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Outdoors
ENLARGE
Kayaking around Dillon Reservoir, people tend to notice things that they might not in a motorboat.
That was the idea behind Kyle McKenzie's business, Kayak Lake Dillon, a sea-kayaking outfit that offers lessons and tours of the lake. This will be the business's second year of operation in Summit County.
They wanted to keep things on the down-low last year, but now they're ready to spread the word. Anyone with a Summit County ID will be offered drastic discounts — and when we say drastic, we mean the most drastic kind.
“You get a very different perspective of the lake and the area from a kayak, not on a loud motorboat. Especially in the morning, it's always really calm and quiet, a really relaxing trip,” said McKenzie, who is also the lead guide.
McKenzie said the reservoir is very unique. Surrounded by three different mountain ranges, the trips serve as natural history and wildlife tours, as well as a great way to get exercise.
“We've got four osprey nests out there, so we're pretty much always guaranteed to see osprey. You got two beaver dams that are usually pretty cool later in the summer,” he said. “We see mule deer out there on the shoreline; you'll see them swimming across from island to island. On the last trip, we saw a couple bald eagles. And there are black bears out there too, but we haven't seen any yet.”
There is no experience necessary. McKenzie offers a safety clinic at the start of each trip. If you're looking to get into whitewater, it's a great way to ease into the sport.
“We take out plenty of people who have never been in a kayak before. The sport has such a dangerous stigma, I guess from whitewater. With sea kayaking, it's a lot more stable - great for beginners,” he said.
McKenzie got his start guiding kayak trips in the ocean at Acadia National Park in Maine. He also holds a degree in fishery and wildlife science from North Carolina State University, so his knowledge of the area's ecology is very concrete. He has been living in the county for five years, and got the idea for the business after driving over Dillon Dam Road everyday on his way to work.
“I started wondering why there were no tour businesses out there,” he said. “I read a lot of books about the county, about mining, about the ski history. There are no water skiers and no jet skis. On a lake like that, you would normally see that kind of stuff. It keeps it pretty calm for us.”
He said his favorite part of the lake is Pirates Cove, which has a beaver dam and an osprey nest. There are mainland break spots on the four-hour tour, so plenty of opportunities to check out the wildlife.
“It really blew my mind how happy everyone was and how much they enjoy the tour - both locals and people from out of town. Even on the nasty days when the storms roll through, we don't get any complaints,” he said “I think that comes from the type of person that usually visits Colorado. These people always want to be outside; they want to learn a lot and see all the stuff that's out there.”
The tours run three times per day at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. They offer two-and-a-half-hour and four-hour tours. For more information, visit their website at www.kayaklakedillon.com. Or call (970) 281-2234.
That was the idea behind Kyle McKenzie's business, Kayak Lake Dillon, a sea-kayaking outfit that offers lessons and tours of the lake. This will be the business's second year of operation in Summit County.
They wanted to keep things on the down-low last year, but now they're ready to spread the word. Anyone with a Summit County ID will be offered drastic discounts — and when we say drastic, we mean the most drastic kind.
“You get a very different perspective of the lake and the area from a kayak, not on a loud motorboat. Especially in the morning, it's always really calm and quiet, a really relaxing trip,” said McKenzie, who is also the lead guide.
McKenzie said the reservoir is very unique. Surrounded by three different mountain ranges, the trips serve as natural history and wildlife tours, as well as a great way to get exercise.
“We've got four osprey nests out there, so we're pretty much always guaranteed to see osprey. You got two beaver dams that are usually pretty cool later in the summer,” he said. “We see mule deer out there on the shoreline; you'll see them swimming across from island to island. On the last trip, we saw a couple bald eagles. And there are black bears out there too, but we haven't seen any yet.”
There is no experience necessary. McKenzie offers a safety clinic at the start of each trip. If you're looking to get into whitewater, it's a great way to ease into the sport.
“We take out plenty of people who have never been in a kayak before. The sport has such a dangerous stigma, I guess from whitewater. With sea kayaking, it's a lot more stable - great for beginners,” he said.
McKenzie got his start guiding kayak trips in the ocean at Acadia National Park in Maine. He also holds a degree in fishery and wildlife science from North Carolina State University, so his knowledge of the area's ecology is very concrete. He has been living in the county for five years, and got the idea for the business after driving over Dillon Dam Road everyday on his way to work.
“I started wondering why there were no tour businesses out there,” he said. “I read a lot of books about the county, about mining, about the ski history. There are no water skiers and no jet skis. On a lake like that, you would normally see that kind of stuff. It keeps it pretty calm for us.”
He said his favorite part of the lake is Pirates Cove, which has a beaver dam and an osprey nest. There are mainland break spots on the four-hour tour, so plenty of opportunities to check out the wildlife.
“It really blew my mind how happy everyone was and how much they enjoy the tour - both locals and people from out of town. Even on the nasty days when the storms roll through, we don't get any complaints,” he said “I think that comes from the type of person that usually visits Colorado. These people always want to be outside; they want to learn a lot and see all the stuff that's out there.”
The tours run three times per day at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. They offer two-and-a-half-hour and four-hour tours. For more information, visit their website at www.kayaklakedillon.com. Or call (970) 281-2234.
