SOUTH FORK AMERICAN RIVER TRIP
Whitewater Rafting Trip Itinerary
.2 DAY TRIP
The following
schedule details a typical 2 day trip on the South Fork American. Times are
approximate and are subject to change due to variations in water releases and
water flows.
Evening before your
trip
Arrive anytime after 6 PM the day before your trip. Set
up your tent on the grass lawn or check into the EarthTrek dome tent or cabin
tent that you rented. Enjoy your evening by the South Fork American River.
8 AM: Breakfast is served.Our first
morning breakfast normally consists of pancakes with fresh sliced strawberries
and bananas, sausage, scrambled eggs, cereal, yogurt, orange juice, hot
chocolate and coffee.
After breakfast our camp store is open to
purchase any items you may need for the trip such as a waterproof camera,
sunscreen, croakies, sunglasses, a t-shirt or you can rent a wet suit if the
weather is cool.
9:30 AM: Meet in our amphitheater for
trip orientation, go over safety issues and meet the guides. Your guide for the
trip will be assigned at this time.
10:30-11 AM: We will issue you a
safety jacket and paddle prior to boarding your raft at our put-in area
adjacent to our lawn area. If we have more than 7 rafts launching we will need
to split our group into two or more groups divided by approximately 15 minutes
(as required by our permit). Your patience while we launch our groups is
greatly appreciated.
The first 3 miles of our rafting trip is a
leisurely float with a few mild rapids through what is designated as a quiet
zone where we ask you to refrain from making any loud noise with no water
fighting. After running Highway Rapid we leave the quiet zone.
1 PM: Stop for lunch at our private
lunch site at Cronan Ranch. Here we serve deli-style make-your-own sandwiches
consisting of ham, turkey, roast beef, cheese, lettuce, red onions, tomatoes
and a selection of breads. Complimenting your sandwich may include sliced
pickles, olives, garlic mushrooms, pepperchini's as well as a selection of
chips and cookies. To quench your thirst we have ice cold lemonade, ice tea and
water.
2 PM: Re-board your raft and prepare
to enter the Lower Gorge as our first big rapid, Fowler's Rock is just a short
distance down the river. After Fowler's Rock the rapids come in quick
succession with Upper Haystack Canyon, followed by Satan's Cesspool where our
professional photographer is stationed to shoot an exciting picture of you
running the rapid. Rapid excitement continues as we run Son of Satan, Lower
Haystack Canyon, Bouncing Rock, Hospital Bar, Recovery Room and Surprise. After
running the last rapid we hit the calm waters of Folsom Lake where a motorized
tow boat will pull our raft to our take-out.
4-4:30 PM: When we reach Salmon Falls
Take-out we will need to carry our rafts and gear up to our awaiting equipment
van and trailer. The distance and the climb fluctuates with the level of Folsom
Lake. An ice cold soda or bottled water is waiting for you. Board our bus or
van for the15 mile trip back to our camp.
Please Note: The times stated
above are for trips with normal water flows. During times of higher water flows
the river moves faster resulting in a quicker river trip.
5 PM: Approximate return time to our
camp. Relax, take a shower, enjoy a cold beer from our keg, snack on nachos and
salsa or other hors deveres, cast your fishing line into the river, play a game
of volleyball, foos ball or ping pong and enjoy life by the river.
6:30-7 PM: Dinner time. Start with
our giant salad bar followed by barbecued teriyaki steak and tasty chicken with
a baked potato and parmesan fried bread. Drinks served include wine, ice tea
and lemonade.
8:30 PM: A tasty desert of freshly
baked brownies and ice cream sundaes are served followed by our slide show
where you get to view the pictures of you rafting the days biggest rapid.
9 PM: Enjoy some quiet time around
our campfire or walk to the Coloma Club or Sierra Nevada House for live music,
dancing and refreshments.
10 PM: Quiet time in our camp. Please
be considerate of others. who wish to sleep in our lower camp area. If you wish
to stay up later and make a little noise (please note the word "little") we ask
that you utilize our upper camp area where the lights will stay lit.
8 AM: Breakfast is served. This
morning's breakfast consists of cowboy potatoes, make-your-own breakfast
burritos with a variety of fixings, fruit, muffins, cereal, yogurt, orange
juice, hot chocolate and coffee. After breakfast you will have time to play
some games, pre-pack your overnight gear or visit our store.
9:45 AM: Board the bus or van for the
20-30 minute drive upriver to the Nugget at Chili Bar.
10:30 AM: Begin our raft trip down
the Chili Bar section of the South Fork American River. The first major rapid
we will run is Meatgrinder, the longest rapid on the river, followed by Race
Horse Bend, Rock Garden and Triple Threat. As we enter the Gold Rush community
of Coloma, we run the famous Troublemaker Rapid, where the photographers shoot
your picture. We leisurely float past Sutter's Mill where gold was discovered
in 1848.
1-1:30 PM: Conclusion of the rafting
back at the EarthTrek Camp.
1:30-2 PM: Our barbecue lunch is
served. Lunch will consist of hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers on
request, as well as. watermelon, cookies and chips, plus cold drinks. View
pictures of you running Troublemaker at our camp store.
2:30-3PM: Our trip concludes as we say
goodbye and hope you will return soon.
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