Life is not normal. River trips won’t be either.
That doesn’t mean they can’t be lots of fun, while offering meaningful opportunities to do what GOALS does - connect people to the most important things in the most inspiring places. We have carefully monitored the pandemic’s progression for several months. Our observations, in combination with recommendations and guidelines provided by local, state, federal, and even global health organizations - have caused us to adjust our scheduled 2020 program season in terms of who we are serving and how we are operating. If you’re here - you’re a part of that “who.” Please read all information below carefully to fully understand the “how.”
What you can expect from GOALS:
All GOALS expeditions in 2020 reserve the right to enforce some or all of the following changes to our standard operating procedures. Any changes made will be done so with a focus on participant health.
Hygiene & sanitation:
Groups may be assigned - loosely or strictly - to specific boats/guides for some part or all of their river expedition in an effort to reduce close contact with others. This could reduce your ability to ride in a paddle raft or inflatable kayak at certain times.
Personal equipment (including PFD’s, helmets, chairs, tents, pads, paddles, etc) may be assigned to each individual participant for use throughout the expedition.
Communal equipment may be sanitized daily, and even more rigorous insistence may be placed on hand-washing than exists on a normal river expedition (which is more than anyone has ever experienced at home).
Social distancing guideline in camp which may result in fewer full-group activities, eating in smaller groups, etc.
Masks or face coverings may be required in shuttle vehicles and/or when it is difficult to maintain distance from other participants.
Risk reduction:
Although we can offer no health guarantees, our research tells us that infection = exposure to virus x time. This suggests that experiences outdoors with people who have not displayed and are not currently displaying symptoms poses a relatively low risk. With this in mind, and in an effort to help all participants get the most out of their 2020 river expedition, you can expect the following:
GUEST SCREENING. A pre-expedition questionaire, as well as symptom checks during the expedition, may be done to protect all participants, to minimize participation by at-risk individuals and to eliminate participation by individuals who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms or who have been exposed to COVID-19.
GUIDE SCREENING - all employees of our partnering outfitters are expected to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms prior to their first trip. They will adhere to frequent symptom checks. Guides who show any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to work until they test negative or show no symptoms for 14 consecutive days.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION. For family expeditions, guests will be asked to transport themselves to/from the river. For youth expeditions, reasonable efforts will be made in shuttle vans to maintain physical distancing. Participants may be required to wear a mask or face cover while riding in shuttle vehicles.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING – Physical distancing between non-associated groups may be promoted during all aspects of the expedition. When social distancing is not possible, face coverings may be encouraged or required.
DECREASED SHARING – We will minimize opportunities for the spread of coronavirus by reducing communal equipment and activities. When practical, we will assign personal equipment for the entire expedition, limit movement between boats and groups, stagger hiking and other on-shore activities to avoid crowding, and eliminate close-contact group activities.
EQUIPMENT CLEANING – Special attention will be paid to sanitizing gear between trips, sanitizing commonly touched surfaces and equipment between uses, and sanitizing kitchen and cooking equipment frequently.
FOOD SERVICE PROTOCOLS – All food preparation surfaces will be frequently wiped down with appropriate cleanser during food preparation and meal serving. Guides will wear face coverings and gloves during meal preparation. Participants will not be allowed in the kitchen during meal preparation.
PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT – We will utilize personal protective equipment when appropriate and provide it if necessary. Participants are asked to bring their own face coverings and hand sanitizer.
WHAT GOALS is expecting from you:
Our intent is to make to feel even more physically and mentally healthy at the conclusion of your expedition than you did when it began. Right now, we need every participant to take some extra precautionary steps before and during (and even potentially after) their river experience for that to occur.
Before your expedition.
Potentially “at-risk” participants. While GOALS is not qualified to assess each person’s physical readiness for an expedition related to COVID-19 risk, we respectfully ask that you consult a medical professional if there is any question about whether 2020 is the right time for you to embark on a wilderness river expedition. Per recommendations from the CDC, this may include people over 65 years old and/or those with underlying conditions that predispose them to COVID-19 complications. It is your responsibility to review and understand those conditions - as the list changes frequently. As is always the case, GOALS reserves the right to deny participation to anyone who we feel uncomfortable including in 2020 as a result of risk to themselves or to the rest of their group.
The waiver process. We have updated our waiver and eligibility forms to alert you to the risk of exposure to viruses while on a trip. Every participant (and their parent/guardian if the participant is a minor) will be required to review, acknowledge, and sign a waiver unique to COVID-19 risks prior to their expedition.
Participant Screening.
Before your expedition. A few days before your expedition, each participant will be required to complete a survey assessing their own physical health. This assessment may include, but is not limited to, questions about:
- Symptoms - elevated body temperature or chills, coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscles aches, loss of taste or smell.
- Contact with individuals who have displayed any of the symptoms above.
- Testing - positive or negative test for COVID-19 or antibodies.At the launch site. You may be asked to again verbally confirm that you are symptom free at our established meeting place with a partnering outfitter. Anyone who has experienced or displayed COVID-19 symptoms in the 14 days prior to their expedition will be removed from the expedition. GOALS strongly encourages every participants to limit exposure to others during the 14 days prior to their expedition, and to carefully monitor their health, watching for symptoms. We also recommend purchasing trip insurance, as refunds will not be available to anyone experiencing symptoms at the launch site or to people in their household who will also be removed from the expedition.
During your expedition. All participants may be evaluated daily to affirm that they are symptom-free. This assessment may include temperature and/or blood oxygen screens.
In the event of an evacuation. If a participant shows symptoms of COVID-19, GOALS reserves the right to initiate isolation and/or evacuation procedures in order to protect all participants and guides. If this occurs during a family expedition and the affected participant is a child, at least one adult family member will be required to isolate and/or evacuate with the child. If this occurs during a youth expedition, the child may be evacuated to a local medical facility or to a pace of isolation. In either event, it will be the responsibility of a parent/guardian to meet the child as soon as possible (within no more than 24 hours after notification of evacuation) and to transport them home. If this is not possible, then we ask that you not send your child on a 2020 expedition.
After the expedition. If a participant develops COVID-19 symptoms following their expedition, we ask that you notify us to enable any necessary tracing and notification procedures to protect other participants.
A few more important points.
1. Your feelings might be different than others.
Please be ready for a very open and transparent discussion at the put-in about group health history, the way each of us has chosen to behave during quarantine, and our resulting approach to risk tolerance during the expedition. Your sensitivity may be different than others - and that’s OK. We’ll discover an accepted set of group expectations - driven by individual feelings, health guidelines, and mutual respect.
2. We aren’t alone in this big, beautiful world.
We must recognize that the regions surrounding the canyons where GOALS expeditions explore often contain small, localized communities. Their economies are often based largely on seasonal tourism - and thus they may be struggling with a desire for our dollars mixed with an intolerance for the health risks we also bring. We must all be aware of this, and consciously take steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to these small communities whose health resources may not be prepared for a spike in cases. Just as we tell kids throughout GOALS expeditions - our actions have a more profound impact on those around us than we often realize. In 2020, this has never been more true.
3. There are many ways to remain healthy.
We believe spending time outdoors is among them. We believe that morning yoga, all-day sunshine and breeze, rapid splashes, and evening campfire discussions play a positive role in overall immunity - otherwise, we’d be sitting out the 2020 season entirely.
If you’ve gotten this far, let’s make it happen. Take care of yourself leading up to your expedition. Be honest in your personal health assessments. Think beyond yourself. Then, click here to review and sign the 2020 GOALS Participant Agreement, Release, and Assumption of Risk. It’s your last step before sunshine, splashes, and shooting stars.