Outfitter Spotlight: MST Adventures
by Corey Spoores
We started Mountain, Stream, & Trail Adventures LLC—or as we like to call it, MST Adventures—in 2016.
Our mission is to share outdoor experiences that add to the quality of life for New Mexican residents and those that visit our “Land of Enchantment” from outside the state.
Our mission surrounds education, eco-tours, and equipment rentals. We focus on stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, camping/hiking and snow-shoeing.
We have found a special niche in the local community by offering eco-tours of the Rio Grande River on stand-up paddle boards in the Albuquerque Metro Area.
We focus on small tours for intimate interaction with the wildlife in and along the river. Our tours range from 1 person to 12, and we cover 4-8 river miles, depending on the theme and the abilities of the participants.
Our seasonal highlight comes at the end of our summer season during the first part of October. It’s at this time of year as the temperatures cool, that Albuquerque becomes home to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Hot air balloons and paddling become a unique duo in sharing the Rio Grande during this special event. The Fiesta lasts for nine special days, during which time we share the river with hundreds of balloon enthusiasts after they have taken to the skies.
If the winds are correct, the balloon pilots will test their skills by dunking their balloon basket into the river. This is truly a sight to see! We’ve found the only way to really see this action and feel the excitement is from the river.
While paddling downstream you can see the pilots set up their flight to correspond with the straighter sections of the river and slowly lose altitude to make the splash happen.
As we guide our guest towards the balloons, we position our paddle boards close to the action when they hit water—so close we often get a few high fives. We would love to share this event with you the next time you’re in Albuquerque in October!
We outfit our guests with Aqua-Bound’s Spark SUP Paddle. It has a great feel in the hand and doesn't have the excessive weight problem. The aluminum shaft keeps us in business all season long as it can withstand the occasional battle of “river swords” kids often play when their attention drifts during our mid-trip snack break!
You can connect with MST Adventures on their website, Facebook and Instagram.
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