The count down to the first day of fall is on! September 23rd here we come. Our warehouse is pretty quiet these days at America’s Rafting Company, our trips have slowed down considerably, our guides have gone home and we are looking forward to what fall, winter and spring will bring. We’ll have time to reflect on our 2014 whitewater rafting in Hells Canyon and the Salmon River season. We’ll be able to unfold and recount each trip one by one, sharing it here with information about the fishing, the photos and the best of all the amazing people we met this summer. As I type this post, I can see out the office window, there is cloud cover and it looks like rain may be on the horizon, which leads me to think about the storms that we encountered this summer while whitewater rafting in Hells Canyon.
It seemed that if there was a storm, it was slated to unleash on our launch date, we didn’t have many whitewater rafting in Hells Canyon trip this summer that didn’t put up with a storm of some kind- whether it was rain, wind or just plain hot, we endured all kinds of weather!
What does America’s Rafting Company do to prepare for any and all weather? First we start by listing various layers of clothing on our packing list, it’s important to bring layers when planning a trip in the elements. So, we suggest having everything from a bathing suit, to fleece, to a rain jacket. Most of our trips will only require shirts and shorts during the day and possibly a lightweight long sleeve at night. We do recommenced that a rain jacket be kept out in the day bag so that it is accessible during the day, once in a while we’ll get a thunder storm that can chill you right to the core.
We have a saying that ,”there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear”. So, another item that we pack on all of our trips is our parachute, it’s perfect for keeping out the rain and providing much needed shelter from a blazing summer sun.
Whitewater rafting in Hells Canyon has brought us many different battles with weather, most of our trips this summer experienced just a bit of rain at night, which sent the guides running to get rain flies on tents in the middle of the night (we don’t typically set the tents up with the rain flies on, as they can get quite warm and block the view of the gorgeous night sky) But, we have had trips that were down right wet and cold, this summer we launched a 4-day whitewater rafting in Hells Canyon trip, the forecast had been clear for the trip for weeks, then right before the guests arrived, the weather took a turn for the worst. Rain and wind were predicted for all 4 days of trip, the day they got off the water- sunshine and summer time! Just our luck. The rain came, the thunder and lightning came and the wind picked up, the parachute was out at each camp, rain flies were attached and rain jackets were sported for the whole trip. The guides and guests were troopers- they didn’t seem to mind one bit, they understood that Mother Nature has her own agenda and all we could do was get our gear out and brave it!
The other extreme weather we encounter more than rain or lightning is the extreme heat- there are some whitewater rafting in Hells Canyon trips as well as the Salmon River rafting trips that the temperatures will reach 110+! We prepare for the sun just like we do the rain, we encourage lots and lots of water during the day, the sun zaps the moisture right out of your body when it’s that hot. We always have sunscreen at the ready and promote it’s use each and every day, the parachute also comes out to play- offering some much needed shade during the peak hours of the day. When we’re on the water, most people are in the river more than in the rafts- we get plenty of swimming, jumping into the cool clear river is most refreshing on a hot summer day. The great thing about being on the river: there is not a shortage of water, whether it’s icy cold in a water bottle and cool and clear to swim in, a whitewater rafting trip is the perfect place to be when temperatures soar!
Most of the time, Idaho’s summers bring us gorgeous blue skies and warm temperatures during the day and clear night skies for all the stargazing you can muster at night.Once in a while, we’ll get some adverse weather. America’s Rafting Company prepares for all of it and will ensure that the proper gear is packed and at the ready, no matter what Mama Nature has in mind!
