River Rafting as Team Building

Leavenworth, Washington

Henry Ford was quoted as saying, "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success."  Managers, work-group supervisors and corporate leaders may want to consider looking outside of the box for tools and ideas that motivate and bring groups together.  Orion River Rafting believes they need look no further than their closest Washington river outfitter.  Our guides become guides beneath the banner of teamwork and know how to provide a quality river trip that will bring out the best in your group and get them working as a team.

River rafting is not all flailing paddles and great big splashes.

White water rafting trips, once again, are becoming a popular way for corporate groups to bond and grow together. Co-workers unite in powerful ways on a whitewater trip because - by necessity - they are working together to challenge the forces of nature. There are few things more exhilarating than spending a day, or several days, together confronting white water rapids and working as a unit. The outdoors inspires esprit de corps and a well-earned, shared sense of accomplishment.

On longer river trips, such as the Deschutes River, river rafters communication skills are sure to improve.  Effective communication is often challenging in the office, with the constant distractions of email, meetings and ringing phones.  In the great outdoors, like the solitude of the high desert country of the Deschutes River, there is time for co-workers to truly connect around campfires and while scouting rapids.

Co-workers rarely have the chance to simply share in new experiences by day, and then hear each person’s input on the day’s adventures as everyone comes together. On the river, this is a part of the experience that participants anticipate.  Gathering together in camp each evening over a great meal after a fantastic day of outdoor activities in itself is a powerful relationship building experience.

James L. Moore, founder of Orion River Rafting says, “There is no doubt about the formative aspects of a shared out-of-your element experience like a river raft trip to bring a group of people together.  Over my 35 years of rafting, I have watched many a group go through the "forming, storming, norming" phases of team-building and come out the other side with a much tighter, cohesive bond.  Few group activities are as effective at bringing people together as a day or a week of river rafting."

Orion River Rafting offers a range of Pacific Northwest rafting adventures that bring corporate teams together.  The Leavenworth River outfitter’s experienced guides and crew work with team building facilitators to create an excursion uniquely tailored to specific goals and objectives.  They can choose from day trips with tough white water challenges like the Skykomish River, or mild white water, like the Skagit River where participants can even get a shot at steering the raft and learning to guide.

On our overnight river trips down the Deschutes, there is plenty of time in camp for additional planned activities or down time, whichever is preferred.  Itineraries are flexible and can include easy to challenging hikes, lazy river swims, and facilitated team building exercises, spirited camp games or just time for people to connect while relaxing in a majestic natural setting.

If your company group or organization is looking for a meaningful means of enhancing the team building experience, white water rafting in Washington or Oregon could be the answer to better communications, increased productivity and a lot more joie de vivre around the office all year long. No rafting or camping experience is required.  All people need to do is show up ready for adventure and fun, and the river outfitters will do the rest.  The company provides the facilitator and exercises; Orion River Rafting provides all of the equipment, gear, food and river expertise so that participants can get the most out of their team building adventure.