Down in the Valley

Photography by Matt Shaw
Even though Buena Vista offers incredible scenery and world-class white water, the true and often overlooked gem of the town is the unique raft guide community that inhabits it. This group returns every season to sleep in vans, overhauled buses, and tents, working long hours for little pay, just to be able to run this special section of water. They may be in need of a proper shower, and their living quarters definitely don’t live up to Mom’s standards, but they are some of the most stoked, welcoming people you’ll ever meet.