For the Kananaskis River the minimum age requirement is 5 years. If the guest is unaccompanied by an adult the minimum age is 16 years old, but the parent must be at Nakoda Lakeside Lodge to sign the waiver.
For the Horseshoe Canyon the minimum age requirement is 12 years. If the guest is unaccompanied by an adult the minimum age is 16 years old, but the parent must be at Nakoda Lakeside Lodge to sign the waiver.
Are there any weight restrictions?
For the Kananaskis River the minimum weight is 40lbs and the maximum weight is 350lbs.
For the Horseshoe Canyon the minimum weight is 90lbs and the maximum weight is 350lbs.
I have some medical concerns, what should I do?
When you are making your reservation please let the agent know and they will check with the Chinook management team. On the day please bring any medication you may need and inform your guide of any medical condition.
Do you need any rafting experience?
No experience is necessary, we do provide a Professional River Guide with each boat – who will explain and demonstrate paddle, safety and emergency techniques. This includes dryland safety instructions and practicing paddling on the river before the waves.
Do I need to know how to swim?
If you do not know how to swim, we would recommend joining the Kananaskis River Rafting Tour, as the rapids and river are not as strong. On the day please inform your guide that you are a non or weak swimmer too.
What training and qualifications do the raft guides have?
All of our staff are employed for their knowledge, local stories, enthusiasm, qualifications and experience and then further trained. All of our rafting guides at Chinook Rafting meet or exceed industry standards, and must be licensed through the Professional River Outfitters Association of Alberta, undergoing a series of practical and written exams. Many of the guides with Chinook Rafting qualify as, or are training on becoming, Trip Leaders, which is the highest level of certification that we as guides can obtain. All of our rafting guides are also trained in Swiftwater Rescue and First Aid & CPR and often spend their Canadian winters working as Professional Rafting Guides in the Southern Hemisphere too. We generally require a minimum of 3-5 seasons of prior rafting experience before we see if new guides are up to our standards. Some of our raft guides have over 10 years of international experience. All of our staff undergo thorough in-house training on the rivers we run; & first aid, river rescue and emergency response scenario training going above and beyond the industry standard, along with on-going safety meetings during the season to improve our emergency response plan and risk management procedures.
Is it safe?
Chinook Rafting has been operating whitewater rafting tours as a licensed company in the province of Alberta since 1983. As such, there are certain regulations (boat size, safety requirements, etc.) that we must follow. As rafting guides, we must be licensed through the Professional River Outfitters Association of Alberta, undergoing a series of practical and written exams. Many of the guides with Chinook Rafting qualify as, or are training on becoming, Trip Leaders, which is the highest level of certification that we as guides can obtain. All of our rafting guides are also trained in Swiftwater Rescue and First Aid & CPR and often spend their Canadian winters working as Professional Rafting Guides in the Southern Hemisphere too. What this means for you is that we are confident that we can manage, not eliminate, the risks today to offer you an exciting and fun day on the river, creating as safe a framework as we can, given what we are doing. However, it is important to remember that we are not on a track, this isn’t Disneyland! The fact that we’re not on a track adds excitement to what we’re doing, but it also adds inherent risks.
Could I fall out of the raft?
There is always a very slim possibility that you could fall out of the raft while on your white water rafting tour. We do everything possible as a company though to keep you inside the raft, providing you with top of the line equipment, including safety lines positioned around the raft, and very thorough, clear and concise safety briefings and demonstrations before the rafting tour. We want you to be prepared and ready to enjoy your tour with us.
Do I need to sign a waiver?
Yes, every guest who participates on one of our rafting tours needs to sign our waiver form which can be found on the Policies Page. This is a condition of participation before any adventure activity in North America and around the world now. Any guest under 18 years of age will also need a Parent / Guardian signature on the waiver form and an Emergency Contact Number if the Parent / Guardian is not joining them on the river too. You will sign your waivers once you arrive at Nakoda Lakeside Lodge.