When it comes to common word association, normally watermelons, baby oil, popsicles, puzzles and the Arkansas River don’t exactly belong in the same boat. But they do in the Battle of the Bighorn team-building experience offered by Echo Canyon River Expeditions from May through September, depending on water levels. The timed challenge takes place on the Bighorn Sheep Canyon on the Arkansas River in Cañon City (about an hour from Colorado Springs).
Teams are assigned a series of challenges to complete while rafting the Class II and III waters, ranging from inflating rafts and paddling backwards to retrieving a watermelon coated in baby oil and putting on a wetsuit from a pool of ice water and removing it before returning to the raft (a.k.a. the Neoprene Squeeze). Groups can customize events to include T-shirts, team photos and prize packages and host post-race parties at the on-site 8 Mile Bar & Grill.
