by Dave Inks, with some ideas from Ron Castle

Expedition planning is critical to the safety and enjoyment of your wilderness rafting expeditions.  The time you spend in advance planning and preparation is very important to how well you do on your trip.

The first thing I do when expedition planning is to try and get a good topographical map of the area to study.  You don't want to end up facing a big rapid near dusk with no suitable place to camp above.  Find someone who has been where you are going before and pick their brain.  An online fishing or adventure forum is a great place to make connections.  Find out how they were outfitted and what they took that they did not need or what they did not take with them that they needed.  Ask about river conditions, rapids, changes in river flow based on rainfall, sweepers, log jams, good camping sites, any problem areas for bears.

Next, make up a expedition planning gear list.  I lay out all my gear, double check my list and get packed several days before my departure date.  The equipment you select will determine much about how well your trip turns out.  Sometimes even the best equipment fails, usually due to human error.  Plan for backup on critical items like oars, pumps and patch kits.

Time of year and water flow are important things to consider.  What kind of insect life you will experience also is very important.  A bad case of bugs can really make the trip very uncomfortable if not miserable. 

With these suggestions in mind you can start making your plans and deciding who will join you.  From your gear list you can decide among your group who will bring the gear items that can be shared by the group.

The Water Strider Raft Package is designed for extended journeys.  Our suggestion is each group take along a few extra items like an extra oar for each person.  A good first aid kit for each group is a must.  Don't forget any prescription medication required for each person.  Always plan for a few extra days of food and supplies just in case you do not arrive at the take out as planned or you get fogged or rained in.

Expedition rafting is a lot like backpacking.  The fewer items you have along with you the easier it is to pack and to float.  Make a list of the items you took and didn’t use or really need along so on the next trip you will be lighter and better prepared.  Having a journal along to record each day’s activities is a great way to record information that you might forget about by the time you start to get ready for your next trip.

Take a look at this list from our last expedition to see what goes into the planning process.

Some tips about wilderness camping:

I recommend a good double door 4 season tent. For one person use a 2 man tent and for 2 people use a 4 man tent.  This will give you plenty of room for your gear and will allow you to be very comfortable should you get delayed by high water or bad weather.

In addition to your tent I recommend a large plastic tarp at least 12 X 14 feet.  A tarp is important for both shade and for rain cover should it rain 20 inches in 4 days like it did on my last expedition.  The tarp will fit in your Water Strider dry bag very nicely.

Mid afternoon is the best time to stop to prepare your campsite for the night, to collect firewood and to put your tarp overhead where you are going to put up your tent.  Always look up when you plan you tent sight.  Look for dead tree limbs hanging overhead that could drop on you.

I take 2 50’ plastic shielded clothesline ropes along to use to tie my tarp up and to pull a small supply of food for the next day up a tree in a stuff sack.  The plastic line is tough and does not bite into tree limbs when you pull your food up for safekeeping.

Meals are best eaten earlier rather than later during the afternoon and food preparation and eating should be done away from your tent.  This prevents food smells from lingering in your camping spot.  If you spill food or drinks on your clothes rinse them out right away and don’t put them in your tent.  Be neat and tidy with food scraps.  Burn them in your fire.

There are all kinds of nocturnal critters in the wilderness who love to invade your camp.  Keeping it clean really helps to avoid critter problems.  In bear country, setting up some protection like our Yellow Jacket electric fence will keep the larger animals out of your camp.

Having a nice pile of firewood that will last the whole night with enough for the next morning is a good idea.  All you have to do in the morning is take you Water Strider foot pump and make a few quick blasts into the hot coals and you have a fire started again.

Be careful when you collect downed wood.  Hornets and yellow jackets love to make nests in old rotten wood and when you start to pull a log over to the fire you can really have a problem.  If hornets, bees or yellow jackets attack, whatever you do don’t run toward the other people in your group.  Head toward dense brush or jump into the river if you have to.

Be prepared for first aid.  Several people going on the trip should be qualified first air providers or should take a first aid course.  I am a licensed guide and carry a first aid card and a CPR card which are required by law in Montana.

A good book to help you prepare for life in the wilderness is "The National Outdoor Leadership School's Wilderness Guide."

Have fun and be careful.  I wish you tight lines, dry waders and big fish.  Cheers!

Dinks