LONGMONT, Colo. — A historic March heat wave in Colorado prompted Rocky Mountain Paddleboard to open for its earliest season in nearly 15 years of business.
The outdoor recreation company soft-launched the season on Saturday at Union Reservoir in Longmont.
That's where Denver7 met Brian Cleary and his group renting gear.
▶️ Watch the video report in the player below.
"Feels like May or June, like right before Memorial Day," Cleary laughed.
Owner Hank Grant told Denver7 the paddleboarding season usually runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This Saturday marked the earliest paddles and boards have hit the water.
"I'd say similar to A-Basin and just announcing on the fly, hey, we're going to open. It was very similar to that," Grant said.
While the water remains cold, the early start allowed the business to soak up a nice early season boost.
However, Grant explained a lack of staffing limited where the company could get up and running. At the height of the season, they operate at six sites up and down the Front Range. A seventh in Georgetown is coming this summer.
"It was a scramble. I would say most of the parks rangers, including our staff, is not on board yet," Grant said.
The team got the green light from Union Reservoir for their soft-launch, where they saw about 40 people to come out and rent.
And now, they're hopeful the early momentum carries on.
"We get to get people out on the water early and maybe just create more hype for the summer season," said Ashley Coil, marking & events manager for Rocky Mountain Paddleboard.
Despite celebrating the business boost, there is some concern over how Colorado's drought will impact operations as the season continues.
"Hopefully, you know, there can be some spring magic happening in the mountains that can kind of run downstream here," Grant said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
