Bill Dvorák
Encyclopedia
Salida, Colorado
The City of Salida is a Statutory City that is the county seat and most populous city of Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The population was 5,504 at the U.S. Census 2000.-History:800px|thumb|left| Panoramic View of Salida, 1910...
, was instrumental in establishing the sport of Whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
Rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
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Dvořák holds the first-issued River Recreation Outfitter license, serial number 001. His company runs trips throughout the American Southwest and in some other countries as well. The Salida, Colorado based firm runs daily river trips during the rafting season, using inflatable rafts, and both hardshell and inflatable kayaks, on one the of the most popular river runs in the world, through Brown's Canyon on the Upper Arkansas River.
This river run includes, among others, a section of class 4 (or 5, depending on flow) rapids known as The Numbers, which has been used as a training location for the United States Olympic Kayaking Team. Other difficult "named rapids" on the run are: Big Drop (a large standing wave followed by a big drop and sudden "S" turn); Raft Ripper (a right-to-left fast cascade with a submerged pointed rock midstream at the bottom); Pinball (a "rock garden") and Seidel's Suckhole — a dangerous drop with a powerful 'hydraulic' or "hole" which has "sucked" numerous river guides right out of the aft end of their boat.
Bill Dvořák's Kayaking and Rafting Expeditions, incorporated — more commonly known as just Dvorak's — outfits and arranges expeditions throughout the United States and on many rivers worldwide.
Swiftwater rescue
Swiftwater rescue is a subset of technical rescue dealing in whitewater river conditions. Due to the added pressure of moving water, swiftwater rescue involves the use of specially trained personnel, ropes and mechanical advantage systems that are often much more robust than those used in standard...
standards, regularly holding certification in courses in Swiftwater Rescue Technician 1 and 2, or SRT1 and SRT2. With this training, his guides are trained and certified to perform any aspect of any water rescue evolution in any flowing water, anywhere in the world, under daytime or nighttime conditions.
River guides trained at Dvorak's are expected to surpass industry standards in customer safety, professionalism and boat-handling skills. Due to Bill's high standards in the training of his guides, river professionals trained by Dvorak's are in demand and are highly regarded by other rafting companies based on their training and on the experience gained while working for Dvorak's.
Bill Dvořák claims to be related to the famous Czech composer, Antonín Leopold Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
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He is also involved with the Colorado Conservation Voters Education Fund, www.protectcolorado.org, which many claim is an environmentalist front to lure hunters and gun owners into supporting radical environmental causes.
External links
- The Salida, Colorado Chamber of Commerce visitor page - includes links to Dvorak's and other local outfitters.