River Recreation - The Washington Whitewater Professionals

Adventures in Washington state - Whitewater river rafting is just the start!

2010-03-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Whitewater river rafting; – just a part of a great adventure in the Washington state outdoors!

Lots of people come rafting and think that’s it, but it doesn’t have to be. A ½ day rafting adventure can be only part of a fun-filled weekend of outdoor fun. Washington State has an abundance of outdoor activities to offer; chances are if you are only rafting, you truly are missing out on a lot of other fun outdoor adventures. Most of the 9 rivers we run have a wide range of other outdoor activities in the area. Take your pick, from Mountain biking, hiking, camping, wine tasting, climbing, fishing, adventuring, sight-seeing, jet-skiing, swimming and local festivals – most rivers we raft have most of these activities close at hand.

The Wenatchee River: Land of lots to do!

The Wenatchee river area has much more to do than just rafting. Within a half hour of our base camp you can rock climb, mountain bike, rent a jet ski, swim the Columbia River, taste the wine of several wineries, do some great hiking, or, camp. or enjoy a local park. There is so much to do, why just come to raft?

The Nooksack River – Do you enjoy mountains? You will love Mt. Baker!

The North fork of the Nooksack River is not only scenic, but fun! Great whitewater is accompanied by some of the best views in the Northwest! After rafting, such fun can be had as hiking in the Mt. Baker / Snoqualmie National forest, camping, mountain biking and sight-seeing at such spots as Nooksack falls, and Artist peak which towers up over 5000 feet right out of your car, and offers the kind of views you see on most postcards! Make sure to bring a camera. There are also a couple of local wineries nearby. We like to recommend Mt. Baker winery. Not to mention, the Nooksack River area is in close proximity to both of the following areas: Bellingham, Washington and British Columbia, Canada. Why not make it a local multi-stop getaway all-in-one?!

The Skykomish River – The “Wild Sky” wilderness area.

There is a reason congress designated the area “Wild Sky” on the Skykomish river as a federally protected area. The Area has some incredible views of Mt. Index, the Index wall, and local peaks. Close at hand are such activities as camping, hiking, canyoneering, swimming and sightseeing. The Index wall offers some of the best climbing near Seattle and a view to match!

The White Salmon – Like waterfalls?

Not only can you see an incredible waterfall only ½ hour from the White Salmon River, (Multnomah Falls) but you can raft over one while running the river! The infamous 14’ Husum Falls is runnable at lower water levels (July and August) and we let our customers, 18 and over, have the option of rafting over the waterfall. In addition, there are all the outdoor activities you can handle near the White Salmon River. Pick your poison from hiking, camping, skiing and snowboarding year around on Mt. Hood, to kite-boarding, mountain biking, climbing, shopping in Hood River, and jet-skiing on the Columbia River.

The Tieton River – Fall fun in September!

The Tieton River is a Washington state whitewater classic river, but if you come to only raft, you are missing out on a lot of fun! Within 1 hour of the Tieton are some of the best wineries Washington State has to offer! The Yakima Appellation is the oldest and most diverse wine region in Washington State. At the same latitude as the great wine-producing regions of France, the Yakima valley is world famous for its grapes! In addition, such other outdoor fun as hiking, fishing, camping, sightseeing, climbing, mountain biking, and off-roading is close at hand.

A fun weekend, or staycation can easily be created be doing a little research and making a plan of fun stuff to do in the area where you raft. Don’t make the mistake of coming all the way out to the river, just to miss out on all of the other fun you can have in the area of the river! If you ever have questions on fun events or things to do in the area of the rivers we raft, just drop us an e-mail or call and we can help you find fun before or after your rafting experience with us!

www.riverrecreation.com
office@riverrecreation.com
1-800-464-5899

Tipping your guide; a quick reference.

2010-03-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

So the question always comes up on the river every season: Should I tip my guide? And, if so, how much?
Typically, we tell people it's not required, but much appreciated. Honestly, guides do not make what they are worth. Rafting is not a big money endeavor - lots of insurances and overhead to be paid. Guiding takes more than just getting you down the river safely. But, safety is still our number one concern.

We like to let people know, that they should only feel obligated to tip if the guide went out of their way to make your trip on the river special, extra fun, or made an extra effort to make you have a "extraordinary trip" on the river. There are many guides out there who only will give you a trip down the river (insert yawn) - believe us when we say we have seen it and, by the way, we don't hire those guys - Sorry, but there's the door! We are looking for the action and adventure in our guides. Anyone without a personality need not apply! Therefore, we urge our guides to go the extra mile and have fun with people without sacrificing safety in any way. Dumb jokes, funny stories, and a little education about the river and/or the area are just a few examples that may suggest a tip for your guide is in order.

In addition, making a trip personal for you is another big thing a guide can do to really customize your experience. If you were part of a bachelor party, did the guide make it a fun experience for you and make it a special trip for the groom-to-be? If you hosted a work group out on the river, did your guide emphasize the teamwork aspect of rafting to your boat-full of co-workers? These are things a professional guide can and will do that are examples of above-and-beyond and, therefore, should warrant a tip.

Now the big question - how much? It's not uncommon for a good guide to, sadly, not to get a tip at all - not all people who come on the river with us have an idea that a tip is a good thing in the world of rafting. Generally, we urge anything from $20 to $40 depending on how much your guide entertained you both on and off the river. If you really liked them, then go big! The amount you tip should also reflect the number of people in your group. If you have 6 people in the boat all in the same group, everyone could chip in $10 a person and tip $60 - a great tip!

In conclusion, tipping is a great way to show your guide you enjoyed the ride and that it was much appreciated! Just think how much you tip a server or bartender for a one hour meal at a restaurant. Now think about the person who just guided you down the river safely for almost four hours and, hopefully, left you with a lifetime of memories. Like we say on the river- (as with paddle in hand) give your guide the tip, not the shaft!

What to bring with you the day of your river trip!

2010-02-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

So you went ahead and booked a whitewater river rafting trip and can’t wait to get on the water! (or maybe you haven’t yet, but you sure want to) Well the question always comes up – what do I bring with me? Good question – you would be surprised how many people don’t bring even the most simple things with them to the river. Below is a basic checklist of stuff to pack before hitting your favorite river.

First, Water. Seems kinda silly because you will be rafting in water right? Well just because your rafting in a white water river doesn’t mean you want to drink the river water. We suggest you bring a 16 oz. bottle of drinking water to drink while you are out there, working up a sweat paddling hard for us in the boat. If the temperature outside is 90 and your paddling hard, you can become dehydrated quickly.

Second, a fleece top. Especially important if you get cold easily or if you are coming on the river in the early season. Fleece is a synthetic material that will not wick heat away from your body like cotton when it’s wet. Like we say on the river – “cotton kills”, so just say no to cotton!

Third, sun tan lotion. Even if you are coming on the river in what you would term as not “suntan lotion” weather, the sky may be clearer that you think when you get to the river. Statistically, a sunburn in the #1 injury on the river; better safe than sorry.

Next, a towel. This is a great staple for any sort of water-based activity. It always makes life nicer if you have a dry body to re-assemble your quaint ensemble into. The larger and softer, the better!

In addition, don’t forget your camera. It’s always fun to have a few pics of the big adventure and our guides love to take a few shots for you. Don’t worry; we will have a photographer along the side of the river at the best rapids, so you are sure to have photographic proof that you braved the rapids. No need to spend a bundle on a waterproof unit, even your old 35mm one will work.

Don’t forget a swimsuit! Unless you desire to go “commando” a swimsuit for everyone is a really good idea. Your suit is worn under your wetsuit, for a more comfortable trip on the river.

Do you have asthma, diabetic, or take special medicine? Make sure to bring plenty with you and please make sure you let your guide know of them BEFORE the TRIP! We have medically trained guides on staff and want to know of any medical issues before the trip to best take care of you in the event of an emergency!

Maybe a hat? If you were blessed with one of those “perfect” heads, you know a hat is a really good idea to have on when the sun is beating down.

Sunglasses – enough said!

Also, water draining, outdoor adventure footwear is advised. On warmer days, we may give you the option to wear your own sandals or “keen” style footwear. All footwear must have a heel strap to be considered to be worn on the river – no flip-flops allowed!

Finally, a little cash. You never know when you may want that nick-knack on the trip to the river, forgot something, or just want to tip your guide, cash is always good.

With just a little prep, your next trip to the river can be made a little more comfy. Sometimes it’s just a matter of a few extra minuets, a small bag, and a little pre-trip thought.

whitewater River guide training - not all are the same!

2010-02-18T12:55:00.001-08:00

So there are so many companies offering a whitewater river rafting guide training class, but what makes the difference between them? If you truly knew, you would be surprised!

Experience - How many years have their instructors been rafting and instruction for the company?

Training hours - How many on-river training hours do they offer? - The more the better!

Employment - Do they hire their students? If not, why are they even offering a class? To simply teach people to be able to guide? If they are confident that their program truly teaches people to be able to safely guide, they will hire students out of the class.

1st aid and CPR - Does the company offer 1st aid and CPR training in the class? Is it included in the tuition? If not, why? If you are really looking to work as a guide, you will need both certifications before working on the river - why not get them in the class?

Continuing training - How about additional training after the guide training class ends? Do they offer additional rescue training above and beyond guide training? If not, how can they call themselves professionals. True professionals offer education on the subjects that are related directly to the realm of work. If they can't teach it in-house, can they really have skills in the discipline of river rescue?

Are they pros? - Are they suggested by any professional organizations? What kind of professional references do they have? Where is their program originated?

When thinking of attending a river guide training class with hopes of becoming employed as a river guide, beware - not all companies offering training are created equally. Do your homework and ask the right questions to get to the bottom of who has a "crash course" and who offers a "cream of the crop" training regiment