Upper Yough - Class V Rapids
This was my first time white water rafting and I completely fell in love with the experience. We took on the Class V rapids and I had a blast, eliminating any desire to ever try any lower level rapids. The guides were professional enough for us to feel comfortable enough to entrust our safety in them. All the guides were fit, experienced, and strong (and had funny tan lines from their life vests). On the other hand, they were fun enough for us to knock back a few beers and share stories and jokes with. They put us in the right frame of mind (to be ready for the unexpected, but not scared enough to be overtaken by anxiety) and prepared us for the exhilarating rapids.
When we first arrived on location (in PA), we hopped into a van and were driven by the guides to the actual location of the rapids (about 15 minutes away). We pulled up at a nearby park, right next to the rapids. They provided us with a family style lunch (aka build your own wrap/sandwich) putting out a plethora of deli meats, lettuce, tomatoes, chips, pretzels, wraps, bread, cheeses, water, lemonade, etc. After lunch, they went over the procedures and safety instructions, equipped each of us with a helmet, life vest, and a paddle, and had us split up into groups of three with each guide. Upon hopping into the raft, our guide went over the basic paddling instructions and oriented us with the raft. For the first few miles, it was smooth sailing, with the rapid levels gradually escalating from one lower level to the next higher one. When we reached the Class V rapids I was so excited. They difficult and thrilling enough to throw you out of the raft, but not so unforgiving enough where it was impossible to stay in. Towards the end of the journey, they provided us with a variety of beverages. It was the perfect wind-down as we sipped on drinks (nothing better than beers on a raft) and enjoyed the scenery through the last mile of flat waters. -8/17/09
OVERALL RATING: * * * * 1/2
PROS:
- Experienced, professional, and fun guides
- Variety in class and difficulty throughout the rapids
CONS:
- Ended too quickly - I wanted more!
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