White Water Rafting

[Gamingphreek]

I have been WWR a few times and have gone up to Class IV rapids. My friend and I are thinking of going before College starts again, but it is her first time.

I'm horrible at estimating these things so I need your opinion. She is pretty athletic (Not to mention myself ), so I suggested doing Class III-IV rapids. If I found only III's then I would do that but it is II-III so I'm worried that we'll get bored during the II's. Also from what I remember II-III means 90% II and 10% III.

What do you guys think I should look for? (Also we would be doing 1-2 person inflatable duckies/kayaks/funyaks)

-Kevin

 

[illusion88]

Bah, do the IVs, they aren't that hard. Just don't die. Get a gear raft and a paddle raft.

 

[Kreon]

Start with little rapids (IIs) first to get her accustomed and comfortable

Then do a III or IV


Maybe go with a group and/or guide
I'm going WWR this weekend

Would you like where I'm going?
it's in Maine

 

[thehstrybean]

Come to the Ocoee river in TN. I was a guide for a year. Rafting rocks. Start with some medium stuff (IIIs and IVs), then work up to Vs. Just go with a good company that knows their stuff and do exactly what they say. No problems...

 

[jagec]

You'll be very bored if you don't do anything above a III. Given that you're in duckies, I probably wouldn't want to tackle a V, but you could probably get away with a IV or two.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Ok we aren't going by ourselves. It will be just me and my friend but we want a guided tour with other people there haha.

THe problem with getting her accustomed is that there is no way to ween her into it. Its a trip we are going on so we can't do multiple outings. ON the trip it is up to level IV or up to level III.

She lives in Baltimore (I'm in Fredericksburg VA) so I would drive up and ride along with her. Dunno what our range is, but right now I am contemplating this

-Kevin

 

[Kelemvor]

I've only done the ones with the big rafts with 8 people or so wher eyou go flying over all kinds of things and people get thrown overboard. That's lots of fun.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: jagec
You'll be very bored if you don't do anything above a III. Given that you're in duckies, I probably wouldn't want to tackle a V, but you could probably get away with a IV or two.

I thought on class V's you weren't allowed in individual duckies. Obviously Kayaking you would but rafting I thought you had to be in 14' or 16' rafts.

-Kevin

 

[illusion88]

You can Kayak V's and VI's, and it's a terrible idea unless you are really good. And if you aren't that competant (like your first time), a IV is also a terrible idea. Go rent a 16 ft raft and be done with it. Get a gear raft if you need the extra space.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well this would be a guided raft so no gear raft is necessary. I was thinking if she was still kinda freaked about duckying the IV then we could get a 2 person kayak so I would be there to help.

-Kevin

 

[GagHalfrunt]

If you're in inflatable kayaks go class II tops. You will get SLAUGHTERED on a class IV in those things and even class III would be pushing it.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
If you're in inflatable kayaks go class II tops. You will get SLAUGHTERED on a class IV in those things and even class III would be pushing it.

I don't THINK they are inflatable. From what I remember the rafts are inflatable, the duckies are semi inflatable (Like I shell that you inflate around). At any rate I have used them before on class IV without a problem (I fell out from one because I got stuck on a rock and one of my friends accidentally ran into me--It hurt)

-Kevin

 

[m1ldslide1]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
If you're in inflatable kayaks go class II tops. You will get SLAUGHTERED on a class IV in those things and even class III would be pushing it.

QFT.

Rafters usually rate things much differently than real kayakers. A rafter's class 5 is typically a kayaker's class III+ or IV-. Then it just depends on the nature of the river - if it's a creek, it could be a class II but completely untraversable in a raft.

In my opinion, big waves are the most fun for inflatables in general, and also much safer than congested stuff. You could take her on all kinds of 'class III' and even if she gets dumped out it'll be a fun swim.

 

[m1ldslide1]

Originally posted by: thehstrybean
Come to the Ocoee river in TN. I was a guide for a year. Rafting rocks. Start with some medium stuff (IIIs and IVs), then work up to Vs. Just go with a good company that knows their stuff and do exactly what they say. No problems...

Which outfit did you guide with? The NOC by any chance?

 

[LordMorpheus]

My first time rafting I did the Gauley River in WVA. lots of class V+ rapids. While wild, it is a fairly safe river. Tons of fun. That's my suggestion.

I was in a four man + guide boat, so I guess the experienced guide is probably a large part of the equation. If you are going without a guide, it would probably still be OK. Lots of huge hits and pourovers, but only a few places you can really get into trouble, and they are all pretty easy to avoid. I hope you don't mind swimming some rapids, though.

 

[Kadarin]

My first time rafting I did this: http://www.ohiopyletradingpost.com/upperyok_04.htm

LOTS of fun!

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
My first time rafting I did this: http://www.ohiopyletradingpost.com/upperyok_04.htm

LOTS of fun!

I am actually looking at this. This is the Lower Yough river and is a notch below that in difficulty to the point where I would feel comfortable in individual rafts instead of 4 person rafts. Not only that it is >$50 cheaper.

I wonder if they would allow us to meet them at Friendsville instead of driving all the way up to Ohiopyle (Shaves off a good 45mins-1hr)

-Kevin

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
My first time rafting I did this: http://www.ohiopyletradingpost.com/upperyok_04.htm

LOTS of fun!

I am actually looking at this. This is the Lower Yough river and is a notch below that in difficulty to the point where I would feel comfortable in individual rafts instead of 4 person rafts. Not only that it is >$50 cheaper.

I wonder if they would allow us to meet them at Friendsville instead of driving all the way up to Ohiopyle (Shaves off a good 45mins-1hr)

-Kevin

I haven't done that, so can't say. I did do rafting at the Royal Gorge in Colorado, and that was mostly class 3. It wasn't anywhere near as tough as the Upper Yogh..

 

[Regs]

I can just imagine my idiotic self trying to light up a cigarette in one of those things...

 

[DrPizza]

I've gotta get out in one of these rivers someday in a kayak...

Just bought a new kayak paddle a couple nights ago - the blade on the previous one was snapped in half while I was "rescuing" my wife. She ended up with a broken leg. Note to self: Kayaking in the ocean is awesome. Getting back out of the ocean can be difficult, particularly after a tropical storm system moves by.


incidentally, anyone here kayak class IV's? How difficult are they, really? I've been in an area with standing waves so high that I couldn't see my friend in his kayak a mere 15 feet from me; that was an adrenaline pumping piece of cake.

 

[moshquerade]

if you're going on a guided tour you don't have to worry about a thing. your grandmother likely could go on it.
just be sure to wear your swimsuit!

 

[m1ldslide1]

Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
My first time rafting I did the Gauley River in WVA. lots of class V+ rapids. While wild, it is a fairly safe river. Tons of fun. That's my suggestion.

I was in a four man + guide boat, so I guess the experienced guide is probably a large part of the equation. If you are going without a guide, it would probably still be OK. Lots of huge hits and pourovers, but only a few places you can really get into trouble, and they are all pretty easy to avoid. I hope you don't mind swimming some rapids, though.

Classic example of rafter ratings versus kayaker ratings. My brother was head guide for the NOC on the gauley for 3 years, and that river is class III with a few class IV's. V+ is like Gorilla on the Narrows of the Green. Not the freakin' Gauley. Class VI means certain death (unrunnable). Not really really hard. Class V is really really hard, with a strong possibility of injury or death. But then again, telling somebody that the class III trip is $100, but the class V+ trip is $400 and you'll remember it for a lifetime makes for good marketing.

 

[m1ldslide1]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I've gotta get out in one of these rivers someday in a kayak...

Just bought a new kayak paddle a couple nights ago - the blade on the previous one was snapped in half while I was "rescuing" my wife. She ended up with a broken leg. Note to self: Kayaking in the ocean is awesome. Getting back out of the ocean can be difficult, particularly after a tropical storm system moves by.


incidentally, anyone here kayak class IV's? How difficult are they, really? I've been in an area with standing waves so high that I couldn't see my friend in his kayak a mere 15 feet from me; that was an adrenaline pumping piece of cake.

It depends on the class IV. The rating system is very subjective. Some class IV's are very tight and technical (ie creeking) and require great skill to maneuver. Other class IV's might be a big wave train with a big hole at the bottom where you just have to know ahead of time to move away from. The size of the waves or speed of the current or height of the waterfall doesn't determine the difficulty, it's the skill required to maneuver through the rapid.

Generally big waves don't take skill to maneuver. Therefore big wave trains are generally considered class II, and if there's a hole or big rock anywhere in the river or strong cross-currents it will probably be called a class III. The definition of class IV means that it requires many moves to navigate successfully. In other words, you have to be able to read water well in order to figure not only the hazards and preferred route, but also to understand how the different water features are going to affect your line.

Class V generally means class IV on steroids. In other words, very steep gradient, numerous hazards, big holes, very powerful currents pushing you directly towards said hazards and holes, and requiring the total package of skills (mental and physical) to successfully navigate. It takes most people years of practice and a lot of dedication to get to this point.

 

[Rookie]

http://www.goextreme.com/rates-specials/two-day/

Do the lower/upper Gauley package.

It's extreme ;-)

EDIT: forgot the river name. The Gauley is MUCH better than the New.

 

[GasX]

my personal opinion FWIW: If it's not balls to the wall, why bother?

my last trip...