If you want to clear your head and get your adrenaline pumping, riding a swirling whitewater river should be on the “to do” list. There’s nothing quite like sliding skillfully through a rage of churning river water speckled with boulders. If you’ve never been totally tuned in with all cares on the back burner, the river will channel your energies and thoughts and leave you refreshingly exhausted.
Though whitewater rafting is considered an extreme sport and though paddling the higher rated rapids can be individually challenging, almost anyone can take on the raging waters. Pre-teens to senior citizens yearly put paddle to water and successfully make river runs. Even small children can enjoy the sport on beginner courses or during low water seasons. Whitewater rafting is much more about paddling smart than paddling strong. So, don’t rule out a whitewater trip simply because you’re not the biggest or the strongest person on the block.
Whitewater courses are spread out across the United States. Where you have mountains and rivers, you most likely have white water. From California to Colorado to Pennsylvania and West Virginia, there are a host of rivers and runs to suit any water fanatic. Most states actively advertise whitewater rafting trips. You can even hit the white waters internationally with New Zealand, Chile, and Africa being favorite overseas spots for paddle sports.
Setting up a Whitewater Trip
Be sure to plan ahead for a whitewater trip.
It’s advisable to read up on the course or courses and to plan around water levels. Water levels vary depending on the time of year, the amount of rainfall, and dam schedules. A beginner river can be quite challenging if rafted after a storm or following snow run off. A generally choppy course with more advanced water can be rather dull during the off season or if a drought sets in.
Once you’ve decided on a river and course, call ahead. Rafting outfitters can offer information and advice and give a general idea about water conditions and local weather and water predictions. You should be able to get a good ballpark timeframe for a trip to match the needs of the group. A general rule of thumb is that water is wilder in spring and sometimes in fall and generally calmer during the hot summer season.
Make reservations ahead especially if you are traveling in the summer or over major holidays. Nothing is more discouraging than planning to whitewater raft and then discovering that every outfitter has committed every raft. You’re left to sit on the bank watching others ride those fabulous waves.