Tips for Staying Warm on Cold-Weather River Trips

Michele Crockett

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Ruby-Horsethief Canyon Colorado River in raft in November

Running a multi-day river trip in the early spring or late fall seems obvious if you want to extend the paddling season or experience a permitted river without winning a lottery slot. But those shoulder-season trips can be frigid, especially in the Rocky Mountain West. 

After running a couple of notably cold river trips—the whitewater-rich Salt River in March and the mellower but stunning Colorado River through Ruby-Horsethief Canyon in November—I can attest that a cold-weather trip can be an exhilarating experience. You’ll see your favorite river in a new light on an off-season trip. Here are a few tips for gear to bring, paddling apparel to wear, and some adjustments in your typical river routine that will keep everyone warm, safe, and looking forward to the next cold-season outing. (Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links.)

Rowing Ruby-Horsethief Canyon
Staying warm on the Colorado River in November

How cold is too cold for a river trip? 

It depends on the experience of your crew, the level of whitewater you’re running, the predicted air temperature and chance of precipitation, length of trip, and accessibility to emergency services if the trip goes sideways. 

Spicy whitewater and cold conditions are for experienced paddlers only. Even in July, the water (source: snowmelt) on the Arkansas River through Browns Canyon runs between 45 degrees and 55 degrees—considered dangerously cold by the National Center for Cold Water Safety. If you swim, your mission is to get out of that water as quickly as possible. Even for experienced boaters, mixing cold water, cold air temperatures, a little rain or snow, and tough whitewater raises the danger level. Think about what you’d do if someone ended up in the water and became hypothermic, or sustained other injuries that were complicated by hypothermia. How long would it take to get emergency services or to row out to get medical help?

Although cold-weather trips require more planning and careful consideration, they are so worth pursuing. A low-key Class II trip in a dry climate with the right paddling clothes can open rare opportunities for experiencing a beautiful river at an uncrowded moment.

Inflatable kayak on Salt River in March
Salt River in March—cold but good (photo by Michael Hughes)

What to wear on cold river trips?

As with any river trip in any weather, wear paddling gear that won’t make you colder when it’s wet. Dry suits and wet suits are indispensable for cold-water river trips, as are a few other necessities such as paddling gloves, booties, head gear, and base layers. 

Dry suit

These can be wildly expensive, but you can save money by looking for a used dry suit or renting one:

Paddling HalaGear SUP in Level Six dry suit
Dry suits are ideal (maybe essential) for paddleboarders in cold weather

Dry suit base layer

Under your dry suit, wear something thick and warm, such as the NRS Expedition Weight Union Suit for men and women.

Wet suit

If you simply can’t come up with a dry suit, don’t leave home without a wet suit. The best choice is a full-length, long-sleeved model like this NRS Radiant—it’s a whopping 4mm thick through the torso and 3mm through the legs and arms for more mobility. 

Head gear

Especially if you know you’ll be drenched by some waves, you’ll appreciate a neoprene cap or hood like this NRS Storm Hood. Make sure it fits well under your helmet. 

Paddling or rowing gloves

My favorite cold-weather paddling gloves are the Stohlquist Maw—they appear to be out of stock at most places, but these NRS Toaster Mittens look like a good bet for rafters and the NRS Maverick Gloves for paddlers.

Ruby-Horsethief canyon in raft in November on Colorado River
A completely different scene on Ruby-Horsethief in November

Paddling footwear

Keeping your feet warm on cold-weather river trips is critical. Happily, footwear for rafters and kayakers has come far since the days when we wore neoprene socks under some running shoes or Tevas (although that still works). I highly recommend investing in some paddling-specific footgear for cold-weather trips. Not only will your feet be warmer, but you’ll be less likely to slip on wet rocks, which is vastly more annoying when you’re cold.

If the weather isn’t too cold, you can get away with a low-profile wet shoe like the NRS Kicker (I have an earlier version of this shoe that I’ve worn for about 10 years and they are still going strong). By pairing these with a snug-fitting neoprene sock such as the NRS Hydroskin Wet Socks (try the combo before you launch to make sure the shoe will fit over the sock), you will have an affordable solution for cold-weather trips. (Pro tip on buying neoprene socks: Try them on first to make sure they fit snugly. Some neoprene socks are weirdly shaped, are strangely wide, or generally don’t seem to be made for human feet. If they don’t fit well, your feet will be cold.)

If you think cold-weather trips will be your jam for the foreseeable future, invest in some taller paddling shoes. The NRS Boundary Wetshoes (they’re more like boots) combine a serious sole with neoprene uppers—these are what you want especially if you’ll be doing a lot of portages in cold water. The NRS Paddle Wetshoes split the difference between a low-profile bootie and the Boundary Wetshoes, and would be a good choice if you’ll do only occasional cold-weather trips. 

Rafting in cold weather wearing ditch boots
If you really don’t think you’ll end up in the water, ditch boots work well for footgear in cold weather, especially for loading and unloading rafts (but be careful—these are only a reasonable choice for flatwater as you don’t want water coming in over the tops)

What other cold-weather rafting gear?

Some gear doesn’t change for cold-weather trips—you’ll just want to make sure that it’s all in good repair. For example, this is not the time to try to wring one more trip out of a dry bag with a pinhole: Getting your camp clothes or sleeping bag wet would be a disaster (or would at least seem like one). Check out “Tips for Choosing and Using Dry Bags for River Trips” for more about that. 

Aside from ensuring your basic gear is in good shape, here are some cold-weather items to consider:

  • Hand warmers—especially for kids, these can take the edge off the cold when you’re fresh off the river and setting up camp or for when you’re settling into the tent for the night. You might already have some air-activated hand warmers in your first-aid kit. Also consider this Zippo HeatBank rechargeable warmer—it’s more of an investment, but the cost of the one-use hand warmers can add up quickly.
  • Firewood—if you’re on a river that allows fires but driftwood isn’t plentiful or collecting it isn’t allowed, a small bundle purchased ahead of time will help get the chill chased away quickly. Old dry bags are perfect for carrying firewood. 
  • Multiple sources of firestarters—a surprise to our crew on one 20-degree morning was that our push-button ignition fire starters (the disposable Bic kind) wouldn’t light in the cold, damp temps. Thus ensued a mad scramble for kitchen matches, which we finally came up with from the first-aid kit. Now we always have a stash of waterproof matches in a water-tight container in the dry box.
  • Multiple light sources—if you’re rafting in cold weather, the days are likely short. Be prepared for setting up camp and cooking in the dark by bringing more lights than you typically would in summer. I am a huge fan of solar-powered lights, and highly recommend collecting a dozen or so Luci lights or Goal Zero Crush lights (they make great gifts for your fellow paddlers). They are especially useful for lighting the path to the groover. But in addition to solar-powered lights, I bring a big battery-powered light (with fresh batteries) to make sure we can illuminate essential tasks such as getting the stove going and getting the groover set up. If the solar lights aren’t cutting it (stands to reason if the day was cold and cloudy), you’ll be grateful for a bright task light. My favorite is the Nite Ize Radiant 400—it’s a good size, is very bright, and has a loop so you can hang it above the kitchen camp. 
  • Cold-weather sleeping bags—because I don’t do much (really any) multi-day backpacking, I’ve never worried about the weight of my sleeping bag. So I use a big 0-degree-rated down bag (my bag is a Marmot style that’s now discontinued but similar to the Never Summer). Yes, it can get hot on summer river trips, but then I just use a sheet and sleep on top of the bag. 
  • Decent tent—a good-quality, three-season tent will work fine on a cold river trip unless you’re battling torrential rain in addition to low air temps. As with all your other gear, make sure it’s in good condition—no blown zippers, torn rain fly, or ripped floor. (I have an older Marmot that is similar to this Tungsten, and it’s been a champ through dozens of river trips.)
  • Thick sleeping pads—a super-thick pad like a Jack’s Welding Paco pad will be a game-changer in keeping you warm at night. These types of pads are simply the best in winter or summer as you can flop them out on the sand to sleep out under the stars or relish the extra insulation they provide in cold temps. 
  • Dog—one 60-pound Labrador retriever can significantly raise the temp in your tent! Invite them in. (For more on this topic, check out “10 Questions Before You Bring Your Dog on a River Trip.”)
Dog on Paco pad
Dogs also appreciate thick sleeping pads

Cold-weather river camp tips

Aside from gearing up for cold weather, consider these tips for keeping your crew warm and happy:

  1. Keep dinner simple. Cold people are hungry people, so choose meals that you can heat and serve quickly and easily. (For make-ahead dinner ideas, check out “Easy River Camp Meals for Every Kind of Eater.”)
  2. Get lights set up quickly. Again, bring more lights than you would otherwise, and get the critical paths (from the kitchen to the boats, from camp to the groover, etc.) lit quickly so people don’t stumble around in the dark. 
  3. Get the fire (if you plan to have one) started quickly. Designate a couple of people to leap on this task as soon as the boats hit camp. 
  4. Put some water in a cookpot before you go to bed. On one of our cold-weather trips (below 30 degrees F at night), we realized the next morning that all our water jugs were frozen, so we couldn’t pour water into the pot to heat it up on the stove. Doh. 
  5. Consider stashing an extra down jacket or sleeping bag in a dry bag for any crew members who didn’t bring enough. If you don’t have an accumulation of older down gear on hand, check out GearTrade for used sleeping bags, down jackets, and other gear that might come in handy. I bought a used shelter for a music festival from GearTrade, and it was an excellent experience. 
Solar lanterns in river camp
Solar lanterns light the path to the groover on a cold-weather river trip

Relish the lack of crowds on a cold-weather river trip

Especially if you’ve struck out on pulling a river permit, shoulder-season trips are overlooked opportunities to experience a popular river without the crowds. With some strategic gear purchases and planning, cold-weather trips help stretch the boating season. Plus, they give everyone the chance to talk about how cold it was for years to come. 

Ruby-Horsethief Canyon in raft
Ruby-Horsethief Canyon on a bright fall morning

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