The Classic - Lochsa River Rafting

Probably not.  We prefer people with previous rafting experience on the Lochsa.  Of all the rivers where we run 1-day trips, the chances of falling out of a raft are higher on the Lochsa than any other river.  We want your first rafting experience to be a positive one.  If you fall out and find out that you're terrified, you may not want to go rafting ever again.  It's better to gain experience on an easier river where you're more likely to stay in the raft all day!  Here's another way to think of it. Say you had never tasted wine in your life.  Someone pours you a 20-year old French Bordeaux.  With no point of comparison, the excellence of this wine would likely not be appreciated.  Think of the Lochsa as the French Bordeaux.  Better to learn more about whitewater on other rivers so you truly appreciate the Class IV power and excitement of the Lochsa's rapids.

Generally yes.  Everyone wears a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and this is a more important tool than knowing how to swim.  However, often people who swim are more comfortable in the water and the idea of falling out of a raft.  Your best choices would be an easier river like the St. Joe or Clark Fork Rivers.

We've taken tens of thousands of people on our trips lasting from 1 to 6 days over the past 40+ years.  We do our best to mitigate the natural risks of rafting.  However we are human and nature can create difficult conditions.  People fall out of rafts, rafts can turn over, people can accidentally hit another person in the raft with a paddle.  In the end however, outdoor adventures such as rafting are inherently risky, thus accidents can and do happen.

Rivers are rated by the difficulty of their rapids, with Class I-II being easier than Class III (Intermediate) or Class IV (advanced).  However, bear in mind that the "most exciting" trip may not be the one appropriate for you.  Previous rafting experience, water temperature and the age of those in your party determine which trips are appropriate for you.  To help you decide, here's a list of rivers along with their season, water temperature, and rapid classification from easiest to most difficult. (To learn more about rapid classifications, visit our Understanding Whitewater Classifications blog. 

Clark Fork - Class II-III with warmer (62-68 degree) temperatures in July and August
St. Joe River - Class III-III+ cold (50-60 degree) water in May/June
Lochsa River - Class IV - IV+ cold (45 degree) water in May/early June and cool (55-63 degrees) in late June/early July 

ROW abides by the motto “the solution to pollution is dilution” in regard to liquid waste. For solid waste, guides will have wag bags to dispose of waste properly. For feminine hygiene, come prepared with some small zip-lock bags. These are useful for disposal during the day while on the river and can be put into our trash containers at lunch or the end of the day. 

Just after our lunch location on the Lochsa, there is an opportunity to use the pit toilet at Fish Creek, just let your guides know if you need this option. 

Lunch is comprised of a spread of appetizers like chips and dip, veggies and hummus, and fruit. The main lunch spread is a build-your-own sandwich bar and freshly prepared hot soup. Beverages include, but are not limited to sparkling water, soda, tea, and water. No alcoholic beverages will be served during the trip. 

Guides will pass out snacks on the bus ride to and from the river ranging from fruit snacks, trail mix, granola bars, etc.

The short answer is, yes you can. 

The long answer is, ROW does not provide dry bags for guests on our one-day trips. So should you want to bring an extra layer, phone, or anything else you would like to keep dry, you will need to provide your own dry bag. 

For a full packing list, see the Packing List above.

Read: 13 Pro Tips for Cold Weather Rafting

The Lochsa is a unique river because it offers both a steep gradient, dropping 20-40 feet per mile, and at certain times, a fairly large volume of water.  Ideal flows for running the river are from about 2500 to 14,000 cfs (Cubic Feet Per Second).  However we run the river as high as around 18,000 cfs and as low as around 1200 cfs.  At medium to higher flows more rocks are covered and the waves tend to be bigger with more punch.  At medium-low to low flows there are more rocks to avoid and the technical nature of the river is more challenging.  It’s an ever-changing and living river and we recommend you come experience it at various water levels to understand how magnificent the Lochsa really is!  Few other rivers offer so much continuous whitewater!

This depends on what you’re looking for. Because the Lochsa is a free-flowing river, flows depend on air temperature, how much snow is in the mountains, whether it’s raining or not, and many other variables.  We sometimes have to cancel trips, or substitute another section of river if the Lochsa gets too high. 

Generally, the highest water is from May 25th - June 5th. Our favorite time is from about June 8 to June 30 when the weather is generally warmer and so is the water!  Medium to lower flows make for a very exciting whitewater trip on the Lochsa.

During May and the first couple weeks of June water temperatures vary from about 50-58 degrees Fahrenheit. From mid-June until we stop running in July, the water warms up based on how many hot sunny days there are. By early July it can be in the low 60’s.