Off and Rafting

The rafting season has started! We are off and rafting for the 2015 season with several guide training sessions and a couple rafting tours under our safety belt.

The guides are surprised by some of the new rapids that have appeared over the winter due to the ice movement. They are coming back with tales of side surfs and rapids where there haven’t been any before. The first trips are always exciting as you learn about the new river and the hazards that have accumulated over the winter months.

Our most recent trips have been corporate trips. These are always a wide mixture of people with usually only work in common. Opposed to this we have groups such as stags, clubs, church groups, families and friends getting together. All these have a different social structure that already exists.

This group of oilfield workers have been out rafting before several times over the years. There were several people that we recognized from previous trips along with a few new faces. They seemed like a cohesive group that enjoyed each others company. It was interesting that I couldn’t pick out the bosses in the team.

For team building rafting offers an event that makes people truly depend on others to succeed.

Rafting encourages trust and cooperation in a group. This stimulates bonding while making people open up and feel comfortable. White water rafting is a real and exciting team building activity with real consequences. It’s physically and mentally challenging and best of all, loads of fun.

By experiencing first hand the beauty of a river through white water rafting people will become more appreciative of environmental issues. This may foster a strong desire to protect and preserve an area because of their positive outdoor experience.

Time away from the office should be well spent and should take place without exhausting the participants. For this reason the proximity of the venue is extremely important. It should be just far enough from the office to free people up to think creatively but near enough that travel time is minimal. With Otter Rafting being in Sundre we are conveniently located to Alberta’s major cities. This is a good meeting point for businesses with offices in more than one city.

With our summer being three short months now is the time for a get together for your team at the office. We can offer you both mid-week and week end trips that can be made to accommodate your needs for both a half or a full day trip.

Nice Weather Ahead - Book Now!

Time is ticking away getting closer to the start of the rafting season. It will be here before we know it. I'm really looking forward to it just like every spring. Nothing beats the feeling of freedom floating down the river. Add some rapids and your senses are heightened to what it is like to be out in nature.

With the next week full of sunny, warmish days the phone is starting to ring with people making their reservations for their day rafting on the river. We have plenty of openings left - as of today! Remember we have limited seating - Saturdays are our busiest days so you should be booking soon. But there is also Sunday and midweek trips available.

Have you thought of a midweek trip? We have some discounted rates. The perfect team building outing for corporations.

Here is a great picture. Makes you wonder what happened next? Bet they had tons of FUN!

Board Again?

Some pictures off the board at Otter Rafting Adventures here in #Sundre, #Alberta. How to have FUN outside of #Calgary #Edmonton .

We have had the white boards up at Otter Rafting Adventures for several years and have received so many compliments on the operation. It is easy to be a part of something that is fun all the time.

Reading the comments on the board you can see that every day is a good day – not even if the weather is uncooperative.  Can you think of another way to be outside in the rain and not even care? Here are two boards of comments collected over the last few trips. The most rewarding part of offering the rafting tours is making sure that everyone has a wonderful day!

Another Rodeo Weekend

A great day of rafting west of #Sundre #Ab. Sunny day on the #RedDeerRiver. #Fun. Otter Rafting Adventures’ location on Hwy22 makes it the most convenient location for the start of your rafting trip.

With the rodeo here in Sundre the place should be full of people looking for a wild ride. Whether it be at the rodeo or on the river you can find one in this town this weekend. Today’s group, a corporate outing, had an exhilarating day and are already talking about next year’s trip for the staff.

The photos of last weekend comparing the river to the previous weekend show the ever slow dropping of the water level. Get out now while there is still good water to give you an exciting ride.

Rafting near Sundre

#Sundre in the news! All of #Alberta now knows that white water rafting is happening on the #RedDeerRiver thanks to CTV. Being interviewed about Sundre’s economy has increased the awareness that rafting is available here in Alberta. You do not have to go to B.C. for white water.

This weekend marks the half way point of the average white water rafting season for Otter Rafting Adventures. You can see from the pictures that we have plenty of water and the levels have hardly changed lately.

We have been having many rafting trips in the last few days. Stags, birthday parties, corporate outings and various clubs having been getting away from the heat and cooling off in the river. Even clubs from Ontario. It’s been hot lately – but not the kind of hot that Ontario gets.

Here are some more comparative pictures of the river from last weekend and the previous weekend. The water is clearing up as the amount of sediment is easing. This is one of the nicest times for rafting – the  long days of summer, the heat of a summer day, the excitement of a trip down the river, clean sparkling water that is so refreshing to swim in.

It makes you think of being a kid again. Book your trip now – you can be!

Rafter’s comments

Many people come to #Sundre from Central #Alberta knowing that this is the closest #rafting business to them. Here is a collection of comments off the white boards of what our customers think about Otter Rafting Adventures. So far our trips have covered family outings, stags, girl guides and cooperate team building groups to name a few. Looks like we are making sure everyone is having a good time

Who says a bus ride is boring?

The rapids on the #Reddeerriver are always a great ride. The river west of #sundre offers a full days worth of fun and action.

The bus ride can be quite a lot of fun too. And a group of enthusiastic camp counsellors know how to do just that!

Queen Rules!

Queen Rules!

Great Rafting west of #Sundre

Otter Rafting runs whitewater #rafting tours on the Red Deer River, upstream from #Sundre. We are unaffected by the oil spill. Join in the fun!

Happy New Year–Suggested Resolutions

Travel off the beaten path ( paddle your own river)

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)

Rafting - Great for team building

Thank you to the TransAlta group for coming out rafting yesterday. We know you had a great day.  Rafting is the perfect outing for team building.

“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”