Frequently Asked Questions

What sets Wapiti River Guides apart from the rest of the pack? The magnitude to which we understand and reveal in a fun way, the language of nature, is one step beyond our nearest competitor. Not only will you learn more about natural history, but also how to more fully appreciate the enjoyment of nature in the best of outdoor comfort.

How long have you been in business? Gary established his own business in 1979, after working for 5 years with Martin Litton’s Grand Canyon Dories. (nearly 30 years now, yikes).

Will the owner, Gary Lane, be on my trip? Unlike most river company owners, Gary is still on every long trip and most of the day-trips. However, since he cannot be in two places at once, his favorite is the long trip.

What is the experience of the other guides? Guest guides are selected for their maturity, seasoned boating expertise, degree of natural history understanding, and fun personalities.

How many people will be on my trip? Our specialty is small groups. More precisely, we view anywhere from 2- 12 people as a small trip. We can accommodate larger groups, by special request only (family re-unions, business retreats, or special groups of friends).

What we don’t do, is keep adding people on to our trips to max out our party size to the total allowed number, as regulated by the managing agencies.

Our specialty is accommodating people who wish to enjoy more solitude and elbow room. Our trips are for people who wish to get away from crowds, not join another one on the river.

We also try to match guest personal interests for each trip. Families with other families, people wishing to get away from kids with other like minded, etc.

How comfortable are your boats and rafts to ride in? Way comfortable. The hard boats contain padded seats and backrests. The rafts contain padded seats, and cushy tubes to lounge on during the slow sections of river.

How big are your boats and rafts? Both types of craft average around 16 ft in length. They are large enough for secure travel, yet small enough to maximize your fun with a more exciting ride. (note: larger rafts often iron out the ride to a more flat experience).

Why do you favor dory boats? Quite simple: they are more fun to ride in.

What is the difference between a dory and a raft? A hard boat dances on the water like a cork, while a raft simulates a contortionist convoluting to the waves. Would you rather ride a cork or a wash rag? Rather skate like a water strider, or slither like a worm?

Do I have to ride in a dory boat? No, we design each trip according to your personal interest. Some people prefer a raft, and some people refer to participate to a higher degree by also paddling. . We do have paddle rafts for those such people.

Do you have inflatable kayaks? Yes. Some people wish to be completely at the mercy of their own hands. Of course, we give good instruction for first timers, and we always position the kayaks between our dories and rafts. The lead boat will always explain to kayakers, each route through the more difficult rapids. Some rapids will be scouted from shore with detailed navigational suggestions.

We will also make the ultimate decision whether or not to give permission for kayakers to run the more serious rapids. Also, kayakers who wish not to run the harder rapids will be able to skip out and ride in the bigger boats.

Do I need to know how to swim? Even the best Olympian swimmer cannot negotiate the rapids safely without a life jacket. We use officially approved life jackets with high flotation value that will keep you afloat (if) you happen to find yourself in the water.

The rivers we run are pool and drop. This means the rapids are separated my slow sections where recovery after a tip-over or swim is made easier. Each boat is equipped with throw lines and flip lines. We do everything imaginable to reduce our recovery time after any mishap. Normally, you will be back in the boat within seconds.

Note: unplanned out of boat experiences rarely happen on our regular trips. Our boating philosophy is to negotiate rapids with good form. This means, right side up and in the boat.

How often does a boat or raft tip over? This rarely occurs on normal trips. High water, when people are going for more difficult runs, has a higher degree of risk for a tip over. This is when most flips occur, and even so, our flip rate is very low. We screen all applicants who wish to run high water trips.

How safe is river running? All forms of outdoor adventure travel contains some degree of risk. After all, this is what helps define adventure. However, your chances of getting in a car wreck are probably higher than running a river. The important thing to keep in mind is to pay attention to what class of difficulty you are signing up for.

What class of rapids does the river have? (What does class mean?) All rivers are rated, based on level of difficulty. Other than the Grand Canyon (southwestern system), most rivers are rated by an international scale. This ranges from class I (flat water) to VI (suicidal). Class III is of moderate difficulty and suitable for most families. Class IV is more difficult and appeals to the more adventuresome. Class V is the most difficult, but negotiable. However, the consequences for error are also more serious.

Class V is only for extreme thrill seekers, who accept the high risk involved, and are in good physical shape.

What is a good class for beginners? Class III is suitable for first time river runners. Even class IV is within reason for all but the very timid.

Do you run trips for people who wish to see more scenery and less whitewater? Yes. We do everything we can to match a person’s interest with the appropriate level of river difficulty. Several access points along some of the rivers we run, facilitates the ability to design various trip dynamics. On big rivers, we can sometimes also choose easier routes through the rapids, if need be.

What is the youngest age you allow on a river trip? Normally 6 years old. While we have had kids as young as 3, they have been with families who have been on the river before and know what to expect. Naturally, it is critical to design a trip that does not contain river conditions that is too difficult for that age group. The bigger question is how will a 3 year old do camping out, if it is a multi-day trip? Our experience indicates they do very well.

What is the oldest age you allow on a river trip? No age limit here.

When is the best time to run the river? This is where your phone call to us can aid us in helping you select the most appropriate time. Rivers provide a variety of conditions and activities. From extreme whitewater to good fishing conditions, the timing is crucial for matching your interests. By telling us what your highest priority is, we can offer you the appropriate suggestions for which river to run and when to go.

How long to you spend on the water each day on your extended journeys? This also varies according to guest interest and priority levels. Some days are shorter than others. Average time is around 4-5 hours of actual float time. However, stops for side hikes and fishing can stretch this time out. And, sometimes we make more miles to get to better camping areas and/or particular site interests. (good fishing hole, better hikes, etc).

What happens when nature calls? This is probably the biggest concern for most women in considering a long trip. Not to worry. At all camps we have an outdoor portable toilet that is clean, easy to use, and always well secluded in privacy. And the view is better than anything you will ever have at home.

What about bugs? What bugs? Believe it or not (many people don’t), the rivers we run do not have the nuisance of mosquito’s, no-seeums, or black flies. What a joy, bug free camping.

How comfortable are your camps? Very. We live outside most of the year, in all kinds of conditions. These firsthand experiences taught us how to live comfortably outside and gives us real insight to help guests enjoy the outdoors, in style and comfort. We use the best ground pads available. Tents and kitchen shelters help keep everyone dry and warm, in stormy weather.

Do I have to set up my own tent?  We leave this option up to you.  If you would rather have a super relaxed trip and not worry about the details of camp structure, we can put your tent up for you.

Since our trips are of a more participatory nature, a lot of guests like to put up their own tent. Everyone has different taste as to what constitutes a good tent site. Some like a site with a view of the river, while others prefer snore distance from neighbors. 

How difficult are tents to put up?  For people who like to set up their own tent, our tents are super easy. Our domes go up like  an umbrella, are fast, convenient, spacious, and have head room to stand up in.

What about food, is it gourmet? Many guests believe so, but we don’t advertise it as such. We believe in serving very good food, such as fresh veggies, fruits, and salads, select meats, dutch oven desserts, rich blend coffee, etc. However, we would rather spend more time taking guest on hikes and fishing, than doing the extra kitchen time required to make fancy meals.

You can get a 5-star meal in a good restaurant or a gourmet food serving river outfitter. With us you will get a gourmet outdoor experience.

Do you accommodate vegetarians, or other special food requests? Yes, a reservation form with menu requests is given to each guest, so we can fine tune and alter our meals to accommodate special requirements or preferences.

What kind of drinks do you provide? Fruit juices for breakfast, and soft drinks during the day. (approx. 2 can per day per person). However, you are encouraged to bring your own, based on your personal tastes and expectancy of consumption. Please select drinks in plastic or cans.

What about alcoholic beverages? We do provide complimentary dinner wines, and some beer. However, you are welcome to bring your own stash of personal libations. Please bring beer in cans. This helps immensely with pack out and for keeping potential glass breakage to a minimum.

Do you provide clean drinking water? Yes, we start out with community water jugs, to replenish personal bottles each day. These jugs are replenished with treated water when needed. All kitchen water is boiled for cooking with.



Do you carry satellite phones? No. The rivers we run offer much solitude and feeling of remoteness. However, they do not contain an isolated situation you can find in Alaska or foreign countries, where help is days away over impossible terrain. We are well versed in evacuation procedures and carry advanced first aid kits on each trip.

A part of our adventures is getting back to the real basics of what wilderness travel is all about. Self sufficiency. That is why we put so much effort into living well in our surroundings and being properly prepared to prevent most major emergencies. Prevention is a big part of our risk management.

Leopold said of wilderness: “a place to taste the rewards and penalties for wise and foolish acts.” For our part, we do everything we can to avoid the foolish ones. Nearly 30 years of experience has helped us tremendously.

Who pays for evacuations? If we need to summon help by air, or jetboat, it will be the guests financial responsibility to pay for all evacuations costs, beyond the scope of our own company responsibilities.

How deep is the river? This is akin to asking: “how high is the sky”? It may seem like guides know everything, but they can’t see through water if its over ten feet deep. If you ask this question be prepared for a bad answer.