FAQ

This section should help answer some questions about rafting essentials as well as some other topics.

Who can go?

ELC guides can provide a trip tailored for your group or family. Our trips range from beginner to advanced. Please contact ELC for size and age requirements of youth participants on trips, specifically for the Magalloway and Rapid Rivers as well as the ropes course.

Should I bring a lunch?

ELC provides snacks a light snack and water on all river trips. Rapid, Magalloway and AM Pontook trips include a picnic lunch. Please notify ELC in advance of any specific dietary needs.

How do we get to the there?

Whether you’re coming from Boston, Portland, Concord or points unknown we’re in a great location to help you explore the North Country. Currently, all our trips are based out of Errol, New Hampshire. After booking a trip ELC staff will send a confirmation email to the address provided with details and directions regarding meeting times and places. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call. Rafting-All the rivers run by commercial outfitters here in Northern New Hampshire are located near Errol NH. Some are in Maine, some in NH. ELC Outdoors Adventure Outpost is located in Errol and almost all of our trips depart from here.

Can we bring cameras?

Yes! …sort of… For the wildlife tours and ropes course, absolutely! There are plenty of photo ops on these trips. For rafting trips, we’d rather drop our camera in the river than yours. In addition to several waterproof cameras carried by guides, our shuttle driver also takes pictures of your time on the water when possible (we try our best to get pictures of every trip, but sometimes this doesn’t always work out). After your trip any pictures ELC Outdoors took are posted to Facebook or Photobucket and can be downloaded for free.

What if I need to cancel?

Refunds will be granted only under the following circumstances.

1) The request is made prior to 30 days before the date of the trip in question.

2) River levels are determined to be unsafe by ELC river manager. If this occurs ELC will issue a full refund or an opportunity to reschedule at a later date.

3) Cancellations within 48 hours of departure will not be refunded. Trips depart rain or shine. Trips may be rebooked for another date, but this is up to the discretion of ELC staff. In order to reserve a rafting trip, the customer is required to make a fifty percent deposit of the total amount owed. Reservations can be made anytime, with the remaining balance due no later than the day of the trip.

Why should I choose ELC Outdoors?

In a word?
Experience.
In terms of days on the water, safety, training and general river knowledge, you’d be hard pressed to find a more seasoned group of guides in the region. ELC’s river guides have thousands of collective hours experience in guiding both rafting and kayak trips throughout the USA and are all Maine Certified Raft Guides (NH has no certification requirement.) Our staff boasts numerous WFR’s (Wilderness First Responders), swiftwater rescue trainers, licensed commercial boat captains, a level IV whitewater kayak instructor and an EMT. The rest of our staff (even the ones who just take pictures or answer the phone) are Red Cross First-Aid and CPR certified.

What do you guys do when you’re not guiding rafts?

Good question! When ELC staff is not busy guiding you on some of the best adventures Maine and New Hampshire has to offer they can be found, skiing, mountain biking and hiking in and around the White Mountains and beyond. ELC guides are passionate about promoting tourism throughout New Hampshire and New England. We’re also teachers. From September to June we run an alternative day school that focuses on outdoor and experiential education as one of the foundations of the school.

What else is there to do around here?

We love living in the area and are excited to help you make the most out of your time here. Most of the staff have been living in the area for over a decade and are happy to recommend swimming holes, scenic hikes, restaurants, and family friendly activities.

Looking to hit the gas and ride some ATV’s?
Check out Ride the Wild in Coos County. You could also check out ELC’s wildlife boat tours or our new ropes course! Just ask!

Want to stay where you play in the Great North Woods?
From yurts to hotels, camping to cabins ELC can help you find the perfect accommodations in the Mount Washington Valley, Northern New Hampshire and Western Maine.

Where should I stay?

There are a variety of lodging options for visitors to Northern New England. We provide a list of hotels, inns and campgrounds by region on our website. Check out some of our partners’ links for raft and stay combo deals!

What do the different river classifications mean?

River ratings can be confusing. People’s perceptions of river ratings can be misleading as well. We use the rating system found in American Whitewater, considered the standard for the industry. Here is a brief description of each class of whitewater directly from AW’s website. For more information on the rivers we run check out our rafting page.

Whitewater Class Definitions:

Class 1: Very small rough areas, requires no maneuvering.

Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require maneuvering.

Class 3: Whitewater, small waves, maybe a small drop, but no considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering.

Class 4: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed.

Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering