A lot has changed at White Water Adventurers since 1971.

The rafts have changed. The gear has changed. The way people plan and book their trips has certainly changed. But one thing has remained remarkably consistent: we love the river, and we want everyone who joins us to have the best possible time experiencing it.

As we come to the end of our 55th year, we opened a drawer filled with old WWA brochures and took a look at where we started—and how we got from there to here.

It All Began in 1971

White Water Adventurers was incorporated in 1971, with the office located in the owner’s basement.

There were no online reservations, confirmation emails, or electronic waivers. Planning a rafting trip involved picking up the telephone, talking to a real person, and mailing a physical check. Your reservation was recorded in a notebook with a page for each day and a notebook for each month.

It wasn’t fancy, but it was the beginning.

Our First Toll-Free Number

By the early 1980s, WWA had a toll-free telephone number—which was a pretty big deal at the time.

There was just one catch: at first, it only worked east of the Mississippi River.

Credit cards were still rare, so after calling to reserve a trip, guests generally mailed us a check. Compared with today’s instant online reservations, it sounds almost impossibly slow. Somehow, though, everyone still made it to the river.

Bring On the Self-Bailers

White Water Adventurers was the first outfitter in Ohiopyle to have a fleet of self-bailing rafts.

Before that, removing water from the boat required a slightly less advanced piece of rafting equipment: half of a gallon milk jug.

You were handed the jug and told to bail.

The arrival of self-bailing rafts was a major improvement—although it did eliminate one important job from the rafting crew.

Recognize This Fellow?

We like to start them young in Ohiopyle.

The little fellow  (bottom left) who appeared in one of our earlier brochures grew up with WWA and the river. We’ll come back to him.

Welcome to White Water Adventurers

As the years passed, the brochures began looking more familiar. The boats, photography, colors, and language continued to evolve right along with WWA.

Reservations moved from mailed checks to credit cards and online booking. Half-gallon milk jugs gave way to self-bailing rafts. A toll-free number that only worked in half the country eventually gave way to a website that could reach guests almost anywhere.

But the heart of WWA didn’t change. It was still about welcoming people to Ohiopyle, showing them the best time on the river, and sharing why we love what we do.

A New Look for 2022

By 2022, WWA had a new look and a simple invitation:

Experience the river. Are you ready for adventure?

The brochure was no longer just explaining what we offered. It was asking guests to imagine themselves here—paddle in hand, surrounded by their crew and ready to find out what was around the next bend.

Our First QR Code

Then came 2024 and another milestone: our first QR code.

After decades of telephone calls, mailed checks, printed forms, and traditional brochures, guests could simply point a phone at a little square and be connected instantly.

That may not sound quite as exciting as the arrival of self-bailing rafts, but it was considerably more convenient than finding a stamp.

Today, It’s All About You

Today, the story isn’t really about our telephone number, our rafts, or even our QR code.

It’s about you.

It’s about coming to Ohiopyle, stepping outside your everyday routine, and becoming an adventurer with us. You might be five years old on your first Middle Yough trip. You might be 77 and finally checking whitewater rafting off your list. Adventure doesn’t belong to a particular age or type of person. Sometimes, you simply have to show up and discover that it belongs to you, too.

And that little fellow from the old brochure?

You might just be lucky enough to have him in the back of your boat. He now serves as an assistant manager, and he has earned the right to be there.

The brochures have changed. The equipment has changed. WWA has changed.

But after all these years, we’re still doing what we set out to do: sharing the river we love and helping new adventurers discover it for themselves. Ready to become an adventurer? Make your reservation online at wwaraft.com, or give us a call at 724-329-8850 if you’d like to chat a bit. Some traditions are still worth keeping.