ADVENTURE

You and those you represent are able to:

1. Remain seated and balanced while in a whitewater craft while holding on with at least one hand.

2. Wear a Type V Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device on all trips. Rafting trips can accommodate a wider variety of individuals (maximum chest size of 52 inches) including some youth. Wearing leg straps may be required to ensure proper fit. Where required, properly wear a helmet as instructed.

3. Independently board and disembark a boat four to ten times each day. This may require stepping into the boat, and then maneuvering your body over and across tubes and fixed objects into a seated position. This may require the ability to sit low in a boat with a spray skirt securing you to the vessel. You are able to remove the spray skirt and exit the boat.

4. Independently navigate shoreline terrain, including safely maneuvering around and across boulders, rocks, and slippery and uneven surfaces, under low branches, and around vegetation. This includes the ability to maintain your balance near precipitous ledges or cliffs.

5. Independently swim in whitewater or swift currents while wearing a PFD. This includes being an active participant in your own rescue, including having the ability to (a) keep your airway passages sealed while underwater, and regain control of your breathing when being submitted to repeated submersion under waves or currents; (b) orient yourself to new “in-river” surroundings; (c) reposition yourself in the water to different swimming positions; (d) swim aggressively to a boat or to shore in whitewater; (e) receive a rescue rope, paddle, or human assistance, and possibly let go of the same; (f) get out from under an overturned boat.

6. Swim 100 yards in flat water while wearing a PFD.

7. Assist another passenger who has fallen out of the boat by pulling them back in.

8. Follow both verbal and non-verbal instructions given by guides in all situations, including during stressful or dangerous situations, and to effectively communicate with guides and other guests.

9. Carry personal dry bags and other personal gear (as heavy as 20-30 pounds) uphill from the boats to your camping location and back the next morning, independently, or with the assistance of a friend or family member. (This only applies on multi-day trips).

10. Manage all personal care independently, or with the assistance of a friend or family member.

11. If taking prescription medications, have the ability to maintain proper dosage by medicating independently, or with the assistance of a friend or family member.

12. Remain adequately fed, hydrated, and properly dressed so as to avoid environmental injuries such as hypothermia, heat related illness, sunburn and frostbite o

The following paragraphs are meant to further inform all potential participants of the expectations for all participants in order to promote a safe, enjoyable experience for everyone on a trip.

There may be requirements, whether physical or mental, that are not specifically deemed “essential eligibility criteria”, but that help our guests understand the reality of being on a wilderness river trip. Our primary goal is to minimize the risks associated with these adventure trips. All WRC trips involve physical exertion and exposure to the elements, including and not limited to cold water, the potential for heat, sun, wind, rain and snow and the potential for wildlife encounters. 

We have experience accommodating people with a wide range of physical abilities and/or health conditions. However, individuals who are overweight, lack conditioning, or have other physical limitations or ailments that interfere with the daily physical challenges of a wilderness  outdoor and river environment should contact us before scheduling or applying for a trip. Please consult with your doctor if you have medical or health conditions or concerns. Please contact us with pre-existing conditions.

It is very important that each trip participant take an active role in their own safety. You will likely encounter conditions that you are unfamiliar with, and those conditions may change rapidly and be entirely out of your or our control. It is critical to pay attention at all times, to be aware of your surroundings, and to avoid taking unnecessary risks. Even a non-life threatening injury in a wilderness setting can become a major emergency if not properly cared for or acknowledged, and can endanger the entire group. Swimming alone or hiking alone is discouraged and in some cases, not allowed. Your guides will set those parameters on each trip and for each group.

Excessive alcohol consumption by those over 21, any alcohol use by those under 21, illicit drug use and the use of prescriptions not belonging to you, will not be tolerated. Using common sense, and following both the explicit instruction and the lead of your guides can go a long way towards keeping yourself and the group safe. Some obvious things to avoid in camp and on shore (by way of example) are: walking around without shoes in camp, approaching wild animals, not paying attention to what is above or around your tent site that could harm you, not paying attention to hazards such as poison ivy, rattlesnake habitat, and walking near or climbing ledges. River trips, particularly those involving whitewater, are inherently risky. Many of the waterways we navigate are not visited often or at all by others. 

While the risk of a trip is part of what makes it an exciting adventure, you must be entirely respectful of the risk that such a trip poses. It is important that you are confident in your swimming ability, and your ability to stay calm in the event you become a non-voluntary swimmer. Your odds of becoming a non-voluntary swimmer are high.

A swim in whitewater is much more difficult and physically draining than swimming in flat water. Swimming in cold water can cause a gasping effect on your respiratory system. This can be overcome by focusing on your breathing and calming yourself down. Swimming in cold water will also much more quickly sap your energy and decrease muscle function than swimming in warmer water. While our guides are highly trained and will do their absolute best to rescue you, a successful rescue is greatly hampered by a swimmer who is unprepared for a swim in whitewater, who fails to actively participate in their own rescue, and who is not able to follow directions while under stress.

You will receive a detailed orientation talk at the start of your river trip. Due to the physical nature of this trip, we highly recommend that all participants are well accustomed to moderate to high amounts of regular activity.

0. WRC highly recommends that anyone booking with us, also books travel insurance. We recommend Faye or Generali travel insurance. In the event you are unable to join us for the start or a portion of your reservation. This is the best way to make sure your trip is refundable. 

1.  Please understand that our trip dates and capacities are limited. When we accept your reservation, we may be turning others away from booking that trip. If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, please notify us as soon as possible. With more than 2 weeks notice, a full refund is possible but not guaranteed. WRC may retain a portion of the funds received to cover expenses incurred that are non-refundable (i.e. food, special permits, non-refundable processing fees, shuttle fees).

2.  WRC reserves the right to keep up to 100% of the total trip cost if cancellation occurs less than 2 weeks before your trip start date.

3. If any participant falsely represents their physical or mental health or the health of minors in their care generally or with regard to their exposure to the novel coronavirus/es or their ability to act as a legal guardian for themselves or others in their party they will be removed from the trip and will not receive a refund.

4. If any guide or participant shows flu-like symptoms less than 14 days prior to the scheduled rafting or packrafting or custom trip start date, they will not be allowed to participate in their scheduled trip. WRC will try to find another guide to take their place. If another guide is not available to facilitate the trip, it will be canceled and the participants issued a full refund, less the processing fees taken by our service providers. And any non-refundable costs (i.e. food, non-refundable shuttles, etc)

5. If you book a trip, WRC reserves the right to cancel the trip if local, state or federal guidelines prohibit our business activity due to the novel coronavirus or other circumstances out of our control that may prohibit our operation on the dates of the trip or if we feel it is unsafe to facilitate the trip. All trips canceled for these reason will be given a full refund excluding processing fees taken by our service providers. 

6. WRC has a zero-tolerance harassment policy. If a participant is harassing a guide or other participants, WRC has the right to remove them from the trip. There will be no refund and the participant being removed is responsible for any additional costs incurred (i.e. travel, food, hotel stays etc.)

7. WRC will notify all participants of plans to cancel a trip and discuss participant options for rescheduling as early as possible if WRC is the party responsible for initiating the cancelation.

Cancellation because of party size

1.    Wyoming Rivers Cooperative reserves the right to cancel your trip when minimum participation numbers have not been met by your private party. WRC will consult with the participants as soon as possible before canceling or rescheduling for this reason.

Cancellation due to health concerns or ability to participate fully 

Please make sure you meet our eligibility criteria. Weight and age restrictions may apply, particularly during periods of high water when the probabilities of non-voluntary swims are increased. More strenuous trips require higher levels of physical fitness. People who are obese, pregnant, have heart trouble or other medical conditions should have their physician’s approval before joining us on the river. People of different fitness levels and abilities are welcome, pending an advance discussion of all anticipated needs or special requirements and WRC’s sole determination they and their guides have the ability to meet those needs at the time of the desired trip and provide adequate equipment and the same level of risk mitigation available to our other clients.

1. The trip leader has the right to disqualify a guest at any time during the trip, or at the pre-trip meeting, if she or he feels the guest is physically or mentally unable to perform the required functions of a trip adequately or if the guest continuing on the trip would increase the risk of injury or illness to the individual or the group. Refunds are not available under such circumstances.

2. Payment of your deposit represents your acceptance of the following conditions:

Wyoming Rivers Co-op (WRC) its subsidiaries, parent and/or cooperating agencies act only in the capacity of liasons for the participants in all matters relating to transportation and/or all other related travel services, and assume no responsibility for injury, loss or damage to person or property, however caused, in connection with any such service, including, but not limited to that resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays and expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, theft, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulations, and discrepancies or changes in transit over which we have no control. Reasonable changes in itinerary may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of the participants, including cancellation due to water fluctuation, insufficient booking size, illness, pre-existing conditions that limit the ability to participate and other factors. Prices and available dates are subject to change.

Wyoming Rivers Cooperative (wyorivers, wyoming rivers co-op, WRC) trips occur in areas where unpredictable environmental conditions are to be expected. To avoid dangerous situations for our guests and guides, it is important that all travelers obey the rules and regulations as determined by the managing agencies and the Trip Leader and demonstrate reasonable consideration for other guests and Wyoming Rivers Coop employees. You agree that WRC has the right to remove any guest, including you, from a trip if, in the company or guides providing service to the trip find that guest’s actions or behaviors pose a threat to the safety of herself/himself or others, or if those actions or behaviors constitute harassment or compromise the enjoyment of the trip for others. Should a guest be asked to leave a trip, there will be no refund, nor will WRC be responsible for additional expenses incurred by the guest for accommodations, return transport, change fees, etc.