Spring river trips can be the trickiest trips to plan. Of course you want nice weather, great flows, and be the only person on the river. However, that is rarely going to be the case. You can hope for maybe 2 of those 3 desires. Here are some spring river trip packing tips to help you enjoy your maybe cold, maybe hot, rainy/snow, spring break river trip. Layers You have probably heard someone say to wear/dress in layers. This is the best advice for most all trips, but especially spring river trips. Spring weather is often unpredictable, fast changing, and likes to throw all of the elements at ..read more

Are you ready to unload your tax refund on some of the hottest river gear for 2024? Send-O-Vision Send-O-Vision gives you the best line, all the beta, and makes you look cool Sick of having the pick a line through the rapids? Well, toss on your Send-O-Vision glasses, or fire up the app on your Apple Vision Pro and get all the best beta. Now all you have to do is follow the line perfectly laid out for you! Throw Bag Trebuchet Throw Bag Trebuchet is the quickest way to set safety Have a rapid that people commonly take a swim? Save yourself some time and energy and install the new Throwbag T ..read more

The sun is shining, the snow is starting to melt, permits have been issued, and that means rafting season is almost here! Time to go through your gear, inflate your raft, and fix all the broken things you didn't get around to fixing last year. Soft Gear I am thinking about my sleeping bag, tent, layers, jackets and rain. Before I put that stuff away for the winter I make sure to give it a good wash and dry. Its a bummer to pull out your sleeping bad and find that is smells like a sweaty food and is growing some mold from last fall. It isn't a bad idea to rewash anything that might bit a bit m ..read more

Whitewater River Festivals are a joyous celebration of all things rivers and the outdoors. They range in size, river difficulty, and typically have a party for all to celebrate. From class IV races to mass start pool toy races, many festivals have something for every one. Carter Falls Rapid during the annual Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival in May One tricky thing with river festivals are they tend to be small gathers and don't happen at the exactly same time each year. Keep an eye on Facebook, American Whitewater, local whitewater paddling groups, and/or local paddling shops for the mos ..read more

We have all brought a friend on their first river adventure. Whether it be a quick mellow half-day float or a multi-day whitewater adventure, we have all been there. Next time you get that odd question just think back to the time of your early river running days. You weren't the expert you are now. While it is fun to give your pal some grief, make sure you give them the actual answer so they don't spend their time planning revenge. Where should I leave my stuff? The river is a circle... right? Many first timers haven't really thought about trip logistics and are confused about starting in one ..read more

Every January boating groups around the country (maybe the world) get together in person, video chats, or long email chains and formulate a plan to get the perfect season of multi-day trips. The number of people applying has increased quite a bit over years. If you want to see some graphs, chats, and intense data to increase your changed check out Permit Lottery For Rafting Western Rivers Four Rivers These trips seem to be the "golden ticket" for many. Middle Fork of the Salmon (ID) 4 Rivers Permit Lottery Snake River - Hells Canyon (OR/ID) 4 Rivers Permit Lottery Selway River (ID) 4 Rivers ..read more

Blossom Bar is possibly the most recognized and talked about rapid on the Rogue River. Maybe even on the top list of rapids talked about in the river community. It gets lots of attention due to its tricky move at the top of the rapid. If you mess up this move chances of a wrap, flip, swim, or a combination of all increase. However, with a little knowledge, a YouTube scout, and practice you can (probably) make it down without incident. Names of Features To properly discuss a complex rapid like Blossom Bar, you must first get on the same page about the features of the rapids. Here are some comm ..read more

Blossom Bar is possibly the most recognized and talked about rapid on the Rogue River. Maybe even on the top list of rapids talked about in the river community. It gets lots of attention due to its tricky move at the top of the rapid. If you mess up this move chances of a wrap, flip, swim, or a combination of all increase. However, with a little knowledge, a YouTube scout, and practice you can (probably) make it down without incident. Names of Features To properly discuss a complex rapid like Blossom Bar, you must first get on the same page about the features of the rapids. Here are some comm ..read more

Looking for a gift for your favorite river person? Maybe you are just building a list for your self. Check out our 2023 holiday gift guide. Gifts Under $30 Gifts don’t have to be big, flashy, and expensive. Maybe you just do small gifts, stocking stuffers, or a gift exchange. Having a couple solar lights in your kit is always helpful. The most popular ones seem to be the Goal Zero Crush Light and the classic Luci Light. They are great for in your tent, around camp, and even on the path to the groover! Mesh Wallet and Luci Light Sturdy Pines mesh wallet is perfect for storing anything small ..read more

If you're considering some winter boating it's crucial that you have solid kits with you along with some extra items for cold weather and shorter days. This article contains the contents of my combined repair, first aid, and safety kit that I bring with me for winter day trips. All of these items can be found on my Winter Boating Amazon List. Everything is stored in a Watershed Chattooga dry bag with padded liner. Winter Boating Extras For cold weather day trips I throw a small extra bag in my Watershed bag with a few extra things. Butane Lighter (SOTO Pocket Torch) Firestarter (UCO Strikea ..read more