Before You Go: Split Mountain Utah Whitewater Rafting

Overview

Sample Itinerary

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like:

• Upon everyone’s arrival at the OARS Warehouse, we’ll take the 45 minute shuttle ride to our put-in at Rainbow Park, stopping along the way to view some Native American petroglyphs. Once we reach the put-in at Rainbow Park, your guides will give a thorough safety talk and orientation. Then, we’re off!
• We’ll run three rapids (Moonshine, S.O.B. and Schoolboy) before stopping at a beach for a delicious guide-prepared lunch. Maybe we’ll swim, play a quick game of Frisbee or just relax and soak in the summer sun. After lunch, we’ll continue the remaining 3-4 miles of Split Mountain Canyon and finish our day navigating Inglesby rapids.
• The expedition ends at the Split Mountain Boat Ramp, where we’ll board our shuttle and contemplate our memories of a great day during the 30-minute bus ride back to Vernal. We’ll arrive at our warehouse between 3:00 and 5:00 PM.

What’s Included?

• Skilled, professional guide services
• Delicious picnic lunch and snacks
• High-quality inflatable rafts and related river equipment including paddle, helmet, personal flotation device and wetsuits and splash tops (Wetsuits and splash tops provided on early and late season trips, cold weather trips, and by advance request)
• Transportation from Vernal to the river and back

What’s Not Included?

• Transportation to and from Vernal
• Pre and post trip accommodations
• Insurance of any kind, including a travel protection plan
• Dinosaur National Monument Entrance Fee*
• Items of personal nature (see suggested packing list)
• Gratuities

*DNM entrance fee is refundable only if a park pass is submitted to your Adventure Consultant (via email, fax or mail) at least 24 hours prior to your trip departure.

Travel Arrangements

Weather

You may want to check one week prior to your trip for an up-to-date weather forecast. We recommend the following website: www.wunderground.com for weather in Vernal, UT.

Average Air and Water Temperatures

Water Levels & Temperature

The Green River’s headwaters lie in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, and its stream is repeatedly blocked and diverted, most significantly by the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, not far upstream from Dinosaur National Monument.  Thus, its flow is determined by reservoir releases, which will spike in the spring and early summer as the controlling agency at Flaming Gorge Dam releases water to make room for inflow. Peak releases from Flaming Gorge on the Green usually occur between mid-May and mid-June, but can vary widely from early May and into July. High water trips equate to a more intense whitewater experience and a high level of physical fitness is recommended.  Water temperatures are coldest during the high water period and rain gear and warm synthetic clothing will be required.

Getting Ready

River Runners Responsibility Code 

1. Read the pre-trip literature and arrive at the meeting place on time.
2. Understand the risks: your safety is ultimately your responsibility.
3. Treat your fellow guests and guides with respect and courtesy; harassment of any kind will not be tolerated.
4. Wear clothing and personal protective equipment suitable for the current conditions.
5. Listen to and follow the guides’ instructions.
6. Abide by the managing agency’s rules.
7. No drugs or alcohol prior to, or during, your trip.
8. Minimize your impact on the environment.
9. Wear the OARS-issued and properly–fitted Personal Flotation Device (PFD) at all times when in the boats or swimming. Wear a helmet when required.
10. Your children are your responsibility!

Essential Eligibility Criteria for River Trips

Your outdoor adventure will be an active participatory trip.  Please inform us of any physical limitations you may have  as soon as possible. Make sure you are exercising  frequently in the months leading up to your trip and can  meet our essential eligibility requirements.

Packing for Your Trip

CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT

Footwear

The best choice is an amphibious shoe that drains water, protects your toes and won’t come off in swirling current. A retired pair of athletic shoes can work well, too. Sport sandals with a heel strap are a good option, especially on rivers with sandy beaches. Find professional-grade options made by Chaco® at www.chacos.com, the official footwear sponsor of OARS guides.

Clothing

We recommend starting with bathing suit/swim trunks and a lightweight synthetic shirt, adding layers of synthetic or merino wool long underwear and warmer clothes as needed.

Sun Protection

Protecting yourself from the sun should be taken very seriously! In many cases, a long-sleeve shirt is the best method for preventing sunburn on your upper body. Light-weight long pants may also be appropriate to protect your legs.

A hat, sunscreen, lip balm and sunglasses are also a must. Rheos, the official sunglasses sponsor of OARS guides, offers polarized floatable nautical eyewear with 100% UV protection. Use promo code OARS15 to save 15% on any purchase from The Nautical Eyewear Collection.

Bugs & Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can be bothersome at times in certain areas on the Green, particularly after high water drops. Though this happens at different times every year, it is typically in June to mid-July. It’s a good idea to come prepared with insect repellent. Long sleeved shirts and pants may be desirable at times.

What to Bring

Click on this link for helpful information about packing for your trip: https://www.oars.com/video/wear-bring-one-day-rafting-trip-oars/

• Water bottle
• Sunscreen & lip protection: waterproof and SPF 30 or higher (aerosol sprays not recommended)
• Shade hat/visor which is flexible enough to fit under your helmet
• Sunglasses (preferably polarized such as Rheos floatable eyewear www.rheosgear.com) with securing strap
• Bathing suit
• Shorts (long board shorts preferable for sun protection) and quick drying top
• River/tennis shoes or river sandals with an ankle strap
• Dry clothes and shoes to change into after your trip

Find all the gear you need for your trip online in the OARStore + 15% of your purchase helps provide under-resourced youth with outdoor adventure experiences.

Local Outdoor Equipment Stores

Basin Sports – 511 W Main St, Vernal; (435) 789-2199

Sportsman’s Warehouse – 2015 W, US-40, Vernal; (435) 789-5800

Hibbett Sports – 1495 W, US-40, Vernal; (435) 789-0555

Reminders

ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR CHANGING WEATHER! Especially during the months of May and early June, Utah can experience extreme changes in weather.

Wearing cotton items on a river trip is only appropriate when the weather is hot. Cotton does not dry, and wet cotton will chill your body temperature.

Special Considerations

Please let us know if you have any medical issues or dietary needs that we’ll need to consider in planning your trip.

Cameras

We provide a small waterproof bag (17” tall x 9” diameter—approximate sealed size) to hold your camera and other items you might need during the day. While these bags are designed to be waterproof, you may wish to place your camera in a zip-lock plastic bag or waterproof casing for additional protection. We also strongly recommend you take out a rider on your homeowner’s policy to cover your camera—especially if it’s fine equipment. Make sure to bring additional memory cards, batteries, and any other extras you will need.

Trip Forms

Each participant will need to complete the required trip forms online and submit them no later than 30 days prior to your trip.

Extra Gear

We advise that you leave your valuables at home or in your private vehicle and take on the river only what’s absolutely necessary.

Gratuities

Tipping is appreciated by our staff. If you are wondering how much to tip, you may consider that we operate in a service industry with a host of behind-the-scenes contributors in addition to the guides on your trip.  In general, we suggest a gratuity based on 10 – 15% of the trip cost.  It is customary on OARS trips for gratuities to be given to the Trip Leader, in the form of cash or a personal check, who will then distribute appropriately amongst all the guides and support staff.

SOMETHING VOLUNTARY

In reviewing your statement, you’ll note a $1/person/day donation to the Yampa River Awareness Project of the Friends of the Yampa, a non-profit conservation organization that strives to protect and enhance the environmental and recreational integrity of the Yampa River, its basin, and its tributaries through stewardship, advocacy, partnerships and education. The mission of the Yampa River Awareness Project is to educate the public about the Yampa River, its special attributes, and current water projects and proposals for this river and its surrounding area. One-hundred percent of these funds go directly to the Yampa River Awareness Project and your contribution is tax-deductible. This donation is voluntary and may be removed from your invoice if you choose not to participate. Please notify our office if you would prefer to delete the donation from your balance.

Helpful Links

Gear up in the OARStore where 15% of all purchases help fund outdoor adventures for under-resourced youth
www.oars.com/OARStore

Shop for the latest in top-quality clothing, footwear & outdoor gear
www.rei.com

Watch our “What to Wear and Bring” video 
https://www.oars.com/video/wear-bring-one-day-rafting-trip-oars/

Suggested Reading List
www.oars.com/blog/utah-reading-list-green-and-yampa-river-region/

Additional Vernal, UT Travel Planner and Lodging Information
www.dinoland.com

Additional information on Dinosaur National Monument
www.nps.gov/dino

Terms & Conditions

Full payment is required at the time of booking. 

Payments may be made by check, money order or Visa/Mastercard (American Express and Discover incur a 3% processing fee).  Prices are in US Dollars and all payments must be made in US Dollars.  Payment establishes your acceptance of our complete Terms and Conditions. Individual departures and trip capacity are strictly limited by the managing agency.  

Canceling your trip will incur cancellation fees because OARS has absorbed costs on your behalf and will turn others away who would like to book the spaces we’re holding for you.

Cancellations and Refunds

Your payment is fully refundable for 48 hours after making a reservation when you reserve a trip 7 days or more prior to departure.

If you must cancel your reservation after the rescission period described above, your cancellation fee will be determined according to the schedule below. We regret we cannot make exceptions to the cancellation policy for any reason, including foul weather, poor air quality, wildfire activity, acts of terrorism, civil unrest or personal emergencies. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early.  For these reasons, we strongly urge you to consider purchasing a travel protection plan (see Travel Protection below).

Please note that different deposit/cancellation policies may apply for charter groups.  Refer to the group organizer’s confirmation e-mail for details.

Canceled Trips

OARS reserves the right to cancel any trip due to insufficient registration or other factors that make the trip impractical to operate. In such instances, we will inform you at least 7 days prior to departure.  Do not make nonrefundable travel arrangements unless you have spoken to your Adventure Consultant regarding the status of your trip.

If a trip must be canceled or postponed due to force majeure (factors outside the control of OARS), OARS will provide full credit for payments made toward future travel, or a refund less a 5% service fee plus any nonrefundable payments made on your behalf to 3rd-party suppliers. OARS will make good faith efforts to recover deposits made on your behalf to 3rd-party suppliers, however we can’t guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made.  OARS is not responsible for expenses incurred by participants in preparation for a canceled trip.

Transfers

If we are within 30 days of your trip departure, you may transfer from one trip to another, within the same season, for a fee of $25/person fee up until 7 days prior to departure. You may choose to make a one-time transfer of your payments to a credit account for use during the following season, which incurs a $25/person fee from 29 days prior up until 7 days prior to departure. Transfers made after this time will be treated as cancellations. 

Medical

Under most circumstances, if you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying an OARS trip. People with medical conditions, including pregnancy, should have a physician’s approval before taking an adventure travel trip.

Travel Protection

Because there are costs that you will incur if you cancel your reservation after the rescission period, or in the event you need to be evacuated during the trip due to illness or injury, we strongly encourage our guests to purchase an optional travel protection plan. A travel protection plan can reimburse you for non-refundable payments for cancellations due to covered medical reasons; and trip participants must understand that in the event of illness or injury on a wilderness trip, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. For complete details and to purchase the plan we highly recommend, visit: https://www.oars.com/tpp  

Please note: To be eligible for coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, you must purchase the plan within 21 days of your initial trip payment and you must be medically fit to travel at the time you pay for the plan. Coverage does not take effect until the plan premium has been paid. 

Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage can be purchased as stand-alone coverage, independent of a comprehensive travel protection plan. You can get a quote for this type of policy by entering a Trip Cost amount of $0 when getting a quote here: www.oars.com/tpp

Please note: By entering a Trip Cost amount of $0, the plan will not include Trip Cancellation coverage and you may not be eligible for Emergency Medical Expense benefits relating to any pre-existing conditions.

Liability Release / Assumption of Risk

Everyone is required to sign a standard liability release / assumption of risk form before the trip, confirming awareness that there are inherent risks associated with the trip. Due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will sign this form and return it to our office before the trip begins. Anyone who refuses to sign the form will not be allowed to participate, and consistent with OARS cancellation policy, there will be no refund of the trip fees at that time.

Responsibility – An Important Notice

O.A.R.S. Canyonlands, Inc. and cooperating agencies act only in the capacity of agent for the participants in all matters relating to transportation and/or all other related travel services, and assume no responsibility however caused for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service, including but not limited to that resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays and expenses arising from quarantine, pandemics, strikes, theft, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulations, and discrepancies or change in transit over which it has no control. Reasonable changes in itinerary may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of the participants, including cancellation due to water fluctuation, insufficient bookings (this trip requires a minimum of 6 guests), and other factors. There is risk in whitewater rafting, particularly during high-water conditions. Rafts and kayaks can capsize. You could be swept overboard. Your guide will make every attempt to assist, but you must be strong and agile enough to “self-help” and “float-it-out” without further endangering yourself or others. We reserve the right not to accept guests weighing more than 260 pounds or with a waist/chest size exceeding 56 inches. We may decide, at any time, to exclude any person or group for any reason we feel is related to the safety of our trips. We are experienced at accommodating people with various disabilities. Please give us an opportunity to make you feel welcome. We need to discuss any special requirements ahead of time. 

OARS trips occur in areas where unpredictable environmental conditions are to be expected.  To moderate dangerous situations for our guests and guides, all travelers must obey the rules and regulations as determined by the managing agencies and the Trip Leader and demonstrate reasonable consideration for other guests and OARS employees.  We reserve the right to remove any guest from a trip if, in our opinion, that guest’s actions or behaviors pose a threat to the safety of her/himself or others, or if those actions or behaviors compromise the enjoyment of the trip for others.  Should a guest be asked to leave a trip, there will be no refund for the unused portion, nor will OARS be responsible for additional expenses incurred by the guest for accommodations, return transport, change fees, etc. Prices subject to change without notice. Upon advancement of deposit the depositor agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions. OARS is an equal opportunity provider.