# What wind forecast would make you cancel your 2-day raft trip?



## kengore (May 29, 2008)

Too many undefined variables. What river, what flow, what time of year. 

In the spring on the Upper Colorado, with a good flow I can beat a moderate head wind.
On the lower San Juan, in late season, with almost no flow even a light breeze can suck.


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## Quiggle (Nov 18, 2012)

Turn it into a 3 day trip


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

Weather I cancel trips over...

-Wildfire
-Blizzard
-Pyroclastic lahar 
-Nuclear fallout ... although let's get real, you are going to die anyway so it may as well be on the river.

I'll hide from sandblast in a crack before I cancel a trip for wind. If afternoon winds are too much, I run early. If daytime winds are too much, I run at night. If I can't run at night, I guess I'll be getting home late but I do not cancel trips for weather. Bring it.


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## Bigwaterforeveryone (Feb 7, 2018)

The W can suck at times, for sure, but it's rarely a reason to cancel a trip.


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

Plus one for Kengore's comment

'On the lower San Juan, in late season, with almost no flow even a light breeze can suck. '


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## Paco (Aug 3, 2007)

Another not-to-be-overlooked variable is who's on the trip. Kids, newbies, significant others who maybe don't love rafting quite as much as you do can all drastically affect the suffer-fest scale.


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## jgrebe (Jan 16, 2010)

60+ years of adventuring has taught me that 90% of the weather forecasts are wrong and that hardships make the best stories. The exceptions are things that can kill you (multi-feet snow in the back country) and kids or people on the trip who don't have the right gear. If it was me and my river crew no wind forecast by itself 
would cause me to call off the trip


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

Depends on if a "black oar" is allowed or not.......


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## wharf-rat (Jan 29, 2019)

This question reminds me of a Trip I took. bunch of families on a 3day classic Grade III.
Weather forecast was for Strong winds, high gusts- i forget how strong the gusts were being called for.. but they were calling Wind Warning for the area. Of course the wife is freaking out and wanting me to call off the trip.. fuck that i said,
Day 1- Clear, no wind
Day 2- Major Wind storm- someone's canoe flew across the beach, trees were falling down, middle of the night while sleeping we heard a major crack and BAM, tree fell. there was no other safe place to camp at that point. Super sketchy
Day 3- Major winds- HeadWind the whole paddle out to the takeout- Being belted by water pellets, Once we got to the nearest road, wife jumped out and took the kids with her. .lol...
Long story short, it was an AWESOME trip, with many memories.. Probably not your ideal trip to have as a family trip but i always say that you cant learn and adventure without a little hardship on yer journey.
Personal Trip- I most likely will never cancel unless they are calling for a lightning, hurricane, destructive hail or blizzard event
Family Trip- I would cancel for torrential rain, wind..not so much...


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## jbLaramie (Feb 1, 2021)

Rightoarleft said:


> Weather I cancel trips over...
> 
> -Wildfire
> -Blizzard
> ...


Also depends upon your last trip. If we just got back from a hella windy trip on a slow river, any hint of wind might make me think twice. If we hadn't been on a trip for a while, would be right there with Rightoarleft


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## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

I cancel for a 1 mph wind event. If I’m even going to have to row the whole trip is cancelled and I go to the pool!


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

powrider686 said:


> I cancel for a 1 mph wind event. If I’m even going to have to row the whole trip is cancelled and I go to the pool!


Agreed. Weather sucks. I think everybody should cancel.


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## rivershark (Mar 26, 2020)

Just bring extra guy line and rope to make sure everything is staked down real good at all times. Sandbag anchors are a plus. Don't be a pendejo when it comes to fires. Let the farts rip and the wind will do the rest.

It's called type 2 fun.


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## co_bjread (Oct 26, 2004)

I run trips in Wyoming, that's where wind comes from.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

co_bjread said:


> I run trips in Wyoming, that's where wind comes from.


You ain't kidding, we took the bike to Tensleep, it about blew us off the road, numerous times..


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## Heywood (Apr 12, 2019)

co_bjread said:


> I run trips in Wyoming, that's where wind comes from.


You know why its windy in Wyoming?

Because Nebraska Sucks and Utah Blows. 

Joke from when I used to live there


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## kengore (May 29, 2008)

The one time I wish I had canceled because of the the wind report was in WY. 
The wind does indeed start there. Long story short, we didn't make to the take-out.
Had to ditch the boat in someones private land, walk home and get it back the next day.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

powrider686 said:


> I cancel for a 1 mph wind event. If I’m even going to have to row the whole trip is cancelled and I go to the pool!


I peed in the pool before I left for the river. Better book a tee time.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

MT4Runner said:


> I peed in the pool before I left for the river. Better book a tee time.


But did you drain your cooler before you put on your oar wrongs?


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

Each of us has our own stories. I've canceled a few trips for predicted wind. I've cancelled some just before leaving; a few even at the put-in. _Even those have been good trips._ But I've certainly _wished_ I'd canceled a few more, _after I didn't!_ Newbies never want to schedule a layover day, or even allow the extra time for one, but there've been many, many times when I'd just rather hunker down for a day or three and let the canyon do its own glorious thing for a while. Sitting it out turns a miserable day into a wonderful day _if you don't have to listen to anybody with a schedule._ I've been "anchored" by head wind. I had a _full raft_ picked up by the wind (wide eyes there!) And on canoe trips we've been blown out of our own canoes by the wind. Canoes on big Canadian lakes? No question; _sit those waves and breezes out!_ Snow/rain/hail, viruses and skeeters; each in their own turn, can truly suck. I'll never cancel for the guests and then slip out on my own. _They just would not understand._


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

rivershark said:


> Just bring extra guy line and rope to make sure everything is staked down real good at all times. Sandbag anchors are a plus. Don't be a pendejo when it comes to fires. Let the farts rip and the wind will do the rest.
> 
> It's called type 2 fun.


Bury your oars or paddles at 90 degrees to the guy lines, then peg, weight, or rock them in. Double-guy tent points out to two separate in-ground anchors each. Pitch it tight and pull everything tight. Listen to the guys who work with wind all the time, and take a reef in your "sails." If your tent design is up for it, pre-plan and sew some sturdy loops a bit further up from the floor, so you can reduce the height of the thing. Turns a wall or draw-tight design into a shortwall tent and gets your head down out of the jet-stream. ~~~__/)_~~~


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## nmjohn (Jul 22, 2004)

I would definitely cancel and transfer the permit to me!


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

nmjohn said:


> I would definitely cancel and transfer the permit to me!


That's a nice sentiment lol


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## BryanTBurke (Jun 14, 2020)

Mandingo said:


> Assuming the wind direction is generally upriver and consistent over both days, what wind forecast speed would you cancel your trip? Thanks!


If it is a front coming in that generates the wind, life will probably suck if it's 20+, 24 hours a day. But those blow out in a day and a half. On the other hand, if it's up-canyon wind due to thermal activity, it will start like clockwork around 11 and suck till late afternoon. That's one good reason not to have elaborate camps and kitchens, the last boat to be ready will get on the water right when the wind hits. Get started early and put a lot of weight in the front end.


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