It is that time of the year! We’re heading into rafting season. As the snow begins to melt, and the rivers begin to accumulate more water, rafting season is just around the corner. This means that the professional guides are getting amped up for the upcoming season by staying in shape and preparing for what’s ahead of them. They’ve been busy playing in the mountains, exploring outside of the rafting world and enjoying all that winter brings them wherever they are. How do these guides that many rafters look up to as their secondary life jacket stay in shape and prepare for the opening of rafting season?
During the off season, many guides are younger, taking college courses that fill up their winter months. Other guides can be found traveling to warmer parts of the world, working at ski resorts, working in retail, waiting tables and other jobs that any seasonal worker enjoys. Being a rafting guide is a lot like being a teacher, except that they work during the summer instead of during the winter. Therefore a rafting guide has months out of the year where they’re free to enjoy whatever they desire to, whether it is working the earn some more money or to spending their hard earned rafting money on a trip of their dreams.
To stay in shape for opening season isn’t too hard for rafting guides. Most of them work in areas that keep them in shape consistently. However, by running, weight lifting, hiking, mountain biking on fat bikes, and other activities that give your body a boost, rafting guides are able to stay in shape that provides them with the energy and skills that rafting needs. It’s important for rafting guides to stay in the best shape possible because their jobs are very demanding mentally and physically. Guides enjoy the outdoors, so staying in shape is not something they find hard to accomplish but more of a daily routine that they enjoy.
Rafting guides often spend their winters dreaming of the rivers they raft down every day during the summer. The opening season start date typically begins early April, varying between locations and companies dependent on water levels. Being so committed to a job like that, it’s hard to even consider being a rafting guide a job when it’s something that is enjoyed so immensely. This year rafting guides will be in their best shape mentally and physically, ready to take on what the rivers bring them.
About the Author:
The guides at New Mexico River Adventures are pleased to bring you this article on rafting guides getting into shape for rafting season. If you are interested in New Mexico rafting trips or Rio Grande rafting, be sure to check out their website today.