Located close to Denver, the ghost town of Crystal is a throwback to the mining days of the Old West. The river valley is very remote and parts of it have very high canyon walls, steep drops, big wateralls, a narrow river channel clogged by house-size boulders and risks to life and limb everywhere you look. Everything above the Avalanche to BRB Campground section is rated Class IV or higher. The Crystal River is as gorgeous as it is treacherous. Even the Class III water has to be negotiated with great care. Flood and avalanche debris may clog the channel, especially below big drps and around blind corners, so it is necessary to be vigilant and scout the river whenever possible.

The Crystal River is strongly recommended as a place for expert kayakers and rafters only, and there are places where not even rafts can or should go. Under no circumstances should less than expert level whitewater paddlers attempt to run most of the Crystal River, including the North Fork and Crystal Gorge. The steep gradient, lack of safe scouting places, tightly constricted canyon walls, big drops (at least one over a 40-foot waterfall), huge boulders in mid-stream, fast water and tree debris all pose great threats to paddlers. Do NOT run the Crystal River unless you are up to the challenge of a lifetime, then hang on for dear life and do something few will ever try.