Testimonials

"This trip provided me the opportunity to try new activities I’ve never tried before. Ice fishing was a blast, I caught four rainbow trout. Fly fishing the San Juan River below Navaho Dam was scenic and fun and I caught four rainbow trout. I need this trip to relieve some stress and spend time with other veterans. I appreciate Robert opening his beautiful home to myself and other veterans. The home is beautiful, and Robert and Rick were very welcoming to all of us. I would love to attend another event in the future." Matt T, USA

"This trip touched me in so many ways. It’s very peaceful, fun, adventurous, and a great get away. It relaxes the mind but also excites it. A great motivation to try new things and being around other vets in a big plus. Thank you WMRA, an amazing trip." Danny L, USA

"This helped me relax. I loved snow shoeing, hiking, fly fishing, and being with veterans who understand disabilities. This trip will help me be more kind to others I work with and help me smile more." Jose V, USA

"Needed to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of life, work, mom, leadership role, etc. I am always the go-to person it seems. I never get a break. This was the break I needed to refresh. I tried three new things and I would like to bring my family back to experience these things with them." Penny P, USA

"This opportunity came out of blue for me and I am so very thankful… I was very refreshing for my mind and body. The amazing opportunities to experience and learn new sports/hobbies. I particularly being able to connect with other veterans who have similar backgrounds as me… It made me think of my active duty days. I feel like my bucket has been refilled and I can go back to do all I need to do back at home." Claudia N, USAF

“Fantastic opportunity to enjoy a few stress free days with like minded vets. Beautiful accommodations, great meals and conversations. Fishing the San Juan River was a bucket list item. Pagosa Springs is a dream location with so many things to do. Lastly, a huge thank you to Rob and Amy for putting all this together and for Rick’s guidance.” Rob N, US Army

“This was an awesome trip with great veterans from Vietnam to Present. The relaxation from this trip was amazing. I will recommend this organization to my veteran friends.” Abe P, USMC

“What a great time! We fished the San Juan River below Navajo Damn on a beautiful day. We had some great hikes to Piedra Falls and Piedra River Trail (to the Overlook). We hiked Treasure Falls. And we fished the river right behind the house. It was great to share all these experiences with a great group of veterans. It was great to share the meals, the store, the humor, and the camaraderie. It was wonderful to met some of the local folks who contributed to our visit to Pagosa Springs. I love Colorado!” Robert W, US Air Force

"This experience has been delightful. Thank you Robert and Amy for opening your home and creating a low key, authentic experience in a beautiful location with wonderful people. I enjoyed every aspect of the trip: hiking, fly fishing, jeeping, and woodworking. It was a great group of people and by far one of my most memorable trips. Keep doing what you are doing.” Sarah A, US Navy

“Being invited has been a wonderful experience. Robert and Amy’s care for Veterans and hospitality makes you feel very welcome in their home. The activities kept me so busy I didn’t think of home or the stress in my life. Pagosa Springs is so beautiful. Thank you guys so much and I can’t forget Rick without him I don’t think I would be able to have come.” Bob G, US Army

“Some of the greatest parts of a non-profit is not what they spend on you. Having common ground with other veterans and a love of the outdoors and woodworking made this experience exceptional. The home and location are tops in my book. I was able to take the knowledge of building top quality fly fishing nets and incorporate it to my wood working business. I highly recommend WMRA.” Joseph P., SSG USMC

”I enjoyed being in the company of like minded individuals while experiencing new adventures. My time at WMRA gave me the confidence to try new things and goals to expand my knowledge.” Chris B., US Army

”I am thankful to have participated in this event with WMRA (Warriors Mountain River Adventures) at Pagosa Springs, Co.

Robert, his wife Amy, Rick and all those who donate their time, money, or whatever else the Organization may need to support this endeavor have my utmost gratitude! The experience to myself was personally a great way to undergo some much needed relaxation and was very helpful in working through not only the stress from my PTSD, but also the added stress that has come as a result of COVID-19.

Veterans like myself tend to rely heavily on avoidance, which can prevent us from living meaningful and rewarding lives. Participation in positive and rewarding activities like I encountered on this trip help to reduce my symptoms of depression and anxiety. Everything from the hikes, the fly fishing, to going on the 4x4 trail and seeing amazing wildlife like Mule Deer and Moose were beneficial ways to purposely distract myself from those uncomfortable thoughts and negative emotions.

We even spent an afternoon with a Marine Veteran local to the area, distracting ourselves as we focused on building small boxes to store our fly’s.

None of this would’ve been possible without the positive support from all those involved and being able to partake in this adventure with other Veterans I know I’m able to trust. Thank You, WMRA for helping to improve my quality of life!” Robert F., SFC Retired

”I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the wonderful peace, being with my fellow veterans, and great food. Enjoyed hiking and making our own fishing nets. A great place to regroup.” Jim M., US Navy and Retired Federal Law Enforcement Officer

“Spending time with other veterans is a getaway for me. We share a bond and I’ve had the pleasure in meeting lots of great veterans and this was no different. This trip was truly amazing. Not only with the other veterans I met but with the beauty that Colorado has to offer. Robert’s beautiful home in Pagosa Springs is located right off the river banks of the San Juan River. The rivers running waters gives a soothing feeling and an escape from the city life. The mountains are an amazing sight to see and I have to say this, we were just getting started. Day 1 after eating a nice breakfast we headed out to another veterans home (Ty Hart). Ty is truly an awesome guy. He runs his business out of his garage making beautiful wooden fish nets. I’ve never had much experience in wood working but Ty showed us how. The crafts came out beautifully. After we ate lunch Robert had things for us to do. Robert showed us how to FlyFish. That was interesting and a lot of fun. But it gets better, the following 3 days after lunch we headed to the mountains. This was truly amazing a fun filled. Exploring nature is a huge relief from daily life. The experience to hike these trails into the mountains or alongside the river was awesome! The snow just topped it off with a beauty I’ve never experienced in my life. Especially the last hike. I couldn’t get enough of nature’s beauty. Robert and WMRA out did themselves. Truly a blessing to me and many others that will have the opportunity to enjoy nature. A huge Thank You to WMRA.” Danny L, Army