Big Sky Montana Whitewater Rafting near Yellowstone on the Gallatin River in Big Sky Montana
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Geyser Gear Guide for Whitewater Rafting in Montana

9/30/2016

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Group Rafting in Montana at Geyser ExpeditionsGroup Rafting in Summer on the Gallatin River
Montana has some of the best scenic and whitewater rafting in the United States. Incredible areas like Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park offer great rafting opportunities for first time rafters and enthusiasts. Here at Geyser Whitewater Expeditions, we take the threat of cold water and bad weather seriously and always prepare our guests by providing warm gear like wetsuits, water repellent jackets, and warm footwear. Though we will always provide the gear that ensure you are prepared for your trip with us -- here is a list of gear that we use and recommend that can add comfort and style to any future raft trip in Montana or elsewhere.

Standard gear - You should always bring these things on any Montana rafting trip:

Non-cotton clothing made for getting wet
We wear board shorts or other water shorts (guys and girls) and often wear non-cotton, synthetic, or wool base layers under our shorts, even in warmer weather.

Footwear that won’t fall off
This is really important. Footwear like flip-flops or crocs won’t cut it if you fall out of a boat and find them floating away. They also can trip you up while traversing a rocky river bank to get in and out of your raft. We wear Chaco or Teva type sandals that strap tightly or water shoes.

Sun protection
Standard raft-guide gear includes sunglasses and often a hat. Sunglasses reduce glare coming back off the water and can help preserve your vision. Hats can shade your eyes, keep sun off your neck, or face and help reduce the risk of skin damage.

Pro gear - These are a few items that our guides recommend and use daily:

Kokotat - Gore-Tex Meridian Dry Suit
For ultimate protection from cold water elements our guides depend on dry gear. Kokotat has been the leader in producing quality dry gear for river professionals and enthusiasts for decades and we love the Gore-Tex quality of this suit.

Astral Designs - Aquanaut Water Shoe
Quality river gear that won’t break is important, quality river gear that won’t break and will look good while you are walking down main street in Bozeman is the next level. The Aquanaut does just that, we love the quality and style of this shoe.

WRSI - Trident Composite Helmet
Sunscreen and your sun bonnet won’t protect you from rocks and loose paddles, that’s why we love the brim and composite construction of the WRSI Trident. It keeps the sun out of your face and the water out of your eyes while providing a layer of highly engineered safety for your decision making. Very clutch for a good Montana whitewater rafter.

We use and depend on our river gear daily to help facilitate a safe and fun environment here on the Gallatin River. Montana Rafting never disappoints and remember there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear!


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What is the best Rafting in Yellowstone, the Gallatin, Snake, or Yellowstone Rivers?

8/4/2016

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It starts with three rivers...
Very often rafting is the highlight of any vacation to Yellowstone. This is in part because of the three great rivers that run through the national park’s ecosystem. The Gallatin, Snake, and Yellowstone Rivers along with their many tributaries are the heart pumping pathways of this magical environment. They course through some of the most beautiful parts of the park and surrounding valleys. There vital place in this ecosystem makes them centers of geologic history, organic prosperity, wildlife activity, and exploratory travel. 

Different river characteristics make for a different experience
You may have experienced the feeling of navigating a rubber raft downhill among, waves, obstacles, and river features while riding an always moving current of last years snow pack before, or you may just think it sounds fun. Regardless, you have some options when vacationing to Yellowstone. As you have no doubt seen and experienced, rivers can vary greatly in their characteristics. Some can be wide, shallow, and meandering like, for example, the large Mississippi, Missouri, and Columbia rivers are, for much of their lengths. Since Yellowstone is so close to the continental divide, area rivers are generally much lower in volume, offer more gradient, and consist of more obstacles than these more eroded cousins.

Gallatin River
River
Gradient +++++
Volume ++
Obstacles +++++
Run Quality: Great

The Gallatin River is the least eroded of the Yellowstone rafting rivers. It’s position in the narrow Gallatin Canyon leaves it loaded with great features that make it not only one of the most popular rivers for whitewater rafting enthusiasts, but also for kayakers and fishermen. Its steep gradient means that there are many places on the river where the water pools up and passes quickly between large boulders and steep banks. It also provides one stretch of the river, often called the “Mad Mile,” where rapids are virtually continuous. The nature of the Gallatin Valley also means that the Gallatin River is relatively low in water volume with many large boulders -- making obstacles that your guide and you will maneuver around in the water. Overall this river’s high gradient, low volume, and many obstacles create a fun and exciting rafting environment that is great for experienced rafters and their families too!

Yellowstone River
Gradient ++
Volume ++++
Obstacles ++
Run Quality: Fair

The Yellowstone River is one of the larger meandering rivers in the area. It’s headwaters reside inside the national park, the section of the river inside the park offers more gradient, less volume and more obstacles. This would make for a great whitewater adventure, however Yellowstone National Park is the only park in the nation where it is not legal to access the rivers inside the park to float for any reason. Outside the park is a different story! Beginning in the town of Gardiner, MT the Yellowstone River begins to slow down as it hits the wide open Paradise Valley and offers shorter sections of rapids separated by large slow pools of water. The waves found in these rapids can get your whole boat wet, but may leave you wanting more.

Snake River
Gradient ++++
Volume +++++
Obstacles ++
Run Quality: Good

The Snake River, like the Yellowstone is a relatively high volume river. Unlike the Yellowstone it begins meandering through the wide open expanse of Teton Valley before it regroups and flows through the steeper Alpine Canyon. This gives the run a fair amount of gradient as it goes through the canyon. There are some good quality rapids on the run that can get your boat wet or maybe even flip it over! The large amount of water that flows through the canyon means that it is pretty well eroded and most of the obstacles are cleared out, leaving your raft crew with little to do. Just make sure your guide can keep you in the middle of the river and point you at the waves!

You will have a great time on the river! But we can help!!
No matter which Yellowstone whitewater rafting trip you go on, you are sure to have a great time! You can’t go wrong in such an amazing place as long as you respect the river, listen to your professional guide and make sure to smile when you get your picture taken!


If you have any further questions about how to book a raft trip, or have more questions about the river options and stretches that would be the most fun for your group, feel free to give us a call at: 406-995-4989 or email at [email protected]. Our passionate river staff will be glad to help.


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Yellowstone National Park video

7/10/2016

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We love this old school video...Headed to Yellowstone, check it out.
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Money saving Adventure Packages for Rafting, Zipline and Horseback Rides

7/2/2016

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Contact Geyser Whitewater Expeditions for more info on any rafting, zipline and horseback packages.
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What to bring when rafting the Gallatin River near Yellowstone

6/14/2016

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Rafting the Gallatin River near Yellowstone in Big Sky Montana
At Geyser Whitewater Expeditions we have most of the gear you will need for a raft trip.  Wetsuits and booties can be rented and we will have a nylon rafting, life jacket and helmet for everyone. If you didn't plan ahead to go rafting, no worries, we have you covered.  If you are a planner, a couple of essentials from home may add to your experience though.  We will keep it simple:

Bring a fleece jacket - We will wear this underneath a wetsuit on cooler days.
Bring a pair of non-cotton socks.  Ski socks or a wool sock works great.  Although not required it will add a nice touch of comfort.
Bring a dry change of clothes.  A warm sweatshirt goes a long way after a raft trip, even on a warm day.
Water - We have water you can buy if you don't have any handy.  Feel free to bring it in the boat with you.
Sunscreen.
Sunglass straps, disposable cameras and plenty of fun souvenirs are available for purchase in our shop.

The Gallatin River in Big Sky, Montana is probably the best rafting in Montana and the Yellowstone Region.  We hope you can join us!

​http://www.raftmontana.com


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Choosing the best Gallatin River Rafting Adventure...Rafting near Yellowstone

4/8/2016

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​For many visitors, a whitewater adventure on the Gallatin River is the highlight of a Yellowstone Vacation but its often hard to figure out all the details when searching online back home.  Fear not, we're tourists too sometimes, so we know there's a lot of information out there when you are planning a trip.  Sometimes so much so it muddles the picture and hard to figure out what to do with precious vacation time. We thought it would be helpful to take a moment to answer some of the questions our guests commonly ask and maybe help you decide which trip to book.
​

​Here are some questions to think about when deciding what trip is good for your group.

Does the group want exciting whitewater, introductory whitewater or maybe everyone just wants to kick back and relax on our Grand Scenic Tour?

We use three sections of river:
  • The Lower Whitewater Trip which includes the Mad Mile.
  • The Upper Whitewater, a fun class II and III section of river that is less technical then the Lower.
  • The third section is upstream of Big Sky, Montana and is a fantastic scenic float featuring great scenery.

Do you have kids and what are their ages?
Generally we have trips for kids 6 and older.

What time of the year will you be rafting?

May and June-
This tim of the year can be high water, creating some of the largest rapids of the year on the river. The rapids have higher volume wave trains from class II to IV.
  • During this time younger families and those looking for splashy fun but not necessarily the roughest whitewater should be looking at the Upper Whitewater trip.
  • Adventurous groups of adults or older teens looking for the most thrills should book the Lower Whitewater.
  • Scenic floats are available daily for anyone 6 and older.

July - September -
The river starts getting lower and a bit slower offering fun Class II and III whitewater.
  • Our minimum age starts to drop for the Lower Whitewater as the river goes down.  By mid July the Lower becomes a super fun class III trip that is great for families and provides plenty of action for seasoned rafters.  As they say "there's never a bad day on the river."
  • The Upper Whitewater will become an introductory class I-III rafting trip as the summer  goes on.  A great first time trip for young families.
  • Of course one of our favorite trips the Scenic Float, is always available until mid-August usually.

Gallatin River Rafting trips meet in Big Sky, Montana.  This is the most convenient rafting for those visiting Yellowstone Park, West Yellowstone, Big Sky and Bozeman.

Our vacation packages include any combination of the following:
  • Discounted Lodging
  • Rafting
  • Zipline Adventures
  • Horseback Riding
  • Yellowstone Itineraries
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Mountain Bike riding
  • Lake SUP and boat rentals
  • Scenic Chairlift/tram rides
  • Imax
  • Grizzly Wolf and Discovery Center
  • Discounts on local dining, shopping and activities.

Feel free to contact us anytime if you have questions.  We look forward to meeting you!

​406.994.4989












 



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Spring Yellowstone Vacation Planning 2016

3/29/2016

2 Comments

 
They are calling it "March Madness" around here in Yellowstone country but we're not talking hoops.  March Madness refers to the amount of snowfall we are getting this Spring.  As I write this, Yellowstone and Big Sky Resort have had 11 out of 15 days of snow!  It's welcome around here though, the snow pack provides great whitewater rafting conditions all summer long and helps to keep the forest fires away later in the summer.  Our snowpack for the season has catapulted to 107% of average thus far this season.
We are eagerly awaiting the opening of rafting season in the Yellowstone region, we will start running trips on the Gallatin River near Big Sky, Montana in early May and will be in the full swing of things for the Memorial Day Weekend.
The phones are going off the hook with visitors planning their summer vacation to Yellowstone and Big Sky Resort.  I love talking to guests about their plans and being able suggest fun itineraries, activities and lodging advise. Just this morning we saved a family over $500 for a week of Yellowstone lodging, ziplining, rafting and horseback rides.  If you need advise too, don't hesitate to call. 406-995-4989
This is a great place to start your Yellowstone and Big Sky Resort travel planning, start clicking on the links to the right and read some of the blog posts to help you with your Yellowstone summer vacation planning.
Rafting the Gallatin River in Big Sky Montana near Yellowstone Park
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Rafting the Gallatin River in Late Summer

8/21/2015

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Low water, big fun!  A picture speaks a thousand words.  Gallatin River rafting near Yellowstone in Big Sky Montana.  www.raftmontana.com

Click to enlarge
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Yellowstone Epic Pass

8/10/2015

7 Comments

 
The Yellowstone EPIC Pass was a new package for us this year and the awesome benefits it offers quickly became our most popular package.  Hands down the best deal for rafting and zipline adventures in Big Sky and West Yellowstone Montana, near Yellowstone Park.  Families appreciate the benefits around town on shopping and dining and all the free items that are included make this the ultimate family deal.  Check it out on our website here and call if you have any questions.
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The  Zipline Adventure Park in West Yellwostone

7/23/2015

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High flying thrills await at the zipline adventure park.  Voted the "World's Best Design", there is nothing else like it.  No guides to wait around for, this 49 element aerial adventure park features the only self-navigating ziplines in the country...check it out, it's "woo-hoo inspiring!" 
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GPS Address:
63960 Gallatin Road
Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730

Contact us at: 406.763.4465
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All participants of Geyser Whitewater Expeditions, Inc. activities will have to sign a release of liability and an assumption of risk document. By signing this document you may be waiving your legal right to a jury trial to hold the provider legally responsible for any injuries or damages resulting from risks inherent in the sport or recreational opportunity or for any injuries or damages you may suffer due to the provider's ordinary negligence that are the result of the provider's failure to exercise reasonable care.


Minimum age restrictions vary with water conditions. 


It is the participants responsibility to understand the different classes of rapids and the nature of the rafting trip they are participating.

Cancellation policy
We need a 48+ hour notice  and there is a 100% fee for same day cancellations and no shows....If you purchase the Cancellation Insurance you can cancel or reschedule your rafting at any time. $10 per person.