California and Oregon Rafting

Boating season is in full swing and our favorite rivers are starting to flow. Here are a couple of new developments.

1. The Tuolumne River looks like it’s going to have a great water season even though snowpack in Tuolumne drainage is about 62% of normal. The rumor is that there will be 1100 cfs of six days a week (excluding Sundays) for at least four hours through September 4th. And it sounds like there will be water on some Sundays.
2. The logjam on the Middle Fork of the Salmon is partially back. The new logs in Pistol Creek Rapid are expected to removed in the next month. Read more about the logjam in the Idaho Statesman. Click here to see some recent pictures of the logjam and the strainer just below lake creek.

We’ve been paddling the White Salmon lately and this picture really sums it up. Everyone is back in river guide mode. You can just feel the professionalism, bravery, and dedication of oneself to the happiness of others. The 2007 river season is upon us.

Some of you out there may recognize these hooligans and their respective river signals. From left to right, the signals are “I’ve been waiting for these slow pokes all morning, lets go”, “We did such a good job getting the boats down here, lets rock!”, and “I’ve been working out all winter in preperation to be a river guide again. Worship me.”

A great new web site out there for those interested in boating in Northern California and Oregon is OregonRafting.org. The site has information about boating all over the West, but focuses on the rivers around the Ashland, Oregon area.

One of the best parts of the site is a beautiful Smith River Photo Gallery with pictures of all three forks of the Smith.