Trip leaders need to monitor the weather well before a trip takes place. The same holds true for water temperature but that is typically more stable. Whenever hypothermia is a strong possibility, you should warn your party and provide suggestions on how to dress accordingly. As an additional precaution, I typically pack some extra cold weather gear in my car to loan if necessary. I like to keep a spare NRS Mystery Hood in my dry bag since it doesn't take up very much space and is one of the fastest means of addressing early hypothermia on paddling trips.

Hyperthermia is also a significant conern, especially with older boaters. Since I am prone to this condition, I pack Gatorade instead of water. If it is a hot day, I pack a quart size bottle. Gatorade is perfectly effective in a 50:50 mixture. I also like to stash a second small plastic bottle of water in the back of my boat that I can simply give someone in need. A couple packets of plain old mustard can also fix severe cramped leg muscles. Mustard is used by a number of coaches and medical professionals for patients on dialysis that can't handle excess potassium.

Trip leaders need to closely monitor water levels prior and during the trip. The American Whitewater site does a real nice job of color coding river readings:

• Pink - Low
• Green - In Range
• Purple - Too High

I also check gauges further upstream on the day of the trip to see if the river will be rising or falling. If it looks like the stream is too high for a safe trip, choose an alternate safer run or call off the trip.

Discuss this environmental information with your paddling party in pre-trip emails and prior to running the shuttle so they can be prepared.