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Northwest Montana
White Water Rafting
Montana White Water / Glacier National Park
The pristine lakes and rivers of Montana's Flathead Valley offer a virtual feast of fish and a wealth of water. Designated a federal Wild and Scenic corridor, the three forks of the Flathead River provide the extraordinary fly-fishing that make the sport and Montana rivers famous, as well as white water worthy of Hollywood's production of "The River Wild."
White water rafting adventures vary from a half-day to several day overnight adventures. Experienced and novice rafters can find the rafting experience they are looking for on the beautiful and scenic rivers of the Flathead Valley. Some white water rafting companies also provide guided fly-fishing trips with the most experienced guides in the area. The rafting guides and fishing guides delight in sharing their knowledge and love of this beautiful area, and do so with a large dose of good old fashioned Montana hospitality.
White Water Rafting / White Water Kayaking
Clark Fork River
So... how do you assure your safety?
Check river conditions before heading out.
If an area is experiencing a particularly wet period or recovering from a snowy winter, stream flow may be very high. The higher the water the faster it will be moving and the bigger the challenge. If you are not comfortable or if local officials do not recommend going on the river, follow your gut. Your life isn't worth a security deposit.
Don't go outside of your ability. Renting a raft and going down a river yourself can be very tempting but it's not for everyone. Even flat water can kill someone and moving water is very complex. If you aren't skilled in identifying routes or technique things can go bad in hurry. Major disasters almost never happen due to one catastrophic event but through a series of small errors. If you want to take the adventure but don't have the skill, strongly consider going with a professional guide.
Most tour operators will be very happy to answer your questions and provide you with almost any information you request. Ultimately they are in the business to serve you and offer up an experience of a lifetime. When dealing with a river rafting outfitter think of your tour operator as a hospital where you plan to have major surgery and your guide as the surgeon. Understand the risks that you are taking and if your river rafting tour includes going on a Class V or Class VI river realize that you are putting your life into the hands of your guide.
The most important thing is to trust your own instincts. If things just don't feel right or if conditions look too dangerous don't get on the boat. Don't discount the power of moving water. It carves out canyons, moves mountains, destroys and creates land, and if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, it can kill.
One of the things to remember, the number of injuries and accidents while river rafting are very low. You should ask some common sense questions before making your reservations with a tour operator. When the proper precautions are taken it truly is a fun adventure.
Understand the Class of the river you will be going on. If the river rafting tour is on a Class III river or below, the risks to you are pretty low. If you are not in good health or you are not a strong swimmer you should strongly consider your options when going on a tour that will be in Class IV water or above. Rafting tours that go on Class VI water should be avoided unless you are fully willing to accept the risks. If your river tour will be on a Class IV river or above ask if helmets are provided and required. If helmets aren't required you might want to consider looking at a different tour operator.
Understand the golden rule of air and water temperature. One of the biggest risks of river rafting is hypothermia. Icy cold rivers fed by snowmelt can cause severe hypothermia in a matter of moments even on a warm summer day. Ask your tour operator what the river temperature normally is. If the water temperature plus the air temperature is less than 120, wet or dry suits are recommended. If the combined temperatures are below 100 degrees, wet or dry suits should be required. If your tour operator doesn't provide or recommend these for cold water and cool air temperature situations, it is time to look at a different tour provider.
Ask how long the tour operator has been in business and how many years experience their guides have. Check with the Better Business Bureau for any customer complaints. Check with the area newspaper to see if there have been any recent accidents. When you are getting ready to depart find out how many years experience your river guide has on the river you are getting ready to run. You should also ask if they are trained in swift water rescue, and if they are an EMT or even better a paramedic.
Find out what kind of equipment is being used by the tour operator. Will extra paddles be available on the raft? Is there a first aid kit? In remote areas will the raft have a satellite phone or two-way radio? Are there throw bags (which are used in water rescue) and will people on the boat be briefed on how to use them?