YAMPA RIVER RAFTING VACATION INFORMATION:
Adrift Adventures makes every effort to ensure a safe trip and we have an excellent safety record, whitewater boating, hiking and wilderness travel involve some risks.
Physical challenges and risks are inherent in rafting and are the reason why people seek this kind of adventure.
You elect to participate in these activities at your own risk. Adrift Adventures and its agents are not responsible for injuries to participants, personal gear that gets wet or broken, or for travel delays. Trip and/or medical insurance is recommended.
You must be in good health. All participants are required to sign an acknowledgement of risk prior to departure. Please have each participant in your group sign and return a separate acknowledgement of risk form at least 30 days prior to departure.
Although it has very rarely happened, Adrift Adventures reserves the right to cancel a trip due to extremely high or low river levels or an insufficient number of reservations. In this case your trip payments will be refunded in full.
TRIP BEVERAGES
We do not provide soda or alcoholic beverages on the trip. However, there is no problem bringing your own soda and libations.
No glass bottles! If you bring wine or liquor, please bring it in cans or put it in a plastic bottle to avoid broken glass.
No liquor is sold after 7:00pm or before 11:00am or on Sundays/holidays in Utah. We stop in Dinosaur, CO on the way to the put-in for last minute purchases.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
River trips can be strenuous for some persons and they are located in remote areas a long distance from medical facilities.
It maybe necessary for some persons to check with their doctor about going on the trip. Our guides are trained in First Aid and CPR.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOTIFY THE ADRIFT TRIP LEADER BEFORE PUTTING ON THE RIVER ABOUT ANY PERSONAL HEALTH CONCERNS, such as diabetes, special medication, allergic reactions to insects or food or anything else, that may affect your ability to participate in the river trip.
If you have special dietary or other requirements we will be happy to try and accommodate you, but please notify us at least one week in advance of trip launch.
GENERAL INFORMATION
AT THE PUT-IN
The "put-in" is river language for the launch site. Here you'll meet the other guides. This is a very busy place with other groups launching. Once you've accounted for your personal bag and placed it near the boats, sit back and relax. Next, the trip leader will give an orientation on safety and trip policies.
LIFE PRESERVERS
Life preservers (or PFD's) are the most important safety factor on your trip, and MUST BE WORN AND BUCKLED AT ALL TIMES WHILE ON THE RIVER.
They are provided to you by Adrift Adventures. This is a strictly enforced company policy and park regulation. For your safety, PFD's should fit tightly so it will support you in the water.
A loose jacket may even come off in the river. Be sure an Adrift guide checks the fit of your PFD.
Keep track of your PFD at all times and note the unique number on it. It's your "friend." Since river currents are often swift, children must wear a PFD while playing in or near the river, and PFD's must be worn by everyone while swimming.
PERSONAL SAFETY AND HYGIENE
You should be extra safety-minded on this trip because you are a long ways from hospitals, doctors and pain medicine. In the interest of your safety and others on the trip we ask that you consider the following:
· WASH YOUR HANDS- ALWAYS wash your hands before every meal, before entering the kitchen, and after using the toilet. Bacteria can spread rapidly through a group if you do not wash your hands. A hand wash station with soap is provided at each meal and camp.
· USE THE TOILETS- At camp and during the day a portable human waste toilet is provided. When at camp the toilet or "groover" is setup in a private spot to allow depositing feces, toilet paper and tampax. Please do not urinate into the toilet, or drop foreign objects, such as applicators, food or packaging into it. Since there is only one toilet, please use the facility quickly. For your safety and others on the trip, and to protect park resources, please use our toilets. If you must go "Number 2" during the day outside camp, we have a "day groover" with all the necessary items. Ask a guide for directions.
Please urinate INTO THE RIVER, or into a separate pee or "sunshine bucket" near the toilet, but NOT INTO THE TOILET. It is very important not to urinate in the toilet, around camp or behind rocks for three reasons. One, research has shown that urinating into the river is the safest method of disposal because urine is usually sterile and decomposes rapidly in moving water. Two, urinating in the toilet creates so much volume that the toilet becomes too heavy to carry out. Three, low rainfall does not "wash away" urine and camping areas can begin to smell.
· HELP IN THE KITCHEN- New state health regulations do not allow guests to assist the guides in preparing meals. So just enjoy your free time. But please wash your own dishes and utensils, and if you wish, you can help guides with washing pots, etc.
· SUNBURN- Sunburn is a BIG health concern, because it can make your trip miserable. It is very easy to quickly get a burn at this altitude and dry climate. Keep covered with sun block, hat and/or clothes.
· WEAR SHOES- Walking around at camp without shoes can be hazardous because there are sharp rocks, cactus and sticks. The most common injury on a river trip, and one subject to infection, is a foot injury.
· DEHYDRATION- Drink a lot of water, much more than you would at home. Dehydration is a subtle but very common problem on desert river trips. This is because of the low humidity and your elevated activity levels. Signs of dehydration are few urination, afternoon headaches and lethargy. You'll be moody and unhappy if you get dehydrated. Drinking alcohol can promote dehydration.
· NEVER DIVE INTO THE RIVER- You can often not tell the depth of the river, so never dive head first. Avoid a serious neck injury.
· ALCOHOL- If you wish to drink, do so in moderation.
· WATER FIGHTS- Water fights can be fun, but they can also result in injuries. They can quickly become violent and dangerous. Therefore, we discourage wild water fights, and jumping from boat to boat is not allowed at any time. Please respect others who desire to stay dry and peaceful.
· Keep in mind that this is a wilderness river trip. You will be active during the day and should be in good physical condition. Good conditioning helps you enjoy your river trip even more.
HELP US PROTECT THE FRAGILE RESOURCES ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR ADVENTURE
You will be traveling in a spectacular, but fragile national park. This is a protected area, and as such we try very hard to keep adverse impacts to park areas we visit to a minimum. Help us make our programs responsible and sustainable travel.
Prior to the launch of your river trip Adrifts guides will give you more detailed information and techniques for keeping impacts to a minimum. But here are a few things to consider before you arrive.
1. Off trail hiking can cause erosion, and it can take up to 50 years for fragile soil coverings to fully recuperate. So please stay on designated trails.
2. The Indian rock art can be easily damaged. Touching the rock leaves a film of oil on them, which speeds up the deterioration process. So, please do not touch rock art.
3. A substantial number of other people may use your campsite after you leave. With this level of use the disposal of human wastes can be a problem. So Adrift has developed a sanitary system for carrying out human waste. Please use our portable toilets.
4. Adrift is proud of our efforts to recycle and conserve materials we use on the trip. Please help us in these activities.
5. Make sure your children and other members of your group do not remove anything in the park. Thanks.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUTH 7-12
In the interest of safety no children under seven (7) years old. We require that an adult parent or guardian accompany each child ages 7 to 17 on the trip.
Parents and guardians are primarily responsible for looking after the safety of their children during the entire trip, especially when on rafts or near the river.
At some camps Adrift has a "Director of Fun and Learning" who will organize kids activities so parents can sneak away for a while.
Children ages 7 to 11 will need to wear their life jackets at all times while on the rafts and when near the river.
Parents will need to bring extra sun protection for their kids. We recommend a tearless waterproof sun block which can be purchased at our store.
Please do not bring any electronic games, such as Game Boy, or portable music recording devices. This encourages your children to listen and play in nature. Other parents object to their kids being drawn to your child's electronic devices.
GRATUITIES
Our guides work hard to provide you with the best possible river trip. If you feel that their service has been extraordinary, we suggest a gratuity of 3-5% of the trip price.
This can be given to the Trip Leader who will then distribute it equally among the crew.
As with all tipping, this is of course optional and solely at your discretion.
RESERVATION POLICY
A $200.00 per person deposit is required for all reservations.
The Trip Balance is due 30 days prior to departure.
If you must cancel, your deposit and other payments (less a $25 per person cancellation fee) will be refunded if notification is received before 60 days.
For cancellations made within 60 days, but before 30 days, full refunds will be made on any deposit (less $100 per person cancellation fee).
Cancellations made within 30 days of your trip departure date are non-refundable.
CANCELLATION POLICY
If you must cancel, your deposit and other payments (less a $25 per person cancellation fee) will be refunded if notification is received before 60 days.
For cancellations made within 60 days, but before 30 days, full refunds will be made on any deposit (less $100 per person cancellation fee).
Cancellations made within 30 days of your trip departure date are non-refundable.
Safety is our main priority and will not be compromised.
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