California and Oregon Rafting

March 21, 22 : Saturday, Sunday
Upper Wind River (Festival*) : Carson, WA
Coordinators : Oregon Rafting Team (ORT)
IV+, 3 mile downriver.
Paddle rafts, kayaks, catarafts, unlimited.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3,4 or 5

April 11 : Saturday
Canyon Creek Extreme Race : Southwestern Washington
Coordinators : Next Adventure
V, .5 mile waterfall sprint.
Kayaks, inflatable kayaks, paddle rafts, unlimited.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3,4 or 5

April 18, 19 : Saturday, Sunday
Upper Klamath River (Festival*) : Keno, OR
Coordinators : ORT, Northwest Rafter’s Association (NWRA)
IV+, 7 mile downriver.
Paddle rafts, kayaks, catarafts, unlimited.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3,4 or 5

April 25 : Saturday
North Fork American Coordinators : California Women’s Team
IV, 4 mile downriver.
Paddle rafts, kayaks, catarafts, unlimited.

May 1-3 : Saturday, Sunday
Cal-Salmon River : Orleans, CA
Coordinator : Paul Gamache, Caliproducts
IV+, 5 mile downriver.
Paddle rafts, kayaks, catarafts, unlimited.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3, 4 or 5

May 15-17 : Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Upper Clackamas River (Festival*)
Coordinators : NWRA, Next Adventure
III+, V : 1 mile downriver, slalom, boatercross.
Paddle rafts, kayaks, catarafts, oared rafts.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3, 4 or 5

May 30 : Saturday
(White Salmon Race*)
Coordinators : Sundance River Center
IV 4 mile downriver
Paddle rafts, inflatable kayaks, catarafts.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3, 4 or 5

June 5-7 : Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Payette, Boise (Festival*)
Coordinators : Sam Goff, Bill Driscoll, Payette Boise River Festival (PBR)
IV+ 4 mile downriver, slalom, sprint, boatercross, kayak rodeo.
Paddle rafts, kayaks, catarafts.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3, 4 or 5

June 13, 14 : Saturday, Sunday
Wenatchee River (Festival*) : Wenatchee, WA
Coordinator : Paul Gamache
III, 4 mile downriver, kayak rodeo.
Paddle rafts, kayaks.
Western Whitewater Championships series points = 3, 4 or 5

October 10, 11 : Saturday, Sunday
Burnt Ranch Gorge
Coordinator : Paul Gamache
IV+, 2 mile downriver.
Exhibition. Great event but currently outside of the racing season.

* Potential race dates: Coordinators needed! If your business or team would like manage these possible events please contact us.

** USRA Nationals – To be determined.

* Festival indicates that more activities will be included in addition to a downriver race. (Fun float, trainings, etc.)

“Run, Rogue, Run,” a short film which American Rivers helped produce, will be premiered at two film festivals next weekend in Medford and Portland. The film takes viewers on a journey down the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River in southwestern Oregon and explores the need for protecting the river and its salmon and steelhead streams.

The Rogue River is among the nation’s most iconic wild rivers. It was one of the originally designated rivers under the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and remains a world-class whitewater rafting destination. The river and its tributaries are also home to vibrant runs of salmon and steelhead, which are the cornerstone of the multi-million dollar commercial and sport fishing industries. Overall, tourism generated by the river provides over $14 million and 225 jobs in southern Oregon.

Despite these clear incentives to preserve the Rogue River, it is listed in America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2008 Edition due to the threat of harmful logging in the river basin. This plan would remove current protections, such as streamside buffers that shade and maintain cool water tributaries, while relegating thousands of acres near the Rogue to clearcut logging. This would harm the health of the river, its fish and wildlife, and the vital income the river generates for the community.

The most effective way to prohibit logging and protect this river is to designate 40 tributaries as Wild and Scenic. This film will help Oregonians understand the need to take action now by contacting their congressional leaders and urging them to support legislation that will protect the river.

American Rivers partnered with the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, the Siskiyou Project, Echo River Trips, and the Epicocity Project, a film-making enterprise of a few young adventure journalists, to create this film. It will premiere at the following two film festivals:

Medford Environmental Film Festival
Date: Friday, November 7th
Time: Show starts at 6:00 pm
Location: Medford Congregational United Church of Christ
1801 East Jackson St
Medford, OR 97504
Admission: Free!
Host: Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center

Patagonia’s Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival
Date: Saturday, November 8th
Time: Doors open at 6:30 pm; Show starts at 7:00pm
Location: Hollywood Theater
4122 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97212
Admission: $10
Host: The Native Fish Society

Here’s a slideshow of the rivers of California that I put together for an upcoming meeting with the Oregon Whitewater Association. Thanks to Kern River Outfitters, Bill Tuthill (CACreeks.com), ARTA River Trips, ECHO River Trips, and Momentum River Expeditions for help with photos.

Click here to view the full sized slideshow.

Burnt Ranch Gorge October 11-12th. Surf Comp on Friday the 10th.

Visit www.caliproduct.blogspot.com for more information.

The combination of laster year’s fires and this year’s thunderstorms has created a few new rapids on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. There are new small rapids just below Sheepeater Camp and at Greyhound Camp.

The largest new rapid was formed by a landslide near Tappan III that created a dam which covered Tappan II. The new rapid (pictured) has been called Tappan 2 1/2 or Cove Creek. There are varied reports on how this rapid new rapid is rated, but many people are portaging although it is still runnable in a sweep boat.

Click here to read a story about an accident at the new rapid.

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

The upcoming Upper Klamath race is a can’t miss trip since $20 entry fee includes shuttles from Ashland. For those of you that have done the Upper Klamath, the shuttle is a long one. Thank you to Next Adventure in Portland for providing the shuttle.

Safety is coordinated by 20 year UK vet Steve Walters who has recruited many other seasoned guides and to assist him. UK river runners with at least 10 years of experience on that run will coach paddlers through the lines on Saturday.

We are expecting a fun higher water Class IV level which will cover the rocks normally exposed in the summer. Saturday, April 19th is a practice day and April 20th is the actual race.

Details:

• 7 miles, Class (IV+ to V)
• Mass start by division at Frain Ranch, finish at State Line Falls.
• Divisions include; kayak, paddle raft (14 feet or less in length, 3 thwarts, 6 paddlers or less, cataraft, and unlimited.
• High water cutoff=4,500cfs, low water cutoff=1,000cfs.

Saturday Schedule:

• Saturday 7:30am SHARP: all competitors meet forshuttle. Meeting place = Ashland Albertsons parking lot. From I-5 south, take a right off the freeway, drive approximately 200 meters, the large Albertsons parking lot will be to your right.
• 8:15am – Depart for JC Boyle/Spring Island put in.
• 9:45am – Arrive at the put in. All competitors quickly rig boats and gear up.
• 10:15am – All participants safety meeting. Establish pod leaders and groups.
• 10:45am – 1st pod shoves off, all other pods staged and depart at 5 minute intervals.
• 11:45am – Stop above Caldera Rapid, river left, for a scout and snack.
• 12:15 – 1st pod drops into Caldera, remaining pods shove off at 5 minute intervals.
•  1:45 – 2:00pm – All competitors gather at take out river left below State Line for run debrief and discussion.
• 2:30 – Load shuttle vehicles for drive to Ashland.
• 3:00 – Depart take out (exact take out will be determined later but will be at or very close to State Line Access).
• 4:15 – Arrive Albertsons parking lot.
• 4:45 – Meet for food and refreshments at a venue to be determined.

Sunday Schedule: