Arizona Summer Wildcat

WINKELMAN - Life vests on, paddle in hand, a quick lesson in rafting techniques and off you go down the Gila River, the water rushing under you at 1,000 cubic feet per second.

Last week, I had the opportunity to experience white water rafting for the first time, taking part in a half-day trip down the Gila River. I was guided by Desert Voyagers River Rafting, which is operated out of Tempe. The firm, owned by Patrick Blumm, has been floating people down Arizona's rivers since 1978. The company was granted permits to raft the Gila in 1991, but this is the first year they have offered trips on the river.

While the Salt River is the only choice for serious thrill seekers, a lack of water has made rafting impossible this year. Instead, Blumm moved camp to Winkelman and began running the Gila.

Blumm calls the Gila "Arizona's summertime river," because irrigation releases from the Coolidge Dam keep the river flowing into September. On a scale of one to six, with six the most dangerous, The Gila is a class two. The Upper Salt is a class three to four. Niagara Falls is a six. According to Blumm, the rating makes the Gila "the perfect place to start your rafting career. There are no bone-crunching rapids or death-defying curves, but you won't fall asleep."

I arrived at base camp half an hour before the trip started, which allowed everyone to meet (there are eight people per raft), sign an acknowledgment of risk form, and pile into a van to ride to Dripping Springs Wash, the "put-in" spot about 10 miles upriver. Here, we were issued life vests and taught the finer points of rafting, most importantly, how to paddle forward and reverse. We were assured these were the only commands we would need for the day. The more delicate steering would be done by our guide, Chris Jolly.

We spent three hours on the river and shot through several rapids; looked in awe at limestone mountains jutting alongside the river; and watched cattle, ducks and blue herons wading along the banks. The river is calm enough to spend most of the day admiring the breathtaking scenery and talking with fellow rafters. Jolly and the other guides know the area well and shared their stories with us as we floated. One of the many bits of history we heard during the day was that the Gila was the natural boundary between the United States and Old Mexico until 1853.

The river offers something for everyone. If you are looking for an escape from the summer heat, the river is a constant 60 degrees, and a breeze kept us cool all afternoon. Nature lovers will be captivated by the scenery and wildlife. Adventure seekers should enjoy the rapids, which are not extreme, but fun. "There is fast-moving water, but the waves splash in your lap instead of over your head," Blumm said.

The trip was 10 miles of winding river, and I spent about half of it paddling in the front position of the raft. The waves were doing plenty of splashing all over me. The water felt great, and it was a thrill to feel the rapids under my feet and then the raft lifting and crashing down into the waves. The rest of the trip I spent relaxing, paddling enough to get a good, upper-arm workout, but when the white water approached, the only thing I was focused on was the water surging up to meet the boat and Jolly calling out commands.

On a couple of the rapids, the river sent us hurling into the banks, and one rapid had all of us ducking for cover as we went headfirst into a low-hanging tree. I got the up-close view of the branches as it skimmed over the raft, inches from my head.

Those few encounters with the white water got me excited about rafting and eager to try more challenging rivers.

For more experienced rafters, Blumm has created "self-captained" boats, and these are becoming the biggest attraction at Desert Voyagers. Blumm interviews prospective captains to make sure each is qualified to take charge of a boat, then gives that person control of the raft and its eight person crew. Desert Voyagers guides run a caravan of rafts along with a self-captained crew to provide the narration on the scenery and make sure the captain is, in fact, competent. If a problem arises, a Desert Voyagers staff member will take over. So far, Blumm has reported no problems.

Desert Voyagers' base camp is in Winkelman, a small mining town about 70 miles northeast of Tucson. As you pass by, keep your eyes open for their sign. It is set back off the right side of state Route 77, a half mile past the Highway 177 junction. It's easy to miss - I had to double back after passing the sign at 60 miles per hour. All you need for your trip is drinking water and a lot of waterproof sunscreen. Leave alcohol at home; it is strictly prohibited on the river. Swimsuits or shorts and a T-shirt are the perfect attire. Footwear is required. Sneakers will work, but Tevas, or similar sandals, are suggested. There is a tepee set up as a changing room and an extra set of clothes for the ride home is recommended.

Trips on the Gila are all half-day adventures, and a picnic lunch is included for the $49-per-person fee. Reservations are required, and can be arranged by calling (602) 966-7878.

I worked hard paddling all day, got a little sunburned, a little wet, and would do it all again in a heartbeat.