SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The 2022-23 water year is about to wrap up but is still delivering big benefits. The record snowfall kept the ski season going deep into the summer. All that snow continued to melt deep into the spring and summer, filling reservoirs and keeping downstream rivers running full.
This is paying big dividends for recreation like whitewater rafting, which may see one of its longest seasons. Operations typically wind down right around Labor Day, but this year, it could last into October.
One of the most popular runs in California is below the Chili Bar reservoir. Jeremiah Copper, owner of Tributary Whitewater, said decent water releases should make rafting possible into the fall.
Throughout a normal season, he'll run about 15,000 people through the South Fork of the American River, with age ranges starting as young as four years old. He said part of the reason the Chili Bar run is so attractive is accessibility. You can get in and out of a lot of different places -- and those access points allow you to do different sections depending on conditions and the adventure level of the rafters.
Most rapids are ranked from Class I, easiest, through V, most challenging. Most of the rapids in the Chili Bar run are Class II and III, but when flows are really high, some will get into that higher III, almost IV, range. By mid-summer, as flows start to moderate, the rapids are a great place to get a taste for open water adventure.
The Chili Bar run will either start by the reservoir ending in Lotus or start in Lotus and end at Folsom Lake where a bus will transport rafters back to the starting point.
For the McCauley family, this is a great way to get to know the area. They recently moved from the San Francisco Bay Area and were surprised to see so much wildlife along the run. Even though there was some trepidation before the trip, in the end it was the adventure they were looking for and a fun way to build trust in their growing family with newlyweds on board the raft.
This type of full-range activity brings people from all over all over the West. Ari Kaplan and his classmates visited from San Diego to do a 21-mile run of the river. He said they had a lot of fun and bonded along the way.
There are other rivers throughout California that offer a little more adventure with Class IV runs. Jeremiah said if you get a chance, hit the upper Klamath before the dams start getting removed. Next year, those runs won't be available without the regulated water releases, although the lower Klamath will still provide plenty of rafting in the coming years. In fact, one of his favorite places to go rafting is near Happy Camp with its sandy beach and warm water.
There are many options for guided raft trips including half-day, full-day, overnights and even several days. Jeremiah said one of the most popular overnighters are bachelor parties.
He said as long as the water flows are good and the weather holds, they'll find a way to get people on the river.
