“Hang on tight,” I implore my 11-year-old son as I find the nearest straps and loop a hand under each one.
“Quit being so paranoid, Mom,” he returns with confidence, as if he’d been doing this his whole life.
The truth is this is his first time to ever set a paddle into the rapids. It’s the first time for both of us. Along with 25 other rafters with varying degrees of experience, we are rafting 44 miles over four days down the Green River through Dinosaur National Monument in Utah. The Monument is somewhat of a misnomer, having very little to do with prehistoric creatures. Instead, it’s an outdoor museum composed of three distinct wind-swept canyons and a breadth of human and geological history. Much of the Monument is accessible only by boat, which is why we have found ourselves perched on the side of a yellow inflatable O.A.R.S (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists) raft.
It is not without some level of uncertainty — and outright fear — that I have come on this trip. Although the Green River is considered one of the best for rafting beginners and young families, I still have some concerns about braving the rapids and avoiding an involuntary out-of-boat experience. Adding to the list, I am unsure about tent-camping (we are more cabin people) and the mechanics of fully roughing it (you know, taking care of business).
There are more uncertainties about the trip, but the first is staring me in the face in the form of a class III rapid known as Hell’s Half Mile. Rapids are ranked on a I–VI scale, with Class I and II rapids slated for beginners and Class VI rapids characterized as unsafe for commercial boats. A Class III rapid is an intermediate rapid that includes tricky rocks, holes and currents. O.A.R.S has a minimum age of 7 years for their rafting trips, but increases that age to 12 for trips that include rapids classified Class IV and above.
As the nose of our raft dips into the first crest of the rapid, my instinct is to duck my head and squeeze my eyes shut, but instead I look over at my son, who is dutifully holding tight to the strap, but also grinning from ear to ear. As the raft ricochets through the rapids, his smile bursts open into hoots and hollers of excitement. Catching his enthusiasm, I forget to be afraid and let out a little hoot of my own.
On the other side of the rapids, our guide, who expertly steered us through Hell’s Half Mile, is leading us on an educational tour through the rust-colored canyons that tower above us. As we float through the pages of a geology textbook, we learn about the strong tectonic plates that forced and folded the layers of rocks into the gaping canyons we see today. While it would be impossible to miss the beauty of nature’s panorama, we would not really understand and appreciate it so deeply if not for the expertise of our guide.
The invaluable know-how of the six O.A.R.S. guides who accompany our group is the key to the success and enjoyment of our four-day adventure. They are experts in every aspect of river guiding, even helping first-time families like ours figure out the ropes.
The pace of our trip becomes predictable, but no two days are exactly the same. Some days, we spend up to six hours on the river, but the pace is slow and we arrive at camp just before dinner. Other days, we’re only on the river for a couple of hours, but those hours are wet and wild. On these days, we arrive at camp with plenty of time to relax and recharge.
When we come ashore for the evening, our guides swing into action preparing our camp while the guests pitch tents and unpack. While I am still unsure about camping in a tent, the all-inclusive rafting package makes it as easy as possible by providing everything we need, including tents, sleeping bags, tarps and sleeping pads. Of course, it’s hard to really feel like we’re roughing it when we’re enjoying an appetizer plate of cheese and crackers before a gourmet dinner of salmon, new potatoes, salad and brownies for dessert. Camp life also consists of riverside strolls for wildlife sightings — including Canada geese, bighorn sheep and otter families — or guided hikes to see waterfalls and petroglyphs.
When there is downtime at camp the guides entertain the kids with a game of horseshoes, while the parents relax with a book and enjoy some grown-up conversation around the fire. Before bed, there is even time for a rousing game of cards by lantern light in our tent.
As we are falling asleep, fears and uncertainties have been erased by the thrill of the rapids and the relaxing pace of camp that has allowed us to reconnect as a family.
“I feel accomplished,” my 11-year-old says into the darkness with a sigh. I feel exactly the same, and I am grateful that the support of the guides has allowed us to try and succeed at something new and exciting. As the rush of the river rocks us gently to sleep, I begin to plan for our next river adventure.
