Canoeing Equipment &
Safety Protocol
Canoeing Equipment & What We Provide
Our Missouri River guide service uses only top-of-the-line, ultra comfortable camping and canoeing equipment. We guarantee you will notice a difference!
High-tech, top of the line Wenonah canoes of fiberglass and Kevlar construction. They are unquestionably the lightest, safest, and fastest canoes on the river, and Upper Missouri River Guides is the only outfitter offering them. Their high-tech design significantly reduces paddling effort.
Carbon fiber paddles weighing 12 ounces, virtually eliminating upper body fatigue during a day of paddling.
Various sizes of dry bags to protect your personal gear such as sleeping bag, clothing, and camera.
Complete camping setup consisting of tents, mattresses, dining tables, chairs and more.
Three hearty and nutritious meals prepared on the river from fresh ingredients (view sample menu here)
Shuttle transportation in air-conditioned vans.
Experienced river guides to provide you with assurance of a safe, interesting, and adventurous trip that will be memorable for your group. Click here to meet us!
Canoes
Our fleet consists of high-tech, top of the line Wenonah canoes of fiberglass and Kevlar construction. They are unquestionably the lightest, safest, and fastest canoes on the river.
On a typical Upper Missouri River trip, you're going to be paddling an average of 12-15 miles per day. The quality of the canoe that you're paddling makes a phenomenal difference in comfort, safety, and energy expenditure. We are proud to be the only guide service and outfitter exclusively using these superior canoes. Wenonah canoes are hand-built in the USA in Minnesota and are widely recognized as the best canoes available. They are simply in a totally different league from the plastic and aluminum canoes that are commonly used on the Upper Missouri.
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Perhaps the most important quality of our Wenonah canoes is what is referred to as "paddling efficiency". The combination of lightweight materials and quality design make these canoes travel much further for each paddle stroke. At approximately 500 paddle strokes per mile, an efficient canoe makes a huge difference in the amount of energy expended in a day of paddling.
Another quality of our Wenonah canoes is their degree of "seaworthiness", which is an important safety feature. Our canoes will do a superior job of riding through choppy water without capsizing. Although the Upper Missouri is a calm, Class One river, winds can sometimes make for less than calm conditions, and a seaworthy canoe will get you through such conditions easily.
"Stability" refers to a canoe's characteristic to resist tipping sideways. Building stability into a canoe requires subtle design elements to be constructed into the hull's cross-section. Our hand-built Wenonah canoes possess much higher stability than mass-produced aluminum and plastic canoes.
Finally, our Wenonah canoes are characterized by having large "capacity". This means that they are capable of carrying people and generous amounts of gear without being overloaded. Most Upper Missouri River outfitters use 16 and 17 foot canoes. Our shortest canoes are 18 feet long, providing plenty of room for your gear anmd generous legroom. Some of our other canoe models are 19 feet long, and our Minnesota IV - a four seater, is 23 feet long, an excellent choice for families with paddling with kids.
Our canoes are outfitted with many extra comfort features: padded bucket seats, backrests to support the lumbar region of the spine, and sliding seats which can be adjusted for comfort.
Carbon Fiber Bent-Shaft Paddles
We use carbon fiber, bent-shaft paddles that are exceptionally strong and extremely light weight. They weigh a mere 12 ounces each. A typical wooden, plastic, or metal paddle will weigh 2-4 times more! At 500 paddle strokes per mile, and 2000 strokes per hour, these high-tech, lightweight paddles virtually eliminate upper body fatigue. Once you've used one of these paddles it’s very difficult to go back to a heavier model.
Tents
We provide a range of tents from single tents to large family tents. Typically, a guide will paddle ahead, and set up your tent so it is ready when we arrive at camp. However, some folks like to set up their own tent, pick their location and participate in the ‘camp set up.’ Great! Our tents are very easy to set up and extremely lightweight. All of our tents feature extensive mesh for prime star gazing when we have clear skies!
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Single tents:We use a variety of lightweight 2-3 person size tents for those who wish to have their own tent. They are roomy with plenty of space to spread out. Our favorite brands include Alps, MSR, Kelty, Sierra Designs and more.
Couples, and Families or Friends who are bunking together
We primarily use the MSR Habitude 4 tent for couples and families. This tent comfortably houses 4 people, weighs only 12 pounds and has an interior peak height of over 6 feet. Yes, you can stand up in this tent to easily and comfortably get dressed. They are fun to set up and extremely high quality.
Safety Protocol & Emergency FAQ
Montana’s Upper Missouri River is a wilderness canoe trip. Most of the river is inaccessible to rapid emergency services, and cell phone communication is unavailable in most locations on the river. Rescues are staged by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management using jet-boats or helicopter, and evacuations may take up to a full day.
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We carry a Garmin In-Reach. This device utilized satellite technology. We can check the weather, communicate via text with anyone and, of course, contact emergency personnel. Our guides are trained to handle any medical or emergency situation. Rest assured, this trip is very safe. However, due to it’s very remote location, we are always cautious, safe and exercise a high level of due diligence to make your trip safe, fun and enjoyable.
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All of our guides are trained in first aid, CPR and more. We also have Wilderness First Aid certificates and highly tuned safety protocols and procedures depending on the situation. Moreover, the outdoors is our passion. Thus, we are VERY experienced and have already encountered most situations and are prepared to make timely decisions and take the necessary actions to resolve the situation or initiate an exit or evacuation.
We carry a professional first aid kit (it’s a big one!) and AED’s. Our guides carry radios to communicate while on the water.
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We maintain that the three major dangers include: dehydration, excessive sun and rattlesnakes. It is our job as guides to make sure these dangers are mitigated. We provide fresh drinking water and constantly remind you to hydrate. We also provide hydrating options, such as gatorade or other electrolyte replacers. We also stop to apply sunscreen regularly and always stop in the shade. Unless it’s a cool day, we also insist on swimming regularly to keep cool. As for the slithery beasts, we will offer pro tips on how to warn, notice and avoid confrontation. If a snake is being pesky, the guides will take care of it.
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Yes, we are required to carry life jackets for each person in their boat at all times. Montana law states adults are not required to wear the life jacket. Children under the age of 12 are required by law to wear a life jacket at all times when near the water or on a boat. We provide all sizes from infant to youth to adult.
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Before leaving home, you may want to leave the following contact numbers with your family in the event that they need to reach you in an emergency.
Chouteau County Sheriff’s Department
Fort Benton, MT
406.622.1900