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‘Ain’t that just how it always goes–you announce a deadline, you make plans to pack up and move on down the road, and then wha-bam, the situation changes.
Not that we’re complaining…………we just got word that the season on the Middle Fork of the American River has been extended by a week! Our last trips of the season will now be Sunday October 10th. Another week of class IV white water! Sweet!
It’s just about curtains for the Middle Fork of the American river this year. After this weekend, the powers that be will reduce flows on the Middle Fork so they’re high enough for fish and deer and possums, but way too low for whitewater rafting. It would be more like “low water walking.” An interesting way to see the canyon, I admit, but perhaps not the thrills and spills you were looking for, hm?
So clear your schedule, call a friend or corral the kids, and check out the beautiful Middle Fork before it’s too late and all you can do is watch a video of the river until next year……
The kids are back in school, the routine is set….. time to reclaim your weekend and do something fun while the good weather lasts! The South Fork has weeks and weeks left, but our good friend the Middle Fork of the American is about to be put out to pasture for the 2010 rafting season. We have guarenteed great flows until the first weekend of October so check your calendar and make some plans!
And then there were two.
With all the spring runs but a distant memory, and the Tuolumne and Cherry Creek just put out to pasture for the year, what’s a California rafting enthusiast to do? Weep gently and go to a cage fight for an adrenaline rush? Of course not. Rely–as we do–on those old war horses, the ever reliable and trusty South and Middle Fork of the American rivers! With delightful rapids. lovely scenery, and AO rafting as your host, what’s not to love?
For families with younger kids or folks wanting an introductory experience, the South Fork’s class III rapids are just the thing. And for people wanting a little more in the challenge dept, the class IV rapids on the Middle Fork are perfect! These rivers both have solid flows into October this year because of an excellent snowpack and full reservoirs in 2010.
Summer is not exactly fading fast, but it’s about this time when it begins to dawn on us that it won’t last forever………..sure the weather is blazing, there are mountains of tomatoes in a full blaze of rainbow colors at the P’ville farmer’s market, the sunflowers are in full bloom at my dad’s house, and everyone at AO but me is tanned and toned and highlighted………but people are starting to talk sadly of the return to college, the transition to off-season schedules, and–most tortuous of all for moi–the plans for winter travel (I am SO busting in on a certain someone’s year abroad in TURKEY this year–I love ground lamb, hookas, and Roman ruins! hello!!!).
So the point is, summer doesn’t last forever–and now is the time to get on a two-day, overnight, camp-under-the-stars-extravaganza on the Middle Fork of the American River. Class IV rapids, side-hikes and sunny skies to thrill by day, twinkling stars, tasty food and good conversation at night. And all this glory is only a few miles from the Hwy 80 corridor so it’s but a hop skip and jump from the Bay Area, Sacramento, and even Reno. Grab some friends and come on up before the summer is donedonedone!
(above: side hike on the Middle Fork American River, above right: class VI (unrunnable) ruck-a-chucky falls)
How’s this for a biathlon of fun? Come up for an American River 
rafting trip this Saturday, have a tasty dinner at Marco’s Pizza or Cafe Mahjaic (well, eat where you want, I’m just giving a little advice as a local, don’t you know…), and then on Sunday go STOMP GRAPES at David Girard Winery! I’m sorry but that sounds awesome!!! Grapes skins everywhere! Purple juice staining every tee-shirt within a mile radius! Your mom might not like it but Bacchus will be delighted and if summer isn’t a time for Bacchus I just don’t know when is…..
Get more details from Girard: http://www.davidgirardvineyards.com/events.html (scroll down till you get to the Grape Stomp info!)
Just a quick note to let you guys know we got some great news about water releases on the mighty Middle Fork for this fall! We are going to have sweet, raftable flows SEVEN DAYS A WEEK through Sunday, October 3rd this year! yuh-yeah!!!!!
Wondering why we’re so excited? Check out our Middle Fork American rafting video and see for yourself: http://www.aorafting.com/river/middle-fork-american/video.htm
With the North Stan, North Fork American, Cal Salmon, Merced, and Kaweah Rivers but a distant memory, what’s a white water enthusiast to do? Fold your cards, throw in the towel and head to the Lower American River for a boozy and soggy-sandwich filled float that ends with acid-reflux and a sunburn? Not to bash that dream, but come on, there are better ideas out there. The South and Middle Forks of the American the Tuolumne Rivers, thank you very much! (more…)
This is it folks–you’ve almost procrastinated yourself right out of a Middle Fork American rafting trip in 2009. You have literally one weekend left and then you have to wait until next season for a class IV rafting trip. The last trip of the year on the Middle Fork will be October 3rd so start making plans pronto! (But yes, you do have more time to dawdle if you want to raft the South Fork of the American–she’ll be going strong well into October…..)
Time to make your plans folks–you’ve put it off long enough! There are only two weeks left for class IV Middle Fork rafting trips in 2009. The weather is warm, the skies are blue, and the water is fine out on the Middle Fork of the American. The South Fork will be running well into October this year, but if you want the challenge of class IV whitewater and the isolated beauty of the Middle Fork’s canyon you’ve gotta act soon! The last day to raft the Middle Fork this year is October 3rd.
Check out our Middle Fork Rafting video and get a preview of the fun to come…..
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