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May 19, 2004
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<br />"Tubin- on the Yampa River in Steamboat Sprin?s is an exciting, fun, relaYin?, affordable way
<br />to spend a couple hours in the summer time with family and friends."
<br />11ttp:i/wWw.movi11amountains.comi xttibin?kavakx.html
<br />"Tubing and raftin? are two ;reat ?vays for families to cool off and view the local scenery."
<br />http://www.steamboat-chamber.com/niedia/famllv.html
<br />"A bucket wed?ed into its own tube accompanies you down--filled with whatever you have
<br />chosen for refreshment! Nothing like the refreshing crack of an ice cold beer!"
<br />http://www.rollinvmranch.co.za/canoeing-tLibin?.php
<br />"Toobing is an adventure. Just ask anybody who has gone. Toobing on the river is the best sport
<br />we've found. Inner-tubes, water, coolers, ice chests, friends, family, drinks, waterproofing, bags
<br />of ice, outfitters and minor rapids is what it's all about." http://www.extremetoobiniz.com
<br />While 99% of the commercial tubing websites describe the tubing experience as "lazy,"
<br />"leisurely," and "gentle," (See Exhibit C pages 2-11) a few websites, none of which reference
<br />Steamboat Springs, did mention minor rapids or white water rapids. Where the sites described
<br />bigger rapids it was usually to indicate a separate tour which was guided, used special tubes and
<br />required a life jacket and helmet (see Exhibit D) or to serve as a warning to tubers, such as, "use
<br />right side of falls only as the middle of these falls has a hydraulic which will pull you under due
<br />to water pressure's and should not be attempted under any circumstances." (See Exhibit E).
<br />None of the websites I found mention the "rapids" or "white water" as special physical
<br />characteristics built into the river to divert, capture or control the water and therefore, we must
<br />assume, these "rapids" are just rocks or other physical obstructions in the river. Further, none of
<br />the Steamboat websites makes any mention of "rapids" nor do they refer to the "C" or "D" hole.
<br />In fact, I received no "hits" on the Internet using search terms "Steamboat" or "Yampa" and
<br />"tubing" or "holes" or" water structures" except for a Steamboat Pilot article describing the
<br />City's RICD filing. (See http://www.steamboatpilot.com/section/news/storvpr/21144). Lastly,
<br />the Yampa River Management Plan makes no mention of the impact of the "C" or "D" hole on
<br />tubing, and in fact, never mentions the "C" hole except to state that it is "a prime kayaking play
<br />area ccnd swimming hole when water levels are low enough." (See Yampa River Management
<br />Plan III-7, emphasis added).
<br />Frorn the above research, I must conclude that the reason why the "C" and "D" holes, or rapids
<br />in general, are not mentioned in the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort's website or any of the
<br />websites that advertise tube rentals in Steamboat (See Exhibits F, G, and H) or the Yampa River
<br />Management Plan is because they are irrelevant to the tubing experience. The enjoyment of
<br />tubing revolves around hanging out with your friends, having a few beers and watching the
<br />scenery as you spend a few hours floating down the lazy river and not, like kayaking or
<br />whitewater rafting, hitting rapids. Althoucyh some people may enjoy the short thrill of hitting the
<br />"C" and "D" holes, the tubers who bring along coolers, drinks, radios, and packs (see Exhibit I
<br />photos 47, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 and Exhibit J#7 (how do you take an ice
<br />chest tubing,)) or the people who smoke while tubing (see L-xhibit I photo #23 and Exhibit J#l3
<br />(what do I do if I smoke and my lighter gets wet,) or the families with small children (Exhibit I
<br />photos # 2,3 and 5) will probably try to avoid these structures (if they are even aware they exist)
<br />in order to prevent their tubes from becoming overturned.
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