The All-Outdoors Whitewater Rafting California River Blog

Leave the 10 person tent, head-to-toe mosquito netting, and battery-operated blender at home people–packing for a multi-day river trip starts with thinking “less is more.”  For starters, we provide you with most of the infrastructure you need–all your on-river gear, kitchen supplies and food.   If you want some **adult bevvies** you’re welcome to bring them, although keg stands/beer bongs aren’t very neighborly.  Functionality the next day, people–keep it in mind.  

 What you really need to provide is your personal stuff.  Your shorts and swimming suit, your sunscreen and toothbrush, those things.  Also a sleeping bag and a camp mattress of some kind.  You really don’t need a tent–our guides never bring them and they’re out on the river all summer long so they know what they’re doing.  Of course if you reeeeeeeeeeeeeaaallly reeeeeeeeeaally love to wrestle with a tent, and are confident you won’t poke somebody’s eyes out with the poles or initate divorce proceedings as part of the set-up process, feel free to bring a small tent, but we don’t think you’ll actually miss it.  Or want to waste valuable leisure time in setting up and breaking it down . . .

For a full list of what to bring see the “maps and travel details” pages for the river you’re traveling to on our website: South Fork Two-Day List, Middle Fork Two-Day list, Tuolumne Two-Day list.

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As much we love the T and the Creek we have to say goodbye.  Not quite yet of course–but the farewell is on the horizon.  No more trips after the first weekend of September!  Not ‘cuz we don’t wanna………….but because the big boys at the dam are literally going to shut off the water.  I mean not totally.  No dry riverbed or anything , but only enough for the fishes……..not enough for rafters.  So make your plans before it’s too late.

One, two, and three day trips are available on the Tuolumne (pictured on the left there) River.  Cherry Creek rafting trips are one day only, but if you want to see it twice, we’re happy to oblige.  You can also do a combo of the two rivers.  If you want to start at the top and stay in the canyon the whole time you’ll do Cherry Creek the first day (so you’re starting with the hard stuff! Class five right out of the gate!) and then move into the Main Tuolumne for the next one or two days.  If you want to work up to the class five stuff–a perfectly respectable thing to do–you can start of the Main Tuolumne, get some class IV and IV+ experience under your belt and then go to Cherry Creek on the last day.  Whatever suits your fancy, we have the Tuolumne Cherry Creek combo trip for you!

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It’s misdummer and although free-run rivers are down to a fish-flow trickle there are still plenty of options for California River enthusiasts.  Here’s the low-down on your current options  from mellowist to maximum gnarl:

Super chill:  The section of the South Fork of the American that runs through the Coloma-Lotus Valley is a gentle class II float.  We designed our “Tom Sawyer Float Trip” with young kids in mind because the placid waters and small riffles let us meander downstream and leave time for blackberry picking, games, and adventures in an inflatable kayak or innertube for those who are feeling intrepid.  This section has reliable flows of 1300-1700 CFS everyday of the week but Wednesday.

Class III: The South Fork of the American River is one of the most heavily dam-controlled rivers in the state.  Not great for wildlife, and not without controversy–but of course also a very reliable summer river as a result.   We have been seeing good flows of 1300-1700 CFS 6 days a week on the South Fork, which are great for a fun class III river trip.

Class IV: The Middle Fork of the American is one of the “sister forks” to the South Fork.  They’re very different places though–the Middle Fork is a solid class IV run with more challenging rapids, a steeper and more remote canyon, and more time on the water.  We are seeing flows everyday of the week that range from 850-1250 CFS.  Perfect conditions!

Class IV-V:  The Tuolumne River is also dam-controlled, which allows us to raft its protected Wild and Scenic waters all summer long.  Flows rise and fall each day with dam releases, typically peaking around 1200 CFS.  Plenty of water to get your blood a’ pumpin’ before Clavey Falls . . .

Class V:  Cherry Creek is the ultimate “summertime river trip” in that it can only be run in the summer months.  During the spring run-off period there is actually too much water to run this extreme run.  Extreme and challenging we like, ridiculous, we don’t.  So, we wait each for flows to come down to raft the Creek.  Trips will continue into very early September on Cherry Creek in 2012.

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The Huz-band and I recently got away for a little overnight excursion and I was reminded of the power a wee vacay can have.  Don’t get me wrong–I love an adventure of any size, but if you can swing spending the night and waking up somewhere new……..it’s exponentially better.  So yes, a day trip down the river is wonderful–lots of fun, many laughs–but if you can do it, go for the two-day trip.   The rapids are just as thrilling but the pace of the day is more relaxed.  You get to do side hikes and discover hidden swimming holes, spooky caves, and waterfalls.  At night, someone else does the cooking and the clean-up and you get to play cards, read a book (ok Kindle, only I still read books) and maybe even have a real conversation with someone.  There will be tasty dutch-oven brownies or maybe some short-cake………and finally, nothing but crickets, more stars than you can count, and the sound of the river.  In the morning, cowboy coffee and bacon…….and again, the incomparable sweetness of someone else washing the dishes………..all you have to do is pack your sleeping bag, find your sunscreen and get fired up for more time on the water.

If you were just wondering “wait, she forgot to mention the hot shower and camp store with snacks” never fear–check out a two-day trip on the South Fork of the American, where you can bring whatever creature comforts you want to cram into your car.  Or, if you’re up for roughing it just a little, and those side-hikes are calling your name,  look into the Tuolumne or the Middle Fork of the American, where there are no showers but there are also no hassles, no wi-fi, and no dishes.

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd we’re done.  No more Tuolumne adventures in 2011.  Time to say a fond farewell to our brave ATV drivers, pat the ol’ Blue Boom goodbye, wish Larry the Boomtruck driver to a great winter, and pack up the warehouse ’till spring.  Thanks to all of you who helped make 2011 an epic year on the Tuolumne!   You braved high water, the hike in, a blown-out road, the graffitti on the bridge, and more ladybugs than we’ve ever seen!  And on Cherry Creek, we only had a few weeks, but what a few weeks they were.  ’nuff said.

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It’s the count-down.  Two weeks left for upper and lower Tuolumne River trips.  As dam-controlled runs, these trips rely on releases from reservoirs that we have no control over.  So, this year we’ve been told we’ll have raftable flows through Labor Day weekend and that’s it!

Then it’s time for our Tuolumne  and Creek crews to pack up and head back to homebase.  We do still have limited availability on both these runs so get in touch with us–we’re happy to answer all your questions!

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Thanks to a handy headcam, some high-water lovin’ rafters, and a darn good river guide, we’ve got some great new footage to share with you. This Tuolumne 1-Day trip was captured just a couple weeks ago when it was roaring at 11,500 CFS!

This full length version (27 minutes), covers most of the Class IV-IV+ rapids on the T’s 18 river miles. Watch it and fall in love with the Tuolumne all over again…

Switch to 1080p on YouTube player for best quality.
Special thanks to Chuck Salisbury of Choice Exposure for footage.

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Two weeks of twelve grand on the Tuolumne River.  How’s that for alliteration that would make your high school English teacher proud?  But more importantly, how’s that for some impressive whitewater adventure?

For those of you who don’t know, 12 ,000 CFS  is a monster flow.  Thrillingly amazingly awesomely challenging and fun.  And we’re going to be seeing those numbers for literally a couple weeks.  We’d usually be stoked by a couple DAYS of those flows.  Not 2011 though–this is a record-breaking year if ever there was one.  Space is quickly filling up on these trips, but never fear, you can also head to the North Stanislaus, Merced, or Kaweah (where flows are also pumping),  or check out the T in July when it will running in the 8,000 CFS range…………which ain’t too shabby at all.

We’ve got a major flotilla of river guides heading off to the T tomorrow to experience some high water action so hopefully we’ll have some great pics to share with you soon!

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Hear ye Hear ye: the T is ramping up this week!   As you know, we generally start seeing high spring water when Mother Nature cranks up the heat and starts to melt all that snow you skiied on this winter.   As you also know, temps have been mild of late, so you might think flows would be standard on the Tuolumne River right now.  However, due to the magic of hydroelectricity and government agencies, we’re actually going to see increasing flows all week long.  Check out the photo below–all those rocks and all that riverbank?  You’re not going to see any of that in the next few days.  It’s all gonna be underwater, baby!

                                                                                                                                                                                                 We got confirmation from said Powers That Be that due to scheduled releases CFS will be growing SOON!  Soon as in RIGHT NOW!

Today, flows are climing to the 7 grand range.

On Thursday, they’ll  be  climbing to about 9500….

On Friday, WOW! 12,200!

Saturday 12,200!

Sunday down to around 10 grand…..

And people, can you believe it, these probably aren’t the highest numbers we’re going to see this year.  When the weather heats up it could get even higher.  Told you this is great year!

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This is it folks, January 31, 2011 is the last day of our Pre-Season Sale.  Prices go up to normal tomorrow.  Git ‘er done and save 25% on any river, any trip, any day of the week during the regular 2011 rafting season.  From a whiz-bang South Fork Express trip to a mega multi-day Tuolumne-Cherry Creek Combo, you want it, you got it!  Call us at (800) 247 2387 and we’ll set you up.

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