Friends of the Mitta Whitewater weekend

*Number of participants is limited based on leader availability and transport capacity*
**Trip is dependent on weather conditions**

Trip Difficulty: Beginner-intermediate rafting, intermediate kayaking
Trip location: Mitta Mitta and nearby River
Trip time: Depart Thursday evening, return Sunday evening
Estimated trip cost: about $120-180 (including gear hire - depends on how expensive fuel gets)
Participant pre-requisites:

• All participants - you must be able to swim 50m in strong currents
• Kayaking specifically - have completed an intro to kayaking session, and be independently competent in kayaking on grade 2-3 rapids already depending on the stretch of river we are paddling

EOI Trip: Please note that for paddling trips signups are EOIs. We need to know a range of factors, including what leaders and drivers are available, what the weather conditions and river leves are like, and what experience the participants have to be able to determine both how many participants, and exactly who they are that we are able to take on the trip safely. Due to this we are unlikely to be able to get any information out until a week prior to the trip at the earliest, and final confirmation of attendees may not be possible until about 3 days prior to the trip. 

Friends of the Mitta is a volunteer organisation that helps maintain access to the Mitta Mitta River. This is their annual working B/social event, with the working B Saturday morning, a social night Saturday night, and a community paddle on Sunday.

The plan is to leave Melbourne thursday evening, and drive up to the campsite in the Mitta Mitta.

On Friday, we will paddle a section of river somewhere in the area, potentially snowy creek.

On Saturday morning we will attend the working B, and then in the afternoon we should also be able to run some of the rivers in the area, with a mix of kayaks and rafts on grade 2-4 sections depending on conditions, leader preferences and participant experience.

On Sunday, we will join the community social paddle, rafting/kayaking down the Mitta gorge section. This is a grade 3 river, so kayakers will be much more limited depending on experience, while there should be enough space in the rafts for everyone else.

Car pooling will be arranged by the trip leader, you will be notified of this a few days before the trip.

We will be car camping, so some more bulky camping gear is ok, but there is a fair bit of gear that is needed, including

Paddling gear (available from paddling store at clubrooms and included in trip costs)

• PFD
• CAG
• Wetsuit
• Helmet
• Raft and rafting gear will be provided - if you are kayaking then you will need to organise that gear yourself.

Camping gear (you will need to organise this - can be hired at clubrooms)

• tent
• sleeping bag, mat and liner
• stove and pots
• chair if space in cars is available

Personal gear:

• thermals (unless you really don't feel the cold) - 2 sets is best
• wetsuit boots or old shoes to wear in the water  (closed toed full coverage) 
• a full change of warm clothes for in camp 
• a separate bag with another full change of clothes, shoes and towel to leave at the take out
• sturdy workboots for the working B
• a separate bag with a full change of clothes, shoes and towel to leave at the take out
• Water Bottle - river water can be boiled and used
• food for 3 days (main meals and plenty of snacks) - there should be some food at the social night on saturday
• cutlery
• personal toiletries and medications

If you have any queries then please get in touch, and more info will be sent out closer to the trip.