What Should I Take on my Rafting Trip?
One of the questions we get most often is what to bring along for a day on the river. There’s a long answer and a short answer for this one. Short answer is, pretty much just yourself! All the equipment you need is provided in your trip cost, so no need to cart along a wetsuit, helmet, paddle, or even shoes of your own. However, there are definitely a few items to bring along that can make your day whitewater rafting on The Hudson Gorge even better.
Things to Bring on the Boat
Each guide at The Beav has a dry bag that can hold small items from each guest, but anything that comes on the boat that does not go into the dry bag is 100%, undoubtedly, guaranteed to get wet. You will get wet. Everything you bring will get wet. Super wet. With that in mind, here are some things that can come along with you on the boat:
- Water bottle– There is water at lunch, but it is only accessible then. Bring yourself a water bottle (brownie points if there’s a carabiner attached) to make sure you stay hydrated.
- Sunscreen– Since you will for sure be getting wet, reapplying your sunscreen is key. Toss it in your guide’s dry bag and you’re good to go.
- A GoPro– If you have a way to stick that sucker to you, by all means, bring it along. We have a couple helmets with head mounts but we want to stress that many an unsecured GoPro have met a watery death. Bring one at your own risk.
- Another layer-If you’re the chilly type, you can give your guide an extra layer of clothes in the instance that you get cold on the river. They’ll put it in their dry bag (along with the extra clothes they carry just in case).
- Medication- If you carry an epi-pen or other medication that you need accessible, it is super important that it comes along with you onto the boat. It will go in our (waterproof) medkit or a dry bag, whichever makes more sense.
- Hat and shades- Hats fit just fine underneath a helmet and sunglasses are super handy. Just make sure the glasses are strapped on with a pair of chums (we sell them at the base).
Things to Leave in Your Car
There are a handful of belongings that definitely do not need to come on the raft. Read on to learn more:
- Towel– Leave this for when we get back to the ranch and you can dry off in one of our changing rooms.
- Change of clothes– Did we mention you will be getting wet? Yeah, a change of clothes is crucial for this. You don’t want to be the only one in your group looking like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown but with dripping shorts and soggy tennis shoes instead of stinky clothes.
- Your phone and wallet- Seriously. There are so many phones on the bottom of The Hudson Gorge that a Rainbow Trout currently has the highest score ever on Candy Crush. If you’re worried about taking pictures, don’t worry because our legendary photographer Jim Swedberg will take pictures of every boat coming through The Narrows. You won’t need money, so leave your wallet behind.
- Your keys– Well, don’t actually leave them in the car, but leave them behind for sure. Our office is staffed all day long and there is a secure place to leave your keys during the day. Keys and boats don’t mix well.
- Your troubles!- A day on the river is like a tonic for the soul, just ask our guides why they keep coming back. After an incredible day rafting on The Hudson, you’ll know why.
Schedule your rafting trip on The Hudson River Gorge today by calling 1-888-454-8433 or book online here.