I got a 12 foot RMR a few months ago and have taken it to a local lake with my wife and two teenage sons just to try it out. Im looking for a super mellow river within about 8 hours of southern CA. Maybe central CA, AZ, Southern Utah or Nevada. Like a 1-4 hour trip, class 1-2 rapids. I want my wifes first river trip to be comfortable and just get the hang of working together, putting in/taking out and shuttling. Any advice or resource suggestions would be appreciated.
First River with timid wife?
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I’m in so cal as well. The best bet is probably going to be something on the American up north. I’m happy to talk more if you wanna DM me.
That was the initial plan, then decided to get my own raft. There are a few “family friendly” guided trips Ive looked at, one on the lower Kern, the other on SF American. Figured I could run those myself, just want to do a basic river “float” first with wifey.
Awesome, thank you. Ill DM you later!
Good to know! Thank you
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Consequences for screwing up on the river can be severe. With your level of experience (no offense meant) you’d be wise to get some mentoring. This is the perfect community for that. Having your own boat, and being competent in its use do not go hand-in-hand. All of us can tell you stories of people who got in trouble because they made bad decisions on the river. Here’s one: last year, a couple r-2ed past the takeout on the upper Gallatin. It was high water, and we’re all looking at them like WTF are they doing? A few minutes later we go down the river and the woman is standing on the far bank, alone, crying her eyes out. The timid wife???? The guy was nowhere to be seen. The boat was drifting down the river, hundreds of yards away. Basic safety rules say don’t go alone until you’re very experienced. Be careful.
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Honestly? If you're in SoCal, you're not exactly in prime floating country. If I were you, I'd more likely be into diving, sailing, rock or offshore fishing, or surfing, or....
I live in the mountains. I can't dive without a 7mm wetsuit and can only sail 3 months of the year. No surfing, no rock fishing, no deep sea fishing. But I can raft 10 minutes from my house, so I do.
Do you sail? surf? dive? Would you recommend I go out and buy a sailboat and go for it? Would you recommend I buy a board and go be the kook at the local wave? Buy a BCD and tank and regulator and go send 'er?
OK, there were people before us who started rafting without lessons or competent guidance...but that said, if your wife is timid, DO NOT take her out your first trip. That's screaming for a bad first and only time for her.
Take your sons out, get your sh!t dialed and then invite Mom out. Or find a couple local friends who have floated before and get your sh!t dialed and figure out how all that rafting stuff works.
Do you plan to inflate/deflate or do you have a trailer?
Frame/oars or paddles?
Ever been rafting before in your life?
Read Jeff Bennett's 'Complete Whitewater Rafter'
Skip Class II. Find some moving water and figure out how your boat moves on moving water, and how you move your boat on moving water.
Maybe consider the Colorado below Davis or below Parker?
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So much this. The boys will probably enjoy figuring it out together with you. The wife? Sounds like not so much, and if you don't get this right the raft will quickly become a repository for resentments and all sorts of other relationshippy things that aren't really even raft related. Tread keerfully my good man.
Hey, didn't realize the experience level.
Maybe try a guide school this summer? That could be a helpful way to learn the craft. Rafting can be pretty dangerous if you don't know what you're doing out there. Like I said, I'm in So Cal and I raft up north. I'm happy to point you to some good places to learn.
Maybe try a guide school this summer? That could be a helpful way to learn the craft. Rafting can be pretty dangerous if you don't know what you're doing out there. Like I said, I'm in So Cal and I raft up north. I'm happy to point you to some good places to learn.
Thank you for all the responses with regards to caution! I definitely respect the power/danger of the rivers. I should have been more clear to my intent from the start of this thread. I am looking for a very mild river, something people take their kids tubing down for example. Just a float really. Perhaps the Salt River out of the Mesa AZ area? I like the idea of going to guide school to learn the craft. That is something I will definitely look into in the future. As far as my background, Ive been a surfer for about 30 years and trained to ride big waves pretty heavily for a while. I spend my summers hookah diving on the rivers of CA and southern Oregon. I also am a Firefighter and do basic swift water rescue training every year for the past 18 years. Thank you again for all the cautionary posts as I totally agree that this can go from a fun day to a nightmare very quickly if not properly approached!
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Sounds like you have good skills and a good attitude. Have fun man. There's nothing better than good times on the rio with the fam!
Dude! That's awesome. I surf, but I suck. LOL. Maybe we can trade lessons. I teach you to guide, you teach me to surf. We have to connect. There are very few of us in So-Cal that do this.
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