We’re excited that you are joining us on the river! Whether you’ve never done a rafting trip before, or are joining us with some experience under your belt, there are some things that should be at the top of your list to include in your dry bags.
First, let’s talk about what you’ll receive from Salmon Raft. At your pre-trip orientation meeting, we will distribute dry bags to all of our guests. Each person receives two dry bags to use on the trip: one very large one for all of your overnight gear, and one small one that you’ll have on the raft with you all day. I like to think of your overnight pack as your checked luggage and your small bag as your carry-on.
Lauren delivers pre-trip orientation meeting at the Salmon Raft Boathouse.
Your large overnight bag will be transported by our gearboatman or gearboatwoman (our crew is split about 50/50 men and women!) downriver to camp. Once your bag is loaded on the gearboat, you will not see it until you arrive at camp in the late afternoon. Your smaller daytime dry bag will be with you all day and you can access it as often as you wish.
My number one top tip for a successful river trip is to read through all of our pre-trip materials! In addition to all of the great info found in our trip itineraries, you’ll also find a thorough and detailed packing list in your confirmation email. And of course all of these materials can be found on our website. For easy reference, here is our overnight packing list. You’ll see that it’s broken up into two sections: overnight bag and daytime bag.
After reading through everything, you may be wondering if there are any insider tips or extras that may not be listed… And the answer is yes!
Our guides help make sure your dry bags are properly sealed and cinched tightly before loading onto the gearboat.
Here are my top five extra things to pack on your multi-day river trip on the Salmon River or Snake River through Hells Canyon (in addition to everything listed on the packing list!):
- Electrolyte tablets: It’s no secret that the summers are typically HOT in Idaho. And it sure seems like they are getting even hotter. It’s easy to cool off by swimming in the river, but swimming can provide a false sense of safety in terms of staying cool and hydrated. Even when you feel cool, dehydration can be a real concern when you’re in and out of the water all day. Drinking plenty of fluids is paramount to staying safe and healthy on the river, and electrolytes can really help when you are sweating all day! We like Nuun tablets (or similar).
- Packing cubes: Our overnight dry bags are huge! Our provided sleeping bags are at the bottom, and your items will go on top. Many guests use a soft-sided duffel bag to stay organized (our main goal is to not throw items in loosely, as they’ll get lost in the black hole and get covered in sand). But I prefer to use packing cubes – either in lieu of or in addition to a duffel bag. Having separate compartments for toiletries, swimsuits, and “camp clothes” is really helpful to stay organized. We like these ones.
- Custom sleeping pad cover: In the heat of the summer, it can sometimes feel too warm to crawl into your sleeping bag at night. I love to bring my custom FunLuvin’ Fleece Cuddle Buddy for my sleeping pad, so that I can lay directly on pad and unzip my sleeping bag to use as a comforter. FunLucin’ Fleece designer Kelli is a McCall gal and river guide, who we love to support!
- Traveling with kids? Bring an extra granola bar or two: Salmon Raft provides tons of snacks and drinks for your trip, and we are very accustomed to doling out kid snacks in between each meal (and, let’s be honest, in between each snack time, too!). However it’s no secret that kids (especially when spending full days out in the elements) get hungry – or should I say hangry? And while we try to pack enough snacks to go around, we want to be cognizant of the entire group’s needs. If your kid is a snack hound, it’s helpful to bring an emergency stash of bars or hearty protein snacks to help keep everyone’s belly full, make sure there is enough to go around, and keep the vibes positive!
- Costumes: Maybe this should have gone at the top of the list… Costumes make every trip more fun! You’ll see our guides sport glitter, tutus, party shirts, and even go all out on theme nights (denim top to bottom, disco night, or wig Wednesday are a few of our favorite go-tos). Have a costume bin at home? Bring some flair! And let us know in advance so I can spread the news to rest of your group members so they can join in on the fun.
Salmon River beaches are stunning! Our tents are large enough to fit your dry bags inside so that you can open them up and get organized at camp. Pictured here is a guest carrying her small, daytime dry bag. Our large overnight bags have backpack straps for easy carrying.
We love to have fun on the river. And while our Salmon River rafting trips and Hells Canyon rafting trips are fully-catered, all-inclusive experiences, it’s always best to be as prepared as possible by reading through all of the provided pre-trip materials. In addition to everything listed on the packing list, I hope you’ll find some benefit in a few of the above extras to make your trip extra special.
See you on the river!
-Lauren
