With record heat covering the West you need a strategy if you want to enjoy the outdoors. The master of rafting vacations, Western River Expeditions, offers seven out-of-the-box tips for how to stay cool on a summer vacation.
“Hot and dry means people want to get onto and into the water,” said Kam Wixom, Marketing Director and veteran guide. “Our staff and clients have come up some great tips over the years that help keep us all comfortable when the temperatures get extreme.”
Wixom recalls the summer of 1997 when temperatures in the Grand Canyon reached 123 degrees Fahrenheit. Already playing out this summer were higher-than-usual temperatures in the West. “We bought the newspaper just to prove to others back home that we (easily) survived some of the hottest temperatures we’d ever experienced. The thing is, we really did survive it easily.” Here’s how:
- Full Body Immersion – Get yourself soaked in the cold Colorado River. Linger in the water to reduce your core body temperature.
- Wear Only Cotton – We often think of quick-drying fabrics when we’re near the water, but to stay cool when you’re near water and temperatures are soaring, think cotton. This fabric, unlike synthetics, retains water, keeping you wet and cool. Choose cotton when it comes to bandanas, hats, neck scarves and sarongs.
- Drink Lots of Water – Stay properly hydrated by drinking two ounces of water for every ounce of alcohol or caffeine. And even before you’re thirsty – drink water. Sodas are diuretics that can cancel out hydration, so don’t think you’re only drinking soda to stay hydrated.
- Electrolytes Matter — You can drink all the water you want, but if you are not coupling it with electrolytes (vitamins and minerals), you still run a risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Yes, munch on salty potato chips and sugary cookies at lunch or take along some electrolyte tablets. They come in a variety of brands and flavors.
- Wear a Hat – Instead of putting earth-friendly sunscreen on your forehead (which often ends up in your eyes), wear a hat to keep the sun from pounding on your head. A hat can help protect from heatstroke and it protects your eyes.
- Indulge in a Sarong – Western River Expeditions stocks sarongs in its company store, Red Rock Outfitters. Sarongs are loved by both women and men as they can be easily dipped in the water and draped wet across your whole body.
- Start a Water Fight! – Not that we are endorsing rowdy behavior, but a couple of water cannons and bail buckets are good items to bring along and use on a surprise attack on an unsuspecting neighboring raft. The goal is to drench your opponents, a welcome outcome on a hot day!
It is still not too late to secure a spot on a raft trip this year. Contact Western River Expeditions today for a full list of available trips and dates.
About Western River Expeditions
Western River Expeditions is an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, with operations and offices in Moab, Utah and Fredonia, Arizona. Annually from March through October it escorts more people down rivers on professionally guided rafting trips in Utah, Idaho, and Arizona than any other company. It is the largest licensed outfitter in the Grand Canyon and the largest single tour provider in Moab, UT, through its division Moab Adventure Center.
Western River Expeditions, providing Grand Canyon rafting, Utah and Idaho rafting, and international multi-sport trips, was founded in 1961 by Colorado River rafting pioneer Jack Currey. It has been named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by the editors of National Geographic Adventure magazine. The company is the proud recipient of the “Best of State” award through Utah’s Premier Recognition and Awards Program for the past sixteen years.
