Below are the six grades of difficulty in white water rafting. They range from simple to very dangerous and potential death or serious injuries.

Grade 1: Very small rough areas, might require slight maneuvering. (Skill Level: Very Basic)

Grade 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require some maneuvering. (Skill level: basic paddling skill)

Paddling a river raft may not look hard as it looks since you might have seen numerous people do it in real life or in television. However, this type of activity can also be pretty challenging especially if you are used to doing things by yourself. Paddling involves both skill and the ability to work with others as a team. We will discuss more of it as we go along with this article.

There are two way universal systems used by rafters to classify the difficulty and intensity of rapids. The most popular system is the International Scale of River Difficulty which grades rapids from scale I to VI. In the south western of America, another system known as Deseret Scale of Grand Canyon System, is sometimes used.This system rates rapid from 1 to 10.

Unfortunately, neither systems is perfect. Rapids change constantly and are effected by water level fluctuations and shift s in river bed. Rafters might rate rapids differently depending on their attitudes or skill levels. Rapids that used to be class VI (extreme) has been downscaled to class V after many successful descent. So river classifications are little more than a starting point for finding out about any river. You should gather as many additional information about rapids as you can.

Whitewater rafting continues to grow in popularity. Like so many outdoor activities, people tend to forget that whitewater rafting necessarily entails an element of risk due to the elements of nature. In fact, some might point out that because of the inherent thrill seeking element of whitewater rafting, the sport includes a greater-than-average risk factor.

Whitewater rafting outfitters all over the world have their own unique risks in the trips that they provide. These can range from the easily treatable (someone catches sick on a trip) to the incredibly and exotically dangerous (a rogue hippo attacking rafters on the Zambezi in Zimbabwe). There are several dangers that are involved in all whitewater expeditions, however, no matter how short or how long, or where you are in the world. Here are some tips when it comes to making sure that your expedition is as successful and safe as possible.