Have a Great Rafting Adventure with These 4 Tips

Flathead national forest hiking

If you are a fan of camping and having outdoor adventures, you are in good company. In the United States, camping is one of the most popular things people do for fun and vacation. Campgrounds and RV parks brought in about $5 billion. Nearly 40.1 million people in the United States went camping in 201, according to the 2014 American Camper Report. Campers say they like to do a number of activities such backpacking, hiking, guided tours and wilderness adventures rafting.

Not only is wilderness adventures rafting a lot of fun but it is great exercise. When you are in full rafting mode, you will work your arms, legs and abs plus the activity burns nearly 300 calories an hour. Wilderness adventures rafting are not lazy trips down the river!

If your family trip is going to be wilderness adventures rafting, your first corse of action is to get to know the levels. They are measured in what is classes and while measuring this sort of thing is more of an art than a science, this is the basic gist:

  • Class 1: This is the easiest and requires only the most basic knowledge of how to swim and deal with the river. There is little or no really rough areas that will necessitate maneuvering.
  • Class 2: This has a little more rough water and normally some rocks. There is more steering that will be required but the skill level is basic and people only need to know how to paddle.
  • Class 3: This is a safe class. There are some smaller drops and a few waves. Much more steering is needed and some experience with wilderness adventures rafting is needed. This is not for a first time rafter.
  • Class 4: This class sees whitewater. The waves are medium, there will be most likely some rocks, the drop will be more steep and people need significant experience rafting.
  • Class 5: More whitewater, the waves will be large, there is a chance you will encounter hazards and large rocks. This level is for expert rafters.
  • Class 6: These are very dangerous. The waves are considered to be huge, the rocks are also huge. The drops can result in serious injury and even damage to the boat. People have died on this class and is only for people with an extreme amount of experience and courage.

Tips to enjoy your time on the water:

  1. Bring lots of water. This may seem counterintuitive but when you are outdoors and are being very active, it is easy to get dehydrated. This is especially true when you are in the sun. By the time you feel thirst, you are already dehydrated. So drink up!
  2. Wear lots of sunscreen. It is not enough to apply SPF 150 in the morning. You will be in the water. You will be sweating. You need to reapply it often so that you do not get burned. The sun will come down from the sky and reflect off of the water. Even on cloudy days, you need to reapply sunscreen. You may also want to bring some lip balm.
  3. Wear the right clothing. Some people wear wetsuits. Water resistant shorts are great. You can put water shoes on over your shoes. This will keep your toes protected. It is best to avoid cotton as it is cooling but synthetic materials will keep you warmer. If you are not going to be provided a helmet, you should be your own. While wilderness adventures rafting is fun, head injuries are possible and they are not. Wearing lifejackets is a must for these trips. Even the best swimmers in the world need to wear a lifejacket.
  4. Bring extra clothes. You are going to get wet. You are going to get very wet. You will be much happier if you have a towel and an extra pair of clothing to change into once you are off of the river. On the flip side, there are things you will not want to have with you on the river. Your electronic devices are not going to be useful on the river. The same goes for money, credit cards and jewelry.

There are few adventures as much as rafting. It is an adventure set in a beautiful place.

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