A Guide to Fighting for Wild Rivers

Since 2012, OARS has partnered with American Rivers and Friends of the Yampa to host the Yampa River Awareness Project (YRAP), an annual rafting trip that brings decision-makers, stakeholders and activists together to experience one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Colorado River Basin. This immersive journey fosters personal connections to the Yampa, inspiring long-term conservation efforts against threats like dams and diversions. A Guide to Fighting for Wild Rivers highlights a conservation model rooted in the legacy of early river crusaders like David Brower, Bus Hatch and Martin Litton, who proved that love for a place can drive real environmental victories.