Top Whitewater Rafting Rivers: Intermediate

ON THE EDGE: Getting ready for the big drop (Photodisc/Getty)

So you want to put yourself through your paces but don't feel ready for the full rinse-cycle treatment? These intermediate rivers up the action ante without stirring you to pen your last will and testament before putting in. Many outfitters run multiple trips on the same river for different skill levels and offer longer outings down the burlier sections. Adequate fitness levels are required to get you through continuous banks of Class III-IV water. Non-swimmers should probably take a pass, since going overboard is a real possibility, not to mention that even the best flotation device cannot quell panic in the midst of a fast-moving rapid.

Whitewater Classifications Explained:
Class I: Flat, moving water, including some small rapids with low waves.
Class II: Anything that can swamp a canoe.
Class III: Rapids start to become technical and deliver penalties for mistakes. A swim will be rough.
Class IV: Rapids become bigger, more technical, and the penalty for error bumps up a notch.
Class V: Rapids are intense, and the penalty for error can be classified as a potentially dangerous swim.
Class VI: Not runnable due to the severity of one or many objective hazards.

Intermediate Whitewater Rafting Rivers