{"id":24434,"date":"2021-01-13T17:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T01:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=24434"},"modified":"2022-01-06T09:42:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-06T17:42:17","slug":"a-weekend-warriors-guide-to-multiday-river-trips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2021\/01\/13\/a-weekend-warriors-guide-to-multiday-river-trips\/","title":{"rendered":"A Weekend Warrior’s Guide to Multiday River Trips"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am a weekend warrior. It\u2019s hard for me to admit that but it\u2019s true. For years, as a full-time river and mountain guide, I had a more flexible schedule that permitted time off for multiday river trips. I love multiday river trips. The combination of wilderness, solitude, whitewater, epic beach and gravel bar camps and the quality time spent with a group of friends free of the distractions of modern life all add to the incredible experience.<\/p>\n

These days, for most of the year, I\u2019m a weekend warrior. Like most people, my schedule is not very flexible and only occasionally can I add a day or possibly two onto my weekend. Over the past decade, I\u2019ve tweaked systems to make what are typically longer multiday river trips both possible and enjoyable in just a few days. I\u2019ve learned that the key is to be organized and streamline the planning and preparation. So, if you are interested in some tips and tricks for pulling off classic weekend warrior boating adventures, then this article is for you.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Emily McGinty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Note: I am a huge fan of the organization and collaboration that using a google doc provides for so many of the planning tips below.<\/em><\/p>\n

Start with making a list of nearby rivers.
\n<\/strong>When I first did this, I created a google doc with my list of rivers. Your list of rivers will depend on where you live but get creative and don\u2019t leave any rivers out. Your comprehensive list should include all navigable waterways both near and far. Don\u2019t leave any rivers out because you think they are too many miles for a weekend or too few, too flat or too difficult.<\/p>\n

My preconceived notions of what I thought was possible got in the way of a complete list. For example, close to my house are the \u201cday runs\u201d on the Snake River which are awesome to combine into a longer overnight stretch. Also on my list is a section that I thought was too flat to be of interest, but it turns out that it flows through a beautiful canyon and makes for a fantastic weekend canoe trip. Here is a link to a template<\/a> that you can help to guide the creation of your own list.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Anna Lundgren<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Embrace the drive but know your limits.
\n<\/strong>For a weekend trip, the travel time to and from the river can be a major barrier. There were a lot of rivers on my list that I thought were too far. However, when I mapped the drive to all of the put-ins and take-outs (including alternate ones) from my house, the difference in drive time compared to my assumptions surprised me.<\/p>\n

About seven hours to the put-in and\/or from the take-out is my personal limit for a three-day weekend. This allows me to leave work a bit early on Friday and set up camp at the put-in on the same day. A reliable shuttle company is also key. On a tight schedule taking the time to run your own shuttle could be a deal-breaker. I included shuttle information on my river list. Your tolerance for driving times may be more or less than mine but I have yet to regret arriving at work on a Monday (or Tuesday) morning tired after a sweet weekend on the river.<\/p>\n