Safety reminders for recreating on Northwest Montana rivers

The intense stretch of high temperatures hitting northwest Montana will have people flocking to rivers to cool down.

People heading out on the water should be prepared for extremely cold water and fallen debris that can drag someone and potentially hold them underwater.

“There are many places which are very safe to float and to recreate in, but there are also some areas which can be very dangerous,” said Glacier Guides and Montana Raft Company owner Denny Gignoux.

Recreating on one of Northwest Montana’s riverways is a great way to cool off during the summer heat as long as you’re prepared for the conditions.

“So it may be very warm on the top six inches, but if you go down a foot or a little bit more, you know the water can be 40º or even chillier,” added Gignoux.

Gignoux said spending an extended period in Glacier-fed riverways could easily lead to hypothermia if someone goes overboard.

“It can go bad very quickly.”

Gignoux said debris in the river is a common hazard that can quickly drag someone underwater.

“Especially if you’re on the Northfork of the Flathead River or the lower Flathead, any woody material. So any trees, branches, logs, stay away, stay far away.”

He said wearing a life jacket is essential when it comes to keeping yourself safe while enjoying Northwest Montana’s rivers.

“If you do hit a hole or a log or something in the river that can flip your boat over and then all of a sudden everybody is trying to run for their life jacket, it’s much better to just keep it on,” said Gignoux.

He said those even just hiking near rivers need to be cautious to avoid slipping in.

“Especially in some of these shaded areas, so really be careful at the edge of any waterway, you know give it some space, you know a couple feet back, so just in case you do slip you’re not falling into the waterway, which is what we’ve seen with a couple tragedies recently.”