River Rafting with children?
May 5th, 2000, 04:05 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
River Rafting with children?
We are planning a vacation this summer in Oregon and am wondering about taking our kids river rafting. They are 10 & 11 years old and are game for pretty much anything. I am wondering if any rafting companies take small kids on less menacing (lower class) runs. Any names of good companies to deal with would also be great, also any other off the beaten path things to do would be of interest. Thanks in advance for your help.
May 5th, 2000, 10:20 PM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Liz,
My husband was a rafting guide and he told me that most rafting companies will not take children less than 12-years old. But, you may want to search and find an easy class I or II river. It also depends on the time of year and how high the water is (i.e. spring melt off ).
I do recommend you stay away from the Deschutes River anyway, because it is a very powerful river with a few very dangerous drops. I could go on and on about my experience with river safety and why I don't think young children should go...
If you are going to be in the Northern part of the state you should go to Mt. St. Helens, just over the Washington border.
My husband was a rafting guide and he told me that most rafting companies will not take children less than 12-years old. But, you may want to search and find an easy class I or II river. It also depends on the time of year and how high the water is (i.e. spring melt off ).
I do recommend you stay away from the Deschutes River anyway, because it is a very powerful river with a few very dangerous drops. I could go on and on about my experience with river safety and why I don't think young children should go...
If you are going to be in the Northern part of the state you should go to Mt. St. Helens, just over the Washington border.
Jun 9th, 2000, 11:26 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
We have taken our kids on rafting trips for several years (they are now 14 and 11 years old). Granted, our 11=year=old is big for his age, but he went on easy rafting trips when he was 8. You should look for specific information where you are going to be. We have gone on the Elwa River in Olympic Natl Park in WA and also on the American River in CA with our kids. Several rafting companies offer different trips based on class of rapids, difficulty, etc.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Jun 17th, 2000, 10:18 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Go to http://community.webtv.net/angry9/VacationTravelOregon maybe this will help
Jun 21st, 2000, 05:09 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
The river rafting companies use common sense. If the river is reasonably calm, children are welcomed by the opperators. As an example, my ten year old daughter had no trouble on part of the Snake River. It was late summer and the water while exciting for us, was nothing for the experienced. We went down a few "rapids' then floated around with people jumping in the river. It was all planned, I wondered why they had buckets in our boat. Well, you know what happened, we started having water fights with the other boats.
Aug 10th, 2000, 02:05 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
We just went on a rafting trip down the White Salmon river - just over the border of Oregon in Washington, flows into the Columbia River. I recommend going with the AAA Rafting Company - they take you a couple miles north of other commercial operations' put in on White Salmon. Terrific class 3 and 4 rapids you won't see with the others. We had our 10 year old along (and our 14 year old too) who did just fine - they didn't give him a paddle and had him sit on the inside of the raft, except when we were on class 1 or 2 rapids or flat water, when he could sit up. At the end, there was a Class 5 10' waterfall that my wife and 10 year old son got out before - only my 14 year old and I went on that. Anyway, it was the highlight of our 2 week trips from Seattle to San Francisco - I recommend it.
