California and Oregon Rafting

As river guides, outfitters, and private boaters we all know that one of the most special things about river trips is the people it attracts. These are people who you wouldn’t mind spending all day with, preferably on the river, but also at the local pub or barbeque. Now there is a place for you to meet and “hang” with all your river friends: RiverGuides.ning.com (RiverGuides).

RiverGuides is a social network built specifically for river folk. It serves as an open forum to everyone (guides, private boaters, outfitters, and even those who simply “love” river guides) and provides users with their own blogs, discussion boards, photo galleries, and lots of other features.

As outfitters and guides, we all know that having the right people is a key to running great river trips; however, networking in the river business doesn’t just start and end with outfitters and guides. There are shuttle drivers, office staff, trip-prep employees, travel agents, food providers, airline providers, and many others who influence our river trips.

These reasons are precisely why a networking tool like RiverGuides is of value to everyone in the industry. The spread of knowledge, the sharing of ideas, and the connection of people – all under the umbrella of love for rivers – is what RiverGuides is about.

So let’s share and connect, but most importantly, let’s love our rivers. Join RiverGuides.

This past weekend was the 35th annual Upper Clackamas River Festival. It was my first. Wow, what an amazing event! This was a weekend packed with just about every race you could imagine. There were hardshell kayaks, inflatable kayaks, catarafts, paddle boats, and oar boats racing downriver, gates, and sprints through the Class IV Carter Falls. On top of that were tons of vendors showing off the greatest boats, safety and repair classes, and a fun video premier/BBQ/party on Saturday night.

This festival was especially unique because the Clackamas River flow was between 8,000 and 10,000 cfs which was the highest ever for the festival. This was a meaty flow for a river that rarely gets higher than 3,000 cfs. The organizers of the slalom didn’t hold up as they put the second gate through the center of the biggest hole they could find.

A special thanks to the Nortwest Rafters Association for organizing a safe and fun weekend.

This weekend is the 25th annual Upper Clackamas River Festival. This is one of the biggest boating events of the year and the flows are predicted to be near flood stage due to heat have and high snowpack in Oregon. Events include chili cook-off, safety classes, raft and kayak races, and a cataraft event called “Val’s Volleyball.”

Click here to learn more

Click here to see the predicted flows