Our Mission

The Arkansas River Trust strives to promote and enhance river related values in the Upper Arkansas Valley through parks and open space development, community outreach and education, and preserving and enhancing the ecological health of the Arkansas River.

The Arkansas River Trust is a non-profit, 501 (c) 3, corporation formed in the fall of 1999. The Arkansas River Trust, based in Salida, Colorado, was born of a desire to translate our passion for the Arkansas River into positive projects for the communities of the Upper Arkansas River Valley. The Arkansas River Trust is committed to maximizing the ecological health of the Arkansas River, enhancing and creating open space and parks along the Arkansas River corridor, and promoting youth participation in whitewater paddle sports. The Trust is an action-oriented organization committed to the river that we love.

Board of directors


PT Wood is the Southern Rocky Mountains Regional Sales Representative for the Confluence Corporation, which makes Wilderness System Sea Kayaks, Mad River Canoes, and Wave Sport Whitewater Kayaks. PT has been an active member of the paddling community in the upper Arkansas River Valley for years, serving as a representative for the Colorado Whitewater Association on the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Citizen's Task Force committee, which advises the Colorado State Parks and Bureau of Land Management on management policy for the Upper Arkansas River. In addition, PT has served on the FIBArk Board for a number of years.


Raymond Kitson is owner and President of Sage Adventures, Inc., based in Salida, Colorado, which operates American Adventure Expeditions, Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center, and Headwaters Outdoor Equipment. Since starting AAE in 1986, Ray has expanded his company into the largest kayak school and whitewater rafting operator in the Rocky Mountain Region. Ray has been an active member of the Salida community for a number of years, serving as a member of the Salida Economic Development Committee, Salida Schools Blue Ribbon Committee, Trout Unlimited, Colorado Outfitters Association, and the Soil Conservation Board.


Thomas Palka is a senior engineer for TripAdvisor, Inc. (www.tripadvisor.com), the leading travel research site on the internet. After graduating from MIT, Thomas worked for Sapient, a software consulting firm, developing custom software for Merrill Lynch, and then for a number of software development tool companies. He moved to Salida, CO, in 1999, took up whitewater kayaking, and now works remotely.


Michael Harvey oversees day-to-day operations of the Arkansas River Trust. Michael first moved to the Upper Arkansas River Valley to guide whitewater rafting trips and immediately fell in love with the Arkansas River and the surrounding area. Now a full time resident of Salida, Michael is an avid kayaker and longtime kayak instructor. A graduate of Prescott College in Arizona, Michael's background is primarily in outdoor environmental education. Michael's passion for teaching is evident in his work with the FIBArk Youth Paddling Team as lead instructor. From 1995-1998, Michael was part owner and director of operations for Adventure Sports Expeditions, a whitewater rafting outfitter and kayak school based on the Arkansas River. As executive director, Michael is charged with all promotion, public relations, and project coordination for the Trust.


Susan Dempsey discovered the Arkansas River Valley at the age of 18 when she came here from Palm Beach Florida to spend the summer as a Raft Guide. At the end of Summer she was to start her first year of college in California. Well, to make a long story short, she never made it to California and is still in Colorado. After 10 years of Rafting & Kayak Instruction in places like Colorado, West Virginia and Central America she decided Real Estate was her call, and is now working at a local real estate firm.