MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2015

Oh, California, you are still most beautiful. With skies so blue, we linger while sipping our coffee or tea and looking out our watery eyes on the quiet landscape around the rivers. In this year of limits, we are able to go rafting. On two rivers, we paddle the whitewater as aggressively as before. And, we approach this weekend as we have the last 37 years on our guided whitewater rafting trips.

It's time to go rafting! California's benchmark, this weekend, guides us carefully through the treachery of the holiday. So many people, so much to do, and the Gods above have deemed the weather in the 80's with a high of 84 degrees. Perfection!

Two rivers to go rafting: South Fork American and Middle Fork American River. Both very popular with the populations in Southern California, San Francisco Bay Area, and our Valley communities. Our office resides in the state capitol of Sacramento. Just an hour from the river. Traveling in cars and riding Hwy 50 or Hwy 80 corridor will take you there.

Every outfitter is vying for the guests. Every single one of us. With a lot of new outfitters taking over older companies, we step back and remember 37 years of friends, families, scouts, youth groups and corporations who have gone rafting with us since 1978.

We love all of you. Sincerely. We do. Join us for Memorial Day Weekend and go rafting!
We got Whitewater!


Online store discounts:
raftwet-store.com

Call us 888.723.8938!
Or visit the links above to diy reservations!
(Please reserve at least 24-48 hours before the trip date)


Photos by: W.E.T. River Trips
Blog written by: Elizabeth Lopez

4th of July 2014 with W.E.T. River Trips

Monday, before the 4th of July, is usually full of chaos at the office. All last minute plans go into effect as everyone tries desperately to make a holiday for that 3-day weekend.  Like me. Oh, yes, I had plans. Multiple plans that went by the wayside as each day ticked by and now, it's Monday. Monday before the Fourth of July! Emails and phone calls will be extreme this week... weather will be hot this week, too!

4th of July with WET River Trips will keep you cool!

Discounts, Deals: 7/2/Wed; 7/3/Thurs; 7/4/Frid; 7/5/Sat; 7/6/Sun:::

One day trips
1-day South Fork American Chili Bar run with lunch
1-day South Fork American Gorge run with lunch
1-day Middle Fork American Tunnel Chute run with lunch

All include (1) night camping
2-day South Fork American Standard at Camp Lotus with (4) meals
2-day South Fork American Wilderness Camp with (4) meals
2-day Middle Fork American Wilderness Trip with (4) meals
2-day American River Combo (2 rivers in 2 days)

Multiple day trips
3-day Middle Fork American Wilderness Trip
3-day American River Combo (2 rivers in 3 days)

Call us for pricing: 888.723.8938
Best rates: Groups of (12) people or more


Photo: BigPoppah and on WET Flickr
Post by: ~EL

Talk About the Weather!

Holy smokes! We just had the hottest weather evah! 106 degrees in Sacramento and everyone in the valley just melted into oblivion; enjoying the heat and the rivers nearby. Summer has arrived with the hint of more heat blasts to come as the sun slipped behind clouds this morning and presented a lovely cooler day for all of us.

South Fork American River in June 2014

Whitewater rafting is now. We have regular summer flows everyday on the South Fork American except on Tues, Wed. And on Middle Fork American River, we have flows every single day through September.

Don't believe me? Well, check out the all the WET photos on WET Facebook facebook.com/wetrivertrips or on our photo site with Flickr at flickr.com/photos/wetrivertrips. All great shots of whitewater madness and happy faces in 2014. Oh, yes, we have been on the rivers since early March 2014.

Part of our crew is on the Klamath River and just ended a 4-day camping and rafting trip up in the Great North. We can't wait to see the photos of those Scouts on that trip. Klamath River multiple day trips are our crew's favorite! 4-6 days on the river... vacation! Wildlife, wilderness and plenty of water, Klamath River trips have the most bang for the buck.

A LIST of RIVERS to RAFT in 2014:

South Fork American runs everyday except Tues, Wed for Class 3-3+ (novice, min age 8yrs)
Middle Fork American runs everyday for Class 3-4+ (athletic novice, experienced, min age 12yrs).
Klamath River runs now through September everyday for Class 2-3+ (novice, min age 8yrs).

Three of the best rivers in California are still operating.
Where are you gonna be this summer?


Written: ~ EL
Photos: W.E.T. River Trips

Tales from the Crypt ~ California Rafting

South Fork American River ~ Surfing the Chili Bar Hole

Our California rafting trips are in full swing.  On Saturday, we had various lively groups on South Fork American River. The crew is jelling nicely. Though on Friday, we had one mishap. 

A party of 2 were left behind at the campground and missed the shuttle. They had come all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We had them placed with another group from Wisconsin. I answered the phone call that morning way past the designated meeting time. And, when I realized that the couple had missed their trip, I panicked. I felt sick to my stomach.

The crew said they checked in the other guests at the designated time at our kiosk. The waylaid guest had walked around the campground looking for the crew; never seeing the kiosk or WET. They parked at the top before you entered the campground. The headguide and the client just missed each other. Just missed the pick-up by moments... by a set of circumstances that waylaid the guest's trip.

Our SF driver picked up the missing guests and drove them to the put-in. They made their trip! And... a fun time was had by all! Yes! 

I love rafting. And when we can't give a client the whitewater trip, we were all very upset. Especially, when something this dumb happens. The guest was so cool. He was a former paddler from California. We've invited him back as our guest the next day. His gracious understanding just emphasizes why we're in this business. The people who love rivers are just that... the most gracious and wonderful people that you'll ever meet.

Ok... the rest of you... let's go! Let's go rafting! 'Cause, We Got Whitewater!

• South Fork American everyday except Tues, Wed
• Middle Fork American everyday

Over and out... Tales from the crypt.
~ EL



Written by staff member, EL.
Photo by W.E.T. River Trips 

Memorial Day Weekend

In just a few more days, California will be celebrating Memorial Day weekend. Weather has been beautiful, cool and inviting for those of us who love the outdoors. With the crazy weather we have experienced lately, it's a miracle that we have whitewater this season.

California Whitewater Rafting with W.E.T. River Trips

Rivers are in our veins. Pulses through the arteries and strips clean our souls. We love rivers. We love them so much that since 1978, W.E.T. River Trips has rafted the entire Western United States on every river out there. But, we speak of now. And, now, the rivers are mostly lower due to a lack of snowfall. Only a few chosen rivers are running this year.

A LIST of RIVERS:

South Fork American: class 3-3+, ideal for novice, families, youth groups and events
Middle Fork American: class 3-4+, ideal for athletic novice or experienced paddler, older youth groups, bachelor groups, team-building
Klamath River: class 2-3, ideal for beginners, novice, families, youth groups and events
Call: 888.723.8938 for reservations


The rivers will have good flows; remarkable as most other rivers will not. If anything changes, there will be some clues to look for based on past year's experiences.

Check the flows daily. Look for patterns in the release schedule and compare with historical data. If you get a series of drastic highs and lows outside of the realm of release schedules, then you might hesitate until you have a dialogue with the rafting company. Call them and ask questions. Email them and ask questions. Have the dialogue and really listen to their responses.

Whitewater rafting is a complex sport. The requirements can be minimal or a mind-boggling litany of lists for group trips. In spring, you have to wear gear. Colder weather means whitewater gear which includes a wetsuit or a dry suit. Warmer weather means bathing suits, shorts and tennis shoes. And, that is where we are today. Memorial Day weekend coming up next in Sacramento! Only 45 minutes to the whitewater!

As the rest of you take part in the hilarity of partying, I will personally be thanking and sending prayers to my dad for his military service for our nation. Thank you, Dad, for giving me the life I have now. And as I enjoy rafting on the river this year, I will be blessed with friends, great food, and the our beautiful community, planet earth. 

Call 888.723.8938 for reservations.
Visit our online store raftwet-store.com to purchase rafting trips.
Have a great summer!

W.E.T. River Trips since 1978 "We Got Whitewater!"

Written: ~ EL
Photos by: W.E.T. River Trips
WET River Trips was founded in 1978 in California

South Fork American Spring Rafting Trip

Flowers are blooming. Trees have their leaves. And, it's raining... and it's cold!

Snow is falling again in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Rain is hitting the pavement like a lost child hitting his palms against the concrete. A good rain and a decent snow fall has bequeathed our community with blessed water from the sky.

Are we out of the drought? No, not yet, but the weather has given us plenty of hope for our warm weather future. Agriculture, energy providers and outdoor enthusiasts are all praying for more storms. California needs every drop.

Last Saturday, March 29th, we hosted a 24-person rafting trip for a bunch of non-outdoorsy and seasoned athletes. All had a blast! Rain made everyone wet, but whitewater rafting is about getting wet, drenched and soaked. The South Fork American River did just that!

WET River Trips Flickr

(4) rafts = 24 people on South Fork American River on March 29, 2014.

Many thanks to Mother Nature for providing the rain and snow! We loved it and by the looks of our guests, they loved it too! Muah!

Written: W.E.T. River Trips
Photos: WET River Trips Flickr

Rain, Snow for California

"Don't complain about this rain," the mother said as she chided her young son.

Rain, snow in California

Her son was stomping his feet in the small puddles forming on the sidewalk. I could tell he was mad about something...

I chuckled under my breath as the fat rain drops hit my eyeglasses. Usually an annoyance, the drops looked like jewels against the glass. Brilliant white crystals of water refracting the light; making everything look psychedelic and wonderfully splendid.

Mother Nature at its finest. Rain and glorious snow in the Sierra Nevada. California has received the gift of water for 2014.

Don't get me wrong. I know we have a very long way to go. We need a minimum of (5) more storms like today just to catch up. The weather is on everyone's mind. Each day, when I am out and about, I hear the refrain of weather complaints. Or the lack of...

More rain, more snow, more storms. Smile when the clouds burst open with the splash of rain. Smile when the trees bend heavily with snow. Smile.

...wondering if the North Fork American is up?

Thanks to WET River Trips Flickr for photo
Thanks to Google images for raindrops pic!

RAIN This Week!

The rain gods have heard us. The weather predictors are asking us to believe them when they say that rain is coming this week. Sigh... how many times have I heard that? The sky was promising this past week. Each morning, I would wake up to a sky full of wispy clouds. Then the last couple of days, the sky was dotted with fluffy clouds creating a grid-like pattern. Hmm... maybe rain.


I took a walk this past weekend to attend the Sacramento Bacon Week's offerings at Sellands Cafe. Good eats with a nice bottle of wine only set us back $25 for the two of us. We all walked over to share in Sellands promotion, and all of us hung out there for quite awhile sipping wine and talking about the weather.


Most of the neighbors had brown lawns or had already converted their water-hogging lawns to a xeriscape. Drought tolerant plants along with rock gardens made my day as I walked along appreciating what everyone is trying to say and do.


California is a desert. Yes, we have snow and rain that create the spring runoff and placates us with the allusion of a lot of water.


It's only the reservoirs and storage systems above those rivers that help to create the steady flow for Agriculture, Energy and Recreation. Wiser people than me have created that system. And, this year, with so little rain and snow, we all begin to hear the cries of "drought."

We should all do what we can to prevent the wasteful distribution of this water. Stop running the faucets for every flippin' reason. Wash your hands, but turn off the flow until you are ready to rinse. Wash your dishes only once a day. Don't wash your car in the drive way, please! Save it for a once in a blue moon, and wash that car at the carwash where they do recycle the water.


Politicians are looking at taking Northern California's water to the Southern California to redistribute the abundance (well, not this year...) of our water to the mostly desert environment of the southern part of our state. Let's nix that idea until everyone of us has a curb on our swimming pools, our water sucking lawns, our wasteful use of any water and our penchanct of keeping everything uber clean (a little dirt won't hurt you).


Drink your water. Taste that delicious liquid. This is the nectar of the gods. Seriously.


Next time you are on the river with us, thank the Gods that you are privileged to enjoy this whitewater trip with your family and friends. We do... we thank them everyday!

Praying for more rain and snow,
W.E.T. River Trips staff


written by ~ el
all pics by WET River Trips
xeriscape lawn pic by Don King Landscaping

2014 Flows on California Rivers

I was reluctant to post anything about the news we received last Thursday. Thursday was the day that every California outfitter arrived with clipboard, ipad, cell phone and reading glasses to gain an inkling of knowledge about the river flows for 2014.



South Fork American River and Middle Fork American River stream

We are going to have flows on (3) of our rivers this year. Here is the flow regime as outlined by our representatives and the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) contracts for South Fork American, Middle Fork American and Klamath River.

FLOWS 2014: California Rivers

• South Fork American River : Sat, Sun, (3) midweek dates tba (mid-May through Labor Day)
• Middle Fork American River : Sat, Sun, (3) midweek dates tba (Memorial Day through Labor Day w/ possible earlier flows)
• Klamath River : 1,200 to 1,500 cfs daily (June through August)

The political arena should be a hot bed this year as less rain and snow have fallen. The Southern portion of the state is already burning due to very dry foliage and winds. 

Yesterday, I went out to Folsom Lake to see that reservoir very dry. South Fork American is out and flowing all the way past the old, historical Salmon Falls bridge. That means this year, we will be encouraging our paddlers to float the "Gorge Run" for a longer whitewater trip.



Middle Fork American Tunnel Chute rapid with WET River Trips

Pray for rain and snow... Miracle March has happened before way back in 1991, and we hope it happens again.

Thanks to W.E.T. River Trips for their photos from Flickr.

GUIDE SCHOOL for Whitewater Rafting

2014 in California may be a bit dry today, but, we will be running our Professional Guide School in March, April, May, and June. Guide School continues because the water will be boatable even this year.



Here is the important information for W.E.T. Professional Guide School:

Bloggy: http://raftwetblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/whitewater-rafting-guide-school.html

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/WETriverTrips/videos

Facebook: http://facebook.com/wetrivertrips

Twitter: https://twitter.com/raftwet

Website: http://www.raftwet.com

Otherwise, just call us at 888.723.8938 for more details or questions.
If you call us, the office has a better discount than anything posted!


Photos by: W.E.T. River Trips in Flickr
Photos by: W.E.T. River Trips in Google+

WET 2014 Rafting Trips

One of the long term goals for W.E.T. River Trips has been to introduce the beginner or novice towards whitewater rafting and the great outdoors. Doing this has been difficult as the river rafting public has many outdoor adventures enticing their every want. From skiing, snowboarding to surfing, paddling to hiking, climbing; there are a lot of activities that have traditionally fed our public's imagination.

"I can totally do this black diamond run..." or "Dude, let's hit this gnarly surf..." or "Bang! I almost lost my toe-hold... or "Class 5! Extreme drop..."

There is a lot to do. A lot of stuff in our lives that take us away from our daily chores and work. There is a lot of things that occupy our mind. Do we really have time for fun?

Well... I say we have to make time for fun. We have to make the effort to include the outdoors into our lives. We can not allow our guests to sit in front of a desk, a tv, a computer, a cell phone or whatever interface they invent for us all... we can not do that day-in and day-out.

We risk our health. We risk our well-being. We risk our mental health, too. Our bodies need to exercise. We need to feel that warm sunshine or drizzly rain on our bodies, and we need to feel that we can conquer those nasty fears that plague each and every one of us.

This year, we want to encourage those of you who need an outside break. Yes, we know many of you do the one-day trip with us on our rivers. But, is one-day enough? You drive up from Bay Area or Southern California; then you meet us in a rush; then you go rafting; and at the end, you go home. Great day? N'est-ce pas?

Ok. Now, imagine this. Take your time and choose a date. Organize a 2 or 3-day rafting trip. The American River whitewater has many options for 2-day, 3-day or 4-day trips. And, American River is ideal for beginners to novice whitewater rafters.  You will achieve "River Time." That's when 'time' disappears and that watch becomes totally unneccessary.

Or, choose a longer trip on the Klamath River. Go north! Klamath is one of the longest undammed rivers in the West. Also ideal for families, family reunions, and youth groups such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and more. Klamath is a very popular river run for youth groups. We have (2) programs that highlight this special river. Boy Scouts and our 'The Long Strange Trip' have given us many new paddlers!

All I am lamenting about is the lack of committment from so many people towards nature, outdoors and rivers, oceans, lakes, etc. These are precious gifts. Let's enjoy them!

See you on the river,
W.E.T. River Trips
Our entire staff!


Written by: W.E.T. River Trips
All photos belong to WET River Trips
Photos in Flickr, Google+ and Facebook
Buy now!

WET River Trips Website for 2014

Back to the website... finally. Yes, everything on the internet has changed, much to our chagrin... but, we look forward to connecting to our community and our friends who have made such an impact on our company, W.E.T. River Trips, with a brand new website.

We are doing business next rafting season a bit differently. We have things in place now that prevent us from breaking our own rules. Yikes! Yes, systems are ruling the roost in 2014.

Anyway, back to the website (really?), that cumbersome, gigantically created stinky site using several systems including PageMill, Adobe, Macromedia, Adobe again, then hand-coding, and now networks (waves to all the big networks out there in the universe including Google).

First things first: images

How do ya like this one?

Middle Fork American Tunnel Chute rapid w/ W.E.T. River Trips

Do you wanna see this on the website?
Say YES or NO about this October 2013 post from our California Whitewater Rafting blog by visiting us at our WET facebook page: http://facebook.com/wetrivertrips and comment a YES or NO.
Thanks for your help peeps...
I want the rafting community to help us create the website we know we should have... carry on with your day after you vote.


Photo by: W.E.T. River Trips on our WET Flickr site.
Will Google ever like us again?

It's raining/snowing again, finally! We will be posting a bit more regularly...
Oh, yah, before I forget... we are taking group rafting reservations now.
Call us in morning from 9 - noon for group information: 888.723.8938

And, Happy Halloween!

Weather and Rivers in September 2013

"What's the weather like up there?" she queried. And, with that question, we went into our weather spiel.

"Blah, blah, blah... we can't predict the weather, but if the air temperature is below 83 degrees, you will need a wetsuit, " I answered. I could feel the next question coming, so I answered before it was asked.

"You can check with a search for 'Coloma, CA weather' and receive quite accurate weather reports on various sites" I claimed.

Pumping up the Rafts

The caller, said thank you and I was off on another call answering similar questions for another guest.

The weather is very important to our guests. They want to know how to prepare themselves for their whitewater trips on American Rivers. They want to know if it is raining or if it is blistering hot. With the weather being so strange, that has been difficult. Wetsuits? or not? Most likely not as the air temperature keeps rising daily.

We had a great winter and then a lousy end-of-winter pattern. No snow, no rain for weeks until finally we had a big storm in April. Was it enough for the state of California? No. We need more snow and more rain for Southern California and the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. We also could have used more in the Northern California regions, too.

Bachelorette Party w/ WET River Trips

Best flows in the state is on Central California's American River. South Fork American, Middle Fork American will have flows through September 2013. Remarkable, since there is no water on the Kern River or even the Tuolumne River for whitewater rafting.

And, most of the early spring runs were done very early this year around March. What a strange year! This weekend will be in the 90's. Time to go rafting on the river... again! Whitewater rafting will be great at the end of this season for all of you who were too afraid to hit the higher flows in spring or too squeemish for the colder temperatures. September is an uber warm month with lots of friends coming out to go rafting with WET River Trips.

This year, 2013, we introduced a lot of beginners and novices to our whitewater sport. This is definitely the best year for groups, families and novices on either run on the South Fork American River or the Middle Fork American River.

North Fork American in March!

Call your California outifitter! Get on a whitewater trip this year before it's too late!


Trip List : September 2013 Whitewater Rafting Season

• 1-day South Fork American Chili Bar Express 10.5 mi, 9-1pm, no lunch; beginners, novices 
• 1-day South Fork American Chili Bar run 10.5 mi, 9-3pm, lunch, novices
• 1-day South Fork American w/ 1-night camping + (4) meals
• 1-day Middle Fork American Tunnel Chute run w/ lunch 18 mi, 8-4pm, intermediates or athletic novices
• 1-day Middle Fork American Tunnel Chute run w 1-night camping + (2) meals
• 2-day Middle Fork American Wilderness Trip w/ 1-night camping + (4) meals

For best rates: call 888.723.8938
We are doing super discounts now!
And by the way... pray for snow this winter!



Thanks to W.E.T. River Trips for their flickr photos.

100 Degrees? This Weekend!

Middle Fork American Tunnel Chute run

Ok, Mother Nature. Your fun-filled silliness about your weather has been enough.

First we have snow and rain and then nothing for months and months. Then you fool us with 90 degrees in early May and then you surprise us with 70 degrees in late May that puts everyone back in a wetsuit or crawling under the bed covers to sleep the day away.

And now, this weekend. 100 degrees? Possibly, as the weather people predict a very hot weekend for June 1st.

I checked the weather.com channel and saw 97 degrees in Lotus, California on Saturday, June 1st. Wow. And, this past week's cloudy, Arizona-like sky cooling down the air temperature until I had to put on a sweater, was just a tease.

Will California remain hot? Who knows? But, what I do know is it is definitely time, puppies, to get your tweets going, your instagram snapping, your fab facebook posting and your bloggys rolling.Time to go rafting. Drive and dive into the mix of the river and socialize with your friends and colleagues. Bring your families together and go rafting with us, too.

This year, the two rivers to navigate this 2013 season are the following:

• South Fork American River: 21 miles into 2 sections; Chili Bar and/or Gorge run; class 3-3+, 1-day or 2-day trips available; camping, meals, etc; novice
• Middle Fork American River: 18 miles; Tunnel Chute run; class 3-4+, 1-day, 2-day, 3-day trips available; camping, meals, etc; experienced, or atheletic novices
• Middle Fork American Lower River: 6 miles; Kid River; class 2-2+, 1-day available; introduction to rafting, kid snacks, beverages; 1pm-5pm (approx); children 3+yrs
• South Fork American Coloma run: 5 miles; Family River; class 2-2+, 1-day available; river rafting, beverages; noon-3pm (approx); children 3+yrs

As always... See you on the river,
W.E.T. River Trips staff post
~ EL

About Cell Phones

Erm... about your cell phone. When you call us and leave a message from your cell phone while you are driving, here is what we hear: a garble of words that include a cell number that is barely decipherable.

Ooops! Yup. We cannot understand what you just said!

My favorite is the slo-o-o-o-w talker. The one who describes everything in detail about what they want and which river to raft. And, then... the phone number. In lightening speed, the caller says a flurry of numbers slurred together as a single word. Uhmmm... can you repeat that?

We also have many people whom English is a second language. The language accents make the cell number even more unintelligible. Please people. Slow down when you call so we can be sure to get your cell number so we can call back.

This morning, a caller was driving in their car when they made the call to our reservation office. With the sound of the air whooshing as their car sped down the road, a background of noise colored their speech and made it very difficult for us to understand.

A mumble of a voice, and I think I heard "birthday" and I think they said "this weekend." But, the phone number was a blur and (2) of the numbers were not clearly understood. So we tried each number from 1 - 9 and placed them in different configurations in that cell number. Nada. Nothing. Wrong number.



Maybe they will call back... and maybe they won't. Those who do not call back are usually annoyed with us because we did not return the call. With everyone on a cell phone, keep in mind that the clarity of your voice may not be received by the receipient. Instead, we got a lot of wooshing air, auto traffic noise and a garbled voice.

Guess what? There really is a very good reason why we can not hear each other on cell phones. Cell phones cut out the highest frequencies of the human voice. The results suggest that we may be missing the full meaning of what people say when we talk to them on our mobile devices. So says an article in Discovery.com.

I do wish I could have that cell phone that can call anywhere in the world from any place in the world. But, until that day arrives, all we can do is hope that our guests are understanding and patient. Slow down when you call! We really want to hear your words and call you right back.




A List for Hearing Resources

1. Discovery.com on Why We Can't Hear : http://news.discovery.com/human/cell-phone-frequency-111028.htm
2. Yahoo Answers on Cell Phone Hearing : http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080823200354AAQZFRq
3. Ask Metafilter.com What I Can't Hear You on the Cell Phone : http://ask.metafilter.com/134775/What-I-cant-hear-you-on-the-cell-phone
4. Hearing Loss in Musicians : http://www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/harts/HARTS_library/musnoise.txt
5. Hearnet, A Non-Profit Info Source for Musicians and Music Lovers : http://www.hearnet.com/
6. Oracle ThinkQuest on Phone Etiquette : http://library.thinkquest.org/2993/phone.htm
7. ReviewGist on Best Cell Phones for Hearing Impaired of 2013 : http://www.reviewgist.com/best-cell-phone-hearing-impaired

Written by: ~ EL on Staff for W.E.T. River Trips
Thanks to Discovery.com, Yahoo Answers, Metafilter.com, UIC.edu, Hearnet.com, Oracle Education and Reviewgist for their help on "A List for Hearing Resources".
Photos by mycricket.com, Northwestern University, and WET River Trips on Flickr.
Uuuuhhh... ok everyone, can you hear the whitewater rafting guide when he says "Paddle Forward!" ? (excuse my grammer...)

Exercise, Let's Walk!

May brings warm weather, and the thoughts of summer vacations. Thoughts of hiking with your family, rafting with the kids, camping with multiple generations and exploring and enjoying California's landscape of beauty, nature and life are paramount now.

W.E.T. River Trips on South Fork American

We are all getting older. The knees ache from skiing, the back is sore from those past years of playing basketball or soccer. Or maybe you were a runner pounding the pavement in those Nike's. Or maybe you just never really exercised before!

Why do we bring this up? We want each of our guests to enjoy themselves completely on our whitewater rafting trips. How can you enjoy this sport even more?


If you are planning a river trip this summer, start now. Get off the couch, push away the chair from the computer desk and turn off that tv. You got to start walking. What better way to enjoy your time with us than to prepare with your family.

Multiple generations enjoy rafting!

Every evening before/after dinner, gather everyone in the family together and announce that you will all be walking together for 15 - 30 minutes each day. The days are long so there will be sunlight until 9PM. Make it fun. If you have little ones, they will enjoy the "I Spy" game where everyone has to be on the look-out for something special designated by the leader (Dad or Mom).





If you are cajoling teens, tell them to bring their cell phones, and that they can either talk to friends or check their text messages as they walk. Pssss... once they start walking, they will talk to you, the parents. I guarantee that. Just imagine sharing the day with them. Listen to their stories. You will gain huge insights to their daily teen lives.

Family exercising and walking together

And, for you. Hold hands with each other. The warm embrace of a warm, friendly hand does so much good for your spirit. You will enjoy those walks. And your body will thank you. You will drop a little weight, you will gain stamina, and you will be ready for your whitewater trip.

No more excuses! Enjoy your life with your family, and your life will be a blessing of love and joy. And, believe me, you will be ready for anything!

Canyon on Middle Fork American

Written: Staff of W.E.T. River Trips
Photos: zimbio.com of family walking
Photos: W.E.T. River Trips in Flickr

PRIVACY

I got busted. I logged into my Google+ profile, and lo and behold! There was an account alert. "Please edit your profile to reflect your real name... blah blah blah..." Gee whiz. I was using this company name, WET River Trips, instead, but I did have in my profile, who I was, who I worked for and everything else that was completely real. Grrrr.

But, the sense of relief was a bit overwhelming. Whew. I don't have to hide anymore. Yes, I work for W.E.T. River Trips as their marketing geek, and I am the one who creates all the internet properties along with the other members in my team. But, to not have to hide is kinda unreal. Facebook already told me that, when I finally relented and entered their realm a few years ago.

I started thinking, "...why was I hiding?" Was I hiding from other marketers? Or was I just loving the anonymity of being on the net as my nickname or my company profile?

I read Randi Zuckerberg's missive on anonymity online. Randi says it 'has to go away.' She explains about harassment and cyberbullying. Hmmm... yes, I know our company, and I have been harassed on several occasions throughout our marketing campaigns over these 30+ years. Annoying and dangerous, we have fended off their arrows every single year.

So, here is what is out there now. I am Elizabeth Lopez both on Facebook and Google+. So, all you reading this, please check out our business pages for WET River Trips or W.E.T. River Trips. Then, click the "Like" or "+1" button, please. Otherwise, just keep clicking on the +1 button for me.

Last whitewater trip for 2012 is September 30, 2012 on both South Fork American or Middle Fork American!

Over and out for now...

E. Lopez
WET River Trips 

Thanks to http://hoax-slayer.com for their privacy image. All other photos belong to W.E.T. River Trips, Big Poppah Jah, and me!

This blog post belongs to W.E.T. River Trips and this California Whitewater Rafting W.E.T. River Trips blog.

Troublemaker Rapid 2012

Google groups has an interesting setting for paddlers, and Big Poppah saw this post that he wanted to share with everyone who paddles the very popular South Fork American River in Lotus Coloma Valley. Caution! Everyone!

***Please Read Kayakers***

This last Saturday, I was running troublemaker rapid in my playboat.  I decided to take the beginner line, which is to clip the very left edge of the hole and then paddle left of gunsight rock.  I have done this line over 20+ times and hit the hole in the same spot.  It seems that there is a new rock directly after this that will either flip you or put you on enough edge to shift your boat into the downslope that leads into the peanut gallery.  I did not flip but had to switch edges quickly, which lead into an instant loss of momentum and my stern slipping down.  I paddled as hard as possible to make it back left of the "guardian rock"  which is the left rock of gunsight.  I made it to the very top of the guardian rock but the current was so strong that I could not pull my weight up and over the tip.  In turn I slid backwards down the rock and into the peanut gallery.  I luckily pushed my weight forward and slid down flat, after a few more hits, I flipped over.  I tucked immediately and started going through the peanut gallery until my helmet hit a rock and my body was pressed up against the rock as well.  I knew to get my knees out immediately and to pull skirt but the water coming off the pillow pressed my boat against me.  When I realized that I was pinned, I remained calm and started to kick and push the boat off of me.  After a few tries, the boat released and I was able to swim out.  Besides a good crack in the helmet, a few solid bruises and a sore neck- it all luckily worked out.  For those that do not know me, this was not a simple push of the boat.  This was an intense push/kick from a well conditioned, strong boater who paddles over 250 days a year.

After I came back from running film on the gorge that night, I looked at pictures of myself and others going through troublemaker with the same line.  Most people flipped, the others had the same "edging" issues but in a larger boat were able to pull it off.  There were many swims that followed.  I watched an ugly swim 2 weeks ago and know of another well conditioned, strong, class 4/5 boater who swam as well.

Please take caution when running this line- clip the hole another boat width right, eddy out and ferry across or be ready for the rock.  I do know this river extremely well as I have worked on this river for 11+ years and have kayaked it at almost every flow.  This rock was not there early July when I did the exact same line, multiple times- I have very specific markers and line ups as I count on my line as a safety boater and instructor.

If you have any further questions or info- please let me know.  In the meantime, please be safe and aware.  Please pass this along to any other boaters, outfitters or instructors.
Thank you, 
Julie Mitravitch


Thanks much to paddler, Julie Mitravitch and Google groups for allowing us to share the group's paddling information to everyone!
Coloma Lotus News at Google Groups
clnews@googlegroups.com

This blog belongs to California Whitewater Rafting W.E.T. River Trips blog.

Writing, again

Phone is ringing. Again. And, the rings are blurring into a musical cacophony of tunes echoing a distant song. Turn your computer down, please. The sounds are confusing and filling my head with a noise that is distracting for my work. I am writing again.

I've always written. I love words. The sounds of the words and the rhythm of their music have always filled me with a joy that is hard to describe unless you have a soulful presence in perhaps, art? All who write know what I mean. I dream and then I write.

Just me

Why have I not written in so many months? What has stopped me? Blogs are quick and dirty writing. Perhaps the pressure of this whitewater business and the job it unfolds was too daunting for the artful words to flow. I don't know why a writer stops writing, or why we write at all. Something compels us to write the words from our head and heart. Something mysterious and profoundly unjust at times. Forcing me to write is like having a chef cook with spoiled ingredients and tainted meat. The end result is always bad, no matter how finely tuned the knife is executed or how creative the chef. Bad is bad, always.

The minutea of every part of my life comes in clear focus. I haven't felt like writing for a long time. And, every time the urge starts, I wonder why, but then I write... and write... about nothing. Just thoughts that drift aimlessly in my mind producing words on the screen forever more in the digital expanse.

I look outside my window this morning to a clear blue sky. The cool breeze drifts in making the curtain shimmer with the same rhythm of the music of words that I type. Life is very good. Perhaps, I will sit here all day just writing.

~ EL aka RJ
This blog belongs to California Whitewater Rafting W.E.T. River Trips blog and all the contents and images and my heart, too.

Magnificent Wolffe

"Geezus Christ!, " he screamed as he poured over the whitewater photos online this morning.

"I'm going to kill him... I swear to god, I'm going to kill him."

I went back into my thoughts while wondering why Big Poppah was yelling. What made him so mad? I kept working as I could feel and hear something in the background of this morning's river drama. Sigh... back to work.

First day of August and the living ain't easy. Discounting and dealing with the public has worn us all out. The reservation staff is waning as many of us get ready to go back to school. Whitewater trips are happening everywhere in the west from California to Arizona and also, West Virginia and all the way over to Pennsylvania. Whitewater outfitters provide dreams. A solitary river dream that flows inside all of our heads. We dream of rafting and kayaking. It's in our blood. Our life source flows on this planet much like it does in our bodies... the river of life.

Ok. It's hokey, I know that... but what made Big Poppah so mad?

I got up from my chair and walked into the other room. Peering over Big Poppah's shoulder, I could see the photos of yesterday's Middle Fork American river trip in front of me. Big Poppah was hunched over the computer and typing furiously. Tap tap tap clicky tap tap tap... like tiny soldiers marching on the hardened ground.

I saw Wolffe jumping from the cliff into the bottom of Tunnel Chute rapid. OMG! What was he doing? At least, no one else was in that gear raft in the ugly maw of Tunnel Chute.

Wolffe is a senior headguide for W.E.T. River Trips. He was manuevering the fully-loaded gear raft on the river that day with a large group on our 2-day wilderness trip. Why did he do that? What was he thinking?

Big Poppah was yelling and talking about company liability and why was Wolffe doing that and what was he thinking and how do we get it through his head that he can not do that? I listened to him ranting about Wolffe for quite a bit as I stood there nodding. My thoughts were drifting as Big Poppah's words were just a lacey decoration of a million times I had heard this similar rant about another guide, another river, another place in time.

This company is old. Really old. And what we do now is just survive the vagaries of life and all the bullshit that comes with it. WET has survived drought, economic downfall, guide revolts, back stabbing within our own industry, and sometimes even our friends!

August is coming up next... and then finally September. I am counting the days when the phone is quiet and the trips are only good memories on someone's facebook page...

The river. What more is there to say?

RESOURCES for Whitewater Photos:
Sierra Nevada Photos: 530.295.1873
Hotshot Imaging: http://hotshotimaging.com
Vita-B: http://www.whitewaterphotosonline.com/



This blog was written by staff member EL who has been writing here since forever.
California Whitewater Rafting W.E.T. River Trips blog is the oldest freakin' rafting blog in the world!
yah...