Getting into river rafting

[Nick]

Lower Main Salmon Trip Report

Oh, and this is very helpful in further convincing me to buy a raft... thank you.

Oh really? (I say, thoughtfully stroking my chin)

Yes, really.

Decided to start a thread about the topic of how to get started on acquiring rafting equipment rather than fully hijack @mattvogt7 's excellent trip report.

I've been thinking about it for a while, but now that I've experienced river life, I've been looking much more into it. The unexpected addition of a new hiking pup to accompany me on trips for the next decade or so only fuels the fire to have something much roomier than my kayak.

So... anyone have any wisdom to share on getting into rafting? The only thing I know so far is if I win sweet permits, the boats will come.

 

[Dave]

Have you put in for any permits yet this year?

I can't give advice as I'm a noob here as well, but I'm hoping to score permits for trips. Failing that, I intend to start building some kayaking experience this summer (eyeballing some skill-building outings on the Moab Daily or Green River from Flaming Gorge Dam to Little Hole).

If I get permits, I'll probably be looking to rent a raft (unless I know someone with the gear already...).

 

[Nick]

I put in for the Middle Fork Salmon just for laughs and this discussion just reminded me to go check on the Smith Fork which the lottery just opened on today. So that's two I've put in on so far. Thinking I might put in for a Grey/Deso before I'm done. I think most of the permit lotteries close on Jan 31.

I'm not really a fan of renting but from what little I know, this seems like an expensive hobby to get into and it certainly might be how I start as well. But then again, I've been known to just go all out on something new like this. I just don't know what to look for and what is good and bad.

 

[Nick]

Or maybe not. For some reason I thought most rivers outside of national parks allowed dogs but perhaps thats not the case... No on Deso, no on Dinosaur and no on Smiths Fork for sure. Yes on Middle Fork Salmon of all rivers. Blah...

 

[mattvogt7]

Hey Nick - yea the dog thing is tough and seems hit or miss. I'm more than willing to chat about this more with you if you are interested in pursuing it further. I also now have two rafts and a perfect first trip just to get your oars in the water would be the upper section of the San Juan River. Could do an easy one or two nights. Perfect river to try things out and get a feel for it.

Raft choice comes down to a lot of factors, size, material, type of trips, etc. Every type of raft material has pros and cons, I grew up rowing hypalon boats (like NRS and Avon) and loved them for their ease of patching, ability to roll and store in the garage and overall they seem a little bit less expensive and more user friendly. Now a days I've moved up to a Sotar because its more of a performance boat and while I love it I would not hesitate to buy another hypalon boat, especially for my first rig. I tend to try an stay away from PVC because the lifespan of those boats aren't near what Hypalon and other materials are. Thats just my 2 cents on that.

A great website to check out with lots of used gear and is based in the four corners (mainly western CO) is mountain buzz. Here is a link to their used gear section:
http://www.mountainbuzz.com/swap/showcat.php?cat=3

Another great website just for inspiration : )
http://www.whitewatercampsites.com/

Permits as you know are the biggest challenge but their is a hierarchy to those with rivers like the Middle Fork Salmon, Selway (only allows one launch a day), and Grand Canyon seeming to be in the top. There are a ton of runs where it is easy to call in and get cancellations and there are still some outstanding rivers that do not require permits (especially in Oregon).

Let me know if you'd be interested in getting out. I've got spare gear. The dog thing may be a deal breaker for you but the offer stands. Any other questions let me know

 

[Scott Chandler]

I put in for the Middle Fork Salmon just for laughs

If you get to go, it sure is pretty. I've not ran it but hiked to it this past summer doing trail maintenance.

 

[Tater Head]

After looking into X-country ski rentals I found out that Idaho State University has a outdoor adventure center. They not only rent skis but rafts, kayaks, canoes, climbing equipment, etc. They will also let you order from there catalog and get there wholesale prices. http://www.isu.edu/outdoor/resources.shtml