December 27, 2005
Christmas is done... and along with the turmoil of trying to create that special holiday atmosphere of loving, giving, peaceful co-existence with all members of the family. Arguing over the minutea of past slights and silly ancient family history, we still all sit down at dinner and praise the All Mighty. We stuff our faces with familiar family recipes and we honor and respect each other's idiosyncracies. Talk around the table this year was about the weirdo weather we are experiencing in Northern California. Lots of rain! And the rivers came screaming back up to high water springtime conditions. Weird. The North Fork American was flowing above 3,000 cfs while the South Fork American River stayed at an unreal December level above 5,000 cfs. Up North, the Cal Salmon rose to 6,000+ cfs!

Snow started falling again on Monday and some of us headed up to Kirkwood for a day of skiing and snowboarding today. With all the rain and ground saturation, we should be in very good shape for all dam controlled rivers such as South Fork American, Middle Fork American and Tuolumne River this spring and summer. Reservoirs will be healthy; especially in Northern California! Just remember that the majority of storms seem to come in January and February. We definitely need more snowpack for a longer spring runoff!

Our families and friends are planning several rafting trips this season. In the spring, we are looking to do a private river trip on the Illinois River in Oregon, then commercial river trips on the North Fork American in California, the California Salmon River near the California/Oregon border and then we will do a family and friends re-union on a two day South Fork and Middle Fork American in late July. This should satisfy all the die-hard paddlers in our family, but also it will allow us to include the younger kids and some grandparents over on the American River. This should be a great river rafting season for everyone!

December 12, 2005
Yikes, it's almost Christmas! Shopping for loved ones is getting more and more difficult every year. I'm racking my brains to get that perfect something for my teenager. What do you get a teen who has everything? You know what I mean... they have a computer, they have an X-Box, they have the iPod, they have the snowboard, skateboard, skis, blah blah blah... they have tons of clothes; they have every flippin' thing that every kid wants already... so what does a parent get for their special teen? I'm getting adventure gifts for mine. Lift tickets at their favorite ski resort, gift certificates for rafting trips, campsite reservations near favorite outdoor programs, rock climbing walls, gift certs for outdoor sports equipment and memberships to the local gym! I want my teen off the couch and in the outdoors enjoying life to it's fullest. Sooooo, hey parents; give the gift of adventure. The teens will really enjoy it!

December 6, 2005
Brrrrrr! It's hella cold. Good for a great base on the ski slopes. Storms are happening and the North Fork American came screaming up in flows. I'm not sure who or what went down the other day when the rains sent the gauge up to 15,000 cfs. Imagine that narrow corridor in that rocky canyon. Where does the water go when it's that high? Upwards! I heard there were some kayakers attempting it... not sure which portion or if it's just a rumor... that's the thing about river rumors... there's always an element of truth. Did so-and-so really do that descent? Did that company really raft at those flows?

... went over to the South Fork American this past weekend to check out the flows and the beautiful winter scenery. Oh, yeeehhhh... the kayakers were out in the chilly air enjoying the river to themselves. This is such a great time for 'yakers... no commercial activity; just paddle in hand enjoying the river. Calls are coming into the office for early spring trips on the North Fork American & Cal Salmon trips. Weather is starting to promise a great river rafting season for 2006... oh, and by the way, Ryan Mac made it down to Brazil safe and sound. Logistics will be set and the first trips will start on Christmas day. Good luck to the "Chasing 50" Team!

November 28, 2005
Storms are coming in... finally! Rain and some snow in the higher elevations... and good ol' Boreal has opened. Ryan Mac, one of our safety kayakers and also, one of our guides, has put together an exploratory rafting and kayaking trip to Brazil. Calling the Expedition "Chasing 50," Ryan, and the team will be traveling through 7 states, visiting over 20 National Parks in 15 different mountain ranges in an effort to surpass 50 River First Descents on Class 4 - 5 rivers in only 3 months! For info on sponsorships, please click here for further information on "Chasing 50."

W.E.T. River Trips is sponsoring Ryan and the "Chasing 50" team because we support the exploration of new rivers and new rafting programs. To be able to, someday, experience the rivers that this team will be seeing for the first time is one of the best reasons to lend support. We can't wait for the stories to come out of this exploratory river trip!

November 23, 2005
This writer would like to give thanks for the many people, places and things that have brought joy and fulfillment to my life. First my family; their support and love have been complete without exception. The beautiful rivers, streams and natural places that I have visited; God's gift to me, and believe me, I relish those moments of utter quiet and reflection. And the things... the organizations, the hardware to create this website, the rafts and gear that allow me to enjoy my family and rivers... Good health, happiness and strength. Music that keeps my head on the river even when I am not there. All this, I am thankful.

For those of you who have suffered loss and sadness this year, try to find a way to be thankful for all that you do have. This Thanksgiving finds our country in strife both on our shores and on foreign shores. We have seen major natural disasters that have faced both our countrymen and others. Daily we face disappointments and pure joy. Life is all about contrasts. Eat a bunch of turkey, roll around on the floor while hugging your children, your spouse. Keep your friends close to your heart. If you have enemies, hug them anyway or at least keep an open mind. Have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving!

November 14, 2005
Holidays are sneaking up on us... and my thoughts are still on the river season. Conservation groups have been very busy these past few months. SMUD's (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) proprosal of relicensing the Upper South Fork American River "was not as positive as it could have been,” said Steve Evans, FOR Conservation Director. It didn’t include the recommendations of agencies that are responsible for the public trust, including the California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and California Park Service.” FOR (Friends of the River) is not asking for dam removals; just a restoration. Read more about this project at our River Conservation News pages.

And over on the Tuolumne River, conservation efforts have helped convince San Francisco in dropping the additional pipeline that would have adversely affected the beautiful flows of the Tuolumne River. For those of you who love that river, you should read and help support the efforts by the Tuolumne Trust.

Finally, the modifications by the US National Forest has made some profound changes over on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Study) was released last week. "We think it's a workable plan," said Mark Grisham, Executive Director of the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association, "We would have done some things differently, but recognize that the Park had a tough balancing act." Some of the changes include: Commercial use spreading from April through September with some launches in June and July moved to these early & later seasonal departures; Group size cuts from a maximum of 36 passengers to 28 passengers; and the ratio of commercial motorized use to oar use changed from the current 3 to 1 (motorized to oar) to 2 to 1.

While most of our paddling friends are busy with holiday planning and preparing for their annual rafting trips, our industry is busy protecting these dwindling resources as our California population swells. We work hard to protect our industry's interest just like every other business in the country; except ours is a fun-loving outdoor recreation that truely enhances the quality of our lives.

November 2, 2005
Weather is cold today and a storm is due to hit. Mother Nature is waking up after a long summer/fall. Everyday, this past month, beautiful blue skies and warm sunny days greeted Californians, and the weather started to get to me. It's time for holiday planning and marking the days on the calendar. The guides are hunkering down for the winter and planning their holiday escapes. For those of you who went with W.E.T. River Trips this past rafting season, you may want to share your experience with a friend or loved one. Just call us for holiday gift certificates. We finally have a PDF file to download for the gift certificates or you can just order one to be mailed.

Speaking of holiday gifts & shopping, I came across a news item regarding Abercrombie & Fitch. Seems that a group of young teens have organized a boycott (or as one noted; a girl-cott) of their stores. This isn't the first time that A&F has insulted their buying public. What is suprising, though, is that these young teen women have organized and carefully put their message in front of the media.

What we see is a group of intelligent young teens exercising their Constitutional rights to boycott a stupid marketing attempt by a large corporate retailer. We would love to have these teens rafting with us! Our teen rafting trips honor the intelligence and abilities of our youthful citizens. They are the ones who will be running the show soon. And if this group of young teens is any indication of our future... well, we have nothing to worry about.

October 26, 2005
It's raining. Finally... and waking up this morning, the slippers and robe came out for the first time in a long time. The rain is gentle and everything outside looks green and alive. Fall is here and the trees are just starting to turn color. Rain drips slowly off the leaves and the air smells so fresh. Soon, the Sierras will be covered with snow and a promise of Spring rafting... and maybe, another high water season?

Throughout most of October, flows seemed to disappear on most raftable rivers except for the South Fork American where the flows held to 1,500 cfs most days. Kayakers, guides, and private boaters had the river to theirselves.

W.E.T. guides did the Feather River recently during the monthly release a couple of weeks ago. The rafting trip covers two sections; the Cresta Run, a Class 4, and the other section, the Tobin Run, a Class 5. Saul, senior headguide, led the trip and Justin, Maggie, Zach, Jonny, Eric, Steve & Mike rounded out the two rafts as Ryan and Alex were kayaking. While Ryan didn't do the Cresta Run, he hit the Tobin Run with a vengeance. The W.E.T. guides met Renee from Cuba who has done the Tobin Run 21 times! Sweeeet. For this last final trip of the season, a celebratory mood set the end of an amazing 2005 rafting season!

Guides and kayakers are scattering and gravitating to other rivers throughout the world. Ryan is heading for Brazil to do 50+ runs on Class 5 rivers. Some will be first descents and he will be back with some incredible stories. Sigh... such is the life of some of our professional guides or kayakers. For those of us who are sitting in front of the computer or pushing papers across our desk... there is pure envy in looking at that lifestyle. I, personally, can't wait for Spring Rafting Trips to begin!

September 28, 2005
Melancholy mood is setting in... phone calls are dwindling, weather is changing and the guides are scattering back into the real world. A lot of us will be going back to school as students or teachers; back to ski patrol at major resorts; travel to other rivers for another season of rafting; or get jobs until the season starts again for California rafting. Camp Lotus is quieter and the Coloma Club is deserted. The river is back to it's original state of quiet reflection populated by otters, beavers, birds, kayakers and an occasional rafter.

Weather this weekend is going to be very warm in the upper 80's to low 90's. Will the flow be there? How is the power company managing the upper storage at the dam? Last weekend there was no water on the South Fork American due to some type of maintenance issue. And then yesterday, we had 3,000 cfs! Geesh! I wonder if they will be dumping water out during October to make sure we don't have too much in the reservoirs when Fall/Winter rainstorms start occurring. Otherwise, where will all that water go?

September 14, 2005
Yo, daddy-o... people are still coming out to raft this month. Beautiful weather and pretty good flows for September! Looks like the Middle Fork American will be ending the last weekend of September, but the South Fork American should be dependable through October on weekends... at least bank on the Saturdays! If you have a small group for October, give us a call. Most of the trips in October will be one day rafting trips only, but if you have a significant group... well, we can turn it into a overnight package.

We're not quite wetsuit weather yet, but it is cool in the mornings and night. So grab the polypro fleece and/or splash jackets for the Fall rafting trips.

September 9, 2005
After last week's horrific news from the Gulf states, we really needed to refocus our priorities. Such sad news and so many people were affected. We pray that the horror will be over soon... rafting becomes such a frivalous endeavor compared to the disaster! But when I am on the water, a calming happens. I can prioritize my life and know that the most important things have nothing to do with the house, the car or the money. It is always about the family and the people you love. Coming together as a family on rafting trips, during the holidays or even Sunday dinners; families and friends are the nurturing elements for our soul...

Weather is now cooling and expect to see temperatures ranging from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. South Fork American should have dependable weekend flows through September. Time to put on the splash jackets with polar fleece or polypro fabrics. Enjoy this time while the crowds are gone. Flows and weather are just wonderful. Bring your friends, family and colleagues... enjoy life!

August 25, 2005
Weather has been just gorgeous! Upper 90's with cooling trends in the evening bring a welcoming respite from the murderous heat last month. Season is winding down on both the South Fork American and the Middle Fork American River. Yesterday, the Middle Fork was uncrowded and truely a wilderness gem. Our guest paddlers commented about the stark contrast of serene, quiet beauty of the canyon and the wild rapid ride through Tunnel Chute. This is what rafting is all about... the beauty of Nature and it's potentially dangerous routes. Isn't this why people crave Class 5 rapids, black diamond runs on the ski slope, vertical mountain bike runs and climbing and conquering mountains? We are a distant cousin to the first pioneers that inhabited this planet. They were the ones who had to negotiate streams and rivers without knowing what lay ahead. Can you imagine seeing a Class 5 rapid for the first time in a small, handmade watercraft without knowing it was there? How did they survive and how did they figure out how to run those rapids? By trial and error... except their errors led to serious consequences.

Updates currently are predicting that we should have good flows on the South Fork American River for the early Fall months. Bill Center, former El Dorado County supervisor predicts, "... looking at the amount of water they will need to release to reach target November 1 reservoir elevations, I anticipate flows in September and October of similar magnitudes as in August. The trick will be to get reliable weekend flows. I can't imagine not having at least Saturdays through September, and well into October, barring any outages, planned or unplanned." You can read his comments at www.theamericanriver.com, an information and forum website for the American River.

August 22, 2005
The end of the season is coming soon... and the kooks are out! What do you do when the people are one hour late? We had two people who called in on Saturday around fifteen minutes before a 9AM meeting time. They said they would be 20 minutes late. Our early morning staff asked them where they were. The person refused to give us a location except that they were "just outside of Sacramento." We explained that we would try to contact the crew (cell phone coverage there is spotty at the campground) and let them know to try to wait for the people. Around 15 minutes later, we got another call from the late party again. This time, we practically begged them for their location, asking what exit did they just past. The person sheepishly answered, "... we just passed 59th Street exit in Sacramento." Alarmed, we explained that they were approximately one hour away from the meeting site. At that point, our morning staff instructed them that they most likely had missed their trip since everyone was already loaded into the bus. The person started yelling at our staff person. We tried to explain that 36 other people were down there on time and would not wait for two people for an hour. Our bus driver also had other pick-ups that morning and was on a scheduled run. The person hung up angry and then called back asking if they could just go straight to the put-in. We explained that they wouldn't make that either, since the bus had left already and they were on schedule to put-in around 9:30AM. At this point, we asked them to email us on Monday to ask for a reschedule. The person started screaming profanities and making statements about how they had paid all this money and that we better accommodate them or else. The expletives were alarming and the person said that they would get our staff person fired because we couldn't do anything for them that day. So, what should we have done? We tried to delay the trip as much as we could, but we can not risk the wrath of 36 other people who were on time to wait for two people who were clearly one hour late? It seems that every year at the end of the season, the kooks come out.

Late Sunday night, we received a message for a late addition to the Monday Middle Fork American trip. We rearranged the trip, bumped a trainee out, and reconfigured the shuttle. On Monday morning, at 7AM we received a call from them letting us know their older son had woken up ill. They were such nice folks to let us know as soon as they could and they were not screaming at us about refunds and lawsuits. We will be rescheduling them either this year or next because of their gracious behavior. And the other folks, well, we hope they haunt someone else's rafting company.

August 2, 2005
So, August is here and it's time to start thinking about Fall rafting trips. I love late August and September rafting. With this year's incredible snowpack, the flows for late season should be superb. Low flows are only a memory as we go rafting on 1,500 cfs to 1,800 cfs on the South Fork American. Over on the Middle Fork American, flows have been very stable and consistent; barely changing throughout July. We should see similar flows throughout the late summer and fall months. After the third week of August, we should see a considerable slow-down in the rafting population... families getting ready for school, people finishing their vacation time and others going about the business of getting ready for fall and winter. Like the spring, we encourage those of you who are more into a wilderness-type trip, to go rafting from now till end of September. Less people, less traffic on the water... July was an absolute zoo! Tons of people everyday and even more trying to reserve. Pick a date in the late summer and fall and see the river as it should be seen... quiet, serene with lots of rapids! Fall weather is also gorgeous and warm. We hope to see you one more time this year!

July 19, 2005
Oh, I spoke too soon! The weather has been at extreme temperatures of 107 to 108 and up to 110 degrees this past week. People came out in droves! With the weather at its peak summer temperatures, we recommend that you come prepared for your skin protection. Sunblock, sunblock and more sunblock is the key! With your kids, consider even long sleeve protection... and even long pants. It's getting hard to keep the people in the boats, now. Everyone wants to swim and float in the river; escaping the heat. This is the best time to bring the beginners, novices and families to go rafting on the American River.

We just got a call from two people who were adamant about NOT going down the river with kids. That is a sad request. We welcome families and we hope our guests welcome them, too. These are the kids that will be our future clientele and our future guides. Be kind to children and teens. They have a hard job ahead of school, parental pressures & career choices. Try to remember being that age... try to capture the same young enthusiasm for rafting that these kids will bring. It is sad that anyone could frown upon children, teens and their families... be nice... enjoy their youthful escapades!

July 12, 2005
The dog days of summer are here. 100 degrees... but this has been the mildest summer that I have ever seen. Beautiful weather, clear skies and great rafting trips! It's vacation time for families and friends. Everyone is trying to get the last vacation plans on their California rafting trips. Dam controlled rivers such as the South Fork American, Tuolumne and Middle Fork American will be raftable throughout the rest of this summer. Those of you, in the know, will want to bring your family, friends and colleagues on these summer river rafting trips for a memorable time on the river. This is the best time for the younger kids and the more timid rafters or beginners. Those of you who may have done Class 3 rafting before, should check out the Middle Fork American. Guides are saying that the top of Tunnel Chute is getting a little "sticky" and they notice that the run is harder this year. We just did a beautiful two day wilderness rafting trip on the Middle Fork American. The people were from Southern and Northern California. Everyone came off the trip replenished and refreshed... even the guides were in nirvana land. Sigh... what a beautiful river corridor... and W.E.T. was the only outfitter on the river for two whole days! A real wilderness rafting adventure!

July 5, 2005
Whoa! What a lot of people on the Fourth of July Weekend! California rafting; here we come! There were kids, teens, parents, corporate groups and just normal folks like you and I and everyone else. The weather was hotter than a pistol! Sooo many people were calling in for last minute reservations. Most of those were disappointed because we were totally sold out on both the Middle Fork American and the South Fork American. We try to let our paddling friends know that they should try to organize their rafting trips early ... we know that sometimes it's hard to get your friends and family together and organize them for one particular date. We suggest that you organize by choosing a couple of dates that are convenient for you... then make everyone organize their time around those dates. It will make your life much easier!

Summer seems to be flying by and many of our weekend dates are already filled. Try to go on anydate except for Saturdays. That is the busiest time of the week. Mondo amounts of people are there! I love Fridays and Mondays... not as many people... and easier to get the work day off. Also, W.E.T. has tons of discounts on those off days. Otherwise, call early and see what Saturdays are left!

June 24, 2005
Here comes the weekend! Lots of families and kids coming this weekend on the South Fork American. Sun is shining and we can finally put away the wetsuits. Some of the kids will still be in them since their little bodies need that extra insulation. South Fork American has been running at 1,500 cfs up to 3,500 cfs. Great rapids and even better flows! Over on the Middle Fork American, flows have finally come down to safe levels and most of the rapids over there seem unchanged from last year. Justin, our headguide felt that Tunnel Chute seemed a bit easier... could be that he has seen and run that rapid so many times, that it may seem easy to him.

With families coming out in droves this year, we would like to remind parents to prepare their children for their outdoor experience. Listen to the guides carefully, read our information about rafting trips and how to prepare for them, slather everyone with sunblock, be well-rested for your rafting trip and don't party hard the night before! Summer is finally here and the living is definitely easy for those who are prepared for their California whitewater rafting on the American River rafting trips!

June 20, 2005
It's getting crowded on the rivers as more and more people come out from under this long wintery weather. The South Fork American was pretty crowded this past weekend. The days were beautiful with mild temperatures and big, fluffy clouds floating in the air. Lots of happy, smiling rafters on the Chili Bar and Gorge sections of the river. On the Tuolumne, there was an extreme kayaker who was kayaking Clavey River and ended on a sad note with his death. See boof.com for details about this internationally known kayaker, Brent Bradley. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family & friends.

The river is a living thing. It has a soul and those of you who have been mesmerized by it's dance know that you have to respect it and revere it. We nag our clients and we let them know that rafting is fun but that anything can happen. Our hearts are with the spirit of the river and with those who may have been ultimately captured by them.

June 16, 2005
Another rain storm has descended upon us! More water for the rivers. Just wanted to dispell some strange myths floating around the Bay Area right now.... seems that a bunch of the rafting companies are claiming that the North Fork American River has just started its season. Ha! Well, tell that to the 300 people that went with us this season starting in March 2005. All those people rafted on flows from 1,500 cfs to 3,000 cfs. We started early because the river did. And our clientele know when the flows begin. We had some beautiful sunny days during April that are rivaling the sunny days now (well, not today... rainy today), but those were the hardy folks who had rafted with us in the past. Bookmark this website so that you, too, will be a better informed paddler. Start rafting in the early season with your core friends and then come back during the summer months with your friends, family & colleagues. If you have a question about rafting, don't hesitate to email us or call. We will give you the best, educated answer regarding flows. This weekend should be a blast on the South Fork and North Fork American River!

June 14, 2005
Sooo... today was the first day that the South Fork American flowed below 5,000 cfs all day long. We are at the technical stages on that river at around 4,500 cfs. From 3,500 cfs to 4,500 cfs, the South Fork American becomes a technical whitewater rafting trip requiring good paddling skills. You've got a good volume of water cascading over a boulder strewn corridor and that equals technical whitewater skills. Yes, I know, the media made a big deal out of the "big" flows last month, and the biggest danger at that time was hypothermia <brrrrr!>, I much prefer the technical aspects of whitewater rafting. Those of you who are gearing up for next season's runs on the North Fork American, Yuba, Tuolumne, high water Merced or the Class V runs on the Cal Salmon, should try and go again on the South Fork during these levels. You've got to be an good paddler or you'll crash and burn through Meatgrinder, get squirrly at Racehorse Bend and flip at Troublemaker. I think that doing these runs will definitely prepare you for next spring's rafting trips.

Soon, we will be back on the Middle Fork American. We started over there in April and then high water came and we couldn't boat over there anymore. Flows need to be below 2,000 cfs or otherwise, paddlers are portaging everything... not much fun, unless you are looking at an expedition! We will be rafting the Middle Fork right around the time that the North Fork American will be ending its season.

June 9, 200
Wacky weather this week! Flows were bouncing back and forth on all three forks of the American River. North Fork American dropped from 3,000 cfs down to 1,200 cfs in just a few days. The cooling trend made the runoff slow down, which is really nice because that means we will have an even more extended season. Today, after a brief storm yesterday, the flows came back up to 3,000 cfs! By this weekend, it should be around 1,500 to 2,000 cfs. We love the NoFo!

NoFo paddlers last weekend were past customers who had done a gazillion rafting trips with us over the last ten years. A group of gentlemen who had done low water South Fork American during the heat of the summer, high water South Fork American River during spring runs and Middle Fork American during summer and fall. This year, they had booked a Middle Fork American and because the MoFo was running too high, they opted to do the Class 4+ run on the NoFo. They loved it! And one of their comments was "We had a great time and everyone was pleased that we had been "moved up" to the North Fork. Both Justin and Saul were terrific--they made everyone feel comfortable. We'll do the North Fork again next year for sure. It wasn't as scary as we had been led to believe over the years." Clark from Northern California; June 2005

Now, of course, the river wasn't scary because this group was well-prepared for the technical demands of this river rafting trip. It wasn't scary because the guides were excellent and knew how to make this rafting trip safe. We know sometimes that we can go overboard with caution when we book our reservations with our paddlers, but W.E.T. really wants our paddleheads to have the best time on the river and not riddled with bad memories of flips, wraps and/or nasty swims.

June 4, 2005
Well, flows look like they have reached the peak on the American River rafting. Though the South Fork American is still running around 4,500 to 6,500 cfs, the North Fork American is starting to drop back to normal spring runoff levels. Last weekend was probably the last of the "big flows" on the NoFo. And we are still rafting the NoFo this weekend! What a great, long season on that beautiful river. While the media is still talking about extreme levels, in reality, the extreme flows are pretty much done. SoFo will probably have solid Spring flows through June... and then back to normal... and then everyone will start whining about the lower flows. Sigh... you can't please everyone! Crew can't wait to get back over on the Middle Fork American. Flows over there have been wildly sporadic. Though it doesn't seem like much water pumping of Oxbow at only 2,500+ cfs, you just can't run certain rapids over there safely at those levels. As soon as it drops below 2,000 cfs, we'll be over there! Can't wait to see what Last Chance, Tunnel Chute & Texas Chainsaw will do to paddlers the rest of this season. Did the top of Tunnel Chute change? Did the boulders move around?

May 25, 2005
95 degrees this week and, as Paris would say "that's hot!" Lots of rivers to raft this week. The beautiful North Fork American has been at optimum levels as well as the Merced. Tuolumne has been raging at 16,000 cfs! Middle Fork American has been fluctuating at too high of levels and lots of those trips were cancelled and sent over to the South Fork American. Good 'ol Southfork! Ranging from 5,000 cfs to 8,000 cfs, that river is providing an incredible thrill for adventurous novices and athletic beginners. We had a gentlemen this week who booked a South Fork American trip and asked for an oarboat for himself. He described himself as "elderly rafter" and let us know that he had done this trip many, many times as a younger man. When we met with him, he was an enthusiastic rafter looking forward to the big water!

Here is his wonderful email to us: "Feel obliged to say that you have a great operation judging from my trip yesterday. Justin <headguide> should go far in life as a teacher/coach ...great empathy and charisma! Also Gabriel has innate concern for the well-being and safety of others... would go with him anywhere because of it. All in all a great experience... and nice 71st birthday present to myself... Thanks again, Bill from Northern California; May 2005

Mr. Bill, you totally made our day! It just shows you that it's not your age, not your size... it's all about attitude and lifestyle. Those of you who look for adventure in your lives, find it not only in the outdoors but in everything that you do. Thanks to all of our wonderful client paddlers. We are having the time of our lives during this high water season!

May 18, 2005
Ok, you got to ask yourself... is it mid-May? or is it February? The storms keep coming and reeking havoc on Northern California rivers. We are talking about the best whitewater rafting in 10 years. The Middle Fork American River rafting has been uncooperative with flows hovering over 2,000 cfs... very, very pushy at Texas Chainsaw and above Tunnel Chute rapid. Too many portages, so we went over to the South Fork American Full River run today, tomorrow and Friday. Hopefully, the Middlefork will drop back below 2,000 cfs for the weekend trips. The Full River on the South Fork came up around 6,000 cfs and the people had a blast today. North Fork American came back up during the midweek and cancelled parties were rescheduled. Today the Northfork went from 2,500 cfs back up to 3,500 cfs... back and forth. Should be back to 2,5000 to 3,000 cfs by this weekend... great flows! We did that flow last weekend and the crew had awesome runs at Chamberlain & Staircase with the clients. This weekend, we will have some kids on the South Fork in oarboats... safer that way, but if the flows go beyond the 6,000 cfs range, we will ask the parents to keep the younger kids back at camp while the older teens blast down in the paddle boats.

Speaking of oarboats.... we have had lots of requests for this "old-style" rafting trip. Seems that many of you are looking towards a more relaxing mode of river travel. With younger kids and older adults, the oarboat is a thing of elegance. The guides have been fighting over the rowing rights to this boat. Everyone wants to row! Ro-sham-bo has been the only solution when the guides fight over the oarboat... especially for the wilderness trips!

May 12, 2005
Storm after storm came in this past week. Flows on the rivers throughout Northern California came screaming up. And now, the weather reports 80 to 85 degrees this weekend! Unreal. Flows on the South Fork American are just awesome... still around 4,000 cfs and this morning back to 2,600 cfs. With the warming trend, we should still be around those levels this weekend. The Middle Fork American came up to around 4,000 cfs this week and we cancelled Tues & Wed trips. Today, the flow is around 2,000 cfs and dropping back to spring levels. Should be great rafting this weekend! And once again, the North Fork American came up to unreal levels by Wednesday after the vicious storm. Today the flow is a perfect 2,000 cfs! This weekend should be another perfect day on that river. At least the weather is leaving winter mode! And we all look forward to the "normal" weather for May.... hot!

May 9, 2005
What a fun weekend! All three forks of the American River were running at optimum levels. We had some super paddlers on the North Fork American, past clientele on the Middle Fork American and some newbies on the South Fork American. One of the South Fork clients couldn't believe that the river was a "beginner's run." Big waves and some technical moves at "Meatgrinder Rapid" opened up their eyes to the fact that "beginner" does not mean flat water!.... at least, not this year. New storms have come in and increased the possibility for a long, high water season this year. Guides are going crazy over all the possible runs throughout the Sierras!

The Middle Fork at 1,600 cfs was a little pushy at "Texas Chainsaw Rapid." The entrance had to be right on or a flip was imminent. We saw some boats flip on the South Fork at "Racehorse Bend Rapid." Lots of action this past weekend.

Our advice is to be an aggressive, strong paddler this spring on ANY river that you run. No timid or "softies" at this time. Those who are a little timid, should wait until mid-June for the regular flows to hit... or maybe even into early July!

May 2, 2005
Saturday was a really weird day! The whole day was jinxed. First thing in the morning the office received a call from one of the bachelor party groups. This very organized group had their people together at a hotel in Sacramento. They arrived the day before. They got up early and were ready to roll out in a timely fashion for the American River Rafting... but, it seems that one of the members had lost the rental vehicle keys. I am sure they must have panic and probably started tearing through the hotel rooms, their luggage and the lobby of the hotel! Their call came in right around the time we were supposed to meet them... an hour from Camp Lotus! Quick calls to the guides and reconfigurement of the trip was put in place.

Then another call came in to the office. This time a party of 4 were somewhere on Hwy 49 near Foresthill on the other side of the ridge. Hmm, why didn't these people read our driving directions? Seems that they went to someone's website right before they were leaving... never reading our confirmation materials or our driving directions. They arrived late. Only two people showed up on time! These poor souls had to wait for all the late arrivals since we couldn't just let them take off on their own.

So finally, everyone arrives, late, but safe... and our headguide notices that one group of two have not checked in yet. Another call to the office... no reports on the missing two. The office calls the reservation holder... then calls their cell phone... no word; no information. First thing we all thought was that maybe they misread their "date of trip" or that the people had a car accident. Well, the crew took off minus the missing two; reconfigured the trip, reconfigured the shuttle and reconfigured the guides... do people realize how important it is to show up?

And over on the South Fork American River, the flows were pumped up from the recent rains. The overnight guests on Friday night were a collection of corporate bigwigs from an international Fortune 500 company. The men were obviously mostly desk jockeys, but they held their own. Rain and cold didn't deter their team spirit and they were a joy. No complaints or crybabies in the entire group!

These early season rafting trips are not for everyone. Those who look for adventure in their lives, come out during the springtime to catch a glimpse of rivers at their peak along with the lush and vibrant scenery capturing the true human spirit of the pioneer.

While on the Cal Salmon Class 5 runs, Saul, Jason & Nathan saw the river rise to approximately 3,500 cfs. This is an awesome flow for this river. The group of guys were old customers and had rafted with Saul & Andrew just last year. A good, strong, athletic crew; they were ready for this river. Jason rowed a sweep boat and Nathan was the safety kayaker. Saul approached Last Chance and got spun around and the boat did a major high side! Out went the paddlers! Nathan corraled them back into an eddy and back into the sweep boat. No worries; that is why we like safety kayaks and sweep boats on Class 5 runs.

Can you imagine? How much more difficult river rafting would be without the support of safety kayakers? Though mishaps are rare, since we scrutinize our Class 4 clientele & have the best guides; kayakers are our insurance. Our kayakers are the god-sent element for Class IV and above rafting. From past kayakers such as Jared, Jimmy, David & Robby to the newer ones like Theo, Jason, Gigi & Ryan; W.E.T. confidently moves our Class 4 or Class 5 rafters down the rivers as safe as we can possibly make it.

The group was young, athletic and aggressive paddlers. One group of men were bonding together for the last time as bachelors. A really nice group of guys from all over the country. The other group were young college students from Northern California. All were presented with an incredible set of Class IV-IV+ rapids around 1,800 cfs. The weather was awesome. Sunny, warm and no clouds. Just the day before, clouds threatened more rain, but our clients must have been rewarded by the river gods. No flips, wraps, tears or other incidents. A good time was had by all! W.E.T. & guides, Saul, Justin & Jonny also welcomed Gigi from the River Store in her safety kayak along with her well-known husband Jason, a reknown kayaker who instructs for Current Adventures. We love our safety kayakers!

MARCH 31, 2005
Well, the sun finally came out and the weather is just beautiful. Lots of feedback from our customers from the last four weeks of rafting on the American River... one particular client had a lot to say about our trips: "...great South Fork trip!... couldn't believe it was the same river." With higher flows, the South Fork American is one of the best runs. Try to do the Full River 21 miles for an optimum river run from now through June.

The North Fork American has finally come down to sane levels. With the gauge broken, we had all sorts of wild readings on flows over there. Don't trust the flow charts on that flow chart online until they get it fixed! We are predicting around 2,000 cfs this weekend. PERFECT flows for the North Fork American. The South Fork should be around 3,000 to 4,500cfs. That's the funnest level for Troublemaker Rapid.

Saul & Jonny guided that day. Business as usual, as these two guides have seen every flow on this river over the past 10-20 years. Commercially, we are comfortable to raft this river at 10,000 cfs with good, strong paddlers. The Chili Bar section went off without a hitch, with a great run at Troublemaker. The paddlers were great and we stopped at Camp Lotus for our lunch break. The crew decided to continue through the Gorge section. As we approached Fowler's Rock, Saul and his paddlers pounded through the hole and waited for the gear/oarboat. Jonny ended up surfing right back into the hole.... and then flipped the empty gear/oarboat. Saul & the Europeans watched from the left and paddled to the flipped boat, just as Jonny floated up. Saul handed Jonny the flip rope and then Jonny jumped up and righted the huge oarboat in less than 5 seconds. Another day on the river... but this time, the river had its way!

The paddlers continued on uneventful; they were so stoked that they were the first paddlers on the 2005 high water California rafting season!

Keep in mind, with flows now ramping up, veteran paddlers should re-do the South Fork at these higher levels to challenge themselves before North Fork American or Cal Salmon trips. South Fork American at high flows is a much more challenging run than even the Middle Fork American!

Spring runoff has really started! Anyone reading this, who is a rafting enthusiast; you got to get on this flow! Awesome, powerful; the rivers are rocking... and by the way, the South Fork came up to 11,000 cfs by end of the day. Yow!
NOTE from W.E.T.::As of 3/28/05, South Fork flows have come down to 4,500 cfs; a great rafting trip for athletic beginners or intermediates. Best bet is the Full River 21 miles!

The past two months, guides have been kayaking and rafting in California. The South Fork American and North Fork American have been flowing as well as the Cal Salmon. Look forward to the incredible floral display from Mother Nature as wildflowers' seeds soaked up all that moisture and will spring forth in a glorious, colorful display of flowers.

Springtime is the best time to go rafting. Less crowded, lucious greenery and awesome rapids highlight spring rafting trips. If you enjoy beauty and great rapids while whitewater rafting, this is the time to go...

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copyright: 1995 - 2006

Do ask us questions, but please let us answer them fully. We want you to be an informed customer.

Do the right thing by being organized. Keep all confirmation materials including emails, driving directions & fact sheets. Again, we want you to be prepared.

Do be patient when timing is off. If we are at fault, please contact us and give us an opportunity to make it right.

Do put your best foot forward. This is a rafting trip in the outdoors, not a carnival ride.

Do get plenty of rest before the trip and avoid partying hard the night before. Hangovers are not fun on the river in 100 degree weather. OUCH!

Don't take drugs or drink alcohol on the day of your trip. We need you aware and coordinated.

And please, don't bring your dogs, guns, radios, valuables, car keys or any glass items on the rafting trips. Believe us; it's one less thing to think about.

Do let us know if you appreciate a well-orchestrated trip or if you have a complaint. Call us or email us with your feedback. We need your suggestions and criticisms. Your feedback will make us a better river rafting company!
W.E.T. STAFF

Nirvana is found on the river. Raft with us and see why W.E.T. is the premier California whitewater river company for California whitewater rafting.

Established in 1978. Running whitewater rivers throughout California. Permitted by United States Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, California State Parks, El Dorado County & other governing agencies.

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