What to Expect

A river trip is the best trip you’ll ever go one.  It is much like a regular camping trip with a few twists.  Think of a rafting trip as a cross between campground camping and cross country back packing. Every thing that is brought has to fit in the rafts, but the rafts fit more than just a back pack.  It’s like a regular camping trip in that you are outside and you sleep in a tent, but the twists come form the fact that you move every day, floating down a river, and you have to prepare you gear so it doesn’t get wet and you have to be able to pack it up every day.  Gear needs to be packed in dry river bags; these are a special type of duffle that is durable and waterproof. Tents that are large and cumbersome are not a good idea to bring, because you have to set it up and take it down everyday and sometimes the size makes it hard to find a spot to pitch them. Cooking, eating and sanitation equipment is provided for, but we don’t have all the supplies to support everybody.

A typical day on the river includes many activities.  The morning starts with cooking and eating breakfast then everybody packs up their personal items and helps everybody else take down camp and load the rafts.  We’ll start down the river and float to our next camp usually stopping for lunch. We’ll also make a few stops on the way to look at sites and do a few short hikes. It is important to leave as soon as possible, that way you can make it down to the good camp spots before others do.  Once the camp site is reached everybody helps to unload the rafts in the typical fire-line style, then everyone will pick their tent site and then help set up the kitchen.  Also the groover (portable toilet System) will be set up in a concealed place.

Sanitation and hygiene:

Fresh water will be brought for drinking and cooking also we have a filter to help if we run out.  Dishes are washed with hot river water dipped in bleach water.  Hands are washed in the river.  Baths are also taken in the main river and not in tributaries. Soap will hurt the small tributaries.  It is easy bathing in the river don’t worry about the way the water looks you do feel clean afterward. Also, you can bring a sunshower.  As far as restrooms are concerned, urine goes into the river and waste goes into the groover.