Whitewater rafting on the Gorges of the Lower Salmon River in Idaho means playing in fun rapids and warm and meandering water, as well as being shown the wilderness by family-friendly guides. The mellow water of the Lower Salmon River is appropriate for children 7 and up, and there are opportunities for everyone to paddle their own boat. See for yourself…
Read the rest of this entry »
Time for those rain dances… we could use all the help we can get. One of the best spring California whitewater rafting runs is the Merced River just outside the gates of Yosemite National Park. More snow in the mountains and more rain in the foothills = big fun in the spring! But don’t take my word for it…
Read the rest of this entry »
National Geographic Adventure magazine recently recognized O.A.R.S.’ Grand Staircase: Wind & Water on the Colorado Plateau as one of their "25 Best New Trips in the World” for 2009.
Read the rest of this entry »
O.A.R.S. Founder and President, George Wendt, his son Tyler, Operations Manager, and Steve Markle, resident marketing genius, recently paddled the New Melones Reservoir from Parrot’s Ferry up to the Stanislaus River inflow at Rose Creek. (I know they were up to something… probably plotting a new O.A.R.S. multi-sport trip or some other California whitewater rafting-based adventure.) The inflow at Rose Creek is about 3 miles downriver from the original put-in for the Stanislaus whitewater rafting adventure and just downstream from the major rapids of the day. I’m sure the experience brought up many memories for George. Through the early 1980s this stellar Sierra Nevada run was the lifeblood of O.A.R.S. George established the HQ just up the road, and despite the disheartening loss of this run on ‘The Stan’ to a downriver dam in 1983, the HQ still exists in the same place. O.A.R.S. now runs the Class IV section of the North Fork of the Stanislaus through the Giant Sequoia groves of Calaveras Big Trees State Park.
George, Steve, Tyler
Read the rest of this entry »
Idaho rafting on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River offers over 100 winding miles of river and more than 100 sets of rapids. The river begins in high country forest, passes through granite canyons and fields of wild grasses. Camp on big sandy beaches and soak in natural hot springs. See for yourself…
Read the rest of this entry »
James Wood of Sleepy Hollow, New York, recently joined a family reunion in Fiji. He and his group of 23 others went whitewater rafting on the Navua River, and he had this to say about the experience:
We went on an all day rafting trip down the Navua River! The rafting trip started at 5 AM when 24 of us piled on a bus. Fortunately we had a very talented driver who for two hours navigated the potholes and four serious police barricades set up to catch inebriated holiday revelers! Then it was on to another bus – this one with 4-wheel drive, which took us up, up, and still further up for another hour to where we were each issued a paddle. We then climbed down about 124 steps notched into the side of a steep hill, then up another 100 before going down a final 95 to a gorgeous cove in the river where we boarded the rafts – 4 or 5 to a raft plus a guide each. Then it was down one rapid after another, with perhaps 100 marvelous waterfalls tumbling into the river as we passed through the canyon walls. The guides were WONDERFUL. They quickly sized us up as a fun loving group who enjoyed getting wet! It was in and out of rapids and then when we reached the first stretch of calm water, Sarah was the first to leave her raft, with the rest of us not far behind! Splashing with the paddles kept us cool and wet, as did various waterfalls when the guides steered the rafts under them! We all agreed that you didn’t have to be under 15 to have fun!
A conservation easement protects the 50-mile length of this wonderful river, which ended all too soon! (Unlike our conservation easements, this one has a finite life of about 20 years so we need to keep our ears and eyes open to be sure it remains in force because it is a very lovely stretch of water and needs to be protected from loggers who would otherwise cut down the mahogany trees) At 7:30 PM a very tired but happy group arrived back at First Landing where we were staying.
Read the rest of this entry »
National Geographic Adventure Magazine honored O.A.R.S. for a second year in a row as “The Best River & Sea Outfitter on Earth”. The award was based on O.A.R.S.’ reputation for outstanding customer service, sustainable practices and whitewater rafting and other adventures that emphasize heightened attentiveness to human impact on the environment. The same magazine also recognized O.A.R.S.’ Grand Staircase: Wind & Water on the Colorado Plateau as one of their "25 Best New Trips in the World.”
In just a few months, the sun will be warming the Oregon Coast and O.A.R.S. will begin their whitewater rafting season on Southern Oregon’s Rogue River. Here’s something to WhET your appetite…
Read the rest of this entry »
The fog today is as thick as pea soup here in the Northern California Sierra foothills, as it has been for the past several days. We’ve got our fingers crossed more storms settle in for two reasons… push out the fog… and create a massive snowpack, which translates into a great California whitewater rafting season.
According to a January 5th California Department of Water Resources report, the snowpack in the Sierra Mountains of California is 60 percent of normal, but rain and snow is expected soon and that should raise that figure.
Good news for other areas around the U.S. West where O.A.R.S. provides whitewater rafting trips…
Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to 2009 and back to the workweek. Did you have good holidays? Is the tree down? The Menorah packed away? Did you at least remove the piles of clothes from the treadmill before avoiding it? O.A.R.S., for the most part, remained open throughout the holidays. Though the commercial California whitewater rafting season is still some months away, the Adventure Consultants have been booking trips for the lucky folks heading to the Galapagos Islands and Chile’s Rio Futaleufú – to Baja, Mexico, for sea kayaking and whale watching, and to mainland Ecuador for a multi-sport trip including hiking and biking in Cotopaxi National Park and rafting the Jatunyacu River.
James Rodger, O.A.R.S.’ California/Oregon regional manager during the summer months and currently a guide in the Galapagos and Chile, promised to keep us posted with the happenings in Latin America. We’re eagerly waiting for some footage of the Futaleufú trips, as well as some images from the Galapagos. He was last seen here at O.A.R.S. office for the annual regional managers’ meeting in December. He made a brief appearance in facebook, but I haven’t personally heard from him… can’t wait to see what he sends. (Here are some images from his 2008 season.)
Waterblogged in your inbox
Subscribe to Newsletter -
Blog Feed -
Bloglines -
Waterblogged in your inbox -
O.A.R.S. Guides Blog
