The Classic - Lochsa River Rafting

Probably not. We prefer people with previous rafting experience on the Lochsa. Of all the rivers where we run 1-day trips, the chances of falling out of a raft are higher on the Lochsa than any other river. We want your first rafting experience to be a positive one. If you fall out and find out that you're terrified, you may not want to go rafting ever again. It's better to gain experience on an easier river where you're more likely to stay in the raft all day! Here's another way to think of it. Say you had never tasted wine in your life. Someone pours you a 20-year old French Bordeaux. With no point of comparison, the excellence of this wine would likely not be appreciated. Think of the Lochsa as the French Bordeaux. Better to learn more about whitewater on other rivers so you truly appreciate the Class IV power and excitement of the Lochsa's rapids.

Generally yes. Everyone wears a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and this is a more important tool than knowing how to swim. However, often people who swim are more comfortable in the water and the idea of falling out of a raft. Your best choices would be an easier river like the St. Joe or Clark Fork Rivers.

We've taken tens of thousands of people on our trips lasting from 1 to 6 days over the past 40+ years. We do our best to mitigate the natural risks of rafting. However we are human and nature can create difficult conditions. People fall out of rafts, rafts can turn over, people can accidentally hit another person in the raft with a paddle. In the end however, outdoor adventures such as rafting are inherently risky, thus accidents can and do happen.

Rivers are rated by the difficulty of their rapids, with Class I-II being easier than Class III (Intermediate) or Class IV (advanced). However, bear in mind that the "most exciting" trip may not be the one appropriate for you. Previous rafting experience, water temperature and the age of those in your party determine which trips are appropriate for you. To help you decide, here's a list of rivers along with their season, water temperature, and rapid classification from easiest to most difficult. (To learn more about rapid classifications, visit our Understanding Whitewater Classifications blog.

Clark Fork - Class II-III with warmer (62-68 degree) temperatures in July and August
St. Joe River - Class III-III+ cold (50-60 degree) water in May/June
Lochsa River - Class IV - IV+ cold (45 degree) water in May/early June and cool (55-63 degrees) in late June/early July