Emoji here—I did my first First Descents trip in 2017 in Tarkio, MT. It. Was. Magical. In 2022, I volunteered as a house mom on a kayaking trip for healthcare workers in Hood River, OR. That go-round, I decided to save my packing list to help future participants. All of this is specific to kayaking, so will vary for surfing and rock climbing. Be sure to cross reference the FAQs at First Descents site and their list for whitewater rafting, surfing, and rock climbing.
First, check the weather the week you’re going. Even if it’s really warm, you’ll be in the water most of the day, so you’ll want layers. And check evening weather. Lots of time spent outdoors! Both lodging spots had washer/dryer, but it is not guaranteed.
Clothes
Water (synthetic or wool—no cotton)
2-3 swim suits (worn under clothes)
2 water leggings (cropped length was great!)
1 water shorts (if it’s super warm)
2 ls water shirts/rashguards
1 water tank
Socks (wool socks for the water—thin Smartwools work great)
Water shoes (will be supplied if you don’t have a pair)
Land
2 land leggings
2 sweatpants
1 sweatshirt
1 hooded zip-up
3 sports bras
3 t-shirts
1 long sleeve t-shirt
1 pair of shorts
1 tank top
Underwear
Socks
Rain jacket
PJs
Shoes
Flip flops
Tennis shoes
Other
Stocking cap
Baseball cap
Water phone case (not necessary, but fun to carry my phone on the water one day to get pics)
Eyemask/ear plugs (you’ll likely be sharing a room)
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Headbands: You’ll be supplied a helmet, but my hair was awkwardly growing out from chemo, so having headbands to keep my bangs out of my face was helpful.
Water bottle: Helpful to have one with a hook/strap/carabiner. You’ll hook it into your kayak. While I generally prefer metal water bottles, I brought a Nalgene with a clip to easily attach it to the kayak. It kinda banged around in the kayak, so I was glad it was plastic vs. metal. Definitely no glass!
Makeup: If you must, but this week is CHILL.
HAVE THE BEST TIME EVER!!!!!
