SCENIC RUSH ON THE RAPIDS
MILD TO WILD, STATE’S BEST SPOTS FOR WHITEWATER RAFTING
WHEN I taught whitewater kayaking classes at UC Davis, I liked to tell my students that every year, I got to enjoy California’s snowpack twice: once in the winter when I went skiing, and then again in the spring and summer when the snow melted and tumbled down from the Sierra in rivers — with rapids ready for rafting.
(OK, and perhaps a third time to shower or drink a glass of water, depending on where I was living.)
This year’s snowpack is on the light side, at around 65% of normal, which means that most of California’s streams will have shorter seasons. But for rivers backed up by water-storing reservoirs — such as the Tuolumne and the American — boats will be bounding over cascades large and small into August and perhaps beyond.
Here’s a rundown on eight of the state’s best whitewater streams, where outfitters offer adventures that range from mellow trips suitable for nervous novices to excursions for those who don’t mind occasional raft flips or a swim downstream. Gulp!
KERN RIVER
The Kern in the southern Sierra offers whitewater rafting trips lasting an afternoon to two days, with options for everyone from families with children to adrenaline junkies. Better yet, it’s the closest whitewater to Los Angeles.
The Lower Kern section flows from June into August, when farmers release water from the Lake Isabella reservoir and the river tumbles through a granite canyon. The 8-mile, family-friendly Jungle Run has gentle, Class II and more exciting Class III rapids with names like Wasco’s Wash and It’s a Dilly.
The Upper Kern, which f lows into Lake Isabella, also offers Class II, III and IV rapids on shorter sections with names like Lickety and Limestone and is suitable for families with older kids. Commercial outfitters will offer trips here from early April to June because the river is dependent on snowmelt.
For those who like big-time thrills and are fit, the Forks of the Kern trip has more than 100 Class III, IV and V (technical and scary) rapids on a two-day outing that covers 21 miles and starts with a 2.5-mile hike to the river put-in. This section of the river was closed the last two years because of dangerous burned trees overhanging the trail.
Insider tip: If you go on the Forks adventure, be sure to hike up Meadow Creek to the Seven Teacups, where the freshet cascades into pools carved out of granite.
KINGS RIVER
Sitting low in the Sierra foothills east of Fresno, the slopes of the Kings are bedecked with red poppies, blue and purple lupines and other colorful flowers. Rafting companies will begin offering trips on a 10-mile section of the stream above Pine Flat Reservoir in mid-April.
This fun Class III snowmelt stream has about 25 rapids with names such as Mule Rock, Fang Tooth and Sidewinder. The Kings should be f lowing into at least early July. It’s a bit off the beaten path, about a 3½-hour drive from L.A.
Insider trip: Because you’ve probably traveled a distance to reach the Kings, consider overnighting. Kings River Expeditions offers two-day trips that include a barbecue dinner with ice cream sundaes, camping at its base camp, a hearty breakfast and a second 10-mile run.
KAWEAH RIVER
The Kaweah f lows out of Sequoia National Park and offers a passel of nonstop Class III and IV (fun and challenging) rapids. They have monikers like Powerhouse, the Flood, Suicide
Falls and a two-part drop called the Slickies, with a center chute and a shallow slide that tumbles into a reversal, where the river curls up and falls back on itself with a punch. Because the Kaweah is free-flowing with no dams above it to release water during the summer, it will have a short season this year, starting around the second week in April and running perhaps until mid-May.
Insider tip: Because you’re close, head on up to Sequoia National Park and check out the Giant Forest, where five of the 10 largest trees on Earth are located, including the General Sherman, which measures more than 36 feet across at its base. Fortunately, this grove was not affected by last year’s devastating fires.
MERCED RIVER
Flowing out of Yosemite National Park, the Merced offers a series of roller-coasterlike wave trains that roll past pine forests and poppy-filled canyon slopes. This federally protected, officially designated “Wild and Scenic” river has lively, Class III rapids with names like Cranberry, Ned’s Gulch, Split Rock and Corner Pocket.
Outfitters will run trips on a 16-mile stretch of the river starting this month and going into June. It’s suitable for aggressive beginners.
Insider tip: Do the Hite Cove hike on the South Fork of the Merced River in April while there’s still an explosion of wildf lowers. It’s an easy 6-mile round trip that starts at Savage’s Trading Post on Highway 140.
TUOLUMNE RIVER
The Class III and IV Tuolumne, which also f lows out of Yosemite National Park, is one of my all-time favorites. I think I’ve kayaked it several dozen times at a variety of water levels. The run is 18 miles long and can be done in one-, two- or three-day trips. The most challenging rapid on the “T,” as paddlers call it, is Clavey Falls.
This Class IV-plus cascade tumbles 8 feet, has two big drops in it, regularly flips rafts and sometimes sends folks swimming. There are plenty of other Class IV rapids on the river too, with names such as Nemesis, Sunderlands Chute, Ram’s Head and Grey’s Grindstone.
A one-day trip is all adrenaline, while two- and three-day outings offer more time to relax and explore side canyons. Because of releases from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir upstream, the T — which also has a Wild and Scenic designation — will be good for rafting into
September.
Insider tip: If you get the chance, be sure to hike up the Clavey River and North Fork canyons to swim in pools and launch yourself off jump rocks.
MIDDLE FORK OF THE AMERICAN RIVER
This is an exciting Class IV stream near Auburn. Because it’s a dam-release river, raft trips will be offered into September.
The river tumbles down a pristine, secluded canyon through what the Angels Camp-based Oars rafting company calls a “melee of pounding whitewater” on rapids such as Guide Slammer, Organized Chaos, Cartwheel and the Class V Ruck-a-Chucky, which is so perilous that passengers must walk around it.
In 1889, miners blasted a tunnel through the side of a cliff to divert the water, creating one of the most unusual whitewater features anywhere in the world. Insider tip: About 1.5 miles into the trip, you’ll encounter a rapid called Tunnel Chute, which concludes with 90 feet of pounding river that disappears underground before you pop out on the other side. It’s the heart-stopping highlight of the day.
SOUTH FORK OF THE AMERICAN RIVER
East of Sacramento, this is one of the most popular rivers in the country. With 21 miles of whitewater, it offers half-, oneand two-day trips on rollicking Class II and III rapids that make it suitable for families with kids as young as 8. It will run into the fall.
The upper section of the trip starts at a put-in called Chili Bar and rolls downstream through small cascades with names like Meatgrinder, Troublemaker and Triple Threat. The lower Gorge run is home to one of my favorite rapids. Dubbed Satan’s Cesspool, it’s a devilish rapid that’s f lipped my kayak a time or two.
Insider tip: A number of raft companies offer “elevated” camping on the river with showers, f lush toilets and even safari tents. If you are a history buff, check out Marshall Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma, which has a museum, original and restored buildings and docents in Gold Rush period costumes.
LOWER KLAMATH RIVER
In the far north of California, the Lower Klamath is considered one of the best whitewater streams in the West for young families, suitable for kids as young as 4 on trips offered by outfitters.
Another of California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers, it flows 180 miles from just south of the Oregon line to the Pacific. Rafting companies offer two- and three-day outings on a 20-plusmile section of the “Klam,” which boasts warm water, swimming holes, gentle Class II rapids and a couple of mild III’s with names like Savage and Dragon’s Tooth.
Insider tip: Bring your binoculars because the Klamath hosts eagles, ospreys, egrets, herons, mergansers and other birds. Oh, and ask your guide to tell some Bigfoot stories. You might even see a black bear, which is sorta-kinda like Bigfoot.