How to Choose Your River Rafting Adventure
Safety First: Any active outing requires of its leaders an unwavering dedication to safety. This means skilled guides who are knowledgeable and experienced. It means guides certified in first aid and whitewater safety. And to us, it means exceeding state, federal, and industry standards for guides, gear and safety procedures. But more than this, it means staying focused on safety even while we and our guests are enjoying the river and each other. It means making smart decisions when extraordinary circumstances arise, even if the smart decision isn't always the easy decision. No where else is our 30+ years of experience more evident than in the impeccable safety record we've compiled - unmatched in our industry. Any top-rated outfitter will welcome your questions about experience and safety. We certainly do!
Experience Counts: Ours dates back more than 30 years. Since 1975, we've enjoyed hosting more than 1.5 million guests on our river trips, logging over 12 million miles of guided whitewater tours in the process. From our guides to our reservations and ground support crews, we understand what you want and we know how to deliver it. Being first isn't everything, but it often distinguishes the leaders from the followers. A trip with Whitewater Challengers guarantees you and your group all the benefits of our unparalleled history and 30 years' experience!
Choosing by location: Do you prefer your adventure close to home? Or are you willing to drive 5 or 6 hours for a world-class "high-adventure" experience? Check our whitewater rafting locations map to find an Adventure Center convenient to where you live.
Choosing by activity: Whitewater rafting is the core activity in most of our Adenture Center programs, but we can also satisfy your craving for other activities like kayaking, cycling, hiking, climbing, disc golf, camping, and a host of other adventure outings. If you can spare more than a day, we encourage you to feast on the terrific variety of activities available at each of our Rafting Centers.
Choosing the right rafting trip: We're often asked, "Which river trip is best for us?" We usually encourage families and first-timers to begin with a trip of modest intensity, and "work your way up" to the high-adventure excursions. Listed below is a sample progression of whitewater trips, ranging from easy rapids to eye-popping whitewater.
River Name.......... Season......... Minimum Age............ Whitewater Rating
Lehigh................... Summer.................... 5.............................. Class I / II
Middle Moose....... Summer.................... 8.............................. Class I / II+
Lehigh................... Spring/Summer........ 10............................ Class II / III
Hudson................. Summer/Fall........... 10/14......................... Class II / III+
Black.................... Summer/Fall............. 14............................ Class III / IV
Hudson................. Spring.................... 14/16.......................... Class IV
Black.................... Spring.................... 14/16............................Class IV / IV+
Lower Moose....... April........................ 18................................Class V
Hawkinsville Moose... Spring................ 12.............................. Class II / III / IV
Depending on the level of challenge and excitment you and your friends prefer, you might choose to bypass some of the easier options here. All of our trips are available to first time rafters who meet the minimum age requirements, with one exception. Our Lower Moose River trip in April is an experienced-only run that will challenge every bit of your paddling skills and whitewater savvy. You need to have some solid Class IV or Class V experience under your belt to try this one!
Choosing the right outfitter: But when it comes to choosing your whitewater rafting outfitter, you can be assured of making the right choice by focusing on these five criteria: experience, safety, diversity of trips, dedication to guest service, and facilities. Following this formula makes selecting your whitewater outfitter easy.
