Travel
photos by Don Standfield Trip Planning Made Easy
he easiest way to plan a canoe trip is to not plan the trip at all. It's much easier if you can get someone else to plan it for
you.In other words,employ the services of an out- fitter or guiding company.You can gain a little convenience by hiring someone to help with some trip-planning aspects; or, you can pay to have a company run the entire trip and gain a lot of convenience. Believe it or not, there are times when even the most die-hard inde- pendent canoeist with all the gear can use the services of a guide or
outfitter.Most paddlers would probably agree a trip taken is better than one postponed until next year.
T
schedule; or, if you have a group large enough, most outfitters will guide a trip specifically tailored for your group and date. Maybe you just moved across the coun-
REASONS FOR USING A GUIDE There are numerous factors that can hinder your efforts to run
your own canoe trip—if you let them. If you're new to canoe tripping,an outfitter is always a great way
to go. It's like on-the-job learning; you experience the joys of a trip and avoid problems novice trippers often
encounter.At the same time, you can pick your guides’ brains about gear, paddling tech- niques and canoe camping. We’ve all experienced incredibly busy summers when you meant to sit down and plan a trip, but somehow the time just disappears.
try and you’re new to the
area.Complicating matters is the fact you can’t determine
which boxes contain your equipment.However, you have to get in at least a five-day trip to feed your paddling fix or risk serious soul deprivation. Hiring an outfitter is a great way to learn about a new region and meet new people. Perhaps your paddling or tripping skills are rusty. Maybe you
want to go to a wild,remote place,but want the security of an expe- rienced and qualified guide. Perhaps your palate revolts at the prospect of eating more freeze-dried food.Or maybe you and your significant other recently split up, and he/she got canoe-custody. The list is almost endless. Regardless of the reason, if you cannot plan a trip because of any of the above situations, or a myriad of others, but you need to get out and paddle, that’s the time to call an outfitter or guiding company.
TYPES OF PACKAGES There are different levels of outfitting
services, ranging from simply picking up a canoe for the weekend to all-inclusive adventure vacations. Most outfitters offer
Outfitters offer pre-scheduled trips that you can jump right
into.The options are endless, as the packages range from interpretive after- noon excursions to thirty-day expeditions. Pick one that fits your
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