Find your true calling ( I always wanted to be a river guide)
Stay young at heart ( you can never get too old to enjoy rafting)
Seek peace and understanding (steal the bucket from the other rafts)
Explore!, Dare! (get out rafting as often as possible)
Create a whole new year of exciting possibilities (catch the high water of June)
Happy New Year ! ( can’t wait for rafting season)
Come with us on a journey, learning how he went from totterler to our illustrious leader, The Otter!
Christmas is just around the corner. There is still time to order a white water rafting gift certificate and receive it by Christmas. We won’t charge a wetsuit rental if you order before Dec 25.
The snow pack in the mountains is building this winter. As of today it is right on an average level. We’ll take it!
Here in Central Alberta we have just had a good dump of snow. It is always good for the farmers but great for the rivers too. This wonderful snowfall hit all areas of the watershed upstream of Sundre. Very nice!
We’ve also been watching the snow pack levels at the source of the Red Deer River. It is above average for this time of year.
So, we’re giving a thumbs-up to Mother Nature and anticipate the white water fun come the spring. Let it snow!
Solve your gift giving problem for that hard-to-buy-for person who has everything already. Why not give them an experience? White water rafting is something they will never forget. Gift Certificates are available for full or half day rafting tours. Cost - $114 and $84 respectively.
Call 1-800-661-7379 anytime. (During the day, the phone is monitored part-time for the winter months, and everyday in the early evening – leave a message and I will return your call, discretion assured.)
The mountains have been getting some good dumps of snow. At Lake Louise, so much snow has fallen recently that they had to cancel the first training run of this Saturday’s downhill race.
With the head waters of the Red Deer River only 5kms north of the ski resort, this is a very good start on supplying us with water for another great season of white water rafting.
With the season winding down we have a few additions to the white boards. It being late in the season – still people are having a very good day on the river.
Our guests have left us messages on the white boards. There is still lots of FUN to be had on the Red Deer River.
Dear David
We had a great time.
You and your associates are awesome people.
I will try to bring more business to you.
Cheers
Tejinder
Hi!
Thank you for the wonderful rafting trip!
Take Care,
Rhonalyn & James
Often local people bring visiting relatives out for a day of rafting. There isn’t much rafting in P.E.I. or France either.
Saturday was a busy day around here. Everyone had a fantastic day. Even the weather was with us! Check out the white board comments
The weather forecast for the next week shows no rain. After a very wet June this is a welcome change. With all that rain keeping the river up there is some very good rafting conditions on the Red Deer River. No matter what the weather you are going to get wet anyway, but it is so much nicer when the sun is out.
So get out and enjoy our fleeting summer – there are plenty of seats available this coming long weekend or for a more personal trip come out midweek.
“Teambuilding is important in any environment, its brings out the best in a team to ensure self development, positive communication, leadership skills and the ability to work closely together as a team to problem solve.”
”Work environments tend to focus on individuals and personal goals, with reward & recognition singling out the achievements of individual employees. "How to create effective teams is a challenge in every organization”People have asked me if the river is much different when it’s higher. As the water levels change, the number and size of rapids change. All changes in volume are relative to the current volume. When the water volumes are lower, any changes in water levels are significant. When it is high like today, it isn’t a lot different if it makes small changes to it’s volume except for the size of features.
There are many rapids on our Red Deer River with the most significant being Big Rock, Gooseberry (diagonal ledge), S-Bends and the Nationals.
Now, the Big Rock barely has a pillow on it showing that it is there. The wave train that follows it and the turbulence of it is a result of all the pressure as the water pours through the openings that the rock creates. As the two currents converge after going on either side of the rock many irregular shaped waves are created which oscillate in height.
The Diagonal Ledge is one large weir with a couple holes in it with a significant hole in the middle of it dominating the features. It requires a tight line for a safe route between two holes which offers very little forgiveness for a mistake.
The S-bends, where we stop for lunch, has a wave where we could park the bus in it. As the water volume changes it just gets deeper. It can easily flip a raft so we skirt it. We might just touch the edge of it - enough to tempt fate!
The Nationals are 10 foot standing waves. It is one big rollercoaster with the final wave even bigger and more abrupt as the rushing water piles into the slower moving water at the base of the rapid. As the raft hits this last wave the raft slows down abruptly – will you make it over the wave? or through it?
There are several other rapids requiring respect as well, too many to mention. This is the type of water most people miss not rafting in June.
For the ride of your life, get out on the river before this high water is gone to experience the power of water and enjoying a different way of loving mother nature .
This past weekend we’ve had the best rafting condition in several years. The water is high and absolutely amazing! For one couple, Saturday’s excitement wasn’t enough and they tried to change their plans to go Sunday as well. Didn’t work out but they’ll be back in a few weeks.
Who said rafting isn’t addicting? Especially when the conditions are crazy!This high water season won’t last for ever, so if you want to give it a try – we have space available this coming weekend. Give me a call for some white water rafting you’ll talk about for years!!
Here is a picture from Saturday. When it’s wild and fast it is difficult to get a good picture. Still, you can see the guy at the front is hanging on to the rope!! What a wild trip! This is the kind of water everyone should try once in their life!
Book now for the memory of a lifetime!
1-800-661-7379
We were on the river again on Saturday. The river has dropped some from last week. The floating trees cancelled a trip, they are so dangerous.
Everyone had a great day. The day started cool and overcast but once everyone was on the river the sky began to break up and by lunch the sun was out. What a perfect combination. Spring run-off and the sunshine.It was just as well. Travis and the guys who came out on a stag outing, had a swim. The footage of their spill will really look good when it is shown at the wedding! It’s a trip they won’t ever forget!
There is plenty of snow in those mountains. Come out and catch the high water this year. You will have a blast!
The spring has finally started to show itself around here resulting in the river levels rising these last few days. This will be a good chance for the guides, old and new, to get out and do a few scouting/training runs. It also gives them the chance to revue and practice with the safety equipment. It’s something we do every year.
In order to make our tours as safe as possible, we have several early season runs down the river before our first trip with our guests. Over the winter new obstacles can appear. With the number of beavers in the area there is always the possibility that a new tree could be in the river or a new downed tree that will break free once the river rises. With some of the narrow channels on the river they could easily become blocked with a new obstacle and pose a hazard.
White water rafting looks like it's all fun and games, but behind the scenes at Otter Rafting Adventures it is ALWAYS - Safety first - Fun second. We want you and yours to have the best day of your summer knowing we always have your safety in mind.
Let's go and GET WET!
This trip was organized for some mom’s. They obviously had a blast. Father’s day is coming – plan something for him.
A selections of photos have been posted to the website. It’s great to sit back and watch what’s happening. And they all look like bright, sunny, summer days too. Check out the photos.
Gearing up for the rafting season with a video of some of last years fun. Enjoy!
Every day should be Earth Day, not just one day a year.
Living and working in the outdoors provides the constant wonder of nature and the appreciation of the changing of it. It is interesting to watch the river slowly release the ice and begin to build in volume. The trees are always late in sprouting their leaves in the foothills, so traveling from the Rafting Center to the river is like changing a season in the early spring. It is always several weeks behind.
The leaves on the trees bud, the grasses green up along the rivers edge and slowly the river valley does a catch up. As you drive up to the raft launch site, it is like going back in time to an earlier stage of the arrival of spring. One week, you can see the wildflowers blooming at the rafting take out point and a week later they are blooming at the rafting put in point.
Over the years of taking people out onto the river and guiding a raft, there is one point on the river, an actual location, that a lot of people have commented on how beautiful the area is. It is so stunning that it over-rides the excitement of being on the river and temporarily makes you stop and just look around. Then as the river carries the raft further downstream, it’s back to paddling and the adventure of the next rapid continues.
Happy earth day is just like that – we take a breath , and look around at what we have.
Now to learn how to look and appreciate every day.
Here in Sundre and the foothills we have a snowfall warning. The Red Deer River valley is due to get another 10 to 15 cm overnight. This is truly wonderful. Check the snow pack monitoring station at Skoki Lodge. In a few days come back and check the chart and see how the snow depth has changed.
We are in for a wild ride on the Red Deer River this year. I’m sure we’ll end up with some spectacular photos and exciting videos. I’ll be sure to share them here when they start coming.
Here’s a photo you won’t forget – you see it is important to paddle when you are told.
After the heavy snow this last weekend, the monitoring station indicated that the snow pack has increased even more. The snow is in the higher range of the average levels (makes sense?? check out the chart). At this time of year the snow has more moisture in it so it contributes more to the runoff than a loose fluffy snow.
Hearing from some trappers working in the Red Deer River valley, they are having difficulties getting into their cabins. So not only is there lot’s of snow in the mountains but it is also in the valleys. This will help with the early season flow rates since it melts at the lower elevations first.
It’s looking like it will be a solid flow rate lasting through the summer.
Check out our website!