(Part 2) Top products from r/whitewater

Not sure where you typically paddle, but BC in generally is very hard for it's rating. Just honestly evaluate your skills before you decide you must run any particular river and build up in difficulty. Here is a good BC guide:
http://www.liquidlore.com/bc/

This is a pretty good PNW guidebook that can at least give you some ideas:
https://www.amazon.com/Paddling-Pacific-Northwest-Whitewater-Hinds/dp/1493023063

It's a bit biased toward class iv/v so that might be what you're wanting. It's a fun read if nothing else. It's shaping up to be a pretty good snow year, so you should have lots of options going into August. Memorial day weekend at the Lochsa is a good spot if you like to party. The Lochsa is bigwater class iv and really fun, nothing too difficult. Lots of people run it in a playboat and there is a great play waves at certain levels. There is also the Clearwater right there which is more challenging iv-v. Also some great hotsprings there as well.

Another river to keep your eye on around that time of year is the Icicle. It's basically the next drainage over from the Tumwater and often has good levels in June. The middle section of the icicle is no joke multiple class V rapids, but it is all roadside and there are locals around to show you the way. Around that time the Cooper, Cle Elum, Ohanepecosh, and Fall in the Wall may be options.

They rent rafts for the lower Youghiogheny. I've never seen so many paddles just floating down the river! safety boaters were sticking extra raft paddles down their pfds. It seemed lots of people had no clue what they were doing and really needed a guide. Idk maybe it's changed. Upper part is pretty sweet though more like a creek than a river.
New River in WV I believe is higher CFS, meaning cubic feet per second. I met many folks there with little experience, but wanting to learn. Many of the larger outfitters will have trainings for prospective guides. We were allowed to camp on company property.
Many of the guides I knew did not have a raft guide certification, just first aid/CPR. I had one better, wilderness first responder. ACA Swift water rescue is a great class to take.
You should also think about taking a rafting trip as a customer on a few rivers. You will get to talk to the guides and will get great local knowledge. Try calling a few outfitters and tell them your story. They will know where you are coming from bro, was that the AT you hiked? Haha, buy this book, it's about kayakers but it's really great to explain whitewater: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0897320506/ref=pd_aw_sims_3?pi=SL500_SY115&simLd=1

Seriously, replace them for your boat kit. There's a lot of overlap with rock climbing, and any safe climber will tell you that exhausted gear like this should be retired from your active kit because someone might inadvertently use it.

I know the situations where you'll need a 23kN carabiner on the river are vanishingly small, but you don't want to risk it. Corrosion is insidious, too, and you might not be able to tell how much strength has been lost by visual inspection. If you've got a biner on the river or crag, it should be able to be used for all original purposes (even if it's marked) so that you don't accidentally use a bad biner in a critical situation.

If you're going for non-survival use, PB Blaster is insanely useful, as any mechanic working on cars in cold-weather climates can tell you.

Conceivably, if you're a dab hand with a blowtorch, heat and vicegrips could get the job done, but you really, really, really can't use them for anything safety related if you do that.

Read up on freeing stuck bolts on cars; I think it's your best bet. Don't use those biners in your gearbag, though.

Thanks for the info!

>$1300 per person for everything.

Ah, interesting! We've been quoted about $1800pp (for 8 people)... obviously there's a lot of variables, so I'll look deeper...

>great for a single or couple to sleep on

A dumb offtopic question, but for a couple where exactly do you sleep?! All the rivers I've rowed the boats have been loaded to the eyeballs, and I'm much taller than a boat is wide...

>cocktails each night

Interesting! Any particular cocktails that seemed to suit Grand trips? :)

EDIT: one last question, do you have book suggestions? I was looking at getting:

• Belknap's Waterproof Grand Canyon River Guide All New Expanded Edition
  
• Colorado River in The Grand Canyon Map - 4th E-RiverMaps
  
• Day Hikes from the River: A Guide to Hikes from Camps Along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
  
  ... but wasn't sure if the two maps were both necessary...? What'd you take?

I just want to put in a plug for the Little Martin LXM. It's body is "high pressure laminate" - aka formica, so you could pretty much use it as a paddle and it would be ok. It's small and has a short scale, but it's still big enough to play comfortably, and - unlike, say, the Martin Backpacker - it sounds remarkably good, balanced and loud. I've had it down the Colorado a couple times in the soft case it comes with, then in a roll-top dry bag. Survived without issue. I seriously love the thing.

You're blessed with one of the largest and most active whitewater clubs around: Coastal Canoeists (www.coastals.org). Though mostly based in Richmond, They are all over Virginia. Carolina Canoe Club (www.carolinacanoeclub.org) also paddles Virginia a lot. Look either of them up on Facebook as well. All of the great West Virginia paddling around Fayetteville and Summersville are within your reach too. There's a HUGE retailer not too far you, Appomattox River Company (www.paddleva.com), that may likely also have used/demo boats at a good price. Hopefully you already know about the informational resources of American Whitewater (VA listings here: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/state-summary/state/VA/). A now aged, but still useful guidebook for VA is http://www.amazon.com/Virginia-whitewater-paddlers-guide-rivers/dp/B00071FAOI

look at ken whiting book "whitewater kayaking" https://www.amazon.ca/Whitewater-Kayaking-Ultimate-Ken-Whiting/dp/1896980309/ref=dp_ob_image_bk

for river rescue this book is really good https://www.amazon.ca/Whitewater-Safety-Rescue-Essential-Knowledge/dp/0762750871/ref=pd_sim_14_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MHFWX122X998Y99609AN Its a good book. I had it reccomended to me and I reccomend it to others

for video channel check out calgary aquabatics channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrLrUmPL86mZsfO_4q120nDDZ5HmMXChK

or Ken when whitings paddling.com

Idaho Whitewater by Greg Moore and Idaho the Whitewater State by Grant Amaral are awesome resources. PM me if you end up around the panhandle or near the Payette. We'll probably be running Marsh Creek Saturday or Sunday on our way to the MF the first weekend of June if you want to join us. [Edited for hyperlink formatting]

Hey one of the bama boyz, I'm from bham! I honestly just didnt wear anything on my hands most of the time but when I needed something and I couldn't afford poagies I got a pair of these which fall apart after a winter but are pretty affordable and warm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029YI6QU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YWmWDb9XVQ724

Some text resources they might be a little dated but they're still great:

Colorado Rivers and Creeks:
https://www.amazon.com/Colorado-Rivers-Creeks-Gordon-Banks/dp/0964539950

Whitewater of the Southern Rockies:

https://www.amazon.com/Whitewater-Southern-Rockies-Stafford-McCutchen/dp/0979264405/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494345565&sr=1-1&keywords=evan+stafford

I would go with a group, especially when learning. What boat do you have?

Having some self rescue skills would be a plus, This book has a lot of good info

I'm a huge fan of the Wenoka Squeeze Knife. It's a very good knife (originally for diving, but I know a bunch of purple who use them rafting) and it doesn't come out accidentally. People lose the Gerber and NRS knifes frequently.

The stainless steel model with a blunt tip is more popular, but I saw The titanium version for cheaper a while back and bought it.

Although old, this book has some good exercises in it: http://www.amazon.com/Playboating-Kayaking-Eric-Jackson/dp/0811728943/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335533520&sr=1-2

The foam mat you use when camping.

Hamble Redwood BB-FM200 Foam Mat https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000SLYGQA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CO0ZCb7YY1TPQ

Fit it out as tight as possible because the foam will settle down with use.

Try Eno river state park, right there in Durham. There may be campable spots look into it. There are at least 5 sections that I recall.

cape fear near Lillington has a class 2 run. Upper Haw is class 2.

You don’t need much for rapids for a great canoe trip there are many rivers just finding where you can camp is tricky.

Here is a book on eastern NC:
eastern nc paddling guide

Planning to order some next time we go; "Either Oar"