Soaking it up

As the San Juan Mountains shed their final blankets of snow into the streams and rivers, life downstream revels in the much-anticipated deliverance of fresh water. For all the inhabitants that dwell below the San Juans’ lofty summits, the seasonal gift of replenishment can never last long enough. However fleeting this spring's annual runoff may seem, water symbolizes both life and freedom, and most of us Durangoans sure could use a little bit of both. Here's a look at a much-needed respite in the form of some good, old-fashioned river recreation.