We consider the following items essential to any river trip:

Enough water- 1 gallon per person per day, with a filtration system as a backup.

First aid kit - make certain it is a quality first aid that is large enough for the size of your party.

Map- The Belknap's and Martin's river maps are the most popular.

Rain gear - quality rain gear that packs small, thin insulating base layers are also recommended.

Sun protection- such as: sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat, long sleeve shirt (we prefer a sun hoodie), sarong, parasol or a shade tarp.

Insect repellent- a bottle or two of insect repellent should make it on every trip, but head nets, long sleeve shirts, long pants, gloves, and shoes are essential in heavy bug season. (Bug season is just after high water season, usually late June early July, but it is different year to year.)

General repair kit- including: sewing kit, duct tape, and adhesives

Spare rope and a utility tarp- could also be used as the previously mentioned shade tarp.

Our rental canoes will quite easily accommodate ice chests up to 30 inches long (coolers longer than this will have to be repacked on launch day). We sell both block and chip ice at our office. There are several techniques for preserving ice on a desert river trip listed below.

First is to plan your menu with the attrition of ice in mind. Perishable foods should be consumed early in the trip. Pasta, rice, tuna, and bagels are great options for later in your trip.

Pack only food and block ice in your food cooler(s) and leave it closed as much as possible. Daily use items such as cold drinks and snacks should be stored in a separate cooler.

The only thing in your cooler that is 32 degrees is your block of ice, so protect it. Putting corrugated cardboard between your food and the ice will help preserve it.

Keep your food cooler in the shade or covered with a wet towel as much as possible.

As food and ice are used up, empty chests can be used as storage for dry nonperishable food. It's a good idea to get dry nonperishable food out of dry bags and into hardshelled containers as quickly as possible to prevent small animal form chewing holes in the dry bags. No trash should be stored in rental coolers, storage boxes, or dry bags.

If we could lay a grid of 1 inch squares over the entire river, each square would be a different depth. Those different depths are constantly changing as the sandy river bottom is constantly shifting and moving, and the river flows are constantly fluctuating. There simply is no answer to the question: "How deep is the river?"

On the morning of your put-in you need to be at our office between 7:30 and 8 AM MST, packed and ready to go (backpackers meet at 7:00 AM MST). Please park straight in using the parking lanes. Your group will not be the only group launching that day, so please park all of your vehicles together, and do not unload any gear until a Tex staff member directs you. You will most likely be directed to park somewhere else to load. Also, you might want your personal gear clearly labeled as it may be mixed in with other group's equipment during the loading process. There is water available for filling water jugs and ice for sale (block and cube). If you need additional rental equipment it can be rented in the office on the morning of your put-in. Make sure that you leave a set of your keys with the office person. Thanks.

Our crew of experienced river professionals work hard to provide safe, efficient, reliable transportation for you and your equipment. Everything from how we load the trailer on put-in day to how we unload the jetboat is considered. Obviously your gratuity is at your discretion, but it is always appreciated. An average base rate among our clients seems to be 15 – 20 % of your invoice. Thank you for your consideration.