EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon’s rivers are a popular spot for summer fun, but those who know the water well say it’s important to be prepared to keep you and your kids safe.
Leah Helfrich, a river guide and co-owner of Helfrich McKenzie Rafting, says while Oregon’s beautiful rivers attract boaters, floaters and swimmers, extremely cold waterways like the Willamette and McKenzie rivers can be dangerous.
“Because our water temperatures are so cold, the risk of hypothermia runs rampant,” she says. “We’ve got snow melt from the high Cascades year-round and spring-fed creeks feeding into our waterways. So, the water is going to be significantly colder than the air temperature and that can lead you into initial shock, some disorientation, loss of judgment and abilities to self-rescue.”…