Worldwide, both young and old can enjoy whitewater rafting for the adventure of a lifetime. These adventures occur in the great outdoors around a river or any suitable body of water. The rafts used are inflated, and the challenge of participants is to skillfully navigate the body of water with them.
The sport is challenging and thrilling due to the rough water, anywhere from being mildly turbulent to showing white caps. Participants work together as a team to conquer the risky task. Many people regard whitewater rafting as an extreme sport, and its risky nature can lead to fatalities. Whitewater rafting is done worldwide, and championship events are held for those demonstrating the acquired skills to successfully manage this. There is even an International Rafting Federation, which oversees official events.
This sport uses a raft which is totally different than the more commonly used canoes or kayaks, and many different techniques are used to navigate the rafts. One technique used is called punching, which involves rowing or paddling the raft so that it is traveling fast enough to push through recirculating currents without being stopped or flipped by them. The rafts gather a great deal of momentum in the whitewater with its large standing waves and hydraulics.
Participating in the sport with American Whitewater Expeditions will give everyone a chance to find out that this sport is enjoyable, strenuous exercise, and it promotes bonding for family and friends alike. Teamwork is critical, and tackling this challenge definitely leads to a feeling of empowerment in a unique way. The scenic beauty of the mountains and the river falls can be enjoyed while observing the native wildlife and tackling the daunting challenge. It is in the springtime that most rivers produce white waters challenging to navigate. Mountain ranges in North America covered with winter snowfall, when melted by hot summer temperatures, will produce epic conditions favorable for adventuresome rafting. It is especially thrilling from July through the end of summer when water levels reach their peak.
In states like Idaho, where snow drains into the rivers and canyons at a rate of 69-75{aa87f5dd92d358c2acb48efd9ed90cc0f8202628872abb614528bad7df728186} range, the peaks will be smaller and more suitable for novice families and friends. Cool temperature and spring rains produce good flows until summer’s end. In Utah, the water levels are lower, but a dense snowpack often makes whitewater rafting conditions very favorable until late in the fall months.
In the West, snowpack levels are often below average due to controlled dam releases. This creates a lot of white water across Split Mountain and Desolation Canyon and the Split Mountain in the state of Utah, the Rogue River in Oregon, the Colorado River on its transversal through the Grand Canyon, California’s Tuolumne River, and the American River Forks. On the U.S. Atlantic Coast, rafting is a great sport at the Chattooga, New, and Nolichucky rivers all summer long. When big snowfalls occur and there is heavy spring rain, white waters are high in the early season beginning in June.