How are the Rapids rated?
Whitewater rapids are divided into six classes. Class 1 being flat water and class 6 being the equivalent of paddling over the edge of Niagara Falls. It is also a bit of an interpretative scale, so you will often hear people talking about rapids having a plus or a minus. This means that might be a class 4-plus rapid for a beginner paddler, might only be considered a class 4 by a more veteran paddler. Some of the more common variables to a rapids classification include difficulty, obstacles, gradient, remoteness and accessibility, and volume of water flowing down river. For a better understanding of the six classes of rapids, take a look at our rapid rating chart.
