a chance to challenge themselves.

The group stayed overnight and kayaked all day Saturday, returning to DU on Sunday. It was perfect Colorado weather for kayaking with the sun out and temperatures in the eighties. After a training session on Saturday students geared up and paddled down the river. There were no major injuries.

“Most people think that kayaking is a small, extremely risky sport, but kayaking is for everyone,” Ruff said.

For many of the students this was their first experience kayaking on an actual river. Vitaly Uretsky was one such student.

“At first I was a little scared, but once I got in the water I had a lot of fun.” said Uretsky.

The trip also gave students a chance to bond.

“Everyone had a great time, and I learned something new about every person there,” Uretsky said.

The Kayaking Club used to be a subdivision of the Alpine club until three years ago, when it became a separate entity. The club provides rental boats every week in the DU pool for members to perfect their abilities.

The Kayaking Club is open to all DU students and always welcomes newcomers of any skill range. The club takes at least one major trip every year. The club meets every Wednesday at 8:00 at the pool in the Ritchie Center. For more information visit the DU website under the club sports section.