River-Rafting Trips Offered for Seniors in Hells Canyon

Idaho Afloat of Grangeville, Ida., and Adventure Outdoors of Rolling Bay, Wash., specialists in soft-adventure trips for the mature traveler, are offering tours featuring river rafting, cruising, fishing, hiking and swimming.

Idaho Afloat’s owner, Scott Fasken, recently joined the Senior Travel and Recreational Activities Council to introduce his trips to senior tour groups and individuals in Southern California. The trips consist of two- , three- and four-day excursions that run through spectacular Hells Canyon.

Although the canyon is home to some of the most powerful white-water rapids in the United States, it has been traveled safely each year by up to 70-year-old seniors, including many grandparents and grandchildren.

Cost is $330 for two days, $530 for three and $700 for four. Fasken gives 10% off to groups of 12 or more and 5% off to children.

The price includes equipment and other necessities for the trip, but not transportation to the beginning of the tour in Cambridge, Ida., 96 miles north of Boise.

Fasken says his river-rafting trips are slow-paced and have many guides. On all trips, some of the guides go first on a cargo raft that hauls all gear to the next riverside campsite, where they set up meals and sleeping tents.

Harry Ellis of Adventure Outdoors has a clientele that is mostly 50 years and older. He arranges group tours to Mt. Rainier, and van and hiking trips in the Olympic and Cascades mountains in Washington. In addition, he has several group tours to Alaska and British Columbia.

This fall, Ellis is offering mature travelers two 12-day British Columbia tours by van and boat through the Inside Passage and Canadian Gulf Islands, with overnights in shore lodges and motels.

Tours leave Sept. 10 and Sept. 24, departing and returning from Seattle. Participants will visit Victoria and Vancouver Island, Prince Rupert and will go up to Hyder, “Alaska’s friendliest ghost town.” Ellis sets an easy pace for mature travelers, allowing free time for hiking and salmon and trout fishing.

Costs are $999 per person, double occupancy. Transportation to and from Seattle is excluded.

For more information, contact Idaho Afloat, P.O. Box 542, Grangeville, Ida. 83530, (208) 983-2414, and Adventure Outdoors, P.O. Box 4461, Rolling Bay, Wash. 98061, (206) 842-3189.

In last week’s Mature Traveler column, the “Senior Sunday” getaway package should have said that some guest rooms for two people (minimum age 55) at the 12 Marriott hotels participating in the program in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties cost from $49 to $159, depending on the hotel.