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Cal Salmon

Whitewater Rafting in California with Turtle River Rafting Co.

Highlights

  • Remote Wilderness – Deep granite canyons
  • Riverside camp
  • Un-dammed, crystal clear water
  • 22 miles of river in 4 different sections.

Full Description

The Salmon, often referred to as the Cal Salmon to distinguish it from the Salmon River in Idaho, has its origins in the remote wilderness of the Marble and Trinity mountains in northern California.

As the snow melts each spring, the emerald green Salmon, unimpeded by dams, tumbles down through forest canyons and sheer granite gorges.

Long considered one of the premier Class 5 Rivers in California, the 22 miles of the Salmon River is comprised of four sections: Methodist Creek – a Class 3 warm-up to the Class 5 Nordheimer run; below Nordheimer is the Class 4+ Butler Creek section and then Oak Bottom out into the Klamath River.

In a classic pool-and-drop configuration, this wild river is extremely demanding, always living up to its status as one of the most intense spring river trips in the state.

With the Cal Salmon’s remote location, stunning scenery and continuous action, it is worth taking a few days to run different sections of this free-flowing and challenging wilderness river.

Includes:

Everything except your clothes and camping equipment is included in the trip price:

  • Rafts, life jackets, helmets, wetsuits, paddle jackets, dry storage bags
  • Professional guides & instruction
  • Meals from lunch on the first day through lunch on the last day
  • Water & snacks during the day
  • Camp chairs
  • Camping gear rental available

Excludes:

  • Personal beverages (sodas or alcoholic drinks)
  • Any transportation before or after your trip.

Day by Day Itinerary

One-Day Trip

Typically those that choose a one-day trip are experienced boaters, since we’ll probably run the Nordheimer Creek section. If there’s time, we’ll usually add in the Butler Creek to Oak Bottom section as well. The action begins just a half-mile downstream from the put-in with Bloomer Falls — two boat burying holes — followed by miles of non-stop action with Lewis Falls, The Maze, Tercel Turn, and Airplane. Our first scout of the day is Cascade – a choice of a 400-yard boulder garden or a 15-foot waterfall. This is all before lunch. We’ll stop just below Cascade, prepare lunch, take a break in the sun, and watch for other boaters as they attempt the falls. After our break, it doesn’t really let up starting with the infamous “Achilles Heel” at the end of the pool. Probably one of the most radical turns on the whole river. The grand finale is a continuous torrent of a rapid aptly named Freight Train. This rapid is guaranteed to get even the most seasoned boater’s heart racing.

Multi-Day Trips

We’ll meet you at our camp at Nordheimer Creek the first day of your trip at 9:00 am. You are welcome to camp with us even if you’re just come for a one-day trip. Our itinerary for any given day will depend on your group’s rafting experience, water levels, and weather. A typical day begins with breakfast and an orientation for the day. We’ll assess the weather and water levels, discussing timing, safety, and appropriate clothing. Using a base camp allows you to have more river time and a dry camp to come home to. When we arrive back at camp each afternoon your guides will get a campfire going, prepare a snack, and break out the drink cooler – it’s story time! After dinner you’re welcome to keep the fire and stories going or head off to a well deserved nights sleep. Don’t forget to take a moment to gaze at the incredible display of stars overhead.

About The Operator:

Turtle River Rafting Co.

Headquarters:

Mount Shasta, CA

Turtle River Rafting Company is based in Mount Shasta, California just below the Oregon border. We have trips on six rivers in the mountains surrounding our home in addition to the Owyhee River in the high-desert of southern Oregon. The rivers running through the Siskiyou and Marble mountains offer some of the best whitewater rafting in the western United States. This rugged, mountainous country is also treasured for its solitude, exceptional wildlife, and fabulous scenery. We invite you to travel with us on a river rafting adventure and share our love of whitewater, wilderness, and friendship. 

Safety is a top priority at Turtle River. Now in our fourth decade of operation, most of our guides have been running rivers for 8 to 29 years. All are certified in first-aid and CPR and many have Swiftwater Rescue training & EMT certification.

From April through September, we offer 1- to 6-day river rafting vacations: one- & two-day river trips where families can take children as young as four; more adventurous multi-day wilderness journeys; and some of the wildest Class 4 and Class 5 whitewater in California and Oregon.