Rogue River:
Packing List and
Equipment Suggestions
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Southwest Oregon
3,
4 or 5
days
April - October
Class III+ |
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You'll find a packing list
below, plus information on the following topics:
| What to wear on the
river |
| Where
to find items you'll need |
| How to pack |
| O.R.E. rental
equipment |
|
What to wear on the river and in camp
Most of the time the weather in the Rogue River canyon is
warm and pleasant. But cool, wet weather can occur on any trip. It can
be quite chilly when it’s overcast, breezy or rainy, especially when you’re
in a raft. Please pay close attention to selecting your clothes and gear for
your river adventure. Hopefully, you’ll never need most of the cool-weather
gear we recommend that you bring. But please do bring it, just in case!
On cool or rainy days (or when the rapids are chilly)
Appropriate clothing for these conditions is clothing that
dries quickly, and keeps you warm even when the garment is wet. Modern
high-tech synthetic fabrics such as polypropylene, capilene, and polyester
fleece do both. (Wool provides warmth when wet, but does not dry quickly and
is less comfortable. Wool is often less expensive, however, especially when
purchased from Thrift or Military Surplus stores.)
Think in terms of layers of clothing for changeable and cool
weather. As conditions change, you can add or subtract layers as needed. The
first layer in cool weather should be long underwear made of synthetic
materials such as polypropylene or capilene, which provide warmth and wick
moisture away from your skin. The middle layer should consist of polyester
fleece (or wool), and will provide further warmth. The outer layer consists of
a rain jacket and rain pants (ponchos are not recommended). Rain gear made of
modern waterproof, breathable fabrics such as Goretex are best. But for a less
expensive option, coated nylon will work, too.
A surprisingly large percentage of heat loss occurs from our
heads. For this reason a wool or synthetic hat will go a long way towards
keeping you warm.
Wetsuits are generally not needed (although for spring trips
they can substitute for a middle clothing layer). But they do make inflatable
kayaking more comfortable in cool weather, and for this reason O.R.E. provides
wetsuits on a shared basis for kayakers. If you'd like to bring your own suit
look for an 1/8" thick "farmer john" style (which can be worn
in conjunction with a sweater and raincoat). Thicker, full-body scuba style
suits are warm, but they're less comfortable and their bulk makes makes
rowing and paddling more difficult.
On hot days
Nylon shorts and bathing suits are worn, as well as a hat to
keep the sun out of your eyes. Cotton shirts may be worn to keep cool and to
ward off sunburn.
Cotton clothing is recommended for hot weather only! Wet
cotton will lower your body temperature. This is great for keeping cool during
a heat wave. But cotton provides no warmth when wet.
On your feet
For footwear while on the river we recommend nylon or canvas
tennis shoes, hard soled wetsuit boots, or sports sandals such as Tevas. For
extra comfort you may want to wear nylon or polypropylene socks as a first
layer. For cool weather and cold water, wetsuit boots work well. Sport sandals
and shoes also work well, when combined with thick wool socks or neoprene
wetsuit socks. Sport sandals are comfortable for rafting, and are preferred by
many of our guides. But they're generally more expensive, and do not protect
your feet as well as do shoes.
In camp or at the lodge
You may want a change of shoes, and comfortable clothing for
lounging or hiking. While cotton clothing may be worn on shore in dry weather,
you may want to bring a second set of polypropylene and fleece for rainy
weather.
Where to find items you'll need
Check with local sporting goods stores. If they cater to
outdoor sports (hiking, backpacking, etc.) rather than team sports, they
should have most of the items you need. Gear is also available through mail
order and on-line by contacting REI (800-426-4840, or
www.rei.com), L.L. Bean
(800-341-4341, or
www.llbean.com), or Northwest River Supply (800-635-5202, or
www.nrsweb.com).
Rental Equipment for Camp and Camp/Lodge
trips
O.R.E. offers camping equipment for rent to those who do not
own or do not wish to transport this gear. High quality, two to three person
Sierra Designs free-standing tents are available. Deluxe sleep kits are
also available, which consist of a Sierra Designs polarguard sleeping bag,
cotton bag liner, self-inflating full-length Paco sleep pad, and ground cloth.
Reservations and advance payment are required for O.R.E. rental gear. To place
a reservation for a tent or sleep kit please call our office at 1-800-827-1358.
Rental Gear Prices
Additional rental gear
details
| # Days on River |
Tent |
Sleep Kit |
|
| 3 |
$25 |
$25 |
|
| 4 |
$30 |
$30 |
|
| 5 |
$35 |
$35 |
|
| 6 |
$35 |
$35 |
(6th day free) |
How to pack
Pack your gear in a manner appropriate for your journey to
the river. When we meet we will supply you with a watertight river bag, into
which you will pack your clothing. This bag is roughly 14" in diameter
and 24" tall. We’ll also provide camping trip participants with a second, larger river bag
(roughly 16" in diameter and 33" tall), which you will share with
one other person. Into this second bag will go your tent, sleeping bag,
sleeping pad, and other bulky items. Items that you want to keep handy during
the day but which must stay dry (camera, binoculars, a book, etc.) go best in
a 50 caliber military surplus ammo box. O.R.E. provides these boxes on a
shared basis. If you would like your own, they are available at most surplus
and some outdoor stores, and work best when painted white or a light color and
lined with foam. (Please note: ammo boxes cannot be carried in paddle rafts or
inflatable kayaks.)
A few words about the term waterproof:
The bags and boxes we provide are watertight under most conditions, even when
temporarily submerged. However, leakage can occur, and we recommend you wrap
your sleeping bag and clothing in heavy-duty plastic garbage bags for extra
protection. We also recommend that you pack your camera, binoculars, reading
material and similar items in large zip-lock food storage bags.
Packing List
River Gear
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swimsuit, or shorts and T-shirt (avoid cotton shorts)
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tennis shoes or sport sandals, or hard-soled wetsuit
boots (for Spring trips)
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wool or synthetic "ski" hat — for
cold/rainy days
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wide-brimmed hat (preferably with chin-strap), or
baseball cap — for sunny days (wide-brimmed hats do a better job of keeping
the sun off, but baseball caps can be worn beneath the helmets used by
inflatable kayakers)
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1 pair socks (wool or synthetic)
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waterproof rain jacket and rain pants
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Polypropylene or Capilene long underwear tops and
bottoms (mid-weight or expedition weight)
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1 warm
sweater or jacket, polyester fleece or wool
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water bottle or canteen
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waterproof sunscreen (SPF 15 minimum), lip balm
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sunglasses, with strap (i.e. "chums" or
"croakies") |
Extra river clothing and off-river clothing
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second pair of
shoes or sandals (or lightweight
hiking boots)
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1 pair long pants
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1-2 pair shorts
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1-2 long-sleeved shirts
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1-2 short-sleeved shirts
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socks and underwear |
Other Gear
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compact, lightweight tent (freestanding is
preferable) *
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compact, medium-weight sleeping bag
*
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compact foam sleeping pad (Thermarest is a popular
pad), or air mattress *
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small tarp (to place beneath your tent, or as a ground
cloth for sleeping under the stars) *
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personal toiletries, including small towel,
biodegradable soap, dry-skin lotion, prescription medicines
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small flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries |
* - These items are not needed for lodge trips.
Optional Items
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a second warm sweater or jacket, polyester fleece or
wool, and fleece or wool pants (especially for spring trips)
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gloves (especially if you’ll be rowing) —
bicycling, weight lifting, or gardening gloves work well
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binoculars
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camera and film
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reading material
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pen and journal or notebook
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compact fishing gear
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insect repellant
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spare glasses, sunglasses
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small daypack, ammo box, or small dry bag
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beer or soft drinks (up to 2 six-packs per person),
wine or liquor — all in unbreakable containers. (We provide coffee, tea, and
juice; also wine with some dinners). Please note: Consumption of alcohol is
prohibited during the day — but is okay once we arrive in camp or at the lodge.
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People sensitive to the sun may want to bring
lightweight cotton clothes (such as a surgeon’s outfit) for sun protection
on midsummer trips. |
Pease do not bring: pets, guns,
valuable jewelry, cellular phones, or radios (personal mp3 or "walkman" type
music players are okay).
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