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Many local companies offer crash courses on the river By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings You don't have to be an experienced whitewater enthusiast to enjoy a rafting trip down the Rogue River. Many local companies offer guided trips that serve as a crash course in river rafting. Two people on inflatable kayaks run through rapids near the Argo boat ramp in the recreational stretch of the Rogue River on Friday. Ashland Daily Tidings/ CHRIS MILLER People who have gained skills on such trips often can tackle many relatively calm stretches of river themselves. "My personal advice is to do a guided trip first," said Hallie Gentry, a representative for Grants Pass-based Orange Torpedo Trips, which offers both guided trips and equipment rentals. "We will give you an orientation and show you how to paddle correctly and go through rapids. It makes it a lot easier the second time. It makes it easier to go down by yourself." Renting equipment for do-it-yourself rafting is significantly less expensive than paying for a guided trip. Although rates vary, local companies charge about $75 per person for an all-day guided trip that includes a lunch, and about $55 per person for a half-day trip. In contrast, renting a raft for several people for a self-guided excursion is about $55 to $75. Whether you book a guided trip or want to rent equipment, reservations a week or two in advance are needed at most companies, especially for weekend trips. Some Ashland-based companies that serve locals as well as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival crowd can be more accommodating on shorter notice. Getting Started Noah's River Adventures and Adventure Center in Ashland are among the companies that offer Introduction to Whitewater trips. Both offer a half-day trip that includes transportation and equipment, with the put-in point at Gold Ray Dam, and ending at Gold Hill All Sports Park. Participants will learn paddling techniques and safety tips. The trips start out on gentle Class I and II rapids, but also include two white-knuckle Class IV rapids. Class IV rapids are difficult, with dangerous rocks and boiling eddies. Precise maneuvering and scouting the river are imperative, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Booking a trip does not mean you have to go through the Class IV rapids, said Hugh Hague, office manager and trip coordinator for Noah's. "We stop and look at the first Class IV rapid. A person can choose to be the family photographer if they wish, or they can choose to participate," Hague said. Stopping above the Class IV rapids also allows families to bring along children who are about five or six years old because they can walk around the rapid, he said. The trip cost is $75 for adults, although discounts for locals, children, families and American Automobile Association members are available, according to Hague. The cost is $69 per person at Adventure Center, according to a representative there. People who have taken the Introduction to Whitewater course on the Gold Ray Dam to Gold Hill stretch should attempt easier Rogue River stretches if they decide to venture out on their own. One of the most popular stretches lies northwest of Grants Pass in the area from Hog Creek downstream to Grave Creek near the communities of Merlin and Galice. Road signs identify Hog Creek and Grave Creek Boat Ramps, as well as numerous other entry and exit points. Rafters will encounter Class I and II rapids in the stretch. The scenery is striking, with rugged mountains rising on each side of the river, occasional sandy beaches, deep pools of emerald water and frothing rapids. To reach the area, take Exit 61 off Interstate 5 north of Grants Pass and turn left (west) to find the rafting companies that line Galice Road along the riverfront. The 14.5 mile Hog Creek to Grave Creek stretch is part of the Recreational Section of the river. The Rogue River was one of eight original rivers included in the Wild and Scenic Act of 1968 and includes Recreational, Scenic and Wild Sections. Permits are not needed in the Recreational Section, except for commercial operators, according to Louise Austermuehle, commercial permit administrator for the Rand Visitors' Center near Galice. Grave Creek marks the beginning of the Wild Section, where only boaters who won permits in an annual lottery are allowed. Casual boaters should not go past Grave Creek anyway. Rainie Falls - a narrow, suicidally difficult Class V rapid with a 12 foot drop into a boiling, rock-lined cauldron - awaits just two miles past Grave Creek and is rarely run by even whitewater experts. Most go around the falls via a tricky side channel. People interested in learning more about rafting in a relatively safe environment can book guided half-day or full-day trips. A guided trip can serve as a scouting expedition for a future do-it-yourself excursion on the stretch. "Unless people are experienced in whitewater and/or are familiar with this resource, it's good to go on a guided trip," said Myrna Rafalovich, co-owner of Rogue Wilderness Inc. at 325 Galice Rd. "The Rogue is a big river. It requires caution. We ask people to wear their life jackets at all times on the river. Things can change in a minute. One second you're in a calm pool and the next you're into a rapid. That's not a good time to try and find your life jacket." Oregon State Marine Board rules require life jackets to be available on a boat for all adults, while youths must wear life jackets. Operating a boat and drinking is illegal - and potentially deadly. "Just because it's the Recreational Section, people still need to be cautious," Austermuehle said. "Most of the deaths are in the Recreational Section - and most involve alcohol." Rogue Wilderness Inc. offers guided all-day trips from Hog Creek to Grave Creek, a 14.5 mile trip, for $70 per person including lunch. The Galice Resort & Store, located between Hog Creek and Grave Creek at 11744 Rd., offers a guided morning trip from Hog Creek to the resort and an afternoon trip from the resort to Grave Creek for $55 per person. An all-day guided Hog Creek to Grave Creek outing is $75 per person. Guides not only provide rafting technique instructions, but relate the fascinating history of the area, according to Debbie Thomason, Galice Resort & Store owner. Do-It-Yourself After familiarizing yourself with rafting techniques and the river, consider renting equipment for an excursion without a guide. Seven river miles equals about a half day of boating, while a fourteen mile trip takes a full day, according to rafting company representatives. Remember that time spent out on the river in the sun can be tiring when deciding whether to make a half or full-day trip. The Galice Road follows the Rogue River along the Hog Creek to Grave Creek section, providing an easy way to estimate river mileage when driving. Boaters can custom-design the length of their trip by choosing entry and exit points. Set entry and exit points may be required for people who use a rafting company's shuttle service. Hog Creek to Galice is 7.1 miles, and Galice to Grave Creek is 7.4 miles, according to the Forest Service. The Galice Resort offers rental rafts for $55 plus $1 per person for a half-day, and $75 plus $1 a person for a full day with shuttle service and life jackets included. An inflatable kayak is $30 for one person and $35 for two. Rogue Wilderness Inc. offers a raft package for $60 a day, and inflatable kayaks for $30 for singles and $40 for doubles. About two dozen rafting companies operate in the Rogue Valley, so check the Yellow Pages for additional listings. Make sure shuttle service is included when getting quotes, unless you have two pick-ups or trailers in your rafting party. People who still are unsure of their skills after a guided trip, or who want to skip a guided trip altogether, can head to the Rogue River stretch near the town of Shady Cove, located north of Medford along Highway 62. The peaceful stretch has only Class I rapids and smaller riffles, according to representatives of Raft Rite Rentals, 31 Maple Dr., Shady Cove. Raft Rite Rentals, one of several companies operating in Shady Cove, offers single inflatable kayaks for $15 and doubles for $20, as well as a range of raft sizes from $30 to $80. Regardless of whether you familiarize yourself with rafting through a guided trip or outings along easy stretches, do-it-yourself trips can provide an affordable and adventurous way to enjoy the Rogue. "Rafting is a great thing," said Thomason, the Galice Resort owner. "I encourage families and friends to get together and go. The cost per person is about $15. By the time you go to a movie and dinner anymore, you're spending the same or more." Safety Tips Representatives of the Rand Visitors' Center and area rafting companies offer the following safety tips for floating the Rogue. o Always wear your life jacket and keep it securely fastened. o Bring lots of drinking water, but leave alcoholic beverages at home. Don't drink river water. o If you do fall overboard, float downstream feet first in a lawnchair position to fend off rocks. o Because of fire season, campfires are restricted to Jackson and Josephine County parks. Smoking is not allowed near any flammable vegetation. o Wear sunglasses and generously apply sunscreen, especially on the tops of your thighs and shoulders. o Don't float through or over anglers' lines. o Avoid bunching on the river with other rafting groups. Paddle past another group or stop and take a break to create space. o Steer clear of trees and branches overhanging the river. o Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. o Watch for loose rocks, poison oak and rattlesnakes on shore. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -