Whitewater Boating Research Articles

Underlying Motives for Selected Adventure Recreation Activities: The Case for Eudaimonics and Hedonics.

One of the interesting behaviors practiced by citizens across the globe is the pursuit of outdoor recreational activities featuring elements of personal risk and danger. These types of activities are now becoming a global mainstay for many individuals, economies, and organizations. This study examined the underlying motivations and subsequent behaviors associated with risk-taking recreational activities and used the concepts of eudaimonics and hedonics to examine the motivations for participation from individuals engaging in three different adventure activities occurring in eight different locations. Recruitment took place in several forms, including in-person solicitation of participants at the activity areas, which consisted of mountain biking trailheads, rock climbing areas, and whitewater sites. Data were collected from three popular outdoor adventure activities (OAAs), including mountain biking, rock climbing, and whitewater boating. This study employed the use of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to investigate the relationship between two independent variable sets, including (1) the activity type, and (2) the level of experience, gender, type of activity, and the dependent variables of the Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities (HEMA) scale (eudaimonic and hedonic). In addition, a cumulative odds ordinal logistic regression with proportional odds was utilized to determine the effects of expertise level and activity type on reported eudaimonic and hedonic motivations. A qualitative interview process was utilized to further investigate participant responses surrounding eudaimonic and hedonic motivational perspectives. The results indicated slight variations in experience level in the underlying motivations. Furthermore, qualitative inquiry revealed several motivation categories and diversity in the way those motivations were present throughout the recreation activity.

Whitewater Recreationists’ Tradeoffs among Social, Resource, and Managerial Attributes Segmented by Specialization Level

Recreation specialization is a leisure concept used frequently in outdoor recreation; applied here to further understand heterogeneity among whitewater boaters. This study used a sample of two low-use Oregon rivers (one managed by the U.S. Forest Service and one by the Bureau of Land Management). To provide for the best possible low-use experience, managers should understand boaters’ preferences of social, resource, and managerial attributes and the relative importance placed on those attributes. This research analyzed whether preferences and tradeoffs of 308 whitewater boaters for social, resource and managerial attributes of riverscapes differ in level of recreation specialization in whitewater boating. A visual discrete choice experiment explored the differences in preferences and tradeoff behavior for river trip scenarios between three specialization groups. The results revealed that boaters with different specialization levels had similar preferences for two social attributes (number of people on the river, waiting time for parking). Paddlers of all specialization levels placed high importance on the attribute number of people on the river, suggesting that this attribute plays a significant role for boaters recreating in low-use settings. Most boaters were willing to tolerate managerial restrictions (e.g., river access fee) to achieve the desired low-use river experience. River management can ensure low-use levels by using direct management systems such as user fee up to eight dollars, or partial allocation systems. The resource attributes (river difficulty, trip length) differed among the specialization groups confirming that more specialized boaters are looking for a more challenge-driven experience. Resource managers can use this information to define a target group for a specific river. Finally, length can be adjusted according to the specialization level of the target group by offering more river access areas. Study findings suggest that preferences and tradeoff behavior are not always consistent along the specialization continuum and that a low-use river setting attracts a particular target group of boaters. Subscribe to JPRA

Quantifying Whitewater Recreation Opportunities in Cataract Canyon of the Colorado River, Utah: Aggregating Acceptable Flows and Hydrologic Data to Identify Boatable Days

AbstractThe structural norm approach was combined with the Potential for Conflict Index to define recreation streamflow needs for the Colorado River in Utah and Colorado. An online survey was completed by 128 commercial and non‐commercial boaters, who evaluated a range of flows for whitewater boating. For the Cataract Canyon reach, respondents rated the quality of their recreation experience of specific flows, describing the quality of boating opportunities across the full range of historical streamflows. Ranges for both acceptable and optimum flows were defined, as well as thresholds for unacceptable flows. These ranges were then evaluated against historical hydrologic records to quantify the timing, frequency, and duration of days when defined whitewater flows exist across different year types (i.e. average boatable days). Results indicated that on average, a total of 257 boatable days existed in dry years, and 353 total boatable days occurred in dry‐typical years. In wet and wet‐typical years, 362 and 365 total boatable days respectively, occurred on average. Results of the boatable days' analysis indicated that over the 23‐year period of record, whitewater boating opportunities occurred nearly every day of the year in all but the driest year types. Results from this study provide resource managers with information which can be used in the development of annual operating plans for the Colorado River Basin and help managers understand how changes in flow impact the quality of recreational opportunities. This application demonstrates the value of analysing boatable days on any river where recreation management is a priority. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nutrition for Adventure Racing

Adventure racing requires competitors to perform various disciplines ranging from, but not limited to, mountain biking, running, kayaking, climbing, mountaineering, flat- and white-water boating and orienteering over a rugged, often remote and wilderness terrain. Races can vary from 6 hours to expedition-length events that can last up to 10-consecutive days or more. The purpose of this article is to provide evidence-based nutritional recommendations for adventure racing competitors. Energy expenditures of 365-750 kcal/hour have been reported with total energy expenditures of 18 000-80 000 kcal required to complete adventure races, and large negative energy balances during competitions have been reported. Nutrition, therefore, plays a major role in the successful completion of such ultra-endurance events. Conducting research in these events is challenging and the limited studies investigating dietary surveys and nutritional status of adventure racers indicate that competitors do not meet nutrition recommendations for ultra-endurance exercise. Carbohydrate intakes of 7-12 g/kg are needed during periods of prolonged training to meet requirements and replenish glycogen stores. Protein intakes of 1.4-1.7 g/kg are recommended to build and repair tissue. Adequate replacement of fluid and electrolytes are crucial, particularly during extreme temperatures; however, sweat rates can vary greatly between competitors. There is considerable evidence to support the use of sports drinks, gels and bars, as they are a convenient and portable source of carbohydrate that can be consumed during exercise, in training and in competition. Similarly, protein and amino acid supplements can be useful to help meet periods of increased protein requirements. Caffeine can be used as an ergogenic aid to help competitors stay awake during prolonged periods, enhance glycogen resynthesis and enhance endurance performance.

Examining the Effects of Hypothetical Modifications in Permitting Procedures and River Conditions on Whitewater Boating Behavior

In this study we combine a travel cost modeling approach with the surveyed stated preferences of whitewater boaters at the Chattooga River to examine the possible effects of six hypothetical modifications in river use permitting process or changes in river conditions on intended future trip behavior of respondents. To varying degrees, all of the hypothetical modifications in river use permitting (procedures and pricing) and changes in river conditions would lead self-guided (kayaking) visitors to significantly reduce the number of river trips they planned to take in the future, while four of the six resulted in significant reductions for guided (rafting) visitors. Results suggest that the travel cost modeling approach, supplemented with users' trip responses to hypothetical scenarios, can be an appropriate way to predict the effects of possible management alternatives. While the estimation method requires a somewhat complicated cross-sectional statistical process, the software is readily available and the information provided can be quite helpful for policy makers and managers. Our consumer surplus estimates are consistent with previous boating studies at $745 per guided rafting trip per party ($149 per person) and $444 per self-guided kayaking trip per party ($113 per person)

Wilderness Medicine

In adventure racing, or multisporting, athletes perform multiple disciplines over a course in rugged, often remote, wilderness terrain. Disciplines may include, but are not limited to, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, caving, technical climbing, fixed-line mountaineering, flat- and white-water boating, and orienteering. While sprint races may be as short as 6 hours, expedition-length adventure races last a minimum of 36 hours up to 10 days or more and may cover hundreds of kilometres. Over the past decade, adventure racing has grown in popularity throughout the world with increasing numbers of events and participants each year. The provision of on-site medical care during these events is essential to ensure the health and safety of the athletes and thus the success of the sport. At present, there are no formal guidelines and a relatively small amount of literature to assist in the development of medical support plans for these events. This article provides an introduction to the provision of medical support for adventure races. Since a wide variety of illness and injury occur during these events, the medical support plan should provide for proper personnel, equipment and supplies to provide care for a wide range of illness and injury. Foot-related problems are the most common reasons for athletes to require medical attention during these events. This article also highlights some of the controversies involved in the provision of medical support for these events. Suggested penalties for acceptance of medical care during the event and strategies for removal of an athlete from the event for medical reasons are offered. In addition, some of the challenges involved in the provision of medical support, including communication, logistics and liability are discussed. This information should prove useful for medical directors of future, similar events. Because of their extreme nature, expedition-length adventure races represent a new and unique area of wilderness and event medicine.

A Crowding-based Model of Social Carrying Capacity: Applications For Whitewater Boating Use

Following the Limits of Acceptable Change planning framework, we apply crowding standards proposed by Shelby, Heberlein and Vaske (1989) to develop a crowding-based model of social carrying capacity. Fourteen hundred and seventy boaters (347 commercial guided, 873 commercial non-guided, 28 private rafters, and 222 private canoers/kayakers) on the Nantahala River in North Carolina completed an on-site survey immediately following their white-water trip in the summer of 1994. There were four types of predictor variables: total daily use levels, water release level, time of day, and day of the week. The dependent variable was perceived crowding. Using an ordered logit model, all coefficients were significant at p <.05. Regression results were then applied to aggregate values to determine carrying capacities for three different crowding standards. Opportunities for applying and expanding the model to other settings and implications for management are discussed

The Role of Question Order and Respondent Experience in Contingent-Valuation Studies

Grand Canyon white-water boating was used to address issues in contingent valuation of question ordering and respondent experience. Question-ordering effects were not identified for experienced boaters, but did occur in some estimates for less experienced boaters. An experience effect is further suggested if respondents value their actual white-water trips differently than written scenarios of trips. No effect was identified for experienced boaters, but a significant difference did occur for less experienced boaters. Significant differences for less experienced boaters suggest that respondent experience may play a role in value formation, resulting in survey instrument effects in valuation estimates.

VIEWS OF WESTERN WHITEWATER FLOATERS TOWARD POSSIBLE SAFETY MEASURES1

ABSTRACTFor a risk recreation activity like whitewater boating, a manager's goal of providing for the health and safety of the visitor may conflict with the goal of providing the opportunity for a satisfying recreation experience. As whitewater river managers face the problem of safety and risks, they should consider what users think about safety programs. The views of whitewater boaters toward (1) first aid equipment requirements, (2) signs warning of hazards, (3) aggressive enforcement of the rules, and (4) patrols to assist and regulate users were determined on 13 river segments in the western United States. A test was made of the relation between views toward safety measures and the level of risk and thrills sought by floaters. Conclusions of the study are: (1) river floaters' views toward possible management safety measures are not related to the amount of risk they desire; and (2) floaters, in general, prefer some safety measures to others. If safety measures mean that managers will be more visible on the river, floaters tend to dislike them. Therefore, a manager's approach to safety management should parallel the approach to recreation management in general, and regulation of use should be the minimum necessary to achieve safety objectives.