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Whitewater River Rafts and rafting

River rafting has come a long way since 1842, when inventor Horace H. Day and Lt. John C. Fremont cobbled together four rubber pontoons and a roughhewn wooden floor for Fremont’s trip down the Platte River in Wyoming. Day was an inventor and one of the first men in the United States to manufacture items from rubber. Fremont needed a more buoyant means of floating down the great western rivers he intended to explore. They came up with the first known white water raft ever used in this country.

Even as late as the 1950s, white water rafting was considered something for explorers and crazy people. In 1956, some enterprising entertainment director at a resort in Grand Teton National Park owned by John D. Rockefeller Jr. took an old rubber floating bridge from World War II and rigged it with sweeps made from galvanized pipes and wooden blades. Fewer than 500 brave souls took the trip down the Snake River that summer, but a recreational sport was born.

Today whitewater river rafting is a high-tech, profitable industry as well as a popular recreational activity. Approximately four million people go river rafting every year, and the industry pulls in about $150 million in revenue. The rafts, a far cry from Fremont’s pontoons and Rockefeller’s floating bridge, are technological marvels of sturdiness and safety. Rafting is found in all parts of the country except the Midwest. The state of Colorado has more rafting trips than any other, but the Arkansas River is the single most popular river for rafters.

The boats needed for river rafting are inflatable crafts which can hold anywhere from two to twelve (or more, in some cases) passengers. The rafts are typically made of a synthetic rubber or flexible plastic fabric. These fabrics are designed to withstand even the sharpest rocks and hardest blows. In case of a puncture, the rafts have several different inflatable chambers; if one is punctured, the others will continue to float. Most rafts are self-bailing, meaning that passengers don’t have to worry about the raft filling up with water.

Many people question the safety of river rafting, and, indeed, about 50 people die every year while rafting, a number comparable to other active outdoor sports like skiing. However, the vast majority of these fatalities occur on unguided trips. Only about ten fatalities a year occur on commercially guided whitewater excursions. Commercial companies use trained guides who know their rivers and are taught how to keep their customers safe in all conditions.

Another misconception about rafting is that it is only for athletic types. On the contrary, rafters from age five to 85 (and above!) in any physical condition are able to raft. Commercial companies frequently take customers who are blind, partially paralyzed, overweight, tall, short, smart, not-so-smart – everyone is welcome. If you have concerns about the fitness, physical or otherwise, of someone in your group, contact your outfitter. Most companies can tailor trips to fit the needs of everyone in your party.

If you haven’t tried whitewater rafting, give it a shot. You can choose anything from a gentle float down the river to the wildest ride of your life. You can take an afternoon or a week. You can go with your company, your family or just yourself. However you decide to do it, you’re going to love white water river rafting!