The 'AO Rafting University' Category Archive

“As a mother and daughter activity…you have fun and excitement, and it’s healthy and good for your heart and soul…we plan to do it every year together!”

Without life’s usual distractions, the river is the perfect place for people to reconnect with one another. This is especially true with families. California offers many rafting opportunities for adventurers of all levels and ages!

The Easy Section of the South Fork of the American River is the ideal river trip for families with kids aged 5 to 7 years old. The gentle Class I-II rapids and the relaxing pools in between are fun for all.

The river where California whitewater rafting took sail 60 years ago is now a lake. While the loss of the Main Stanislaus River in the 1980’s was heartbreaking, out of it came a loud voice for river conservation countrywide.

Pair a visit to Yosemite National Park with rafting on the Merced River! Spend some time in the park admiring the rocky features and the waterfalls and then ride on the very same whitewater just outside of the park.

Spring is an excellent time to go rafting in California. Listen to Trey, the grandson of founder George Armstrong, as he provides some tips on what to wear and how to gear up for a springtime rafting trip.

All rivers are connected to rain and/or snow. If you want to know what California rivers will be doing in the spring, summer, and fall, you need to know what happened in the Sierra during the “wet season”.

Flipping a raft on a rafting trip is very uncommon, yet it is always a possibility. It is important to be prepared for a flip, but you shouldn’t let it scare you. Read these tips to be ready in case it happens on your trip.

Up close and personal – this firsthand account of what it is like to raft the Goodwin Canyon lets you in on some of the surprises waiting for us on this unique river each October.

Fall weather in the Sierra foothills is mostly mild, making this season a good time to go rafting. AO guide Gator explains what to wear and how to gear up for a fall rafting trip…