Over the weekend, hundreds of boaters took advantage of a three-day whitewater release on the Dolores River below

Reservoir managers said that as of Sunday, the minimum rafting flows will continue until at least Tuesday.

The weekend whitewater release was announced last week on short notice, and within hours, the boat ramps at Bradfield Bridge and Dove Creek Pumphouse began filling up with local boaters and their brightly colored rafts, kayaks, canoes and dories.

“It’s like a family reunion. It’s wonderful!” said boater Jen Akers, a longtime local.

By Friday morning, a parade of boats had disappeared into the sunny Ponderosa Gorge, the first leg of 97-mile stretch to Slick Rock that features lively rapids, epic camp spots, remote canyon hiking, and spectacular scenery.

Bears roamed the shorelines and campsites, and were startled by the sudden presence of humans. River otters swam among rafters and kayakers, while desert big horn sheep looked on from above.

A new rock fall in the river at mile-marker 17.2 can be skirted river left.