The Whitewater Blog

Mar 26, 2023
0 comments

Inspecting and Protecting Your Whitewater Gear

There are some dangers of using throw bags and especially waist throw bags if used improperly or if a piece of gear fails because of wear. We will give you some tips on what to look for generally with products and a few specific things to check with River Station Gear products. Generally with throw bags you want to make sure the top buckle and cinch cord are in good shape and working properly. You don’t want your rope to unknowingly come out and get into a moving river. Another thing to check is the tie-in knot. Make sure it is still a nice looking, well dressed knot. Lastly, make sure your rope itself is in good shape.

Mar 18, 2023
1 comment

11 Tips for Rookie River Guides

Even after guide training is over, practice pulling yourself back into the raft, pulling others back in, and flipping your boat back over. Practice throw-bagging, swimming rapids, and high-siding. On fun runs, put yourself in unideal situations, and learn how to get out. For example, a surf you wouldn’t do with guests (nothing life-risking!)

Mar 11, 2023
0 comments

River Etiquette

We all rely on each other to stay safe on the river. Sometimes this means setting safety for other groups. Setting safety involves waiting at the bottom of a rapid for the group behind you to make it through, and it often happens without asking or communicating about it.

When you see another group behind you, pull over, get your throw bag ready, and watch them run the rapid. Once they’ve made it, they’ll likely wait for the group behind them. Of course, if they don’t make it, you might have to jump into action to help get a boat, kayak, or people out of the water.

Mar 05, 2023
10 comments

Raft Guide Superstitions

“A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself. -Laura Gilpin

Those of us working on the river every day feel this magic power better than anyone. Sometimes it doesn't matter how many times you’ve run a rapid; the river has other plans. The mysterious nature of the river has given rise to various superstitions. Here are a few river rat superstitions you would be wise to abide by.

Feb 26, 2023
0 comments

5 Ways to get Involved in your Local Whitewater Community

There will almost always be a local Swift-water rescue option where you can learn, hands on, how to throw a throw bag, self-rescue and entrapment rescue, as well as how to flip and unpin boats and how to tie river knots. These courses are offered throughout the year in most whitewater communities. You can always contact a local raft outfitter for info about swift-water courses in your area.

Dec 30, 2022
0 comments

What's the best meal you've had on the river?

So as you can guess, we had the whole canyon pretty much to ourselves. We decided to get ourselves and all of our gear down to the river the old fashioned way. Hiking. We opted out on renting horses, because we wanted to have a “real” adventure. So, we carried a 9' raft, all of our gear, paddles, pump, fishing pole, small food cooler that contained 4 sausages, small camp stove, tarp, dry bags, mesh bags, throw bags and camera gear in only 2 trips. 2 trips down a mile long, steep, rocky trail to the put-in. Down, up and down again for a total of 3 miles and well over a 1000ft of elevation changes. Down at the put in we had the pleasure of meeting Rooster, an old school park ranger that has patrolled that area for decades.

Previous 1 2