What are the best hiking shoes for crossing a river?

[Molly]

I went on a lot of backcountry hikes over the summer. They involve climbing a mountain and occasionally having to cross a river. My hiking boots are great for mountain climbing/rock scrambling. They support my ankle very well and allow me to walk in ways I couldn't with tennis shoes. They're supposed to be waterproof and they are in rain, the occasional puddle and a few very fast steps through a shallow stream. However, probably 2/3 times throughout the day I would have to wade across a river. The river bottom rocks are very sharp, so I could not do this barefoot. Swimming was out because my gear would get soaked. However, once my boots were soaking wet some of the enjoyment of hiking was gone. Does anyone have a solution to this problem?

 

[Mountainman]

The lightweight solution is to wear trail runner shoes that drain well. Salomon makes a quick draining shoe. You could carry a dry pair of socks once the shoes have a while to dry. Alternatively, for ankle support when climbing, you would carry both a river shoe as well as a heavier pair of boots and alternate depending on trail conditions.