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One of California’s original rafting companies, WET River Trips has been providing exceptional, personalized half-day to 5-day rafting adventures for over 40 years on the American, Yuba, Kaweah, and Klamath Rivers.
Our guides are the best in the business. Their knowledge, safety-first mindset, and infectious enthusiasm will keep you safe and entertained throughout your adventure. Leave it to us to ensure your rafting trip is exhilarating and unforgettable. As “Professionals at Fun,” you’re in the best hands on the river with WET.
At Wet River Trips, we take pride in being a family-owned and operated business that has thrived for nearly 50 years. Our commitment to maintaining our family-oriented approach drives us to continue sharing our love and passion for running rivers with both our guides and guests. We focus on providing exceptional rafting trips, and are committed to treating every group like our only group. Whether you are a group of 4 or 100+, you will receive the personalized attention and the highest quality service that you deserve.
Our commitment to providing the best whitewater rafting trips in the industry goes beyond the thrill of the rapids, we are dedicated to providing unparalleled quality in every aspect of our service.
From our courteous and helpful reservation staff to our freshly prepared, delicious riverside meals, to our well-maintained
equipment, we strive to create a truly memorable experience for every guest. This commitment has earned us a reputation for excellence, attracting top-notch guides, loyal customers, and rave reviews.
One of the original river outfitters in California, WET River Trips was started by Steve & Betty Liles in 1978. Together they pioneered guided rafting trips on the 3 forks of the American River. When it was time for them to retire, Chad Richards did not want to see this unique company become another one of the conglomerate river outfitters that were destroying what had made him fall in love with rafting at the age of 8, and kept him working in the industry as a guide and manager for over
30 years.
After being a full-time professional raft guide, instructor, and operations manager he decided to take over WET so that he could provide the opportunities and life-changing experiences that he had received from the industry to other guides and the guests they would take down the river.
One of the original river outfitters in California, WET River Trips was started by Steve & Betty Liles in 1978. Together they pioneered guided rafting trips on the 3 forks of the American River. When it was time for them to retire, Chad Richards did not want to see this unique company become another one of the conglomerate river outfitters that were destroying what had made him fall in love with rafting at the age of 8, and kept him working in the industry as a guide and manager for over
30 years.
After being a full-time professional raft guide, instructor, and operations manager he decided to take over WET so that he could provide the opportunities and life-changing experiences that he had received from the industry to other guides and the guests they would take down the river.
I went on my first rafting trip when I was 8 years old. My parents to me and my brother on the Camp 9 section of the Stanislaus River just before it was flooded by the New Melones Dam. I didn’t know it then but being the birthplace of both the river rafting industry in California as well as the fight to protect rivers for everyone’s enjoyment, it was very fitting that this was my first white water rafting experience.
My Dad took me on a few other rafting trips on the Lower Klamath and South Fork American Rivers, as I was growing up. I fell in love with being outside on rivers, to the point that I told everyone I would be a white water guide when I grew up.
There is even a family story about us renting rafts and taking them on a river in Oregon (No one remembers which one). One raft had my Mom, Dad, and Grandparents the other was me and my brother. My parents flipped their raft and were terrified. When they got out they frantically searched up and down the river for me and my brother, sure that we had flipped as well and would be terrified or worse. Instead, they found us at the take-out location with huge grins having had the times of our lives.
When I was 18 years old, just out of high school, I came across a letter as I was unpacking in my new apartment about a guide school. I thought to myself, this is how I become a white water guide, I’m going. As soon as I got to guide school that was it, I never left, despite trying to escape and having a “normal” career.
As I got older I continued to guide full-time while getting degrees in river policy and fishery biology. Eventually, after doing everything I wanted to do as a rafting guide, guiding on the hardest commercially rafted river in the world, pioneering numerous rivers by either being the first to successfully raft them or running rivers at higher levels than they had ever been successfully run at before (and many since), instructing guides and teaching Swift Water Rescue course in the United States and internationally, etc., I made a true effort to get a “normal” life. I became a teacher and taught Middle School P.E. But, I always came back to guiding every summer. Despite telling myself I would only guide a few trips each summer, friends and owners would call me and I would always end up guiding full-time again. Finally, I came to the realization that I had been a raft guide for over half of my life, it’s what I do and what I’m good at, so why fight it? Embrace it. And that’s exactly what I did.
When it was time for Steve and Betty Liles to retire, I couldn’t watch their company be swallowed up by another large company trying to create a few big “Wal-Mart” companies and destroying what made the whitewater rafting industry so unique and special. I had seen these companies become so focused on becoming the biggest and increasing their bottom line that instead of providing life-changing experiences to guests and guides they were now more like assembly lines pushing people down the river like cattle. So, despite knowing full well that I would never make much money and would have to work endless hours and days, I bought WET River Trips, because I wanted to give back to the whitewater rafting industry for all it had given me. And yes, I certainly haven’t become rich doing this and I work more than I probably should (just ask my friends and family), I have been paid back 100 fold. By keeping what I fell in love with when I was a child alive. Providing the opportunities I had to other guides and the guests they get to share those experiences with. And running a company like I felt it should be run, that is guide driven. After all, they are the ones who are on the river and interacting with the guests.
Nickname:
Ants
Hometown:
Cambridge, New Zealand
Favorite Rapid:
Hance on the Colorado River at Grand Canyon
Favorite River Memory:
Taking groups downstream for multi-day trips. All multi-day trips are extremely rewarding, the crews come together for meal time and share funny stories and mishaps from the day. They eat together and a real bond can be made during the after-hours of a multi-day trip.
Other jobs/skills: Carpenter, outdoor instructor, conservationist
Years as a guide: 14
What does W.E.T stand for? We Enjoy Tacos
Nickname:
Ants
Hometown:
Cambridge, New Zealand
Favorite Rapid:
Hance on the Colorado River at Grand Canyon
Favorite River Memory:
Taking groups downstream for multi-day trips. All multi-day trips are extremely rewarding, the crews come together for meal time and share funny stories and mishaps from the day. They eat together and a real bond can be made during the after-hours of a multi-day trip.
Other jobs/skills: Carpenter, outdoor instructor, conservationist
Years as a guide: 14
What does W.E.T stand for? We Enjoy Tacos
Nickname:
High Adventure Hayley
Favorite Rapid:
Pinball on the Kings River
Favorite River Memory:
Too many great ones to pick a favorite!
Other jobs/skills: Love working with plants, animals and humans; Dog Sledding guide/sled dog trainer in CO, and varied restaurant and organic farm work.
Years as a guide: 13
What does W.E.T stand for? We Enjoy Tacos
Nickname:
Speedracer / Drewbud
Hometown:
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Favorite Rapid:
It’s always hard to pick an absolute favorite but this year, definitely Meatgrinder at high flows.
Favorite River Memory:
Getting to kayak the Grand Canyon last year was definitely a big highlight. Another story I like to tell is the time someone lost their pants after falling out at Tunnel Chute.
Other jobs/skills: For the last 8 years I’ve worked as a Snowmaker and a Ski Tech in the winter time. I also have been traveling and competing on the Freeride World qualifiers for the last 5 years and am hoping to find a coaching job this winter somewhere in Tahoe.
Years as a guide: 6
What does W.E.T stand for? We Enjoy Tips
Nickname:
Speedracer / Drewbud
Hometown:
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Favorite Rapid:
It’s always hard to pick an absolute favorite but this year, definitely Meatgrinder at high flows.
Favorite River Memory:
Getting to kayak the Grand Canyon last year was definitely a big highlight. Another story I like to tell is the time someone lost their pants after falling out at Tunnel Chute.
Other jobs/skills: For the last 8 years I’ve worked as a Snowmaker and a Ski Tech in the winter time. I also have been traveling and competing on the Freeride World qualifiers for the last 5 years and am hoping to find a coaching job this winter somewhere in Tahoe.
Years as a guide: 6
What does W.E.T stand for? We Enjoy Tips
Nickname:
Jo
Hometown:
Seward, Alaska
Favorite Rapid:
For guiding, maybe Staircase on the North Fork American
Favorite River Memory:
Pretending to be horses on the Snake River and flipping in a class 2 rapid on the Clarence.
Other jobs/skills: I teach wilderness medicine, have a professional engineering license, and I like to climb and whitewater kayak!
Years as a guide: 6
What does W.E.T stand for? We Expect Tips
Hometown:
San Rafael, California
Favorite Rapid:
The Horn/Granite/Hermit stretch of the Grand Canyon
Favorite River Memory:
Riding the bull as a 7 year old through Hospital Bar.
Other jobs/skills: Traveling with my friends and family, non-Eurocentric history, language, paragliding, kayaking
Years as a guide: 5
What does W.E.T stand for? Wild Expedition Trips
Hometown:
San Rafael, California
Favorite Rapid:
The Horn/Granite/Hermit stretch of the Grand Canyon
Favorite River Memory:
Riding the bull as a 7 year old through Hospital Bar.
Other jobs/skills: Traveling with my friends and family, non-Eurocentric history, language, paragliding, kayaking
Years as a guide: 5
What does W.E.T stand for? Wild Expedition Trips
Nickname:
My river name is Class 3 Cat
Hometown:
Coloma, California
Favorite Rapid:
Troublemaker on the South Fork American!
Favorite River Memory:
Hanging out with the WET guides on our annual overnight staff rafting trip.
Other jobs/skills: I’m a student at Oregon State University Cascades in Bend, Oregon, but I spend most of my time snowboarding.
Years as a guide: 5
What does W.E.T stand for? We Expect Tips! & We Eat Tacos!
Nickname:
No Ls
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Favorite Rapid:
Bouncing Rock on the South Fork of the American River!
Favorite River Memory:
My guide school in 2021 on the Kings River with Hayley and Andrew as two of my instructors! That week was not only transformative but also led me to WET where my coworkers are some of my best friends and family for life.
Other jobs/skills: I love playing all sports especially basketball, volleyball, spike ball, pickleball, capoeira, tennis, and racketball. I work remotely as a graphic designer and brand manager.
Years as a guide: 4
What does W.E.T stand for? We Eat (Trader Joe’s) Takis
Nickname:
No Ls
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Favorite Rapid:
Bouncing Rock on the South Fork of the American River!
Favorite River Memory:
My guide school in 2021 on the Kings River with Hayley and Andrew as two of my instructors! That week was not only transformative but also led me to WET where my coworkers are some of my best friends and family for life.
Other jobs/skills: I love playing all sports especially basketball, volleyball, spike ball, pickleball, capoeira, tennis, and racketball. I work remotely as a graphic designer and brand manager.
Years as a guide: 4
What does W.E.T stand for? We Eat (Trader Joe’s) Takis
Nickname:
Uncle Bill & Pringles
Hometown:
Atlanta, Georgia
Favorite Rapid:
The Threats on Chili Bar! 1, 2 & 3
Favorite River Memory:
Probably when I got launched into the air at Surprise, as I just finished talking about how it could happen.
Other jobs/skills: Former EMT, Dog Sled Guide, Ice climber
Years as a guide: 1
What does W.E.T stand for? We Eject Tourists!!!
Nickname:
My radio handle is Turtle
Hometown:
Timberville, Virginia
Favorite Rapid:
Niagara Falls – it was soooooo siiiiiiick
Favorite River Memory:
There was a killer late night dance party and bear watch on one of our staff trips that I’ll never forget. I think the bear just wanted to eat our snacks. And find a soulmate.
Other jobs/skills: I’m a Registered Nurse and YES! I WILL look at your rash!
Years as a guide: 12
What does W.E.T stand for? Wearing Exotic Toenailpolish
Nickname:
My radio handle is Turtle
Hometown:
Timberville, Virginia
Favorite Rapid:
Niagara Falls – it was soooooo siiiiiiick
Favorite River Memory:
There was a killer late night dance party and bear watch on one of our staff trips that I’ll never forget. I think the bear just wanted to eat our snacks. And find a soulmate.
Other jobs/skills: I’m a Registered Nurse and YES! I WILL look at your rash!
Years as a guide: 12
What does W.E.T stand for? Wearing Exotic Toenailpolish
South Fork Trips Meet at: 5461 Bassi Rd, Lotus, CA 95651
Water flows in the South Fork American River result from releases from hydroelectric facilities located upstream. Such water releases are not subject to the control of El Dorado County or rafting companies operating under Permits from the County of El Dorado.
Transportation for trips operated under California Public Utility Commission TCP# 0038955