COVID-19 Announcement
Update June 9, 2020
We have always prided ourselves in the cleaning of our gear. Since opening in 2001, we have sanitized the gear daily, and we are taking additional measures to help with COVID-19 and protect you and our employees this season.
Along with sanitizing PFDs, helmets, and wetsuits, we have also started sanitizing paddles between trips. We created a sanitation team, carrying backpack spray systems (think Ghost Busters, or Ghost Bleachers as we’ve been calling them) to take care of us all over the place. All employees are temperature and symptom checked daily. Guests are asked to stay home if they are symptomatic (fever, flu-like symptoms, cough, shortness of breath, etc.). The complimentary fleece jackets normally provided are very difficult for us to dry in time for the next needed trip, so this season we ask that you bring your own fleece jacket, which will get wet.
Around the facilities, we’re also practicing extra precaution and following state and county guidelines. Our 12-acre site is mostly outdoors. Check-in for rafting is under a large tent with lots of ventilation. Bathrooms are scattered throughout the property, and are cleaned and sanitized often. The busses are running at 50% capacity with the windows down, even during inclement weather, to increase ventilation. The vehicles are sanitized after each trip. Boats will be limited to two households per boat.
When you arrive at the Mountain Whitewater site:
- Masks are required when you enter, walk around and while on the bus, but not on the rafts. After your trip, you may sit in one of our 50 spaced out tables and enjoy a beer with your group without masks.
- Maintain social distancing from other groups by at least six feet.
- Fill and bring a reusable water bottle to share between your group while on the raft. Guides will attach personal water bottles to the raft using a caribiner clip, so check that your bottle has a loop or hook.
As you walk around our property to sit and wait, enjoy a beer or play a game of corn hole, you will see rocks with red on one side and green on the other. GREEN means that item has been sanitized and is ready to go. Please flip the rock over to RED once you use it so that our backpack spraying sanitizing team can take care of it.
Thanks for continuing to support local, family-owned business, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Update April 29, 2020
Due to government restrictions and social distancing guidelines, the start of the 2020 season has been postponed to May 30. Please check back for future updates or call 970-419-0917 for additional information.
Update April 14, 2020
Standard Cleaning Policy
The following details the standard cleaning procedures at Mountain Whitewater & Paddler’s Pub. The health and safety of both staff and guests is a top priority. The policy is based on recommendations from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The following recommendations from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment have been adopted by Mountain Whitewater & Paddler’s Pub:
Based on what is currently known about the virus, spread from person-to-person happens most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet). This type of transmission occurs via respiratory droplets. Transmission of COVID-19 to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented. Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty and high touch surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.
- Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
- Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
How to Clean and Disinfect Surfaces
- Cleaning and disinfection after persons suspected/confirmed to have COVID-19 have been in the facility
- It is recommended to close off areas used by the ill persons and wait as long as practical before beginning cleaning and disinfection to minimize potential for exposure to respiratory droplets. Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area. Restrict access for two hours after the sick person has left. If possible, wait up to 24 hours before beginning cleaning and disinfection.
- Clean and disinfect all areas (e.g., offices, bathrooms, and common areas) used by the ill persons, focusing especially on frequently touched surfaces. Continue to follow all cleaning and disinfecting recommendations provided below.
- Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. If reusable gloves are used, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
- If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
- For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection products used.
- Diluted household bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface. Check the label on the bleach container to be sure it provides claims about disinfecting and instructions for mixing. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for mixing, application and proper ventilation. Avoid using bottles of bleach that you think may be older than one year or are past their expiration date as marked on the bottle. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
Daily Cleaning Checklist for Mountain Whitewater & Paddler’s Pub
**This policy will be updated as more information about the disease becomes available and new government and social restrictions are mandated.**
Office:
- Disinfect all “high-touch” surfaces in office desk area including computer keyboards, mouse, iPads, square stands, credit card readers, printers, copier, file cabinet handles, retail display handles once every two hours.
- Clean, then disinfect the following surfaces in the tent twice per day after each trip leaves: retail displays, office desk, photo station, bar, beer coolers, big table, canoe table, canoe pew, office and pub floors, water cooler, tent center poles.
- Disinfect all of the following areas in the office storage container twice per day: container handles, beer coolers, lockers, file cabinets, cash box, cash drawers.
- Make sure to wear disposable gloves when touching retail items when stocking and wash hand after.
- Make sure guests use hand sanitizer before shopping and touching any retail items and displays.
- Disinfect TV remotes twice per day.
- Clean, then disinfect the following surfaces in the main house twice per day after each trip leaves: door handles, bathroom surfaces, toilets, atm, brochure displays, light switches.
- Clean, then disinfect the following surfaces in the main house once per day: desk, floors, carpet.
- Make sure to wear disposable gloves and clean surfaces after using items or touching surfaces in the upstairs kitchen area. Bathroom surfaces in upstairs galley need to be sanitized once per day.
- All rental equipment must be disinfected after each return.
Utility Person:
- Clean and disinfect all wrought iron tables, chairs, picknick tables, benches once per day.
- Hose off playground equipment once per day with soap and water once per day.
- Disinfect all stage and music equipment after use by bands.
- Hose-off all yard games once per day with disinfectant solution.
- Clean and disinfect gas grills, heaters, fire table once per day.
- Hose off all trash and recycle bins once per week with soap and water.
- Clean and disinfect tent walls once per week.
Bartenders:
- Disinfect all “high-touch” surfaces in the bar area as often as possible, but at least once per hour: bar top, beer coolers, iPads, cash drawers, receipt printer, draft handles, water cooler, wine fridges, soda fridge, bar top games, beer lists.
- Clean and disinfect bar stools twice per shift.
- Clean and disinfect pub floor after each shift.
- Make sure to make a new bleach water solution to start each sift.
- Clean out inside of beer coolers and draft coolers twice per week.
- Make sure to disinfect tap locks and tap plugs before use on taps.
- Disinfect tavern heads once per shift.
- Disinfect handles and gauges on CO2 tanks once per shift.
Boat Barn (guides):
- Clean and disinfect all rafting equipment after each use. Rafting equipment will not be re-used for another trip without being disinfected. All equipment must completely soak in disinfecting solution and Sink the Stink until saturated. Equipment must air dry for at least 20 minutes before being put away.
- Clean and disinfect the following surfaces in the boat barn once per day: helmet counter, changing room stall handles and hooks, door handles, electric pump blowers and cord, light switches.
- Sweep floor and vacuum floors every other day.
- Guides must make sure to wash hands or use hand sanitizer after cleaning gear and before each trip.
Buses (Drivers):
- Disinfect all bus seats door handles at the end of each day.
- Disinfect driver cab area after each day including steering wheel, seat, switches, air brake knob, and any other surface used that day.
- Sweep out bus floor after each day.
March 24, 2020
At Mountain Whitewater, our employee and guest health and safety are a top priority. We are currently closely monitoring the changing situation in our State and Country concerning the COVID-19 virus outbreak. We will continue to monitor information released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will follow recommended practices for a clean and healthy environment.
Mountain Whitewater prides itself on maintaining high quality, clean equipment and facilities and will continue to clean and disinfect all rafting equipment daily. Our everyday equipment cleaning process involves first soaking all equipment in a disinfectant solution followed by a soak in a deodorizing solution. The process makes sure we have clean equipment that does not stink. In addition to our normal, everyday process, we will take some additional steps as well.
- Increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting our busses.
- Increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting of office and pub facilities.
- Post additional signage to encourage effective hand washing and hand sanitizer use to stop the spread of germs and viruses.
- Communitcate to our employees and guests the CDC guidelines for reducing the spread of germs and viruses.
Mountain Whitewater and Paddler’s Pub are staying positive and planning on having a fantastic summer season in 2020. We are now taking reservations and plan to open normally on May 15. Please stay tuned for more announcements and thanks for the continued support. We hope for wellness for families and communities and know that the river will be there to heal our souls when this ordeal is over. See you on the river this summer!
Cancelation Policy: A full refund will be issued, less 10% reservation fee (6% goes to credit card fees, 4% helps pay our staff a living wage), if canceled with office staff 7 days or more before your trip. Any cancellation within one week of the trip date is non-refundable. Trip cancelation insurance is available but must be purchased at the time of booking for the entire group. Please ask our office staff if interested.