Growing up in Idaho, I didn’t think twice about the fact that some of the best whitewater in the lower 48 flows right through our backyard. We’d drive up and down Highway 55 past river after river, watching rafters tackle rapids with grins and paddles flying. I floated the Boise River as a kid, but it wasn’t until my preteen years that I finally got to experience real rapids—helmets, paddles, a guide shouting commands, and the thrill of being tossed (safely) into the water more than once. It was terrifying and fun and everything an Idaho summer should be.
Now, decades later, I’m raising three Idaho girls of my own. But only my oldest had been rafting—once. The younger two were hesitant. They’d heard enough “scary river stories” from friends to politely pass every time the idea came up.
That changed when I connected with Debbie from Cascade Raft & Kayak. She sent me a video (https://youtu.be/aGJNsj4g6EM?si=__lYZiMxIorAbktM) to show the girls, walking them through what a rafting trip really looks like—from safety gear to big splashes. Midway through, they looked at each other and said, “Okay… let’s try it.”
Our raft was full: three generations of women—my mom, her high school bestie, me, the girls, and my husband. And we had a blast.
Our guide, Eva, was the magic ingredient. She saw past the nerves and figured out how to draw the girls in. By mid-ride, she had them steering the raft, barking out commands like, “All forward! What do you think, we’re on vacation? Let’s go!” They got bossy—in the best way—and I watched their confidence bloom with every rapid.
By the end, they didn’t want it to be over. They were asking about bigger rapids and planning our next trip before we even dried off.
Sometimes, trying something new unlocks a part of you that you didn’t know needed to be brave. Who knows how this one day on the river might ripple throughout the rest of our lives.
