Prepare For Your First Guided Rafting Session

During your first rafting trip, make sure that there will be an experienced person on board your raft, and bring along some essentials that will protect you from the weather and increase your visibility. Research some rivers and seek an outfitter that will be able to accommodate you during your initial outing.

Classifications And Guidance

The classification of rapids helps a rafter determine how difficult it will be to pass through an area where water is running swiftly. Extreme rapids tend to be present in sections of a river where water is shallow. Less intense rapids are found in deeper waters. The number of rocks within a waterway will also affect the classification level.

A mapped river route may be featured through a guided river outfitter. The beginning of the leg may involve climbing aboard a raft that is resting along a beach that is next to a river. At the end of the leg, there will likely be another beach for rafters to use to dock their rafts and exit them. A trained river guide will be aware of various rafting routes that are located within a particular waterway. The outfitter they work for may offer guided tours of various routes that are each classified differently.

Sunscreen, A Headlamp, and Extra Clothing

Once you are out on the water, there will be no way for you to block the sun's rays. The intensity of the sun can result in your skin becoming badly burned. Bring along a spray sunscreen product and reapply it a couple of times throughout your journey. A beginner river rafting experience could last anywhere from a couple of hours in length to all day long. The length of the trip and the classification rating of the rapids that you and your guide will encounter will have a bearing on how long it takes to move through the river.

If you plan on participating in a late-day outing, bring along a headlamp. This gear will come in handy if it begins to get dark outside. If the day and evening temperatures tend to be vastly different in the region where you will be rafting, pack a jacket, track pants and a long-sleeved shirt, or similar garments that you can slip on over the clothing or swimsuit that you are already wearing. All of the essentials that you will bring on the rafting trip should be packed inside of a waterproof bag.


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