Recent "splash news" from O.A.R.S. Idaho whitewater rafting operations based in Lewiston, Idaho:

According to the O.A.R.S. Idaho Regional Manager, Curt Chang (Curt was an original Grand Canyon Dories guide) – High water is fading and the river temperatures are rising. The Idaho crew is looking forward to perfect summer weather. The weather has been nice, a bit cooler than normal with highs in the 80º’s to 90º. A June 6th Middle Fork of the Salmon River trip was a little cool, which was ideal for hiking. There had been rain showers on and off the past two week on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and the Main Salmon River, but that is giving way to fair and warmer temps now.  Fishing success is starting to pick up now as well. The Middle Fork, Main Salmon and Hells Canyon on the Snake River trips have been very successful with lots of happy faces from passengers and guides.

Curt sent these images from the June 6th Middle Fork of the Salmon River trip. 

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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We are not quite half way through summer, and according to a recent article in the NY Times, bookings in our national parks are up — in some cases by as much as 30 percent. Some campgrounds were filled on weekends even before Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff of the camping season.

Is the bad economy is causing an interest in the great outdoors? Whatever the reasons, it is exciting to see so many people experiencing a night under the stars. This does mean, however, that you might need to work a little harder to secure your ideal campsite.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Are you looking for a hassle-free national park vacation?  Would you like to combine whitewater rafting and hiking with nights spent under an uninhibited night sky with your family and friends for an unforgettable summer vacation?

Listed here are 5 all-inclusive national park vacation ideas:

Whitewater Rafting Through Dinosaur National Park
Dinosaur National Monument offers everything you could want in an ideal, fun-filled vacation.  Hike, raft and explore where dinosaurs once roamed.  Submerge yourself in a canyon surrounded by red rock cliffs.  Explore side canyons and oases in a mini-Grand Canyon like setting.  Explore ancient Indian rock art including petroglyphs and pictographs.  And learn about the canyon’s geologic history as you delve deeper into the canyon along the Green River.  This 4-day adventure is appropriate for children 7 and older.

Sea Kayaking on Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park
Step off the boardwalks and into a unique wilderness experience.  Spend a half-day kayaking on Yellowstone Lake and beyond the bow of your kayak you see gushing geysers, bubbling mud pots and the rising steam of geothermal hot springs.  O.A.R.S. provides everything needed to sea kayak, hike and sightsee your way to some of the most extraordinary sites in this national park.  O.A.R.S.’ special permits allow adventurers to see breathtaking landscapes from unique perspectives.  This ½-day adventure is appropriate for children 7 and older.

Hiking and Whitewater Rafting in Yosemite National Park
Spend two days rafting on California’s crown jewel of whitewater, the Wild and Scenic Tuolumne River, and three days exploring Yosemite National Park on foot.  This five-day adventure is a mere three-hour drive from the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe.  O.A.R.S. partners with Yexplore for guided interpretive hikes in Yosemite National Park, culminating with a climactic 17-mile hike up Yosemite’s most iconic piece of rock – Half Dome.  This adventure is appropriate for children age 12 and older.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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We always love to see your photos from an O.A.R.S. whitewater rafting trip! Many thanks to Barry Levy for sending a link to his photos from his May trip in the Grand Canyon.  (Barry and his wife were on the river from May 3 – 14, 2009.)

You can view Part I of his personal Kodak Gallery, taken from Lee’s Ferry to Phantom Ranch, May 3-7, 2009, here:  http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=ahgjfds.34icyn04&x=0&y=9ir4nq&localeid=en_US

Part II of his trip, from Phantom Ranch to Whitmore Wash, can be found here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=ahgjfds.9loqi118&x=0&y=jewdr1&localeid=en_US

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Plan a trip to Yosemite National Park with insights from folks living, hiking and playing in and around the park. (If you would like detailed information about California whitewater rafting trips near Yosemite National Park, check the links to the right under “Topics Covered” – Tuolumne River and Merced River.) These folks update their blogs regularly and offer a great deal of information garnered from spending time in and around Yosemite.

yexplore
John and Catherine DeGrazio and the crew at yexplore (http://yexplore.com/) lead the hiking portion of the O.A.R.S. Yosemite National Park & Tuolumne River Hiker trips.  They don’t simply lead hikes for O.A.R.S. though. They offer Yosemite guided hiking tours and photography workshops for individuals and groups of all ages and experience levels in every season. The blog offers first-person accounts from a variety of hikes. 

Yosemite Blog
This one is written by Loyd Schutte, a writer and photographer who lives in Modesto.  It’s apparent he spends a lot of time in the park. Loyd grew up “on the banks of the Tuolumne River and was raised in the shadow of Yosemite.” He features stunning photographs and offers a variety of information about the park, from important Yosemite telephone numbers, fishing in and around the park and what to wear on your visit.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Summertime, sweet summertime:  school is out, warm weather is here, and you just might be ready to sign up for that whitewater rafting trip you’ve long been considering.  There’s no time like the present!

Ask yourself some questions first to help you decide what river trip is right for you. Be honest.  What do you like? Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you enjoy stepping out of your comfort zone? Are you looking for a fun, one-day rafting trip for the entire family? Have you rafted before, loved it and want to step it up a notch? Are you looking for something close to home? Are you looking for stunning scenery? Do you want to combine your river trip with another activity to turn it into a vacation?

California rivers are rated Class I – V.  Here is a brief explanation of river ratings to help you decide what is right for you:

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Clifton Paul Fadiman said it best, "To take wine into our mouths is to savor a droplet of the river of human history."  Three Northern California whitewater rafting outfitters take his words literally and offer combination wine tasting and river rafting trips.  However, no other outfitter offers more river options and variety of vintners than O.A.R.S.

Two other California outfitters, Adventure Collection and Mariah, offer wine tasting trips, however, they are based solely from the South Fork of the American River.  Mariah offers a wine-tasting presentation in their Beverage Garden in their riverside camp and AC offers one-day rafting trips combined with one-day wine country touring.

O.A.R.S. wine tasting and river rafting trips offered this summer include:

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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I don’t know that this post necessarily relates to your whitewater rafting or adventure travel vacation.  However, this website was just too interesting and weird to not pass along.

On that rare occasion when you check a piece of luggage and it loses its way, I found a website that may reunite you with your baggage.  I cannot verify the site’s legitimacy, but it’s worth a look.

When a bag gets lost, the airport or airline will store it for a while and try to find the owner.  If they can’t identify the owner of the case, they send it to an auction, with profits donated to charities.  The website owner attends the auctions, buys the cases, photographs them and puts them up on a website – in the hopes of reuniting bags with owners.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Have you booked a whitewater rafting, sea kayaking trip or multi-sport vacation to Mexico or Canada with O.A.R.S.?  You may want to read the following Associated Press article that outlines the new I.D. rules for travelers crossing the U.S. border:

New rules requiring passports or new high-tech documents to cross the United States’ northern and southern borders tale effect Monday, June 1, 2009.

In 2001 a driver’s license and an oral declaration of citizenship were enough to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders; Monday’s changes are the last step in a gradual ratcheting up of the rules. Now thousands of Americans are preparing by applying for passports or obtaining special driver’s licenses that can also be used to cross the border.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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