Battle of the Bighorn

Bring the excitement of competition to the thrill of the river

Earn bragging rights with your friends

This timed challenge is best described as an obstacle course that meets the river. You will battle alongside your teammates to be the first raft through Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

Beginners welcome

Each team is staffed by an Echo Canyon river guide, so no experience is needed to enter the fray

Challenge at the Bighorn Sheep Canyon

This timed challenge is best described as an obstacle course that meets the river. You will battle alongside your teammates to be the first raft through Bighorn Sheep Canyon (Class II-III) while completing a series of challenges along the way. However, the first team to reach the finish line may not be the winner as time penalties and credits will determine first place! Each team is staffed by an Echo Canyon river guide, so no experience is needed to enter the fray.

Groups have the option to add on additional components to this event including a prize package, a post-race party back at our 8 Mile Bar and Grill, and a custom photo and video package. 

What to expect

Who Should Consider this Trip?

Battle of the Bighorn has been designed specifically for groups. This is the perfect afternoon activity for corporate team building groups, wedding parties, family reunions, sports teams, and other groups and clubs.

When is this Trip Offered?

Echo Canyon is able to offer this experience from May through September depending on water levels. We are only able to offer this experience in the afternoon, typically departing our office at around 2:30. This enables other commercial river traffic which typically launches well before 2:30 to be downstream so we have more of the river for your Battle of the Bighorn trip.

  • Base Price $750

    A minimum of three teams is required with five to seven participants per team depending on water level. Maximum ten teams.

Battle of the Bighorn

Event Details

Guide Draft

  • Not all guides are created equal, or at least our guides think so! Your guide can make all the difference for your team. Guides will introduce themselves providing a brief bio and teams will be able to select their guide in a playground style draft before we head to the river. We will draw straws to see which team is able to choose first or you can opt to bid on your guide with all proceeds going to the charity of your choice.

Salt Lick – The starting point for Battle of the Bighorn!

  • BUCKET TOSS – The first team to toss a rock into a bucket will win a sixty second head start on the race. The second place team in the rock toss will get a six inch barrel pump versus the standard four inch pump other teams will be using to inflate their rafts.
  • PUZZLE MEMORY – Teams will be shown the answer to a three dimensional puzzle which they will have to solve at the end of the race.
  • START PUMPING – Teams must inflate their raft. Don’t be fooled; this is an exhausting exercise!
  • HEAVY RUBBER – Teams carry their raft a distance of roughly one hundred yards to the river. The race is on!

 

Five Points Rapid

  • WATERMELON DROP – Teams must retrieve a watermelon thrown from the Five Points overlook and carry it all the way to the finish line.


Spikebuck

  • WATER SHUTTLE – Two members of each team will disembark from the raft, fill their team bucket with water from the river and carry it through the parking area and down to the next beach. They must also carry their team’s watermelon and rejoin their boat on the second beach.  The bucket needs to remain filled to the minimum line at the second beach to successfully complete the challenge.


Harvey’s Eddy

  • BRAIN FREEZE – Each member of your team must eat a popsicle as fast as possible, and all popsicles must be eaten before the boat can leave the beach. Popsicle sticks must be turned in to the judges for verification of completion. This is considered to be one of the most “uncomfortable” challenges in Battle of the Bighorn!

Harvey’s Bridge

  • T-PADDLE – The finish line is finally in sight but we are not done making it challenging. Teams must turn their paddles over and are only allowed to use the T-grip portion as they paddle to the beach. This removes about 97% of the paddle power for the final sprint.


Echo Canyon Beach

  • HELMET BRIGADE – Boaters must use their helmets to fill their team’s bucket to the top with water from the river. Sounds easy enough until you realize our helmets are vented with large holes! This is considered to be one of the funniest challenges in the event.
  • RUNNING ON EMPTY – At least one team member must run a quarter mile loop at the Echo Canyon beach while carrying their team’s watermelon and bucket.
  • MEMORY PUZZLE – Teams will be provided with a bag of three dimensional puzzle pieces which must be reassembled at this time. All team members, the completed puzzle, watermelon and bucket must make it into the finish circle at which point the team’s finish time will be documented.
 

Schedule

1:30pm

Arrive at Echo Canyon with your waivers completed in advance. 

2:00pm

Guide draft, description of all race rules and event details.

2:30pm

Depart Echo Canyon for Salt Lick. Safety orientation will be provided during the ride.

3:00pm

Paddle instruction by your team’s guide followed by the Rock Toss challenge to determine starting positions. The race is on!

5:00pm

Optional post-race party at 8 Mile Bar & Grill located at Echo Canyon. Meals, drinks, catering additional to Battle of the Bighorn rate.

What's included & Add-ons

What's included in my investment?

Battle of the Bighorn will always include private transportation to and from our Echo Canyon river office. Each team has an experienced raft guide and will receive a safety orientation and paddle instruction. Personal flotation devices (a.k.a. life jackets) and helmets are included. Three Echo Canyon judging teams will be utilized so each challenge station will be managed for fairness and safety. Our private riverside landing will be used exclusively for your group and our other standard trips will be detoured to a public access point downstream.  Members of the Echo Canyon management team will also be on site overseeing the event.

The Obligatory Fine Print

Be advised, this trip is as physically strenuous as you make it. A very competitive and driven team will be working aggressively for extended periods of time. Due to the physical nature of this activity we encourage participants to be at least 18 years of age to participate, however, participants between the ages 14 and 17 are allowed to participate if a parent is present and on the minor’s team. Remember, this event is meant to be fun and even though competitive we ask that all participants keep this in mind. 

Add more fun with the following options

Post-Race Party

The fun of this event does not have to end once we get off the river! Echo Canyon can offer a post race catered party back at our 8 Mile Bar & Grill located on site at Echo Canyon. Reveling in your victory and your friends defeat should be enjoyed and we know how to make that happen! Our full restaurant and bar is able to cater your after party and several meal options are available. Ask our group coordinator cost information about our catered meals.

Photograph / Video Packages

Photo and video packages must be booked in advance in order for us to make necessary arrangements, and all files are delivered via digital download.

$74 per team photo package includes all digital photo files shot at one rapid.

$120 per team package includes all digital photo files and all GoPro video and still image files.