ABOUT the Rafting INTERVIEWS
W.E.T. River Trips has had a long history in California's whitewater rafting community. The "players" or guides have a profound affect on the industry as a whole. Why? Because guides are also adventurers who have opened the doors to other river rafting because they dared to do the river run first. We will be doing a series of interviews with important whitewater personalities who we think have changed and made our rafting industry even better. Our second interview is a staff member on our rafting trips. He is one of our best saftey kayakers on the North Fork American River and a Senior member of our guiding staff.

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update: January 25, 2006

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Featured Paddler & Guide: Edited version::photos below by Peter, Steve & W.E.T. River Trips
Andrew Boucher; Extreme kayaker, snowboarder, age 30+, Sierra Nevada Sales

W.E.T. first met Andrew through Jared Noceti, another extreme kayaker back in the mid-90's. Everything Drew does is extreme... Including snowboarding, kayaking and rafting. This past year '05, Andrew kayaked some of the most extreme whitewater in Northern California. He's been rafting for W.E.T. River Trips since 1993 and continues this relationship even though he has started his own sales company with his wife, Julie. His tutelage with the younger staff has helped W.E.T. produce some of the best rafting guides in California.

How did you start rafting?
I got into Kayaking through a group of guys from Kirkwood Ski Resort. They took me to a roll class, and we did one trip down the South Fork American Gorge run. At the time, I was still competing in Snowboarding and traveling to New Zealand in the summers. When I blew my ACL & MCL in my left knee, obviously I could not ride that summer (California's summer is New Zealand's winter). That same winter, Jared Noceti started to work with us at Kirkwood (ski patrol). Jared talked a lot about kayaking and rafting so during my rehab I called Jared and he took me kayaking. I ended up spending most of the summer Kayaking. The following summer I decided I would start to Guide so that I would be around the river more, and I was tired of working construction in the summers. I figured working the river and hooking up with people to Kayak with, was a lot more fun and fulfilling then working construction.

From kayaking, how do those skills apply to rafting?
The basic skill of reading the water, working the eddy lines and always looking downstream are the same for both sports. But rafting requires many other skills then kayaking. In rafting, you have a full boat (the paddling customers) to worry about. In kayaking, it is just you. There is much more people skills and group interaction required as a (rafting) guide.

We understand that you have pioneered several kayaking runs... which ones?
I was on the 1st D (first descent) of the South Fork or Silver Creek ... One of the steepest runs around with lots of slides and waterfalls. This run is now on every (extreme) boater’s hit list with drops called "Skyscraper", "The Tea Cups", "Plastic Surgery", "Nose Job" and many others. This run drops nearly 800 ft in 1-1/2 miles. I also was on the 1st D of North Fork of the Carson River, another steep continuous run. No big tall drops, just consistent gradient for the entire run. One of my other favorites is Camp Creek and Sly Park Creek. We have pioneered over 40 miles of creeks in that region. This is great Class 4 - 5 small-style creeks that do not run every year, only in the big springs (big water years). There are many more, but these are my favorites.

What is your favorite river? in kayak.... in raft?
My favorite river is a tough question. My standard answer to that question is whatever river I am on that day, is my favorite. But really my favorite river for Kayaking is probably the SO Silver or Lovers Leap (upper South Fork American). Of course, there is the classic Cherry Creek (upper Tuolumne); this is the only run that you do with 50 friends. Everyone shows up and helps each other with shuttles and hangs at the same lunch rock. It is the best run (Class 5 paddlers only!) for a raft as well as a kayak.

How do you like working for a rafting outfitter?
Raft guiding is one of the best things I have done. It teaches so many skills that you can take with you to any walk of life. You have to work as a team every day. You deal with group dynamics, as well as timing and logistics. You never know what kind of person you will be spending the day with, and it does not matter. Your job is to make everyone think they are the best and having the most fun.

How do you like working with beginner or advanced rafting paddlers; ie the customers?
I enjoy working with new guides as well as taking first time rafters on a trip. I like to teach people about the river and share the knowledge I have gained over the years. It is fun to help train new guides and see them turn into Professionals.

This past 2005 high water year was awesome. What rivers did you do and at what flow?
During the high water, a lot of the creeks are way too high to Kayak or Raft, so the best kayakers in the world end up on runs like the Tuolumne. We got on the T at 11,000 cfs. There was nothing but huge wave trains and must-miss holes. At the beginning of the day, you spend a lot of time on the edges of the rapids until you get comfortable in the huge wave trains. By the end of the day you are right down the middle of the river. We did the entire 20 miles in about 4 hours with lunch!!

Of all the personalities on the river, who is your favorite person? and why?
My favorites are tough to label, but I would have to say Jared Noceti. I started to boat with him and still boat with Jared today doing new runs whenever we can. Todd Stanley is another as we explored many new runs together and I have been on some of my toughest, scariest runs with Todd. I also always enjoy paddling with Peter Spears, he is a very technical paddler as well as a great leader on the river.

In your marriage with a fellow paddler, is there competition? or encouragement?
I am lucky to be married to an outgoing river girl, Julie. She guides as well as Kayak some tough runs. When you are creeking with your wife it is more nerve racking. When your buddies roll over, you aren’t too worried if they bump some rocks as long as they only come away with miner bumps and bruises. You don’t want to see that happen to your wife!

What do you envision for yourself in the next 10 years... on the water?
I don’t want to admit it but I have already slowed a bit. I used to look at a rapid for a second run; back to my boat and charge. Now I look a little longer and think a little more. I still like to run some tough stuff, but not every day like in the past. A few class 5 days a week is enough; not every day. In 10 years I hope to still be running Class 5 creeks, but it will be the ones I know the best like SO... Silver and Lovers Leap.

I would recommend that anyone who reads this take the time to get out there and “DO SOMETHING” as we say. I have hundreds of memories of the boating days as well as the time spent with friends during shuttles and camping. You don’t get those memories staying home!!
Andrew Boucher; extreme kayaker and W.E.T.'s Senior Field Manager January 2006

Vlad is an old friend of W.E.T. and has supported our rafting company in many ways. In the former Soviet Union, Vlad did exploratory trips on the rivers in Siberia and Central Asia. While on a competitive Costa Rica rafting trip, he met guides from ECHO River Trips and was encouraged to come to the USA to raft with this California Tuolumne outfitter. Soon after, Vlad decided to embark on a career in education and was promptly hired by W.E.T.'s owner who was an administrative educator in the Northern California region. Vlad is currently working as a Physics and Astronomy teacher and has started an international rafting company focusing on rivers in Siberia. This is an unedited version...

How did you get started rafting?
Accidentally. Just look for the safe sport because of serious knee injury that stopped my team handball career. My friends took me to the Dubna River (Class 2) in eastern Latvia for one week.

What made you take the extreme risks in boating virgin rivers & Class 5-6?
Rafting is a sport. It is competition without fans with the river and yourself. It is embarrassing to give up, to be weak in front of yourself. It is like climbing : after each success you look for the more challenging wall or mountain... and it is very nice feeling to see your friends doing the same stuff with you. You see who are they.

How many rivers have you pioneered throughout the world?
I did not do first descent of the rivers. Some rapids- yes we did.
(Vlad's modesty is overwhelming... note from W.E.T.)

Looking at your past photo slides, your spouse shared many adventures with you...what made her join in on these adventures and risky trips?
I think Lena enjoyed these trips till certain level. When she understood that it is too stressful she stopped run rivers but still tried to support me and my friends. I am very thankful I have such wife. I do not think many women will tolerate husband absence for three months per year. (Lena's support is paramount to Vlad's explorations... she makes the best marinated mushroom salad and welcomes the rowdy paddlers into her own beautiful home! Note from W.E.T.)

What is your favorite river? and why?
Bashkaus in Altai region in Siberia. Beautiful isolated canyons, incredible rapids (212 for 130mi, almost all Class 4 - 6), real challenge for any rafter.

What was the most technical river?
Probably Shakhdara river in Pamir, and Khara-Murin river near Baikal Lake.

What was the most scariest situation you have encountered on a river?
Accident in rapid "Vorota" on Chulyshman river in Altai. Two my friends got bad injuries. We actually carried one of them around rest of the rapids three days before we reached people.

Which country seems to support rafting in general? govern subsidies, etc.
If we talk about commercial rafting I think it is US. In my former country government does not create serious obstacles (dams, forest service, launch limitations etc) and it helps a lot.

Which countryman seems to be the most skilled paddlers?
Kayakers: Germans, Americans, Australians/ New Z.
Rafters: Russians, New Z., Americans

What is your ideal vision of a perfect rafting trip?
Great long river with many rapids and zero pools, good friends around. Rest (food, weather, beer, etc) are not important.

Please expand on your recent Siberian rafting trips that you just accomplished with RaftSiberia, your new rafting company.
I am very happy to show the best of my former country to Americans. It is not only river and cities. They could communicate Russians and I think this trip has changed their vision of the former USSR and people over there. I think I destroyed some stumps of American propaganda in their minds. And it is great.

Which was more difficult... the trip itself or the pre-trip preparations?
Of course preparations.

Vladimir Gavrilov, guide extraordinaire! November 2005
Read Vlad's latest book on Siberian rivers and rafting.

Here are some additional links to websites with great travel resources for the outdoor enthusiast: www.c-w-r.com, a California river description site; www.caoutdoors.com, a website that says it all about California activities, ; www.raftinfo.com, a directory of rivers & outfitters throughout the USA; www.gordonsguide.com, a definitive directory on adventure sports; , www.adventuresportsonline.com, a directory of sports, activities & outfitters; and another www.allaboutrivers.com for river rafting throughout the world. For those of you who want to find information and descriptions on kayaking rivers and inflatable kayak runs, check out cacreeks.com for a very personal viewpoint on rivers in California.

f you need assistance in booking a California rafting trip, just call us toll free at 1.888.723.8938 and we will surf the site with you and help you find the information that you need!

Our office is not only open during the California rafting season, but we are available during the winter to help you with your seasonal plans.

See you on the river! Find nirvana, go rafting!
If you can't find the info you need, just call us!

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