We had white water rafted before, so we knew we'd love it, but the staff at Wild West made this experience even better than we expected. Every person, from the girls in the shop, to the photographer, to the guides made us feel so welcome. They provided a very magical feeling of family. We had two very apprehensive little ones (ages 6 and 9) new to rafting. Our guide, Clancy, noticed their apprehension before we even left the shop and quickly became their friend and began reassuring them. He melted our hearts on the raft when he pinky swore with the youngest that he would keep him safe. Boone, our lead guide, kept a steady stream of encouragement for them as well. The rafting was great fun and Boone's history lessons about the river were fascinating during the calmer moments. He was also quick to point out the wildlife - watching an osprey bring her young a fish and then fly out for more was a particular treat. The entire experience was amazing (as was the ice cream a the end). Our little one (who spent most of the time on the floor of the boat) still said it was "fun but cold" and asked if he could write Clancy a thank you note. The older said his favorite part was when Clancy did a back flip off the back of the raft. Do not hesitate to take your kids - they will be treated with great care. And they'll love the jokes from all the guides on the short bus ride back! Excellent, excellent people who obviously cared about us, but also obviously really enjoyed each other, took care of us from start to finish. Our only regret is that we don't have a picture of the boys with our guides.