The above map shows our up-to-date forecast for the current rafting season; we will post updates both here and on the All-Outdoors Facebook page if any new information is released.

Be sure to check our COVID Update: California Rafting in 2021 for information about our current mitigation measures.

Which California River Will You Explore?

All-Outdoors operates professionally guided whitewater rafting trips on 10 California rivers. (Explore this section of the website to find great photos, videos, maps, and descriptions of each of the rivers and trip options we offer.)

River trip options vary in a range of ways, including the level of difficulty, length of trip, minimum age requirements, driving distance, and available itineraries. Consider what kind of experience you want for yourself and for your group before selecting a river and date.

When Should You Go Rafting?

We offer rafting trips in California from April until the end of October every year, and each river has its own season that ranges in duration depending on upstream reservoirs or the rate of melt-off from the Sierra snowpack.

Whether you are looking for a family-friendly trip with the kids, or a thrilling ride for your group of experienced rafters, you will have options to choose from all season long.

Go Rafting This Spring (April – May)

Some rivers will only be available during the spring snowmelt months of April and May, including the North Fork of the American, Merced & Kaweah Rivers. Trips will also be available on the South Fork of the American River from April, and on the Middle Fork of the American River, and Tuolumne River starting in May.

Go Rafting This Summer & Fall (June – October)

During the summer and fall months, we will continue to offer trips on select rivers with upstream reservoirs that provide reliable flows, including the South Fork of the American River, Middle Fork of the American River, Tuolumne River and Cherry Creek (Upper Tuolumne). Additionally, every October there is a special scheduled release on the Class IV-IV+ Goodwin Canyon section of the Lower Stanislaus River near Knights Ferry.

Please check the map above for our forecast for when each river will be running.

 
If you want to dig into greater detail about the flows for each river, check our Real-Time Flow Reports for California Rivers for more information about this year’s seasonal flow projections.

Need any help planning your trip? Just reach out by phone, email, Live Chat.

The post The 2021 California Whitewater Rafting Season Update [MAP] appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

Welcome to the 2021 California whitewater rafting season – We can’t wait to see you on the river again!

How will COVID affect the California whitewater rafting season in 2021?

The pandemic situation in California is improving but we cannot be certain about what circumstances will be like in the future. What we do know is that vaccinations are becoming more available and are working to help control the spread of Covid.

We also know that with the help of our employees and guests, we were able to run California rafting trips responsibly this past summer and can do so again in 2021.

One thing we have done to help with some of the uncertainty, is to revise our Cancellation Policy to give peace of mind and added flexibility to anyone planning to raft with us this season. Learn more below.

Guides have completed a mandatory COVID-19 training on our mitigation procedures and pass a daily health screening before they are able to work.

During food preparation we maintain clean surfaces and sanitation protocols, so you can be sure your food was made in a clean environment.

Guests are greeted by their own guide upon arrival and are taken care of by this same guide all day long. He or she takes the guests’ temperature and asks a few screening questions before the trip can start.

At our property we have added hand sanitizer stations and are limiting bathroom capacity. We have made arrangements so people in different groups can gather in different places.

There are three things guests are asked to bring to their rafting trip: a face covering that goes around the neck (not just behind the ears), a water bottle, and hand sanitizer (all available for purchase on site as well).

Instead of being fitted with gear by your guide, you will fit yourself with guide instructions.

Your guide will give you a private pre-river orientation talk to prep you for your adventure.

Private rafts! We will not be mixing different groups in the same raft. Each group will get their own “private” raft(s).

At least one thing won’t be any different; cruising along gentle currents or smashing through exciting rapids is still a whole lot of fun!

Guests and guides will be required to wear a face covering during shuttle rides and apply hand sanitizer just before getting on the bus.

When you get back to your meet place, you’ll sanitize your own gear by giving your life jacket a thorough dunking in a tub before hanging it up and dropping your paddle into a barrel filled with sanitizing solution.

After a great day on the river, you and your guide will say your goodbyes and you’ll be on your way!

Between each trip (and periodically throughout the day) we clean all our facilities. Bathrooms get cleaned and restocked and shuttle vehicles get sanitized so we’re ready for your arrival!

Previous Next

Below is a list of protocols we plan to implement for the 2021 rafting season. Keep in mind that if circumstances surrounding the pandemic continue to improve and government guidelines are updated, we will adjust these practices accordingly.

All-Outdoors COVID-19 Rafting Trip Protocols as of March 19, 2021:

1. Private Rafts

Until further notice, we will not be mixing different groups in the same raft. Each group* will get their own “private” raft(s).

*Private rafts may require a minimum number of paid spaces per reservation. Contact us for more details.

2. Private Picnic Lunches for Your Group

For all trips in which lunch is provided, the fixings for a delicious picnic lunch are provided for each “private” raft.

3. Health Declaration Form

A few days prior to each trip all guests will fill out this form stating they have not experienced COVID-19 symptoms nor been exposed to anyone testing positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days.

4. Short Screening Process At the Meet Place

The day of your trip you will be asked a few questions about how you are feeling to ensure you are symptom free and have your temperature taken.

5. Shuttle Vehicles

Guests and guides will be required to wear a face covering during shuttle rides and apply hand sanitizer just before getting on the bus. Groups will be seated together and protocols will be followed during boarding and off-boarding to minimize contact.

6. Enhanced Sanitation

Between each trip (and periodically throughout the day) we clean all our facilities. Bathrooms get cleaned and restocked and shuttle vehicles get sanitized so they are ready for the next groups’ arrivals.

7. Guest Involvement in COVID Protocols

Keeping COVID down is a team effort. Here’s what we ask of our guests to help us limit the risk of spreading the virus:

• We can’t take symptomatic people. So if you start experiencing symptoms in the days leading up to your trip, you need to give us a call and we’ll help you reschedule.
• Bring hand sanitizer for personal use at times when we don’t have it available.
• Bring a face covering you can wear around your neck during the trip and use when necessary (at our facility, on shore, on board our shuttle vehicles, or when asked by guides). If anyone forgets to bring an appropriate face covering, we have them available for purchase.
• Bring a water bottle. It’s important to stay hydrated on a rafting trip. There will be opportunities to refill your bottle at the meet place and during the trip. If you forget to bring a water bottle, we have those for purchase as well.
• If you come down with symptoms or test positive anytime in the 10 days following your trip, you must let us know. It’s important for us to share that information with local government agencies and other guests who were on the trip.

What if you can’t go or we can’t go?

We realize that COVID has made all our plans a little less certain, so let’s be in it together. When you book, you’re getting a rafting trip — no matter what. Ideally that will be just the trip you want on the day you want. But, if that trip can’t go we’ll both agree to do it another time. If you can’t make it for any reason, we’ll give you your trip at a later date, either this year or in any future year. If we can’t run it for any reason, COVID or otherwise, you’ll agree to go another time.

For full details, see our updated Cancellation Policy.
 

For more information on state and local regulations regarding whitewater rafting and other outdoor activities, you can visit the following resources:

• The State of California COVID 19 Industry Guidance: Campgrounds, RV Parks, and Outdoor Recreation.
• A Message from the El Dorado County Public Health Officer.

The post COVID Update: California Rafting in 2021 appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

Welcome to 2021 – the year we all hope will be more “normal” than what we have experienced in 2020. It has been a wild ride for many reasons (and still is), but an undeniable reality is that the pandemic has altered our lives. Even though the vaccine is giving needed hope, there is a distance to go before we are in the clear.

People are asking us about the coming rafting season because they want to plan something to look forward to that is away from home, outside, and with family and friends. We hope the following helps answer this important question:

Will there be a rafting season in 2021?

The answer is yes, but with a few caveats. While progress is being made to get on top of the pandemic, no one knows exactly how long it will take before we are at the point of moving around freely without Covid concerns. Until then, we at All-Outdoors will maintain our preventative practices to help slow down the spread of Covid and assure that we ourselves and those around us are healthy.

This past season we began operations on July 1 by designing and executing COVID sensitive trips and practices to make sure our guests and our employees were as safe as possible. By doing so we were able to enjoy being outside and recreating on some of the most beautiful rivers in California. Thanks to everyone involved, including our guests, the season was a remarkable success as we all benefited from what rivers do for the body and soul.

If Covid is still an issue, we will repeat the same type of trips and practices for the coming season. If conditions change for the better (and we certainly hope they do!) we will make adjustments. We will be evaluating the situation on a constant basis and abide by government mandates and practices.

One thing we have done to help with some of the uncertainty of Covid and the 2021 rafting season, is to revise our Cancellation Policy to give peace of mind and added flexibility to anyone planning to raft with us this season. Learn more below.

What did trips look like during the 2020 rafting season?

Before the 2020 season our guides got tested for COVID-19 and did mandatory training on our mitigation procedures. Guides passed a daily health screening before they were able to work.

In 2020 lunches were made-to-order by our food prep staff. We maintain clean surfaces and sanitation protocols, so you can be sure your food was made in a clean environment.

Guests were greeted by their own guide upon arrival and were taken care of by this same guide all day long. He or she would take the guests’ temperature and ask a few screening questions before the trip could start.

We added additional hand sanitizer stations at our property. We also limited bathroom capacity and arranged things on our property so people in different groups could gather in different places.

There were three things guests were asked to bring to their rafting trip: a face covering that goes around the neck (not just behind the ears), a water bottle, and hand sanitizer (all available for purchase on site as well).

Instead of being fitted with gear by a guide, guests fitted themselves with guide instructions.

Guests received a private pre-river orientation talk from their guide to prep them for the adventure.

Different social groups on a trip did not mix but had their own guide and raft. To create more spacing, each raft also had less people and maintained a distance between other rafts on the same trip.

Made-to-order lunches were packed on individual rafts, and at lunch time groups were eating separately. On multi-day trips meals at camp were served by each group’s guide.

At least one thing was not any different; cruising along gentle currents or smashing through exciting rapids was still a whole lot of fun!

We reduced the number of people on shuttles to give each group their own space on the bus. We also asked everyone to apply hand sanitizer before getting on and to wear their face coverings during the ride.

Back at the meet place guests sanitized their own gear by giving their life jacket a thorough dunking in a tub before hanging it up. Paddles were dropped into a barrel filled with sanitizing solution.

After a great day on the river, last goodbyes were said and guests were on their way.

Between each trip (and periodically throughout the day) we cleaned all our facilities. Bathrooms got cleaned and restocked and shuttle vehicles got sanitized so they were ready for the next groups’ arrivals.

Previous Next

Private Rafts With Fewer People

Following state and county guidelines for the 2020 rafting season, we were NOT mixing groups of guests unless they were from the same household or within the same “social bubble”. Every group* got their own private raft(s). Each “private” raft on a trip did not mix with other “private” rafts on the same trip. To minimize the risk of COVID spread, we also lowered the number of guests per raft. With all these changes, rafting felt more like a private, intimate experience than ever!

* Private rafts required a minimum number of paid spaces per reservation. (All Middle Fork American River itineraries: 4 spaces; all South Fork American River itineraries: 4 spaces midweek / 6 spaces weekend departures.)

Before and During Your Trip

To help reduce the transmission of COVID-19, we made several adjustments to lower the chances of spread. Steps taken during the 2020 rafting season:

• Prior to the trip, all participants filled out a Health Declaration Form stating that in the 14 days before your trip you have neither experienced COVID-19 symptoms nor been exposed to anyone testing positive for COVID-19.
• For all trips in which lunch was provided, each participant also filled out a Lunch Order Form. Unlike in previous years, in 2020 we were packing individual lunches before the trip, taking orders ahead of time. How lunches work in 2020.
• At the meet place, there was a short screening process consisting of a few questions about how you are feeling to ensure you are symptom free.
• We did a couple things during the shuttle to reduce the chances of spreading COVID. First, we were taking fewer people in each vehicle so we can space out groups. Secondly, we had everyone apply hand sanitizer just before getting on the bus, and required everyone to wear a face covering during the ride.
• We made some changes and provided instructions during meals and at our facilities to keep things clean and keep people from staying too close together.

Guest Involvement

Keeping COVID down is a team effort. Here’s how our guests helped us limit the risk of spreading the virus in the 2020 season:

• No symptomatic people. Anyone experiencing symptoms in the days leading up to the trip was asked to reschedule.
• Personal hand sanitizer for use at times when ours was not readily available.
• Face covering that could be worn around the neck during the trip and used when necessary (at our facility, on shore, on board our shuttle vehicles, or when asked by guides). Scarves and Buff-style sleeves that hang around the neck worked nicely. Face coverings were available for purchase.
• Personal water bottle. It’s important to stay hydrated on a rafting trip, and during this time we didn’t want people drinking from the same container. Water bottles were available for purchase as well.
• Post-trip reporting. Guests were instructed to notify us immediately if they were to come down with symptoms or test positive anytime in the 14 days following their trip. We would then share the information with local government agencies and other guests who were on the trip.

What if you can’t go or we can’t go

We realize that COVID has made all our plans a little less certain. There’s a chance that you could be exposed to someone with the virus before your trip or even get it yourself and not be able to go. If there’s a spike in cases, the State could shut rafting down altogether. So let’s be in it together. When you book, you’re getting a rafting trip — no matter what. Ideally that will be just the trip you want on the day you want. But if that trip can’t go we’ll both agree to do it another time. If you can’t make it for any reason, we’ll give you your trip at a later date, either this year or in any future year. If we can’t run it for any reason, COVID or otherwise, you’ll agree to go another time.

For full details, see our updated Cancellation Policy.

Again, thank you so much for being patient and taking things one step at a time with us. We don’t know what the future will hold, but we are committed to running responsible and extremely fun and enjoyable rafting trips.

For more information on state and local regulations regarding whitewater rafting and other outdoor activities, you can visit the following resources:

• The State of California COVID 19 Industry Guidance: Campgrounds, RV Parks, and Outdoor Recreation.
• A Message from the El Dorado County Public Health Officer.

The post COVID-19 Update: Looking Ahead appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

Tunnel Chute is perhaps the best known highlight of the thrilling ride that is the Middle Fork of the American River. This rapid is famous for its dramatic 80-foot chute and exhilarating six-foot drop, which ends with a victorious float through the majestic 90-foot rock tunnel. Once you’re on the Middle Fork, you don’t have much time to prepare for this Class IV+ rapid. Here’s a preview of what you can expect.

What is Tunnel Chute?

Tunnel Chute is a human-made rapid. In the 1860s, gold miners created a tunnel in the granite mountainside to divert the river flow so they could more easily access the gold that had settled in the river’s horseshoe bend. The site became a lucrative spot for gold-rush miners and created the spectacular Tunnel Chute rapid that we enjoy today.

What can I expect when we get there?

The Middle Fork trip gets underway quickly, with just a couple of Class III rapids before Last Chance, the entryway to Tunnel Chute. All-Outdoors requires all of our guests to walk to the edge of the rocks above Tunnel Chute to see what they’re committing to before taking it on. Our guides encourage everyone who is up for it to ride the rapid and those who are not to walk around it and meet the raft at the other end of the tunnel. Our guides prepare rafters for the challenge.  Instructions are given to get low in the raft and hang on to avoid the sharp rock walls. This also increases the chances of everyone staying on board while going down the chute because “swimming” this rapid can be difficult.

All-Outdoors on the Middle Fork American

Nothing compares to completing a challenge like Tunnel Chute and then enjoying a peaceful float in the natural splendor of this beautiful 2000-foot deep river canyon. Whether you’re looking for an intense day of hitting the Middle Fork rapids or a more leisurely trip with camping and hiking, we have you covered. All-Outdoors offers 1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day trips on the Middle Fork American.

See what other rafters have to say about this see-to-believe rapid on our Middle Fork reviews page.

The post Tunnel Chute Rapid – Middle Fork of the American River appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

All 2021 River Trips and Rafting Trip Certificates Are Now 25% Off

Our most popular and flexible sale of the entire year is back! Save 25% on any 2021 river trip when you make a reservation or purchase Pre-Season Rafting Trip Certificates for yourself or as a gift.

• Ready to make your reservation? You can reserve over the phone, or book your trip online. All reservations for the 2021 rafting season made by Sunday, January 31, 2021 automatically get a 25% discount, no matter how many people are in your group, or which river you choose!
• If you’re not ready to make a reservation, Rafting Trip Certificates give you the flexibility to save money now and make your rafting trip reservation whenever you’re ready.
  
• Giving a rafting trip as a gift? Just order a Rafting Trip Certificate and choose either an email PDF version or a printed version. (Free shipping within the continental United States included.)

No matter how you take advantage of the sale, you will save 25% off the regular price of our California river trips next season. Due to Covid, there is a positive twist to reservations made and certificates purchased during this promotional period: If anything prevents you from rafting with us in 2021, the 25% discount you receive will be carried over to another trip in the future and will not expire.

Deadlines:

Sale Ends on Sunday, January 31, 2021 
You have plenty of time to think about it; but if you already know when you want to go rafting next year, you might want to consider making your reservation early to ensure you get the trip and date you want.

Last Minute Holiday Shipping: Friday, December 18, 2020
When you purchase a Rafting Trip Certificate as a gift and choose a printed version, we send it by way of USPS (Free Shipping) anywhere in the continental United States. (And we know you’re not planning to do this last minute, but just think: if you place your order right now, you can stop worrying about remembering to do it later!)

What if Covid is still an issue during the 2021 rafting season?

This is a good question and one we feel comfortable answering and addressing:

• Covid Protocols: We do not know what the future will be in regard to Covid, but we do know that we need to respect and abide by the governmental mandates and directives, while being responsible for the care and well-being of our community and guests. This is what we did this past season and we are prepared to do the same this coming season if need be. For more details about what rafting with AO is like during a pandemic, see our blog post.
• Private Rafts: If Covid restrictions are still in place, we will not mix social bubbles in a raft or between rafts on the same trip. This creates a safer environment and a “private” experience for all of our guests. Everyone loved and appreciated this very much during the past season! (To be better prepared for the possibility of another Covid rafting season, you might want to consider inviting your family and friends within your social bubble to join you on the river in 2021 so that you can all be ready to raft together whether Covid is here or not! Contact us to discuss the details.)
• Revised Cancellation Policy: We have revised our cancellation policy to make sure people can book their reservation with confidence knowing that if they must cancel their trip for any reason any time prior to 3 days before departure, they will receive a 100% trip credit good for any AO trip in the future. This trip credit is also transferable to other persons. No fuss, no mess, no money lost.
• Modified Pre-Season Sale rules: If you are not able to raft in 2021, your 25% Pre-Season Sale discount will carry over to another trip in the future and will not expire.

Ready to Save 25% Off Any 2021 California Whitewater Rafting river trip?

Start HERE.

The post It’s Here: The 2021 Pre-Season Sale! appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

First and foremost we want to say “THANK YOU”!

With your help and the help of our awesome employees, together we pulled off a short and sweet season when we all needed it most. All of us will never forget the year 2020 for many reasons, but thanks to you and so many others, the rafting season will always be remembered as a healthy relief in the midst of many difficult challenges.

Unprecedented Times

As with so many things in 2020, the rafting season was nothing like any in the previous 58 years. Since we began exploring and running California rivers as a young family in 1962, we have been through some very interesting times involving record snowpack and record high flows, droughts and fires, economic downturns and economic upturns, but we have never been through a pandemic.

In early March, several weeks before we were to open, it became clear that the corona virus was a serious situation for our world, our country, our state, and our local counties. We braced ourselves for an unusual rafting season not knowing if it would even happen.

A Rafting Season Like No Other

We spent the first three months of the season shut down due to restrictions. During this time we worked with governmental agencies to see if there was a way that people like you could go rafting while minimizing the spread of the virus.

Finally, in mid-June we got the green light from the state and counties. In late June we conducted several successful “Covid sensitive rafting trips” using governmental prescribed measures of protection and protocol, and on July 1 we officially opened up. Masks were made mandatory whenever appropriate. Each guest in each raft was from their own social bubble and the number of people in rafts and on trips were reduced. You had your own “private raft and guide” all day long, and carried your own, pre-ordered bag lunch to make sure that meal was not a group event as it has been on trips for nearly 60 years.

As a result of the added resources required to pull off trips during a pandemic we had to limit the number of rivers we could operate on in 2020. We had already missed our 5 wonderful, free-flowing springtime rivers (no reservoirs above the runs), prior to the season due to the delayed start, but then had to make the difficult decision to eliminate two spectacular dam-controlled rivers, the Tuolumne and Cherry Creek. We concentrated all of our resources on the two most popular rivers, the South Fork and Middle Fork of the American River.

So How Did it All Turn Out?

Really well, and might we say, way better than we could ever imagine! We did our part by getting everything ready to make it happen. You did your part by stepping away from home and driving up and joining us for a day, two days, or three days and we all had a blast! Words like “intimate”, “private”, ”special”, “needed” have been used by guests and guides to describe their trips this year.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for being such an integral part of a successful and memorable 2020 rafting season, despite the challenges! We worked together…You trusted us and we trusted you and as a result we made and enjoyed a rafting season that would not have happened otherwise.

As a celebration and a way to raise the glass to you and to our employees, we have put together the special video above “A Look Back at the 2020 Rafting Season”. We hope you enjoyed viewing it and if you haven’t by this time, pop back up and go to it!

We do not know what 2021 will be like, but we do know that if all of us team up again, we can make another rafting season happen and benefit from what running wild rivers brings to the human soul and spirit.

With much appreciation to you and to so many others,

The Armstrongs

The post A Look Back at the 2020 Rafting Season appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

Getting ready for this season has already been a wild ride, and we sincerely thank you for sticking with us. We’ve been working with our state and local agencies to decide when and how we can resume rafting. Unfortunately, we were unable to raft during the spring and early summer because of COVID-19 and the related restrictions. We have some good news on that front, though. We now have the green light to run trips again!

The following are season updates on what our trips look like this year and what we expect out of our guests:

Before the 2020 season our guides got tested for COVID-19 and did mandatory training on our mitigation procedures. Guides passed a daily health screening before they were able to work.

In 2020 lunches were made-to-order by our food prep staff. We maintain clean surfaces and sanitation protocols, so you can be sure your food was made in a clean environment.

Guests were greeted by their own guide upon arrival and were taken care of by this same guide all day long. He or she would take the guests’ temperature and ask a few screening questions before the trip could start.

We added additional hand sanitizer stations at our property. We also limited bathroom capacity and arranged things on our property so people in different groups could gather in different places.

There were three things guests were asked to bring to their rafting trip: a face covering that goes around the neck (not just behind the ears), a water bottle, and hand sanitizer (all available for purchase on site as well).

Instead of being fitted with gear by a guide, guests fitted themselves with guide instructions.

Guests received a private pre-river orientation talk from their guide to prep them for the adventure.

Different social groups on a trip did not mix but had their own guide and raft. To create more spacing, each raft also had less people and maintained a distance between other rafts on the same trip.

Made-to-order lunches were packed on individual rafts, and at lunch time groups were eating separately. On multi-day trips meals at camp were served by each group’s guide.

At least one thing was not any different; cruising along gentle currents or smashing through exciting rapids was still a whole lot of fun!

We reduced the number of people on shuttles to give each group their own space on the bus. We also asked everyone to apply hand sanitizer before getting on and to wear their face coverings during the ride.

Back at the meet place guests sanitized their own gear by giving their life jacket a thorough dunking in a tub before hanging it up. Paddles were dropped into a barrel filled with sanitizing solution.

After a great day on the river, last goodbyes were said and guests were on their way.

Between each trip (and periodically throughout the day) we cleaned all our facilities. Bathrooms got cleaned and restocked and shuttle vehicles got sanitized so they were ready for the next groups’ arrivals.

Previous Next

When And Where We’re Rafting In 2020

We are currently running trips on the South Fork American River (including the Tom Sawyer Float Trips) and the Middle Fork American River. Both rivers have plenty of water this year and will run into the fall.

The sad news is that we won’t have a season on the Tuolumne River, Cherry Creek and Goodwin Canyon this year. For a variety of reasons, we simply aren’t able to put on a remote operation in these areas. We’re as bummed as you are to not be out there, but at the same time we’re excited for the trips we are able to run elsewhere.

What A Rafting Trip Looks Like In 2020

Private Rafts With Fewer People.

Following state and county guidelines, we are NOT mixing groups of guests unless they are from the same household or within the same “social bubble”. What does that mean? It means you bring your own group* and get your own private raft(s). Each “private” raft on a trip will not mix with other “private” rafts on the same trip. To minimize the risk of COVID spread, we have also lowered the number of guests we are taking per raft. With all these changes, rafting this year feels more like a private, intimate experience than ever!

* Please note, private rafts require a minimum number of paid spaces per reservation. (All Middle Fork itineraries: 4 spaces; all South Fork itineraries: 4 spaces midweek / 6 spaces weekend departures.)

What You Can Expect On Your Trip

To help reduce the transmission of COVID-19, we are taking guidance from our state and local agencies. While we can’t eliminate the possibility of any guest contracting COVID during a trip, we have made several adjustments to lower the chances of spread. Here are some things you can expect this season:

• Prior to the trip, all participants must fill out a Health Declaration Form stating that in the 14 days before your trip you have neither experienced COVID-19 symptoms nor been exposed to anyone testing positive for COVID-19.
• For all trips in which lunch is provided, each participant must also fill out a Lunch Order Form. Unlike in previous years, we are packing individual lunches before the trip, so we need to take orders ahead of time. How lunches work this year.
• When you get to the river, there is a short screening process consisting of a few questions about how you are feeling to ensure you are symptom free.
• We are doing a couple things during the shuttle to reduce the chances of spreading COVID. First, we are taking fewer people in each vehicle so we can space out groups. Secondly, we have everyone apply hand sanitizer just before getting on the bus, and we require everyone to wear a face covering during the ride.
• We’ve made some changes during meals and at our facilities to keep things clean and keep people from staying too close together. Be ready for instructions on that during your trip.

What We Need From You

Keeping COVID down is a team effort. We hope you, our guests, will help us limit the risk of spreading the virus. Here’s how:

• We can’t take symptomatic people. So if you start experiencing symptoms in the days leading up to your trip you need to give us a call and we’ll help you reschedule.
• Bring hand sanitizer for personal use at times when we don’t have it available.
• Bring a face covering you can wear around your neck during the trip and use when necessary (at our facility, on shore, on board our shuttle vehicles, or when asked by guides). Scarves and Buff-style sleeves that hang around the neck work nicely. Masks that are flimsy or that loop around the ears are liable to fall off and therefore are not acceptable. If anyone forgets to bring an appropriate face covering, we have them available for purchase.
• Bring a water bottle. It’s important to stay hydrated on a rafting trip, and during this time we don’t want people drinking from the same container. If you forget to bring a water bottle, we have those for purchase as well.
• If you come down with symptoms or test positive anytime in the 14 days following your trip, you must let us know. It’s important for us to share that information with local government agencies and other guests who were on the trip.

What If You Can’t Go Or We Can’t Go

We realize that COVID has made all our plans a little less certain. There’s a chance that you could be exposed to someone with the virus before your trip or even get it yourself and not be able to go. If there’s a spike in cases, the State could shut rafting down again. So let’s be in it together. When you book, you’re getting a rafting trip — no matter what. Ideally that will be just the trip you want on the day you want. But if that trip can’t go we’ll both agree to do it another time. If you can’t make it for any reason, we’ll give you your trip at a later date, either this year or in any future year. If we can’t run it for any reason, COVID or otherwise, you’ll agree to go another time.

For full details, see our updated Cancellation Policy.

Again, thank you so much for being patient and taking things one step at a time with us. We don’t know what the future will hold, but we are committed to running healthy and extremely fun rafting trips.

For more information on state and local regulations regarding whitewater rafting and other outdoor activities, you can visit the following resources:

• The State of California COVID 19 Industry Guidance: Campgrounds, RV Parks, and Outdoor Recreation.
• A Message from the El Dorado County Public Health Officer.

The post COVID-19 Update: Rafting in 2020! appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

We are so glad you asked. In the past we have put out our infamous lunch spread where guests come through and create a sandwich; chips, fruit and cookies are also available. 2020 is special—as we all know.

We are individually packing your lunch with lots of love (thanks Food Gals!). When you arrive for your trip your guide will have it packed away in your raft.

A few hours into the adventure you will pull over to the side of the river and tie up the boat. From here your private group can stay by the river with your toes in the water, or find some cool shade under a tree. Bask in the tranquility of the river and the foothills as you eat lunch and enjoy the company of your family and/or friends.

Placing your order

A few days before your trip you will fill out a Lunch Order Form with your choice of sandwich / salad, choice of chips, and choice of dessert. You will also get an apple (an apple a day keeps the doctor away). At this point, you will also let us know if you have any food allergies.

Whats in the bag?

Your sandwich choice (unless it is PB&J or veggie wrap) will come with condiments, lettuce, bell peppers, cucumbers, and a pickle. It is a little bit reminiscent of your first day of school at lunchtime but by a beautiful river and no lunch lady. Instead of everyone going through a line, each group will be able to find their own private space and dig into the brown paper bags. If you eat the veggies then you can eat your Otis Spunkmeyer cookie (or dried fruit) : ).  Once we are fueled for afternoon rafting it is time to head back to the rafts and get ready for more excitement and fun downstream. Forward Paddle!

Some Recent Reviews

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Beginner/Intermediate Class III+

You can book either of the South Fork’s Class III+ sections as a 1-Day trip that includes lunch or an Express trip, which does not. The main difference between the sections is how quickly you plunge into the more challenging rapids. For a more leisurely experience, you can raft both of these sections in a 2-Day trip that includes camping, two lunches, dinner, and breakfast.

Upper “Chili Bar”

The nine-mile Chili Bar run offers excitement from the start. Steep, rocky hillsides surround us as we drop into the canyon. Less than half a mile in, we hit Class III+ Meatgrinder. A short recovery pool follows just above the next Class III challenge: Racehorse Bend, a fast sweeping left bend that ends in a swirling pool.

Over the next few miles we progress through a mix of Class II and III rapids. Maya, African Queen, and Triple Threat start us off. A few more Class II rapids follow, offering a respite before Class III+ Troublemaker, the day’s last big thrill. After Troublemaker, we float serenely over Class I and II through Marshall Gold Discovery State Park and the town of Coloma.

Upper trips typically meet mid-morning. Once checked in, we board the bus to the put in. Take out is typically mid-afternoon.

The Lower “Gorge”

The twelve-mile Gorge trip, which covers the lower section of the South Fork, usually meets late in the morning. The Lower section starts off mellow. This lets us warm up and hone skills with Class II and II+ rapids like Barking Dog, Highway, and Swimmer’s Rapid.

On 1-Day and 2-Day trips, we stop above the Gorge for lunch before hitting the more challenging Class IIIs further down. The first major rapid is Class III, Fowler’s Rock, quickly followed by Haystack Canyon and Class III+ Satan’s Cesspool. This is just the beginning of an exciting series of Class III and III+ rapids that finish out the day!

Appropriate for Young Kids Class I–II

Tom Sawyer Float Trip

Our Tom Sawyer Trip is a five-mile float along the middle section of the South Fork through the Coloma-Lotus Valley. It meets mid-morning and wraps up mid-afternoon. This trip is dotted with fun, splashy Class I and II rapids, making it perfect for families with children as young as 5. We break out the inflatable kayaks and sometimes a few inner tubes for some added adventure.

As the river meanders through the valley between the upper and lower sections, you’ll enjoy grassy hillsides spotted with oak groves, alder, and cottonwood. Often, we’ll see a mother merganser with her brood of chicks frolicking in the currents. Sometimes, we even spot a turtle or two sunbathing on a log or a heron fishing in the shallows. The historic Highway 49 periodically comes into view below high rolling hills.

Still not sure which trip is best for you? Read through our customer reviews to see what others have to say!

The post Three Ways to Raft the South Fork American River appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.

Are you ready to make your summer vacation plans? We know how you feel!

The reservoirs are full of water, the warm summer weather is arriving, and hopefully, all of us will soon be able to start doing some of the things that make life worth living — in a responsible fashion, of course.

With that said, here’s what you should know before making a reservation:

When can we go rafting?

As you probably know by now, Governor Newsom is giving the okay to return to many activities and places in California. The next phase in the state’s Resilience Roadmap will allow campgrounds and outdoor recreation businesses to begin operating. Once that happens, counties will need to sign off as well. At this time, it is likely we will be able to begin the 2020 rafting season within the next several weeks. We can’t wait!

For those who want to plan a trip, we are taking reservations for the 2020 rafting season from July through October.

Which river trips can we book this season?

We are taking reservations online and by phone on the following rivers:

• Tom Sawyer Float Trips (Families with Young Kids / July – October)
• South Fork American River (Beginner – Intermediate / July – October)
• Middle Fork American River (Intermediate / July – September)
• Tuolumne River (Intermediate – Advanced / July – September 7)
• Cherry Creek (Advanced / July – September 7)
• Goodwin Canyon (Intermediate – Advanced / October 17 – 18, October 24 – 25)

What if our trip has to be canceled?

We realize that booking a rafting trip might be tricky due to these uncertain times. With this in mind we have adjusted our Cancellation Policy:

If your trip must be canceled for any reason, you will receive a 100% trip credit toward a future river trip — either later in the year or in any future rafting season. If you are unable to use it yourself, trip credit is always transferable. No fuss. No risk.

How do we book our rafting trip?

You can reserve space on any one of our 2020 trips online. If you prefer to talk with one of our California Rafting Specialists during business hours, you can do so by phone, email, or Live Chat.

Call (800) 247-2387

or

Book Now

The post When Can We Go Rafting in 2020? (COVID-19 Update) appeared first on All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog.