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The following are some of the questions we hear most frequently: |
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Why should I choose Wet Planet? |
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| Wet Planet is committed to making sure that the time you spend with us both on and off the river exceeds your expectations. From our river options to our equipment choices, the ease of our reservations process to the amenities for guests at our headquarters, the staff you talk to on the phone to the guides and instructors you paddle with on the river, we are currently setting the standard for the commercial whitewater industry in the Pacific Northwest. There are so many reasons to choose Wet Planet that we have a whole section of our site dedicated to this question. To learn more, follow the links to find out about our headquarters and facilities, our industry-leading standards, and the Wet Planet staff. | ||||
What ages are the trips appropriate for? |
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Do I need previous experience? |
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No, you do not need to have any previous whitewater experience. We offer different rafting trips and kayak instruction for all levels of paddlers, from first-time rafters to advanced kayakers. To find a trip or course that fits your skill level, take a look at our different rafting trips and kayaking courses. |
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What do I need to bring? |
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Interested in our multi-day trips: You still only need a bathing suit or shorts for your time on the river. However, you will also need to bring clothing appropriate for camp in the evenings. You can find a list of clothing and items you'll need on our "what to bring " page. Traveling with us on our international trips: Participants on our international trips have different packing needs depending on the particular trip. We have separate packing lists for these trips, which can be found on either the Costa Rica Expeditions page or the Peru Expeditions page. |
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Are there group discounts? |
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You bet. Not only do we offer discounts on our trips for groups, we also work with groups to provide custom services, such as catered meals or hotel pick-ups, to make organizing your group outing with Wet Planet a hassle-free, unforgettable experience. Give us a call for information about different group discounts and to learn more about how we can help you with planning your next group adventure. |
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If I can’t swim, can I still go?? |
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| Rafters:
You do not have to know how to swim to participate in most of our
whitewater trips. We do provide personal floatation devices (PFD’s)
that will help you to float and stay on the surface if you happen
to fall out of a raft. However, you should be aware that an inability
to swim does make it harder for you to participate in your own self-rescue
if you fall out of a raft, and it might take the guides longer to
get you back in the raft than someone who is comfortable swimming.
Guests on any of our class IV-V rafting trips (the Wind
River and the Farmlands)
must know how to swim in order to participate. Kayakers: For students on our kayaking courses, you also do not have to know how to swim. All kayaking students are provided with PFD’s to help you float and stay on the surface if you are out of your kayak. However, we recommend that you are at least comfortable in and around the water. Learning to kayak always involves spending time in the water! |
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Are rafting and kayaking dangerous? |
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Whitewater paddling is thrilling, exciting, wet, wild, and unbelievably fun. However, as in all outdoor adventure sports, there is an inherent risk involved. Injuries are rare, but they can happen on any trip. From our staff training, to the rivers we select, to the equipment we use, minimizing these risks is a priority at Wet Planet. |
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Can I request a guide? |
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Of course! If you have rafted with us before, know a guide who works for us, or have simply read our staff page, you may request your guide of choice! |
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If it's raining, do we still go rafting or kayaking? |
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Rain or shine, we are on the river! You’re going to get wet anyway, and you'll barely notice it's raining. More often than not, it may be raining in Portland and not be raining in the Gorge. Our weather is significantly drier and sunnier than Portland, and it rarely rains in our area during the summers. |
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When should I make a reservation? |
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As soon as you know that you want to go, and when you want to go! Our rafting trips and kayak instruction do fill up. Some days we may have space for last minute reservations, and other days may be full months in advance. You are always welcome to give us a call and check for availability for a last minute reservation, but you should definitely make reservations as early as possible if you want to be sure that there will be space on the trip you are looking for. Call us at 1.877.390.9445 and we can help you pick a date and a river that best suits you! Our online reservation form is another convenient option, especially for group members adding to a trip. |
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| Will there be photos available? Can I bring my camera? | ||||
We do take photos that are available for sale after our trips! We have the ability to print the photos or burn a CD while you wait. You are also welcome to bring your own camera, as long as it’s waterproof or has a waterproof casing. Our guides like to remind guests that, “The more expensive it is, the faster it will probably sink!”. |
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Is alcohol permitted on rafting trips or kayak instruction? |
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NO! We do not allow alcohol before or during our rafting trips or kayak instruction. Anyone under the influence of alcohol before a trip or kayak session will not be permitted to participate in the trip or lesson. They will also not receive a refund for their trip. |
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What if I need to cancel my trip or course? |
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We offer full refunds for any cancellations made up until 7 days before the scheduled trip date. With less than 7 days notice, there are no refunds for cancellations. |
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What is an eskimo roll? |
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| The Kayak Roll (often referred to as an "Eskimo roll") is the act of rolling a capsized kayak right-side-up by using your body and paddle. While many people think that rolling is the trick to learning to kayak, we feel that learning to stay right-side-up in the first place is the trick to learning to kayak. We do work on the roll during our kayak courses, but the real emphasis in our courses is learning to control your boat so that you can paddle efficiently in a river environment. You do not have to know how to roll to kayak. | ||||
Can I use my own kayaking gear for my instruction? |
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Yes. Please let us know ahead of time if you choose to use your own gear and specify what it is you are using. Our kayak instructors will always need to make sure that your own gear is appropriate for the course you are taking. Wet Planet will also provide all gear needed for any of our kayaking courses or clinics. |
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| Do I have to be physically fit to kayak? | ||||
Typically, kayaking takes a higher level of physical fitness than rafting. This is due to the fact that you are individually responsible for making the kayak move, and aren’t able to rely on other people in your boat to assist you. Like any sport, you don’t need to be a professional athlete to enjoy kayaking. Even more important than physical fitness is a positive, adventurous attitude. |
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What do the rapid classifications mean? |
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You can find a description of the rapid classification system, as well as photographs of different rapids, on our rapid classifications page. |
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Is there a place to picnic? |
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Yes there is. If you are rafting or kayaking with Wet Planet, you are welcome to picnic at our headquarters, alongside the White Salmon River or under the shade by Rattlesnake Creek. |
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Are there changing rooms? |
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Yes, we have changing rooms. At our headquarters we have all of the amenities necessary to make sure that your time with us off the water is as enjoyable as your time on the water. At the Wet Planet base, you'll enjoy: private parking, changing rooms, hot shower, espresso in the Wet Planet cafe, private rolling pool for kayak instruction, souvenirs and photos of your trip in the shop, riverside picnic and BBQ space, and camping for our guests. |
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Can we bring our dog? |
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You are welcome to bring a dog, but your pets will be happier at home. While we are all dog lovers ourselves, you will still need to make sure that your dog is either in your vehicle or tied while you are out on the river. It is very hot in our area in the summer, and it is very difficult to find a place where a pet can ben left without being in danger of overheating. We cannot be responsible for your pet while you are not around, and your dog cannot go on the river trip with you. |
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How many people are in a raft? |
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Each raft will have one guide and anywhere from two to six guests. On our class III-IV rivers, the rafts hold up to six guests. On our class IV-V rivers, the rafts hold up to four guests. We use different size rafts for different groups and different rivers, so we always have a raft that will work for your size group. If you have more than six in your group, we take more rafts. When you are making reservations, you don't need to worry about the number of people in a raft. Simply let us know how many are in your group, and we'll do the math to make sure the appropriate size rafts and number of rafts are ready for your group. |
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Do we have to paddle? |
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When you are in a whitewater kayak, you will definitely need to paddle! |
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How many people can you take rafting? |
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From 2 to 200, we are ready for your group. While our mininum number for a trip is only two people, we regularly work with groups that number in the hundreds, and larger groups appreciate our professionalism and the high level of organization of the Wet Planet staff. Central to all of our operations is a focus on risk management, and our staff are experienced at organizing large groups on the river in a manner that allows us to maitain that small, personal trip feel that we are known for. |
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How do we get there? |
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The following trips have different meeting locations:
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Does the river go around in circles? How do we get back to where we started? |
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We aren’t Raging Waters or Wild Waves! Our rivers do not go in circles. We drive you to our put-in and pick you up at the take-out in a Wet Planet shuttle vehicle. |
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Is there lodging nearby? |
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Yes there is. There are several bed and breakfasts and camping available within a very short distance, and the nearby town of Hood River, Oregon offers a wide variety of possibilities for lodging. Check out some places to stay on our links page. |
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