Modifying Trips

[gayl]

Whitewater Advisory

Trip was booked and paid 50%. Then kids under 12 cannot go. My preferred company has an advisory against those under 14 rafting. We're a group of 8 (4 adults, 17F, 9M, 9F, 7F) so trying to shift to a slower part of the river. Better safe than sorry. Going from 2 days to 3.5 hrs

Anyone else having to modify their trip?

 

[brucethebroker]

Did not really understand the topic based on the headline. Perhaps a little more information would help get more responses?

I thought maybe it was a post-Covid update on travel...

 

[MRG]

Depending on where you are going, the water is historically high. I don't think our local tubing places are open due to high water.

 

[COcheesehead]

I live near the Colorado River and the water is wild this year. As high as I have ever seen.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Personally I wouldn’t take the kids rafting. Years ago my friend took her daughter on a guided trip and a few of the kids almost died. The raft flipped, they were all hurt and another woman saved her daughter. This year is insane locally with the river being high and fast they are telling people to stay away from it.

 

[gayl]

The minimum age requirement for the south fork changed from 7 to 12-14 so we changed to a "float " trip where the new minimum age is 5 (up from 4). It's normally a class 1. Expecting waves between 1-2.

We were going to go south but 1 needs to get duplicate naturalization papers to get her passport. I'm sure everyone knows about those issues. So backup was the American River & paid for the last weekend in July months ago. Now running high until early July. Cutting too close

So I've changed our summer trip twice. Ugh.

Next change might as well be a 4th of July ski trip

 

[gayl]

Personally I wouldn’t take the kids rafting. Years ago my friend took her daughter on a guided trip and a few of the kids almost died. The raft flipped, they were all hurt and another woman saved her daughter. This year is insane locally with the river being high and fast they are telling people to stay away from it.

#s are out. Right now it's running at 12,000 *** and a 4 hr trip is taking 2 hrs. By mid summer it'll only be 2000 *** which is normal. Sounds like your friend took a river too challenging for their abilities. It's all about the quality of the guide + proper child / adult ratios (says someone with a high center of gravity).

Thankfully your friend's child was ok.

 

[Teacher Terry]

#s are out. Right now it's running at 12,000 *** and a 4 hr trip is taking 2 hrs. By mid summer it'll only be 2000 *** which is normal. Sounds like your friend took a river too challenging for their abilities. It's all about the quality of the guide + proper child / adult ratios (says someone with a high center of gravity).

Thankfully your friend's child was ok.

My friend was very protective of her only child and had checked out the company and supposedly this trip was suitable for their skill level. Everyone on the raft was hurt and very badly banged up and extremely bruised by all the rocks once the raft flipped. I had been on 2 trips before that happened and I never went again.

 

[COcheesehead]

I used to whitewater raft a lot. Stuff happens.

 

[MC Rider]

The Tulare County sheriff ordered the Kern River in that county, above Lake Isabella, to close due to high water. Then changed it to allow only commercial outfitters and experienced rafters and kayakers in the river.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

There’s a rescue going on right now on the Cosumnes River in the Sacramento Valley.
There are signs posted by all the rivers warning of extreme danger due to higher levels than seen in several years, colder water, and fast moving.
At least that’s what I’m seeing on social media.

River rafting is dangerous. No one can guarantee that you will be safe. I don’t care how experienced they are.

 

[gayl]

The Tulare County sheriff ordered the Kern River in that county, above Lake Isabella, to close due to high water. Then changed it to allow only commercial outfitters and experienced rafters and kayakers in the river.

Of course because it's running at 12,000 *** now. But it won't be all summer. Eventually the flow will normalize. Question is when. Most say early to mid July

Definitely a year to use a commercial outfitter even in late summer and to underestimate not overestimate your ability

(Also goes for biking, skateboarding, swimming, boating, ect)

 

[gayl]

It's really slowed down a lot while I was on my 3 week cruise. From 12,000cfs to averaging between 3000-4000cfs with 5 weeks to go. So I don't anticipate changing again what is turning into a float trip.