It’s 7pm on a warm mid-August evening and I’m halfway down the wall of the Tuolumne River canyon. Far below me, meandering like a silvered serpent, runs the river—still distant though I’ve already been hiking downhill for half an hour. Faint murmurs of running water and fragments of voices from a rafting party camped on a lone sand bar rise up to greet me on the delicious, velvety-soft air. 

I hadn’t planned on walking this far down—the climb back up will leave me exhausted and drenched in sweat—but the canyon pulls me in, each turn in the trail promising yet another closer view of the river, and I can’t help myself. The opposite hillside has already taken on the deepening yellows of late summer grasses, accented by the oranges and reds of the setting sun; and upriver the canyon reveals its source, a glimpse of high peaks and lingering snowy patches on the Sierra crest. The scene is utterly enchanting. 

Written by David Lukas

David Lukas is a professional naturalist and writer. For more than 20 years, he has conducted nature tours and classes in places such as Peru and Borneo. He is the author of Wild Birds of California and the newly revised Sierra Nevada Natural History guidebook, the classic hiker’s handbook to plants and animals of the Sierra Nevada. He also wrote the environment chapter for the Lonely Planet travel guide to Yosemite National Park, and several hundred newspaper and magazine articles on nature.

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In our most recent blog post about camping, we discussed what you can expect on any standard O.A.R.S. river trip, but if sleeping in a tent isn’t your thing, check out the accommodations below for a flavor more suitable to your palate. Our favorites range as far as the majestic Andes to the wilds of British Columbia. It’s a perfect way to enjoy the comforts of home while visiting these remote locations.

Lodge at Chilko Lake: An upscale private residence in British Columbia’s historic ranch country at the head of the Chilko River. Overlooking the river valley and picturesque mountaintops, the main lodge is a formidable log structure manufactured from local timber and is the focal point for meals, cocktails and socializing. It has wireless Internet, a big screen television (if you must), and comfortable lounge chairs in the main dining room.  The upper level is a luxurious suite with an impressive king bedroom, sitting area and grand bathroom complete with double headed showers. The ground floor has a bar and lounge, game room and access to the popular fire pit area. The cabins feature fine craftsmanship, comfortable furnishings and a magnificent collection of antiques and collectibles. The ranch is perched closely to Ts’yl-os Provincial Park, the prize jewel of the British Columbia park system. This slice of paradise is also our home base for our 5-day Lodge at Chilko Lake Multi-Sport. Other than rafting, this tour includes: kayaking, hiking, bike riding and fishing, with additional options to go horseback riding or heli-hiking at 7,000 – 9,000 feet above sea level.

Lillaskog Lodge:  A classic mountain house that makes you feel happily stranded in the woods. Located thirty minutes outside of Yosemite National Park in northern California, Lillaskog Lodge offers complimentary breakfast each morning for their guests, fresh eggs from their chickens and homemade bread. This rustic lodge is minutes away from where O.A.R.S. meets for their Tuolumne River trips, and rests on top of a hill above a prime fishing spot accessible only by a covert trail. In 1980, a wildfire crawled across the hillside; subsequently, sapling trees sprouted in its wake the day owner Bill Charlson purchased the property. He built the rustic lodge and appropriately named it Lillaskog, which is German for, ‘small forest.’ Today it’s a two-story log cabin with wood-burning natural heat ventilation, and a common room complete with a fireplace, TV & book collection, and even a grand piano. The deck looks out over the Sierra backcountry just east of the town of Groveland. With over seven rooms uniquely named to match local fames like Tioga, El Capitan or Bridalveil, there’s no denying this place its unique character.

Written by Lauren de Remer

O.A.R.S.' Marketing Communications Coordinator & Waterblogged Editor

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We’d like to welcome new friends to the O.A.R.S. page on Facebook® and do some good in the process, so between now and Earth Day—April, 22nd—we’re donating $1 to the Tuolumne River Trust (up to a maximum of $2500) for every new O.A.R.S. fan.

Write on our wall. Listen in. Post your photos. Join a conversation. Tell us about your adventures. In turn, we’ll share with you timely photos and videos from our trips, as well as interesting news and special offers on some great adventures. Get to know the people behind the company—and help us get to know you.

The Tuolumne River:  Located just outside Yosemite National Park, the Tuolumne (pronounced Too-all-uh-me)  offers 18 miles of desolate canyon, thrilling Class III-IV rapids and hikes up side canyons carved by cascading waterfalls. It’s almost hard to imagine finding this kind of remote wilderness just a short drive from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Do you have an opinion about the Merced River? The National Park Service and Yosemite National Park are seeking the public’s ideas for a plan to protect the Merced River, which runs through the heart of Yosemite Valley.

In response to public comments the public scoping period has been extended to February 4, 2010.

According to Ranger Kari Cobb the Park is seeking public comment on how to preserve the pristine beauty of the Merced River but at the same time make it available for visitors to enjoy.

Written by Tracy

Writer, Photographer, former Waterblogged Editor

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Sitting in a sleek, stealth dory, content with my thoughts, I watched golden strands of silk drift through the late afternoon sunlight in the Grand Canyon. These strands, actually tiny ballooning spiders, carried me into another world. One so entirely peaceful and relaxing, that nearly a year after the experience, my memory escapes back to that moment daily.

Have you descended into the bowels of the Grand Canyon to face Class 10 rapids or stood at the rim in awe of the canyon’s enormity? Have you experienced Yellowstone National Park’s geysers from the boardwalks or on a sea kayak away from the shuffling masses? Do you remember your first night spent under a blanket of stars? Was it in a national park?

Yosemite National Park Ranger, Shelton Johnson, in the Ken Burns “National Parks: America’s Best Idea” documentary, stated the obvious so eloquently – and the eloquent so obviously. His words, “A single moment in a national park can last forever” still resonate with me more than a month after I first heard them.

Read the rest of this entry »

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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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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