Those who have had to give up and return to shore due to poor boating conditions know it can be a tough decision.

“When spring is in the air, snowmelt creates high water in our streams and rivers and high expectations for some good boating or rafting,” said Liz Lodman, the boat education coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

The combination of high water and high expectations can be deadly when it turns out that the conditions are too extreme for safe boating.

“It can be hard to put safety ahead of adventure when you’ve spent hours planning a boating trip, but sometimes th...