Frequently Asked Rafting Questions

Our river trips attract all types of people, but they all have one thing in common: a desire to enjoy the great outdoors in comfort. They appreciate that all the details are taken care of by professionals, allowing plenty of opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends. Our guests come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, careers, age groups (from 6 to 91!) and levels of experience --from having never camped or rafted before to having grown up on rivers. Never boring, our river trips do not require sleeping in the dirt, eating freeze-dried food, heavy lifting or athletic skill. Our trips take you away from phones, traffic and hectic schedules. No special knowledge or equipment is needed (that's our job!). Whether you desire beautiful scenery, a little excitement, the chance to challenge yourself, education, quality time with friends or family, relaxation or all of the above, our river trips offer something for everyone.

Rafting is an activity that involves an element of risk that cannot be completely removed -- much like the risk of a car accident every time you drive to the store. Risk, however, can be minimized. By carefully educating our guests about the general risks of river rafting and the specific risks involved in the wide variety of optional activities associated with a river trip (such as hiking, swimming, climbing on rocks, etc.), we attempt to make good decision makers of everyone. Our guides are ever watchful and well trained. Regardless of their experience, each is required to attend a week-long annual training seminar covering risk management, river rescue, customer service and many other issues and skills that we feel is necessary to being a professional guide. We have special rules for kids, use only top-of-the-line equipment, and require of our guides a higher level of first aid and CPR training than most other outfitters. We are very fortunate to have an unblemished safety record stretching back 33 years. So, is it safe? From a statistical standpoint, accidents and incidents are rare -- especially on the moderate rivers that we offer at Ouzel. And while we make every effort to minimize risk, we cannot eliminate it. Each guest must assume some risk and be required to sign an Assumption of Risk form prior to departure. Read our participation requirements . Don't hesitate to ask questions of our office or guide staff at any time. 

We provide and prepare all meals from lunch the first day to lunch the last. Our guides are fantastic, experienced cooks who prepare high-quality, healthy meals made with fresh ingredients. We serve a variety of fruits and vegetables, and meat and non-meat choices. The evening meals are grilled and baked to perfection. We accommodate a variety of diets and are happy to assist with dietary restrictions as needed. On overnight trips, our meals are served on full-sized banquet tables with a selection of fine Northwest wines. Beverages also include coffee, tea, ice water, lemonade, hot chocolate, iced tea and breakfast juices served throughout the day. Guests are welcome to bring your own sodas, beers or spirits and we'll keep them on ice. Healthy snacks are always available. See our sample rafting menu .

We differentiate between gluten-free where only ingredients are of primary concern and celiac

disease where cross-contamination is a critical issue. For simple gluten free, we can offer gluten free

alternatives and/or prepare portions without the gluten-containing ingredient on the side. Favorite brands

cannot be guaranteed. Cross-contamination issues are harder to deal with. We can avoid cross-contamination

with utensils on a meal-by-meal basis, washing those utensils first in uncontaminated dishwater, but our

kitchens are far from a gluten-free zone. Those with serious cross-contamination concerns will often bring their

own supply of snacks, foods and ingredients (as well as utensils) which we can pack in dedicated separate

containers for the duration of trip.

In many ways, river trips were made for kids. Regardless of a child's age or the current "phase" they happen to be going through, all kids thrive on our trips. Our guides are very skilled at drawing out the quiet ones and reining in the wild ones. They'll play bocce and river tug-o-war, learn about plants and animals, hear stories about native Americans, sleep out under the stars in a "dream circle," learn to guide a raft or "surf" a kayak, ride an "otter slide," and always make new friends. Parents are often impressed at what their kids are capable of and the opposite is true too! Our guides not only make sure that the kids are never bored, but do the same for parents, creating opportunities for parents and adults to pursue their own interests.

The riverside campsites we select most often have a variety of options for tent sites. We find that most guests enjoy selecting their own personal site and setting up our easy-to-set-up tents on their own. Our guides will be happy to teach you how to set up your tent at the first campsite and are always available for “troubleshooting” during the trip. If you find that setting up your tent is difficult and don’t mind the guides selecting your site, feel free to let your trip leader know that you would like your tent set up for you each night. We will be happy to accommodate your request. We provide roomy tents (family- sized tents available on request), cozy sleeping bags and thick pads. Each year, we host many people who have never camped before, but we have always been able to make the camping experience fun and comfortable for them. Our camps are clean and well-organized, complete with tables and chairs, toilet facilities, hand washing stations, tables for snacks, a river library, games and other amenities. The guides make sure that you are comfortable and know your way around on the first evening.

Reservations are required on all trips and can be made by phone or securely online. A payment or deposit will be due at time of reservation. Since availability on all trips is limited, our cancellation policies apply in all cases. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect your investment. Meeting instructions, packing lists, area information and helpful planning tips are e-mailed on receipt of your deposit.

We do not cancel trips due to inclement weather. If your trip departs in the early or late season, we provide you with information on how to prepare for inclement weather. If we cancel your trip due to unsafe river conditions, inadequate bookings or for any other reason, all payments will be refunded. Multi-day trip reservations require a deposit of 20% per person, due at time of reservation. Your deposit is non-refundable. Final Payment is due 30 days prior to departure and is non-refundable. Our Half & One-Day Trip reservations require payment at time of reservation. After 30 days prior to your trip there is a $10/person cancellation fee. No refunds for cancellations received after 48 hours prior to your trip. Read our full policies . 

Some camps on some of our rivers have toilet facilities installed by the forest service, but most do not. For rivers without facilities, we bring portable toilets downriver with us. These are state-of-the art units with a molded seat that is about the same size, shape and height of a regular toilet. Toilets are set up in a screened location away from camp and an "occupied" indicator will ensure privacy. During the day it is provided as needed. There is always a portable station available for washing hands with soap and water. For women rafters who desire more information about feminine hygiene on a river trip, more information is available here .

For the river, wear comfortable clothes that can get wet; swimsuits, quick-drying shorts and t-shirts. Bring quick-drying long pants and long-sleeve shirts for protection from the sun (if you are sensitive) or for cooler days. Keep in mind that wet cotton clothing will cool you on a hot day and rob you of all heat on a cold day. Comfortable cotton pants and shirts are great for camp. You'll want shoes that can get wet; sandals that have a heel strap and are secure on your feet are good. Prior to your trip, we will send you a detailed clothing list. You can also purchase clothing for all of your outdoor activities from Northwest River Supplies.

For shoulder-season or cold-weather trips refer to our Cold Weather Trip Suggestions. 

Certainly! We have a tremendous supply of water: the river! The water temperature varies with the river and time of year, but it's always refreshing. We suggest that you bring biodegradable soap. We also carry solar showers that use the sun to heat water (not available on 2-day trips). These work very well, even on cloudy days. Let your guide know in the morning that you would like a hot shower that afternoon or evening. The guides will set up the shower on a tripod in or near the river and make every attempt to provide enough hot water for everyone. 

Each trip planner will discuss specific plant and animal concerns for each river. Insects, rodents and reptiles are always present, but bother us very little on river trips. Snakes are rarely seen and usually avoid us before we know they're even there. Ticks are sometimes present in the early part of the season, as are mosquitoes, but you usually have to get away from the river and into the woods or tall grass to find them. As such, creepy crawlers are usually not abundant and easily avoided on river trips. The guides will let you know what is present and how best to avoid it. While you may never need it, we do recommend bringing insect repellent -- just in case.

If you have enjoyed your trip and feel that your guides have done an outstanding job, it is customary to thank them with a gratuity. A gratuity of between 15% and 20% of your trip fare is much appreciated. The guide staff has a tradition of sharing gratuities.