Wet hot American rafting: World-class rapids just an hour from Tahoe’s South Shore

Depending on water flow, some of the rapids on the South Fork of the American River border on class 4. Photo: James Kaiser / O.A.R.S.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Summer 2018 edition of Tahoe Magazine. It was first published on this website in August 2018 and is presented in its original form.

Few places can rival Lake Tahoe when it comes to outdoor recreation offerings. However, there is one noticeable absence in the world of outdoor thrill seeking: whitewater rafting. But residents and visitors need not travel far to get a taste of world-class rafting.

Located about an hour and a half west of Lake Tahoe’s South Shore near Placerville, the South Fork of the American River, combined with the Middle and North forks, offers world class whitewater, making for what rafting outfitters and tourism officials proudly claim is one of the most rafted waterways west of the Rockies.

“What I think is such a unique aspect of (the South Fork of the American River) and makes it such a jewel is it has something for everyone,” said Scott Armstrong, owner of All-Outdoors Whitewater Rafting California. “It has access for everyone. It has a type of trip that everyone can enjoy and it gives a good balance of fun, but also in a controlled manner that people can feel comfortable with.

“Because of that, it’s one of the most popular rivers in the western United States, and definitely the most popular river in California.”

‘The river is just amazing’

Armstrong, whose family has been guiding trips on the South Fork of the American River for more than 40 years, has witnessed the evolution of recreation and rafting on El Dorado County’s West Slope — an area that was at the heart of California’s Gold Rush in the 19th century — over the decades.

There is no shortage of outfitters that offer rafting trips on the American River. Photo: James Kaiser / O.A.R.S.

Part of that evolution involved an agreement with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to time water releases from the reservoirs above the South and Middle forks in a way that provides maximum benefit: power for the utility district’s customers and water for the more than two dozen outfitters operating on the forks of the American River.

Unlike other popular rivers in the Golden State, rafting trips continued on the American — which is fed by snowpack from the Tahoe and El Dorado National Forests — through the height of California’s most recent drought, a devastating period of dryness that Gov. Jerry Brown officially declared over following the monumental snowfall in 2016-17.

“The river is just amazing right now,” Mike Juarez, owner of Action Whitewater Adventures, said while standing on the banks of the South Fork during the summer of 2017. “Everybody gets off the river and they have huge smiles on their faces — just the look of satisfaction. We’re so, so fortunate to have such a good snow year and water year.”

Riding the rapids

On a hot Saturday morning in mid-June 2017, a crowd of more than 60 people is milling about a parking lot at the Action Whitewater Adventures camp on the South Fork of the American River.

Along with the eager faces are cars, many with California license plates, others with plates from far away, including one from Florida. Some of the people state they came up from the Bay Area. One couple says they trekked north all the way from Los Angeles.

All of them are here to raft the South Fork, which on this particular day is flowing more than four times the normal summer flow rate of 1,700 cubic feet per second.

The scene is typical for a summer day.

The South Fork of the American River offers world-class rafting just an hour away from Lake Tahoeís South Shore. Photo: James Kaiser / O.A.R.S.

“There’s people that know about that river and know nothing else … about El Dorado County,” said Jody Franklin, executive director of tourism for the county. “So they come from Los Angeles a lot of times … or the Bay Area, they’ll go to the American River … that’s just one small part … but it’s the one thing that we have. It’s dam-controlled. It’s great for families, so it’s definitely that first visit … it drives that first visit … and it distinguishes us, too.”

Back at the Action Whitewater camp, the crowd starts breaking into smaller groups, and each boards a bus and starts the short ride to the launch point. Instructions are given, life jackets are tightened, helmets are fastened and the rafts are plopped in the water.

They will soon join many other rafts operated by a number of outfitters, forming an armada of boats tearing through rapids with appropriate names such as “Trouble Maker” and “Meatgrinder.” On one raft, a woman from LA comes close to going overboard but is pulled back in. The near fall does not diminish the smile on her face, and she joins the others on the boat in raising their paddles toward the sky after successfully navigating a stretch of class 3 rapids.

Fun for every skill level

In a broader view, the variation among the American River’s different forks — the North Fork offers challenging class 4 and 5 rapids, while the Middle and South forks offer class 3 rapids that can border on class 4, depending on flow — provides a something-for-everyone aspect.

Specific to the South Fork, the more-than 20 rapids over a span of about 21 miles offer their own variation that outfitters say can satisfy both weekend thrill-seekers and families looking for a fun adventure.

“We have 21 miles of probably the best commercial rafting in the world,” said Juarez. “It’s in between intermediate enough to where if you’re a beginner, it’s going to be fun and it’s not going to scare the pants off you. And if you’re a thrill-seeking guy looking for some action, this river provides it all,”

The cost for a trip on the American varies depending on outfitter and the length of the journey. If the exuberance emanating from the people on the river that June day is any indication, it’s money well spent.

“All the guides are coming off the river super happy,” Juarez added. “The customers are like just in disbelief of how awesome the experiences are. It’s just really awesome.”

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