How I did it: The trip was expensive, but still a fraction of the retail cost. It was an expedition to the Magpie River in eastern Canada not far from Newfoundland. Sadly, the river is now dammed. Wild and remote. Some difficult trekking and some scary water, but the leaders were incredibly skilled and smart.

On shore after we ran a class-V rapid, on the last day of our trip, a man in our small group fell off a cliff and sustained serious injuries. (Our leader had a satellite phone and called for a helicopter, so the man survived.) Surprisingly, the trip leader said that most serious accidents on rafting trips happen on shore rather than in the water, which I didn't know.

Since that time I've been on another four-day trip on the beautiful Rogue River in Oregon, and am going to raft the Kali Ghandaki in Nepal in a few weeks.

Lessons & tips: It is crucial that you go with a safe and experienced outfitter. Rivers aren't the place to save money. Be particularly careful in other countries where safety regulations may not be as stringent as in the US. Buying a trip at an auction turned out to be a wonderful thing because I 1) saved money 2) helped a good cause 3) had a chance to talk to someone who'd been on that same trip the year before.

Resources: Earth River is an excellent organization with trips worldwide. In Oregon I liked Destination Wilderness. I hope my outfitter in Nepal is good!

Sep 23, 2008, 12:44PM PDT | 0 comments | 2 cheers