Rafting merrily up the creek

RIVER WILD | Make sure family members know what to expect before agreeing to rafting trip

She was every river guide's nightmare.

Her kvetching began at the put-in, a wide spot on California's Stanislaus River above a series of relatively easy Class III rapids.

Becky (I've long forgotten her last name) complained about her life jacket, whined about her paddle, said she didn't like her position (middle) on the raft and talked when I explained rafting rules and etiquette.

In several decades of running and guiding on streams from the American West to the Andes, nearly all the people I've encountered have wanted to be there for the thrills, beauty of the river canyons and the camaraderie.

Becky was an exception. But that wasn't the worst of it. Ten yards into third rapid -- just after I'd called a "hard left" command -- Becky demanded to know why.

Everyone immediately stopped paddling. Before I could say "because we want to go around that big rock!," we'd washed up on it. Within seconds, water piled into the raft and -- in what seemed like slow motion -- it flipped.

When we'd all gathered up at the big beach downstream and the raft was righted, Becky and I had a little chat. I told her in no uncertain terms that if she questioned one of my commands mid-rapid again, she could walk home along the riverbank.

She sulked through the rest of the (thankfully) one-day trip. We did not flip again.

Later, her beau told me Becky didn't really want to be on the river that day and was anxious. Becky had clearly signed up for a trip -- and an experience -- that was literally over her head. Had she done her homework, she probably would've chosen a rafting trip better suited to her abilities, expectations and comfort zone.

Take Steven Koch of Lincoln Park, for example. As a banking executive with Credit Suisse, Koch has spent his career dotting i's and crossing t's. So when it came time to pick a river trip and an outfitter for his family (including three pre-teens) a dozen years ago, he did his accustomed research.

"I poked around a bit and figured out where we wanted to go and which company would be the best," he said, recalling their whitewater adventure in the northern Rockies.

"We had youngish children and wanted a skilled raft company we would feel comfortable with," added Koch, 52. "We also wanted to do a river that would be fun and exciting, but not too dangerous."

Koch, his late wife and kids (then ages 5, 6 and 8) chose the Main Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. They went in August when the water level was down and the rapids less rambunctious. They ended up picking an Oregon-based company called ECHO River Trips. It was a good fit on all accounts, Koch said.

"I could just tell when we got to the river put-in and the kids were playing and we were sipping a glass of wine that it was right," he said.

Koch acknowledges that his "research" was not overly exhaustive, but he did talk to a few other families who had rafted the Main Salmon. He also interviewed the outfitter before making a commitment.

"It's certainly worth it to ask some questions," he said.

"You don't want to just fly blind. You should ask the outfitter about a specific river's degree of difficulty, the company's philosophy [minimalist or full-service] and if they are oriented to youngsters."

Koch said he and his family enjoyed their initial trip so much that they went back two more times to Idaho in the ensuing years to run the more challenging Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

"And now the kids are pushing to go again," Koch said.

"Rafting is a great family vacation and a nice introduction to camping, because the guides in many cases do a lot of the work and all the cooking," he added. "And it's hard to beat the rollicking rapids, the beauty, the quiet and the canyon scenery and hiking."

Mark Lorenzen, a veteran river guide and building contractor who lives in San Francisco, said Koch got it right.

"Talking to companies and folks who have run a river is the right way to go," he said.

"There are certain streams you would not want to take a young family on -- or a reluctant spouse," said Lorenzen, who has guided from Chile to Alaska, primarily for a small Northern California outfitter called James Henry River Journeys.

"And now that I have two young kids, I know I'll pick a mellow Class III river, like Oregon's Rogue, to introduce them to an activity that I've loved for so many years," said Lorenzen, 57.

Joe Daly, who has operated ECHO for more than 35 years with partner Dick Linford, said the first thing a family -- or couple -- thinking about a whitewater river trip should do is sit down for a "powwow." It's important step that everyone agrees that this kind of adventure is appealing to all, said Daly, who said the "backbone" of his company's trips are families.

"You need to figure out if you want to do a one-day or multi-day trip and then if you want to camp out or stay in a lodge," Daly said.

In some ways, Daly said, rivers are like ski resorts.

"Just as you wouldn't want to take a novice to the top of a double-black-diamond run, you wouldn't want to have a beginner or a youngster on a Class IV or V [difficult to extremely difficult] river," he said.

Then again, if your group is made of veteran outdoor enthusiasts, a wild river with tricky rapids and high, early summer flows just might be the ticket, said Daly, who noted the Western snowpack averaged more than 100 percent this winter, which means summer runoff will be more than adequate.

Would-be rafters also need to decide if they want a desert, high alpine, coastal or Sierra foothill experience, Daly said. Adventurers who want a single-day experience have lots of options around the country. Or, they can up the length of a trip to more than two weeks on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

"There are hundreds of miles of river options of all stripes from Maine to California," he said.

Unlike airlines or insurance companies, Daly said, nearly all river companies are small operations with owners or general managers who would be glad to talk with potential customers, give advice and allay concerns.

"I'd say don't be shy, call them," Daly said. "They can tell you when the best month is for a certain river, let you know if they have kids or other special programs and what their cuisine and camping options are."

Just as ski and snowboard resorts have different personalities -- no one would mistake Wyoming's Jackson Hole for Galena's Chestnut Mountain -- a short conversation with an outfitter can be an eye-opener.

And if someone is a novice camper and uncomfortable with the idea of going to the bathroom or washing their hair in the outdoors, Daly said staffers can walk them through all the details.

"We've also all dealt with reluctant teens," he said. "Funny thing, though, once kids that age get out on a river, they often are the ones who lobby to come back.

"They especially love it if they can paddle their own inflatable kayaks through the rapids," he said. "That can give them just the right amount of space from mom and dad kicking back in the raft."

Because guides take care of the food preparation and most other details, camping is much easier than, say, self-supported backpacking or even car-camping outings.

"It's catered camping," he said. "Everyone gets to relax and you don't do any cleaning. We serve you and you're away from it all with no cell phones ringing.

"On a multi-day trip, you wake up, have breakfast, enjoy the beauty of a river canyon, run the river and just go at nature's pace. There are no RVs or televisions and families actually start talking to each other again. It's pretty cool."

Daly also suggested asking for the e-mail addresses or phone numbers of previous customers who have run the same river.

"In addition, I'd check with friends who might have been on a similar trip," he said. "Talking over the proverbial back fence is always a good way to find a good river or outfitter."

Unless your neighbor happens to be Becky.

Brian E. Clark is a Madison, Wis.-based free-lance writer.