FAQ Salt River Rafting Arizona

River Rafting in Arizona requires preparation for all conditions. Salt River Rafting has tried to answer the most common questions here but feel free to call our office at 800-425-5253 or 719-539-3555.

ADOT Closures and Delays
Please bring these two forms to the river completed for each person!
1) SRR Acknowledgement of Risk Form
2) White Mountain Apache Tribal Release of Liability Form

When and Where do we meet? Confirmation?
What does Salt River Rafting provide?
What to wear, bring for camping, etc?
What about food, special dietary needs?
Can we bring alcohol?
Can we bring cameras?
How many people in a raft? How is it guided?
Who can do it?
How cold is the water?
Is it customary to tip the guides?
What 'Class' is the rafting on the Salt River of Arizona?
Guide training and certification
What is a Ducky or Inflatable Kayak?
SAFETY CODE OF AMERICAN WHITEWATER

When and Where do we meet? Confirmation?

All trips meet at the Salt River where the highway 60/77 bridge crosses the river at the bottom of the canyon at Mile Marker 293 about half way between Globe, AZ and Showlow AZ. All trips meet at 10:00 am. except the wilderness trip. The multi-day Wilderness trips meet at 8am. under the Safeway sign in the Walmart parking lot in the town of Miami just minutes from Globe, AZ.. See our Map page for more details and directions to print as well as road construction updates. The confirmation is your payment when on the phone with our office at 719-539-3555 or 800-425-5253.

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What does Salt River Rafting provide?

All our trips include self-bailing rafts or inflatable kayaks, PFD's (life jackets), paddles, helmets, specialized equipment, first aid supplies and dry bags. Wetsuits, wetsuit booties and paddle jackets are provided at no extra charge. Return transportation to your vehicle is included at the end of your trip. Meals and beverages are included on all trips except for the half day trip. Bring a snack and beverage for the half day.

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What to wear, bring for camping, etc?

Temperatures vary quite a bit in the spring time in Arizona, one day you will want all the gear described below, the next day just a swimsuit and old tennis shoes. Better safe than sorry and that is why Salt River Rafting will provide
adequate gear at no charge if you do not have your own. See "What Salt River Rafting Provides" above for details. For additional comfort YOU should bring a swimsuit to wear under the wetsuit. Cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts and denim will
keep you cold once wet and does not belong on the river. Tops and bottoms made of synthetics such as poly-pro, capilene, fleece, silk or wool are designed to keep you warm when wet. Any outdoor sporting goods store carries this clothing. We also provide wet suit booties to keep your feet warm because there is always some water on the floor of the raft. You can also bring your own wetsuit booties or a sandal with a heel strap. All foot gear can be worn with a sock made of the materials listed above for added comfort. Bring Extra clothing, Sunscreen, Water, Restraining Strap for Glasses, Waterproof Camera, and Smiles!

If you are camping with us on the 2 day or Camp Out trip you are only limited by what you can fit in your vehicle which you will drive down to our riverside base camp. Evenings can cool off quite a bit so bring whatever you need to be warm after sunset. It is car supported camping on a beach, next to the river, 2000 feet deep in a canyon, so, bring it all! On the 3-5 day wilderness trips we ask that you pack much lighter because all of your belongings will be repacked into a dry bag and carried on a gear raft.

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What about food?

Salt River Rafting provides all meals and beverages on every river trip except for the express-half day trip. Bring a snack and beverage for the half day option. We prepare a huge grilled lunch with all the fixings at our beach side base camp mid-way through our full day raft trip. No one leaves lunch hungry, and it usually includes burgers and brats with all the fixings, veggie burger option, fresh tossed salad, potatoe salad, sliced fruit, chips and salsa and cookies! Dinners, lunches and breakfasts served on multi-day trips are always delicious, filling and reflect the guides special areas of expertise. Guides are also your cook, waiter, and dishwasher! Feel free to ask if you can lend a hand. Special diets can be accommodated with prior notice.

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Can We Bring Alcohol?

Adult beverages are welcome as long as we are all clear on the rule: NEVER CONSUME ALCOHOL BEFORE OR DURING TIME ON THE WATER! We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule your trip if we suspect you have been drinking. For multi-day trips we ask that no glass containers which can break and puncture a raft be included with your personal gear.

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Can We Bring Cameras?

Waterproof, disposable cameras are the only cameras we suggest you bring on the river. The canyon and scenery are spectacular on all of our trips. Feel free to bring water proof digital cameras, or cameras in water proof cases. We can not guarantee that these will not go overboard, but we do have over a 99% success rate in not losing your personal belongings. We have a 100% success rate of not losing you! We also now offer professional photos taken of your trip available for purchase on CD, ask at the end of your trip for details.

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How Many People in a Raft? How is it Guided?

Manufacturers design rafts to carry anywhere from 1 to 12 people along with a guide who navigates and calls commands. Most trips generally have 6 people in a raft in addition to the guide. There are two methods by which a guide controls the raft.

Method one is the paddle raft: Your raft crew paddles together as a team at the guides' command and the guide steers with a paddle. No experience is necessary as each guide gives an explanation and practice run of all the paddle commands.
About 99% of our clients choose this method.

Method two is the Oar guided raft: the guide steers with a set of oars mounted on a frame attached to the raft. You can paddle or just hold on. This method is generally used at a guides discretion for comfort, safety or the handicapped.

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Who Can do it?

You can do it! Rafting is a great way to get together with your family, friends, coworkers or just have an adventure by yourself. We have no upper age limit, and children as young as 7 (depending on the flow) can enjoy a guided raft trip. We have accommodated countless people who could not swim and or have physical challenges. The most important ingredient is a good attitude!

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How Cold is the Water?

Spring time rafting on the Salt River of Arizona brings great whitewater in the form of melted snow run-off from the White Mountains. Generally if you are from Phoenix, Florida or Texas the water will always feel chilly. If you are from the upper Mid-West or North-East the water will feel comfortable. One day you will
want to wear everything Salt River Rafting provides, the next day a swim suit and sneakers will be fine. For more details read What do we Wear? above.

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Is it Customary to Tip the Guides?

Gratuity for guide service is customary. A tip is a nice way to say 'thank you' and should reflect how you feel about the personal service you or your group received. Some groups organize a tip for their guide, others prefer to tip personally. Average tip is between 10-20% of your trip cost. All things are equal except for the people and Salt River Rafting is very proud of its staff.

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What Class is the Salt River Rated?

Most rivers in the world are rated on the International Scale of Whitewater, I-VI. Class I is flat water with some current, like the tubing section on the Lower Salt River near Phoenixl. Class VI is impossible, for instance Niagara Falls. The full day and half day trips on the Upper Salt River of Arizona are rated class III. Fun, splashes, and rapids that require defined navigation. Class III is considered the "normal" level to begin rafting. Higher and lower water levels don't generally change the classification until "high water". Obviously higher water makes bigger waves and splashes, lower water will be more technical as rocks and obstacles begin to appear. Although the whitewater industry does not require or normally wear helmets in Class III stretches of river, Salt River Rafting requires them due to the remoteness of the canyon. Double check all commercial raft companies safety protocols.

Multi-day trips with Salt River Rafting run a number of Class IV rapids in an even more remote area of the canyon. These rapids are more challenging and difficult to maneuver, although not necessarily bigger and wetter.

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Guide Training and Certification

All things are equal except for the people. Salt River Rafting's staff are dedicated outdoor enthusiasts with many years of experience guiding and adventuring. All of
our guides are CPR/First Aid Certified. Many are EMT's, Wilderness EMT's, as well as Swift Water Rescue Technicians. Our guides have made whitewater
their profession and aren't just working a season or two, but people who have dedicated their lives to the passion of living and working outdoors. For me this is the most important aspect of choosing a company with which to raft. After all, the companies' permitted to run commercial trips on the Upper Salt River are using basically the same gear from rafts to life jackets. Trip lengths are very similar
although we pride ourselves on adding miles when water conditions permit. So the choice for you is to pick the company with the most experience on the water, guiding your raft, shaping your experience and focusing on your safety. Salt River
Rafting takes great pride in the professionalism and expertise of our staff! We reserve the right to deny a trip to any person for safety reasons and to modify any trip due to unsafe river conditions.

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What is a Ducky or Inflatable Kayak?

These are one or two person crafts that are stable, easy to get in and out of like a canoe, but use a two bladed kayak paddle to power. We consider this a HIGH ADVENTURE trip that requires above average physical condition and a "git 'er done" attitude. Our experience has shown this trip is not for everyone. Please take a look at these pictures if you are unfamiliar with this craft. Keep in mind that inflatable kayaks are much more physically challenging than rafting. Getting stuck on rocks, falling out of the ducky and rescuing yourself with or without the aid of the guide are typical experiences. Before you head down river you will be required to demonstrate a self resucue in the calm pool at the put in. A self rescue entails exiting your kayak into the water and getting back into the craft with or without the assistance of the guides.

This trip is run separate from the raft trips with Salt River Rafting for your safety (not being run over by a raft), logistics (duckiers generally take longer than rafters to get down the river), and enjoyment. We maintain a high client to guide ratio as has been noted by our permitee the Tonto National Forest Rangers. Our minimum group size of 4 requires 2 guides; one in a small oar powered raft to handle any circumstance such as fatigue, fear or injury. Another guide will be in a kayak or ducky to show you the best way through the rapids. These quality and safety measures are what account for the higher cost of the inflatable kayak trip.

We maintain the right to alter or cancel your ducky trip at the last minute at the river based on river conditions and or other safety reasons.

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Salt River Rafting LLC
info@raftthesalt.com
800-425-5253
719-539-3555