North Fork American River Rafting
Whitewater Rafting in California with O.A.R.S
Highlights
- Tumultuous river action starting at Chamberlain Falls Gorge where Class IV rapids provide a surge of adrenaline
- Zig-Zag, Achilles Heal and Bogus Thunder are among the steep drops and boulder slaloms to be negotiated
- Float through a breathtaking exhibit of the Sierra Nevada's striking scenery
Full Description
On our North Fork American River rafting trip, you’ll paddle through nonstop whitewater as snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada thunders with a vengeance through the towering canyon of the North Fork -- a beautiful gorge with 2000-foot cliffs, blankets of green grass, colorful wildflowers and black oak and pine forests.
Rafting the North Fork American River near Sacramento, CA is an awesome California rafting experience. The North Fork of the American is the most challenging fork of the American River and rapid after Class IV rapid deliver nearly non-stop, white-knuckling whitewater, followed by a stretch of more gentle Class II-III rapids. Intricate boulder gardens, rushing falls and staircase drops promise intense paddling and plenty of adrenaline-inspiring thrills through the beautiful American River gorge with 2000-foot cliffs, blankets of green grass, colorful wildflowers and black oak and pine forests. This trip is an easy jaunt from Sacramento and well worth the journey in terms of both whitewater and classic California wilderness scenery.
Includes:
- Skilled professional guide service
- Delicious deli lunch
- High-quality inflatable rafts and related river equipment including paddle and helmet, splash jacket and personal flotation device
- Transfers from the meeting place to the river and back
Excludes:
- Pre- and post-trip accommodations and meals
- Wetsuits (available for rent)
- Insurance of any kind, including travel insurance
- Items of personal nature
- Gratuities
Day by Day Itinerary
We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and always flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like.
We’ll meet at the designated time at Raley’s in Auburn. Please be prompt; our designated launch time requires that we arrive at the put-in within a specific window. Once everyone’s arrived, we’ll take a 40-minute shuttle ride to our put-in at the Colfax-Iowa Hill Bridge, where our boats and the rest of our O.A.R.S. crew await us. Our guides will present a thorough safety talk, then our adventure begins.
Before we travel a half of a mile, the much-anticipated stretch of Class IV whitewater begins as we enter the Chamberlain Falls Gorge. Slaughter’s Sluice is a lengthy series of boulder- choked rapids that leads to one of the river’s most formidable challenges: Chamberlain Falls, a crashing 8-foot drop.
Zig-Zag, Achilles Heal, and Bogus Thunder are among the continuous steep drops and boulder slaloms that we negotiate. After several miles of aggressive paddling through tumultuous whitewater, we near the end of the Class IV section—but not before facing Staircase, the river’s most infamous rapid and our right of passage as conquerors of the North Fork.
Lunchtime comes and we pull off the water for a delicious picnic. Knowing that a morning of hard paddling inspires a very hearty appetite, we make sure that our lunches are always abundant and satisfying. Lounge on the side of the river with a deli sandwich piled high with fresh cold cuts, cheese and veggies or perhaps tasty taco salad, plus icy lemonade, water, fresh fruit and cookies. After feasting and relaxing on shore, we resume our journey.
Back on the water, we find ourselves floating through an absolutely breathtaking exhibit of the Sierra Nevada’s striking scenery. 2000-foot canyon walls tower around us, creating an intimate gorge of polished granite, clear water, spring-green grasses, deep woods and brightly colored wildflowers.
As we reach our take-out point on Upper Lake Clementine, our river trip draws to a close. An O.A.R.S. shuttle will be waiting to give us a 30-minute ride back to Auburn and our vehicles
About The Operator:
O.A.R.S
Headquarters:
Angels Camp, CA
O.A.R.S. was the first exclusively oar-powered rafting company permitted to operate trips on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Through our four decades in the adventure travel industry, we have become the largest and most diverse family of river-based adventure travel companies in North America, operating on over 1230 miles of rivers in the continental U.S. In addition to our signature Grand Canyon trips, we offer adventure vacations in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming, as well as in British Columbia, Chile, Galapagos, Fiji, Baja and Peru. The heart and soul of O.A.R.S.-from president and founder George Wente to the more than 300 dedicated guides and employees on our team-is that we are all genuinely invested in every passenger, every trip and every lifetime memory.
Our Staff
We consider our O.A.R.S. outdoor adventure guides to be among the best in the industry! Some began their river-guiding careers more than 30 years ago; others were born into it. They are entertainers, historians, geologists, botanists, chefs, medics, anthropologists, event planners, authors, photographers, wilderness pathfinders, and they are the single most complimented component of our organization. Our guides are also professional, playful and ever mindful of your wants and needs, and their enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious. Learn about our guides through reading their detailed biographies, experience and interests.
Our Adventure Consultants and our year-round office staff who provide you with all the trip-specific tips, trip planning assistance and adventure travel trip logistical support have more than 100 years of combined experience in the adventure travel industry, as well as close to 1000 river trips between them.
Your O.A.R.S. Adventure Vacation
You concentrate on fun. We brew the coffee, cook the meals, pump the boats, provide the gear, plan the day, find the best camp spot, and we strive to fill each day with excitement, discovery and the attention to detail you deserve. O.A.R.S. provides the best average guide-to-guest ratio in the adventure travel business (1:4).
You do only what you feel like doing. Want to paddle a ‘ducky' or admire the view from the bow of a boat; go on a day hike or stay in camp and read; save room for dessert or have two pieces of seared salmon? Every day is yours to do with as you please.
Camaraderie
Is there any other experience more conducive to creating new, lasting friendships and deepening family bonds than an O.A.R.S. adventure? Our outdoor trips are wonderful equalizers, bringing together like-minded people from diverse backgrounds. Time and again we hear from guests about their joy of having met kindred spirits and new traveling companions. Parents bask in their child's newly-gained confidence in the natural world. Gone are electronic distractions, commutes and deadlines, leaving guests with uninterrupted time to relax, snuggle under the stars, savor a sunset and swap tales around the campfire.
When you join an O.A.R.S. adventure travel trip, you're not just a customer-you are a friend, a member of the crew and an extension of our family-owned and operated company. We'll answer your questions, feed you well, show you a good time and share with you our passion for the world's waterways.
Our Pledge
Outdoor adventure vacations are our specialty, and we work hard to provide our guests with the best travel experience of their lives. If part of your trip under our control wasn't everything you expected, we will work with you to make it right.
Responsible Travel
Environmental stewardship is nothing new to O.A.R.S. We've been at it for four decades. In partnership with our guests, we have contributed more than $3 million in donations and fees toward the preservation of the environment and to environmental and wildlife conservation initiatives. For a detailed account of our environmentally responsible practices, check out our Responsible Travel page.
Don't Just Take Our Word for It
O.A.R.S. has been routinely recognized by adventure industry experts, media and our guests for our commitment to excellence and innovation in travel. In both 2008 and 2009, National Geographic Adventure magazine selected O.A.R.S. as "The Best River & Sea Outfitter on Earth" based on their criteria including education, sustainability, quality of service, spirit of adventure and references. Since 2007, Condé Nast Traveler's Wendy Perrin has recognized our Reservations Manager, Mindy Gleason, as the "Top Travel Specialist" in the River Rafting category for her unique ability to offer O.A.R.S. travelers "the best blend of expertise, access, and good value." Additionally, year after year magazines such as National Geographic Traveler, Outside, Men's Journal and Sunset along with NBC, CNBC, Forbes Traveler and SmarterTravel.com have all recognized O.A.R.S. for serving up some of the "Best Trips on the Planet."